Lam Wing Yan

Reasons for studying Chinese Medicine in

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

        The intricacy of the human body and the marvel of our self-healing system has always been a key area of fascination for me.  This further breeds my earnest curiosity in various methods of medical treatment as ways to heal, sustain, and even improve one’s well-being.  In Chinese medical concept, health is the balance between “yin”(陰) and “yang”(陽), along with the harmony in “Qi”(氣) and Five elements (wu xing五行).  With science learnt in a primarily Western way, I am deeply thrilled by the complexity of Chinese medical theories, which stand as an exciting contrast to my existing knowledge.  It is my determination to embark upon a study of Chinese Medicine, so that a s future Practitioner, I can help restore my patients’ physical and psychological health through their “imbalance” time.

        My first encounter with Chinese Medicine was at the age of 5, when I had to seek treatment for my severe joint injuries form my lifetime passion – snow skiing.  I experienced firsthand how, with only his bare hands, plus various exotic species and a few needles, the CMP (Chinese Medicine Practitioner) had miraculously given me full recovery through herbs and acupuncture.  The possibility he created for me to resume my enthusiasm in sports has stimulated me to pursue further education in CM (Chinese Medicine).  Having personally benefited from this profession, I am inspired to become a qualified CMP myself and with my special interest in manual therapy for musculoskeletal problems, help lay a strong and healthy basis for my patients’ quest of dearms.

        Diverse work and academic experiences invariably confirm my resolution in reading CM.  During my placement in Chinese medical centre last summer, I gained valuable insight into the industry.  By shadowing the CMP, I was able to have an intriguing peek into various diagnostic methods, such as inspection, auscultation, and olfaction, inquiry, and feeling the pulse, which significantly broaden my knowledge in anatomy and physiology.  On top of pure intellectual excitement, I acquired a higher level of satisfaction form personally assisting an elderly woman through arthralgia, giving her massages that helped improve her mobility and comfort.  The success in aiding her recovery through thorough caretaking and intimate relationship building was all the more fulfilling.  Witnessing recoveries from a wide range of illness from Medical to Orthopedic, I was truly amazed by the power of CM, which, as mentioned in 圓運動的古中醫學and思考中醫：對自然與生命的時間解讀, revolves around the harmonization of qi(氣), xue(血), jinye(津液), zang-fu(臟腑) and jing-luo(經絡).

        My chosen subjects for GCE combine to offer a thought-provoking and multidisciplinary approach for understanding CM.  Always fascinated by Chemistry and the magic of chemical reaction, I see CM as a new and challenging way to investigating chemical reactions between Chinese medicine and the human body, which is startlingly different from what I have been exposed to throughout my education.  The mechanism of human body which I have learnt in Biology has provided me with a holistic foundation for studying CM.  Furthermore, participating in the St John Ambulance first-aid course has taught me that all these have laid an essential bedrock for my nest stage of study.

        With my zeal and background, I firmly believe that I am well-prepared for the demanding yet rewarding CM curriculum,  Yet, my natural sense of curiosity also compels me to be acutely aware of my own naivety, thereby pushing me to continuously perfect myself.  The CM programme would be ideal as my undergraduate degree, as well as a perfect stepping stone for realizing my ambition in the medical profession.

《編者按：本文作者是中文大學中醫學院「佳保公証行入學獎學金」得獎者。》