Travel To China

Tang Dynasty Travel asked:


Why taking cycling tour in China? Hey, it is a vast land that full of surprises. Be sure to explore it by your own way. Instead of strapping on the coach seats and driven here and there, taking a bicycle means you can discover it in comfortable pace and see the every detail of Chinese splendid culture, its people and scenery. Ride on the off-the-beaten route and interact with local people in the most beautiful places of China, which are also the most suitable places for all ages to travel by bicycle.

Guilin: Unique Cycling Trip through the Fabulous Karst Landscape

During the cycling tour around Guilin, you will have the chance to ride through the unique limestone mountains, discover idyllic countryside, visit old towns and savor exotic folk customs of the ethnic minorities.

Yangshuo could be the highlight of your cycling excursions in Guilin, which provides the most stunning scenery for cyclists. Here is a suitable

phrase that describes Yangshuo’s beauty: Guilin’s scenery is the most beautiful in the world, and Yangshuo’s scenery is far superior to that of Guilin. Riding around Yangshuo, you can get close to Chinese village life by exploring the countryside outside of Yangshuo town center. Cycling on the flat country roads, you will find many lovely untouched spots, lovely rivers and streams, numerous fertile rice fields and a plentitude of old-fashioned villages. You can also pay a visit to the local farmer’s house and interact with local people and their daily lives.

Trekking along the magnificent terraced rice fields in Longsheng County, cruising down the Li River are other recreational things you could do in picturesque Guilin.

Yunnan: Cycling along the Remote Backcountry Trails in Southwestern China

Yunnan, a mysterious and beautiful land in southwestern China, boosts its multi-culture, various minorities and stunning scenery.

Stepping on the stone paved streets of Lijiang ancient town, walking along every twists and turns of small lanes, here is the place you can lose all your worldly worries, view the well-preserved distinctive architecture houses and rustic Naxi People. Many Naxi people dressed in their traditional costume dance and sing with hand in hand. It’s said that Naxi women do most of the house works while Naxi men indulge themselves in other pursuits like poetry and music.

The route is also suitable for brave cyclists who want to challenge physical strength and volition - cycling through the Tiger Leaping Gorge - the world’s deepest canyon. The blue sky is so close to you and at the feet is the torrential river which is confined by the narrow high cliffs and roars and crashes spectacularly over huge rocks. Here, you have chance to talk with local Tibetans who can sing and dance, and always show their worship to the high scared mountain.

Your cycling in Yunnan can also reach the waterside of Erhai and the dotted white villages nearby or to the Stone Forest of Kunming, where unique rocks in various shapes challenge your unlimited imagination.

Beijing: Hiking and Cycling through History to China’s Most Legendary Ancient Venues

Most people refer to Beijing as the current and previous capital of China. But along your riding route in Beijing, skyscrapers standing in great numbers prove that Beijing is a modern and ancient mixture city. You can ride to the Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall and other ancient spots.

Cycling in the Hutong areas is full of surprises. At the first glance, they are almost the same, formed by lining buildings with gray walls and gray tiles. They are narrow but full of life: children playing around, old men sitting for playing chess, people preparing food and the local bicyclists traveling through. It is a unique place with different atmosphere. Sometimes you follow into a big street and find many tiny shops, like small hair cutter businesses, small bakeries, and tiny supermarkets.

You will also have the chance to trek along the Huangyaguan Great Wall which is not developed as tourist’s sites and where you can experience the primeval grandness of one of the Seven Wonders in the world and stay in the guest house to get more details of the local people’s daily life.

Xian - Cycling on the Ancient City Walls with History on Your Handlebars

Riding on the ancient city walls of Xian makes your cycling trip perfect. The wall is spectacular and cyclists can have a birds’ eye view of the city.

The road on the top of the ancient city walls is wide and flat. Lower the speed and you will get the real “history” feeling from the armed soldiers, red lanterns and old walls around. Taking an overlook to the Bell Tower, it is more grand and splendid with busy traffic coming and going. Or just stay your bike aside, talk with local people and listen to their singing of Shaanxi Opera. Xi’an is surrounded by the 14-kilometer-long ancient city walls. Cycling on the commodious wall, the city is all under your eyes and you will imagine about one thousand years ago, lined soldiers standing here guarding the ancient capital.

