By Bill Helm
The trip began as a reunion/anniversary of sorts. It was 20 years ago that I went to China the first time with Alex Tiberi and Joe Lazzaro to study Tuina Massage in Shanghai . Honora Wolfe, a founder of Blue Poppy Press and Matriarch of the Bob Flaws clan, was our tour leader.
There have been lots of changes since that fateful trip. My daughter Camila ,who was waiting to be born during that trip , will be 20 years old in another month. Joe Lazzaro, a founder of PCOM, has been gone from this planet for almost five years and Alex Tiberi is moving to North Carolina to ride horses and shoot bows and arrows Hungarian style.
On April 14th, our group of 22 left Los Angeles International Airport in hectic fashion. We arrived from all parts of the United States, and once we were all accounted for and ready to blast off, we boarded the plane and we were on our way. Upon arrival after 14 hours we were in fact quite blasted.
We spent Easter Sunday at the Jade Buddha Temple eating a delicious vegetarian feast and viewing the amazing Jade Buddha.. That night we prepared to begin our Tuina studies.
Monday morning we went to Yue Yang Hospital , the most famous Tuina Center in Shanghai . We were staying at a hotel about 3 blocks away so we were able to walk to and from the hospital each day.
I was slightly disoriented until I discovered that the hospital had been moved from its previous location to its current site. This theme of things not being in the same place continued throughout the trip. I was informed later that this was actually the new ` Shanghai state of flux`, that people were said to not be able to find their way home at night due to the many changes during the day.
It was wonderful to be studying Tuina in China again. The students were a little overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people and the clearly deep suffering seen in the hospital but relieved to see the many techniques that they had been studying at home being put to use.
It was definitely not San Diego with the stress and tensions of the many middle class Americans who use our medicine at home. These were in patients and out patients with severe acute disk protrusions, cervical sprains, post- stroke paralysis , wry necks, post traumatic car wreck victims and more. What was inspirational was that these people were getting better in front of our eyes after Tuina treatments from the many competent doctors at the hospital.
After a couple of days everyone was up to full speed, going from doctor to doctor, room to room, soaking up the knowledge . I was very happy to discover an older Tuina Doctor who had been at the original Yue Yang Hospital when I was first there 20 years ago.
Dr Xi was a true master of the Rolling style.He used it almost exclusively on many areas of the body. It was a joy to be able to ask him questions and to get some good corrections on my Tuina. methods. This was what I had come for !!
We had several evening massage sessions so that everyone could practice and these were fun events. The room was packed with bodies and laughter .We were having a good time.
The stress and pollution took its toll on sinuses and throats. 'Golden' lozenges became a favorite item for everyone. No major problems but many people had to rest a little more to avoid a real breakdown.
Each day we started with Qi Gong and Tai Chi in a little park area near the hotel. Attendance was voluntary and rose and fell depending on late night activities from the day before. The explorers among us hit the streets with enthusiasm. Foot massage was very popular in Shaghai and almost everyone tried it at least once. Some were solicited for impure types of massages but the ladies from the group had nothing but long, cheap, relaxing, pure massages.
At the end of the first week we went to Suzhou . Well, all but one of us. One of our younger men made a friend in the dance club the night before and opted to try out the local weekend life instead of going to Suzhou .
The trip was a wonderful break from the big city life of Shanghai.We visited lovely gardens full of blossoming trees and flowers. We went to the silk factory and embroidery research institute. Cha ching!! for the Chinese!! Their GNP was given a nice boost by the groups purchases. We were resplendent in our new silk clothes and ready for a good nights sleep.
The next day we visited Han Shan Temple which was featured in the famous Beat poet Gary Snyder's early translations of Buddhist poetry. There is a famous bell there that large groups of Japanese tourists come to ring. It seems that during World War Two the Japanese stole the original bell and took it to Japan. Now they have replaced it and come to ring it for forgiveness and good fortune.
From Han Shan Temple we went to Zhuan Zhou or Watertown as it is called. This is a fun reconstruction of an old Chinese water city, complete with famous local country village food (ham hocks) and canals with singing gondolier boat trips.It seems the new Chinese have been to Venice . I found a lovely coffee shop complete with an espresso machine in the middle of the canals and bridges. I shared a window view of the singers and boaters while sipping a cappuccino and listening to Diana Krall on a decent sound system. with two other group members. It was a great moment of home and trip all at once.
That evening we went to see the famous Shanghai acrobats . It was an incredible experience of witnessing the higher levels of physical and mental development live and on stage. The finale of five motorcycles whirling around the inside of a large metal sphere at breakneck speed was intense and exciting.
Another week of study followed with more learning and exploring the many areas and shopping malls of Shanghai. We stopped trying to have organized dinners and practices.
Everyone was happy on their own or in small groups. The finale was a trip to the main campus of the Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese medicine. We had a lovely closing ceremony with the Vice President and I discovered that I was going to have to make a speech. Fortunately she went first and I think well under pressure. Everyone received their certificates of completion and we were off to dinner. This time it was a Brazillian BBQ. It was great to have some meat after so much vegetarian Chinese food. Even the veggie folks were happy with the many delicious side dishes and salads available. After dinner it was shopping and dancing. Those of us who didn`t fade and head home from dinner went to a club and 'kicked it up'. People were surprised by the level of dancing of some of our group. Some real dancers were getting loose.
As Sunday came to a close , the trip began to transform and move on. Five people went to Beijing on the overnight train, three went to Tibet very early Monday, another to Taiwan, and one person stayed another week and then fled into the wilds of Szechuan province.
The rest opf us packed ourselves onto a bus and headed to the airport , thinking our adventures were over. Not yet - the bus broke down and we had an exciting time changing busses on the side of the expressway. The plane was late coming and going to Los Angeles.
Finally we arrived home, got our luggage and dispersed to our beds with our homebodies and dreamed of China.
I will be taking groups to Shanghai to study Tuina every 2-3 years. If you are interested in going, contact me at the Taoist Sanctuary for more information.