Berkley Center

It was spring break on a glorious day in Chendgu, and I was sipping tea in a traditional outdoor Chinese tea house in the middle of a beautiful park. All around me were families with their children, couples on dates, groups of friends chatting away--multiple generations living, laughing, and basking in the sunshine together. But as I looked around the tea house and beyond, my eye caught a group of elderly men and women actively out and about enjoying the beautiful day. Some were performing tai qi on the grass, others were gathered around tables playing cards or Chinese chess, and yet another group of older women were strutting down a makeshift runway modelling to music beating loudly in the background.

This was not the first time I noticed how active the elderly are in China. Earlier this week our teachers brought us to a nearby park to experience the daily early morning 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. activities that take place in the park. I couldn’t believe what I saw—from dancing to jazz music to doing stretches called out on a loudspeaker to balancing a water bottle with goldfish on one’s head, I have never seen so many seniors moving about with such grace, fluidity, and enthusiasm. It was heartening to see the energy and physique of the elderly in China.

After talking with some of my Chinese teachers and friends about this, I learned about the ancient Chinese tradition of cultivating total body wellness through careful attention to body, mind, and spirit, a process called yangsheng. It is this deep rooted and ancient practice of nurturing the soul that has been responsible for the good health and longevity that is characteristic of the elderly in China. In China, it seems that people take a much more natural approach to caring for one’s body. Rather than suppressing symptoms, the emphasis is placed on first discovering the underlying cause of the discomfort and then restoring stability and equilibrium to the body.

This holistic approach is not limited to any one method; rather there is overlap which includes herbalism, homeopathy, acupuncture, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The role of diet and nutrition is of significant importance. Certain foods are thought to affect digestion, strengthen one’s immune system, or help improve one’s skin or bones.

For example, it is believed that cold liquids cause stomach pain, so water is always boiled first; spicy food with too many chili peppers can cause rashes or acne; chrysanthemum and tremella mushrooms are both thought to help improve one’s skin, strengthen bones, and control weight; and goji berries can help with lower back pain, dizziness, and eyesight.

Specific foods are also often recommended as part of the treatment for certain disorders; for example, lotus roots are known to help people experiencing emotional instability, nervousness, or insomnia. The use of herbs, minerals, and extracts by practitioners, whose skills and knowledge have been passed on from generation to generation, attempt to prevent and treat disease by restoring the balance of body, energy, and spirit. These Chinese practices associated with food, nutrition, and health are the foundation of the body and the root of the mind.

Apart from emphasizing the nutritional and healing values of certain foods, the Chinese also keep their physical health in shape by engaging in exercise and dance. It is believed that if the body has energy to do what it needs, the mind will in turn be sharp and focused.

Surrounded by a culture with deeply entrenched views on health, I cannot help but reflect on the merits of a harmonious and healthy body that is cultivated as part of a lifelong process.