A visit to Xian always includes the amazing archeological relics of the terracotta Warriors and Horses, Bell Tower, Forest of Steles Museum with its extraordinary collection of ancient stone “books” and other historic spots.

Shanghai, Suzhou & Hangzhou - Cycling in the Eastern China Water Towns

Eastern China, especially the area near the lower reaches of Yangtze River, has always been regarded as homeland of scholars and men of letters. The charming water villages, typical and pretty Chinese women and the classical Chinese gardens in that region will definitely give you a deep impression of what eastern China is like.

In Wuzhen, a typical Chinese water town near Hangzhou, the river running through the town was once the main means of transportation for local people. The town is full of black tiled and wooden architectures with white walls in sharp contrast, giving the sense of Chinese oil painting. Giving a glimpse into the local house, many of the local men are found to breed silkworms. The houses are dotted along the waterside, so most local people can buy the fruit and vegetables from the boats outside their windows. Local people are fond of flowers and plants, both are bloom in the sunshine, adding a touch to this quiet old town.

But taking a cycling trip in China is not always an easy thing for some cyclists. They know little things about China, not to mention the routes, the transferring between destinations…The most important thing they would consider is when I ride through China along, whether the safety issue could be guaranteed. Here comes the reason why China tour operators exist. A China - based tour operator knows well about China and it can also settle down other detailed things like hotels, vehicles and so on.

This does not mean that choosing a tour agency which is based in China is a totally right thing. Making the China trip more assured relies on the professional ability and experience of the tour operators. There are many newly emerging tour operators who may cost you more on the trip. An experienced Chinese travel agent build up long and good relationships with other partners around China so that they can provide more competitive prices and more personal backup services for cyclists who take cycling tours around China: accommodations in best available hotels or guest houses, delicious and healthy Chinese meals, bottled water, coffee for coffee break on each cycling day, back-up vehicle that carries your bags and daily necessities, all entrance fees to historic sites, museums and scenic spots included in the itinerary as well as experienced English-speaking guide.

Tang Dynasty Travel is the typical example of this kind of professional China tour operators that can provide cyclists professional service at competitive prices. With experience in tourism for nearly 15 years, it has provided cycling products to cycling groups and foreign travel agency for several years.



Tanner

Steve Hudson asked:


At the root of many holistic practices are the philosophies and ideals that come from Chinese medicine. From the beginnings of this practice has been a growth in natural methods to help promote healing and balance.

The beginnings of Chinese medicine as a practice come from the year 800 BC. Even though this practice began before this, it was only recorded beginning in this year through a book known as the Huang Di Nei Jeng or The Yellow Emperors Classic of Internal Medicine. The methods that were used in this book were based around the herbal remedies that were most significant in helping with holistic healing.

The idea of this particular book was based off of the Yellow Emperor, one of the greatest rulers in Chinese history. He is thought to have lived in 4700 BC, and is often attributed as a mythical character with a status of royalty that provided inspiration to those living in the orient. It is through this mythical character that this book of medicine is still portrayed under, with the attribution to the Yellow Emperors knowledge that was passed down holistically.

The beginning of this book included 12 prescriptions through herbs that were used with a combination of twenty-eight different ingredients. By the year 220 BC, the book had become so popular that medical services were established based around the remedies from the Yellow Emperor. The adjustments that were made from this book included detailed classifications of the herbs, how they worked, their strength and what their properties were for healing different ailments.

Overtime, new publications and philosophies were added onto this book in order to provide practitioners with new methods and substances to the basis of the Yellow Emperors remedy book. These additions provided new insights and books, all the way into the 1700s with the contribution of the Theory of Herbal Medicine.

The ancient practices of Chinese medicine through herbal remedies are a true philosophy that shows how time withstands the ideas of holistic treatments. Through the growth of herbal practices, several in the East have found ways to provide insight and balances between different herbs for better practices to gain energy and balance in ones life.

Balanced Cures for Imbalances in Problems

There are a variety of problems that are directly linked to health in the world today. Everything from mental ailments to physical diseases to problems reflected by other more serious problems are becoming better known. In the increase in knowledge for better health is also the desire to find the correct cures for the problems. Not only are Western scientists trying to find solutions, but traditional Chinese medicine is also working towards increasing the availability of ancient solutions.

Not only is Chinese medicine known to help cure common ailments, but it is now being proven that they are working towards finding alternatives in other ways. There are several that are turning towards Chinese medicine to help alternate things such as obesity, smoking and addiction to hard drugs. This is not only a continuation of Chinese medicine, but is also an increase in evidence of the effectiveness of this alternative.

One of the proven effects of Chinese medicine comes from recent research done by a variety of acupuncturists. In this particular study, acupuncture practitioners conducted acupuncture on those who were suffering from obesity and addiction. It was found that there were direct results by refocusing the energy of the person by using specific acupuncture points.

The major change that occurred with the acupuncture is that the chemical of endorphin, which is usually a response to addiction, began to flow differently. This occurred because there were direct pressure points used in the acupuncture that linked to the nervous system. The areas of this nervous system are the ones that carry the endorphins, telling your body that it needs certain things and responds to addictions.

Not only are acupuncturists working with those that are addicted in order to open up channels for releasing endorphins into a different direction, but they are also finding ways to use acupuncture in direct areas for the addictions. Ear acupuncture is one of the most well known ways to change the imbalance of endorphins and is done by stimulating specific nerves in the ears, which causes an increase in endorphins and releases the chemical stimulants to stop addictions.

If you are suffering from an addiction, you can try using acupuncture and ancient Chinese medicine in order to help find a cure. Most likely, your body is telling you to release specific chemicals that cause the addiction. By using holistic methods, you can begin to reverse this process and work towards a well-balanced alternative towards your health.



Rachel

jabo asked:


Nothing in specific could the answer be when asked why they get hooked with horoscope reading and the like. Walking along downtown China, one could sense the spirit of a well retained cultural heritage attached way back centuries ago. Along the streets are sumptuous food, china wares, dry goods and even shops like psychic reading. As the year unfolds, each coming year would always be associated with Chinese characters that stand to represent the year. These characters determine and are interpreted to gage how the year would be…. struggling or on its top.

A Look at History

The long and winding Chinese Zodiac fad can be traced dating from 2637 B.C. When it’s first cycle was introduced. It takes 60 years to complete the cycle, and each is made up of five cycles of twelve years each. The 78th will end on February 2044, it started on February 1984. For each of the twelve years, a specific animal is assigned to it. Legend says that, Lord Buddha summoned all the animals to come to him before he departed from earth. Only the twelve, came to bid him goodbye. To reward the animals, he named a year after each one in the order that it arrived. The order is as follows; Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar. According to ancient beliefs, the animal that rules in the year to which they are born has a profound influence on their life.

Looking Deeper

Five main elements, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water is combined with each of the animal signs during the complete 60-year cycle. What exercises influence on once life is the element of the lunar sign.

A primal part of Oriental philosophy is the relationships among the five elements. These are divided into Conducive and Controlling interrelationships, and are as follows:

Conducive and contributing factor

We get water from metal. This implies that metal could be a container or any vessel for holding water. Corollarily, we can say that metal catches water. One idea to be deducted, is the feature of metal as the only element changeable into liquid when heated.

Woods existence can be attributed from water. The water in this sense is the dew or rain that enables plants to grow into life, thus it produce wood.In order to produce fire, wood is necessary. Fire cannot independently exist and necessitates the existence of burning wood. Ashes comes from the remnants of fire which becomes part of the earth again. It can be gainsaid that from fire we get earth. For metal to exist, it must be extracted from the earth, thus from earth we get metal.

Controlling

The existence of the five elements are interdependent of each other and each is controlled by another. It is thus presumed that; Since metal can be forged or melted with heat. Metal is controlled by Fire. Water is the only means to put out fire easily, thus it can be concluded that fire is controlled by water. Water is controlled by Earth. Canals are dug in the earth to irrigate fields or construct dikes to keep out or absorb water. Earth is dominated by Wood. Trees and their roots hold the soil together and get their food from the earth. Wood is controlled by Metal. Even the largest tree can be felled by the metal blade of an Axe.

In a nut shell

Anchored form the interpretations, Luna or the moon being the closest heavenly body on earth has shown visible power to man since the dawn of man’s existence.

The interrelation of these elements and beliefs as apart of human existence drives mankind to continuously attached to this belief. Reliance to its implication to ones living has been looked after since time immemorial. Man’s innate character to be connected with natural phenomena explains the continuous patronage and belief with signs. As far as Chinese Zodiac crazes is concern, there is nothing wrong with believing. Time tested passed from generation s to generations made it more intriguing and interesting. The interest to divulge what concerns the forthcoming year with elements and Chinese Zodiacs is just a natural and spontaneous reaction of humans. As long as we are living, we get crazy over anything. Crazy but sane.



Zach

m.jeya asked:


Indian style chinese chili chicken in gravy, cooked with lots of onions and green chilies. Very tasty, very must eat to it. Just over a year ago Zack had his first Christmas Eve dinner with us and some of our friends here in Luna Pier. An hour prior, he called to ask, “Do I need to wear a suit? I’ve never been to one of these things!” And this-coming Easter Sunday after anchoring the 13abc morning news in Toledo (he doesn’t mind working the Christian holidays), Zack will join us with Mary’s brothers for Easter dinner.

 

I love Indo-Chinese dishes, it’s really tastes simply superb spiced up with Indian seasonings and Chinese cooking style. Last week when this here German Lutheran was holed up in a Catholic hospital, Mary found the book Cooking Jewish in the hospital’s gift shop and bought me a copy. I already love this book! There are some incredible recipes in here and while there are no photos of the completed dishes it’s not difficult to visuallize how they’d turn out. But what’s even more endearing about the book is the whole “family” aspect of the overall writing. The family tree is laid out, charts indicate which family member is related to which and how that happens (i.e., Fanny Vitner is Silvia Robbin’s mother), and a written history goes back over 100 years. Indian Chinese chili chicken is Stir fried boneless chicken in fiery curry or tossed dry.

 

Indian Chinese Fusion cooking is one of my favorite. White Chicken Chilli Recipes selected by the collective tastebuds of the masses from Group Recipes. Yesterday evening Mary made Hilda Robbins’ Cherry Chili Chicken from Cooking Jewish. When I handed him the dish from the photo at the beginning of this post he said, “I can’t eat this much before a game. I’ll throw up!” However the dish is so good he couldn’t help but eat it all as well as taking more with him. Calling after the game he said he didn’t feel nauseous at all, but instead felt he had the energy of a 12-year-old, scoring 15 points.

 

chili chicken dry is very similar to the chicken prepared by Chinese people living in India. This recipe makes a lot of food. The book says it serves 8 but take a closer look. There are two chickens 3 - 4 lbs each, each cut into eight pieces. The dishes are packed hygienically and delivered in fresh, hot condition. A few changes we made were to use golden raisins vs. dark raisins, granulated garlic instead of powdered, and a Chardonnay for the white wine. We also served it on a bed of buttered white rice. Please purchase online http://www.indomunch.com in NewYork city.



Allison

Apurva Shree asked:


Parents-to-be adopt many methods to determine whether the unborn baby is a boy or a girl. The Chinese pregnancy calendar is an often used method to know about the gender of the new life in the mothers womb.

The Chinese pregnancy calendar is an ancient way for predicting the gender of the unborn child. It is also known as a Chinese conception chart, or the Chinese Conception Calendar. It is believed that this ancient method is highly accurate, although no clinical studies verify these claims.

History - Chinese Pregnancy Calendar

This chart is an ancient Chinese secret. A Chinese scientist developed this calendar, 700 years ago. According to a legend, the Chinese pregnancy calendar is capable of predicting the baby gender based on two variables: the baby month of conception and the mothers age.

This chart was kept in a royal tomb, near the city of Peking in China in ancient times. Now this original Chinese chart is on display at the Beijing Institute of Science. Many people, especially the Chinese, believe that the original Chinese pregnancy calendar is almost 100% accurate.

How it Works?

According to studies, the Chinese pregnancy calendar has been found to be 97% effective in predicting a baby gender. This accuracy is credited to the use of Chinese lunar calendar.

The Chinese pregnancy calendar is dependent on the lunar calendar. It is based on the month a baby is conceived and not the birth month. The second factor is the mothers age at the time of conception, adding 9 months to her age to adjust the lunar calendar.

The conceived month from January to December is listed on the top row of the Chinese pregnancy chart, and the left column of the chart represents the mothers age during the conception. You need to follow the steps given below to get the most accurate result from the Chinese pregnancy calendar.

1. Note down your age at the time of conception.

2. Add 9 months to the age to adjust to the lunar calendar.

3. Also note down the month when the baby was conceived.

4. Now simply search for the conceived month across the top portion of the chart and the age on the left side of the chart.

5. Lastly, follow these two coordinates to the spot where they intersect, and that will show you either a box containing B for boy, or G for girl.

In comparison to the Chinese pregnancy calendar, the ultrasound during the 7th or 8th month of the pregnancy is a more reliable method to know the gender of the child. In fact an ultrasound is use to monitor the pregnancy development week by week development right from conception till child birth.

Whether it is a boy or a girl, what does it matter? What matters is that you have fun guessing the gender of your unborn child using the Chinese calendar. All along use a pregnancy journal to record your pregnancy development week by week.



Tom

Barry Hurst asked:


Chinese herbal medicine is a health care system which has been around since ancient times. It is also known by the acronym CHM. As the causes of illness that afflict mankind have evolved in time, CHM has also undergone developments continuously. Along with modern medicine, state hospitals in China use herbal medicine for various ailments and diseases.

All forms of diseases can be treated by Chinese herbal medicine. The traditional view in Chinese herbal medical system is to prevent diseases before they occur.

The majority of the world population uses Chinese herbal medicine since ancient times and it still is the most extensively used medical system. In comparison to commonly produced pharmaceutical drugs, Chinese herbal medicine rarely gives an adverse reaction.

Depending upon the disease’s severity the duration of the medication is expanded to get the best results and cure. Allergies, digestive disorders, respiratory conditions pertaining to respiratory tracks, immune system disorders, pain, problems due to psychological disorders, children’s diseases and gynecological problems can be effectively treated using Chinese herbal medicines.

People of all ages and constitution can take Chinese herbal medical treatment. Symptoms of current illness and previous history will be taken into consideration by the practitioner before prescribing the medicine. Even pregnant women and children can be given treatment using Chinese herbal medicines.

Traditional and modern versions of Chinese herbal medicines are available in number of formats. At first the unusual taste of the herbal medicine will be difficult to adjust to, but quickly the patients will get used to the taste. Chinese herbal treatment does not have any standard price structure. Nowadays many health insurance companies are covering herbal treatment too.

Colonic dialysis therapy is a form of treatment in Chinese herbal medicine which enables the body to eliminate toxins effectively and quickly and helps to overcome addictions.

PLA Institute of Drug Dependence Treatment and Rehabilitation is doing research to observe the effects of using colonic dialysis therapy in persons addicted to heroin and to find out whether this treatment can help them abstain from the craving for heroin.

An evaluation of an ancient Chinese remedy for dermatitis was done by doctors at the Royal Free Hospital in London. A mixture of 10 herbs was prescribed to a group of forty adult patients with longstanding and widespread atopic dermatitis in a trial which lasted 5 months. Over an eight week period each patient was randomly allocated to receive either the herbal remedy or a similar tasting placebo. This was followed by a four week wash-out period. 31 patients completed the study and showed a continued and rapid improvement in the extent of redness of skin (erythema) and surface damage during the time they were taking the prescribed Chinese herbal medicine. The research concluded that the remedy is effective in treating adult atopic dermatitis.

Find more info at http://www.onlinepharmacyresource.info



Marilyn

Andri Irawan asked:


Beginner Chinese Calligraphy, The Han Dynasty in 100 A.D. is the first origin of Chinese characters. The Chinese dictionary completed at that time included around 9,353 characters. The next version of the Chinese dictionary came out of Qing Dynasty and was called the “Kangxi” dictionary. The 42 booklets contained over 46,964 characters, which most are not even used today. There are variants on the characters, revised and refined in the current simplified edition of the Chinese language. This edition was put out by the People’s  Republic of China in 1956. This book  narrowed the characters down to about 6,500. This is considered a simplified form and is the most common form used today, although some remain committed to using the old traditional ways.

Chinese characters have been defined as complicated yet beautiful in their meaning.  They are complex in relation to other writing languages. Romanization is used in terms of relation or simple visual information, however the meaning of the character remains mysterious as the art styles behind it. Some Chinese characters mimic similar tones of other characters, yet have different meanings. Some characters written with just an added dot or stroke, turn into something completely different.

Of Chinese history, the crowning achievement to their culture, is the Chinese characters. They are an abstract art form displaying incredible depth of meaning in just a few brushstrokes. This thick symbolism has made it’s way into mainstream art from centuries gone and desirable still today. Words like love, faith, endure, tranquility, written in a one character form creates a personalization amongst the observer admiring it.  Many of these characters live on walls in homes to communicate a feeling.  Many masters have created their own unique style and now exists over 120 different styles of written Chinese calligraphy.

Learning to draw these characters requires patience, proper tools, clear concise instructions and of course, lots of practice. Acquiring this skilled art form can be hours of entertainment and enjoyment because it is so unfolding in a multi conceptual way.  You will learn the proper directions and different styles (one or two you may adopt as your own), and you will also learn each character’s simple, yet intense meaning. More than likely, you will choose a few complimentary to your own personality and self-expression. Rich information and cultural history is born from learning to write Chinese characters. The ability to dive into a whole new world is invigorating and creating the beautiful work is self actualization process all on it’s own.

Whether you embark on learning to write one character well to display as art on your wall, or you continue with the craft to put words together, even learning to read Chinese, it is rewarding.  The more you unravel the mystery living inside each of these characters, it seems to create added curiosity and a desire to keep going.

The ancient art of Chinese characters are popularized in cultures other than Chinese. The styles and forms of characters seen everywhere, are now a highly demanded art to learn.



Hunter

william smith jr asked:


Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:”"; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

The origin of chess, shrouded in the mists of history, depends very much on one`s own perspective. We cannot, unfortunately, trace the history of chess with a bold black line that leads from the game as we know it today, to a point in the past where we can unambiguously say, “Uh ha! This is where it began!” Many ancient cultures including the Greeks, Chinese, Indians, Persians, and Arabs have staked their claims on the game`s antecedents, if not to the game itself. It is the purpose of this article to bring order out of the historical clutter surrounding the origin of chess, and to give you, the interested reader, a clear idea of its line of development.

 

As already intimated, it is no surprise that chess did not spring fully loaded with its pieces, boards, and rules from its point of origin to what we have today without a meandering style of evolutionary development. Recent scholarship on the history of chess would indicate that the Chinese emperor, Wu Ti (560-578), developed a game of divination called, hsiang ch`i , which is the ancient Chinese word for chess. The chessmen and their moves were patterned after the moon, planets, constellations, and the sun. This divinatory game may well have been the common ancestor of modern day Chinese chess-still widely played, and the game that took the western world, and indeed the entire world by storm. However, even taking the Chinese contributions into account, most scholars by a wide consensus place the origin of chess, at least in its modern beginnings, in India. We shall now see why this is so.

 

As you probably already have suspected, there is not a great deal of direct evidence for the primacy of India, for being the country of origin of chess. There is, however, a strong circumstantial case to be made. Thoughtful observers on the history of chess place its modern origins in northern India in about the fifth or sixth centuries A.D. Following the Arabic conquest of Persia, in the 7th century A.D. several of the leading Muslim scholars found chess already there, and commented that it had made its way to Persia from India. Indeed, the Persians themselves seem to support this view. In the Chatrang-namak, a series of Persian stories written in the early seventh century, chess is depicted as having arrived in Persia by way of India. But, how did Indian chess make its way to Persia? Probably through the normal activities of trade and other forms of cultural contact. By the time that the game arrived in Persia-it should be stated that there were variations of it, such as the four way game called chaturanga –not just one type, a certain type of it was being played on a 64 square board, with two players. If one were to take the linguistic evidence into consideration, then consider the following. Arabic for chess is, shatranj, which in turn comes from the Persian, chatrang, which in turn comes from the Indian (Sanskrit), chaturanga, a clear line leading back to India. Can we now say definitively where chess originated? No, but currently available evidence does seem to indicate northern India in the fifth and sixth centuries A.D.

 

So, for the moment, the origin and history of chess must remain inconclusive, as are so many things in human affairs. Maybe some day, with new discoveries, we shall know for certain.

 

 



Alicia

Jonathan Mitchell asked:


The use of Chinese herbs for many different diseases has a history of centuries, and also for Arthritis, a debilitating disease of the joints and bones, the Chinese use herbs as and effective treatment. Arthritis is not just one disease there are many different forms and symptoms but it has plagued many people through the ages. Chinese herbs for arthritis have been used to treat sufferers of arthritis by the Chinese but this treatment has also grown in popularity in the western world the last few decades. There are many countries that have a growing use of alternative medicine and some have a real history with the alternative medical powers of herbs.

Alternative medicine have been ridiculed for years and Chinese herbs for arthritis has been attacked at and put away as quackery for years. Now a day there are many studies about the treatment with Chinese herbs that have proven to be very useful.

To get an effective result the Chinese herbs for arthritis are in most cases mixed together. In comparison with alternative medicine using herbs in other countries, they almost never put the herbs together. There are some Chinese herbs for arthritis that are only used as pain relief and these are not mixed but most are given in combination with others.

The Chinese herbalist examines the patient, ask some questions and diagnoses the problem, after this the ingredients and powders get weight and put together to use as a tea or a tonic. When the mix is to be used as an beverage or tea it might have to be strained before you can drink it.

The dosage and the times you need to take the Chinese herbs for arthritis are prescribed by the herbalist. The combination of chinese herbs for arthritis together created a better efficacy.

What kind of Chinese herbs for arthritis are being used?

Cinnamon (Rou Gui) is a very effective Chinese herb for arthritis. The cinnamon bark is good for the flow of blood and it helps for a better spleen and kidney function. Improving the blood flow is important because it removes blockages and deposits that can be the cause of pain and inflammation in some arthritic conditions.

Angelica (Dong Quai) is a proven to be an effective Chinese herb for arthritis, It is available in Asia but also in Europe and America. Angelica works as an antispasmodic, pain killer and anti-inflammatory treatment. Angelica is almost never used on its own, it is almost always combined with other Chinese herbs for arthritis.

Ginger is a know root that is also used in western alternative medicine and its know to help with arthritis, but there is a rare ginger species that can only be found in some places in China during a specific season that the Chinese use for the treatment of arthritis.

A mix of these herbs is usually used to effectively treat the symptoms caused by arthritis. It controls any negative effects and brings out the positive ones.



Olivia

Paul Hata asked:


Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a long history of over 4,000 years. For centuries, millions of people in China have relied on TCM for their health and treatments.

What is TCM

TCM joins the power of acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and energetic exercises to correct imbalances found in the body. This not only allows the body to heal itself but also helps to prevent other illness. TCM has been used to treat various ailments, from acne, cellulite, dandruff, gout, insomnia, menopause, weight loss and wrinkle to other more serious health conditions such as arthritis, cancer, cholesterol, depression, diabetes and heart diseases.

Ying and Yang

Chinese believe that the imbalances of organ energies (or Qi) may cause disease that affects the health. The TCM approach is fundamentally different from that of modern Western medicine. In TCM, the understanding of the human body is based on the holistic understanding of the universe as described in Daoism, and the treatment of illness is based primarily on the diagnosis and differentiation of syndromes. The goal of TCM treatment is to adjust and harmonize Yin and Yang - wet and dry, cold and heat, body and mind. This is accomplished by regulating the Qi, Moisture and Blood in the Organ networks. Weak organs are strengthened. Congested channels are opened to flow, heat is cooled, cold is warmed, tightness is softened, agitation is calmed and dryness is moistened.

Advantages of TCM

Western medicine has approached health and a well being from a very different angle and viewpoint. It is reactive, rather than proactive. Science and symptoms is the main drivers. Western medicine examines and dissects to determine the conditions of the body and attempts to introduce external, often synthetic drugs to restore health. TCM on the other hand, focus on why the body is not functioning properly and attempts to use individualized organic herbal formula to rejuvenate and to restore the body to its natural state. Modern drugs may cause side effects in the long term and creating another disease while treating the other.

Disadvantages of TCM

One of the shortcomings of TCM is the lack of research in the area of toxins and heavy metals. This is because TCM was established centuries ago when the world was not polluted by industrial waste or toxic chemicals. The lack of standardization in Chinese herbs and the possibility of toxicity present some of the major disadvantages in dealing with traditional Chinese herbs. Numerous cases of potentially toxic levels of arsenic and mercury in Chinese traditional medicines have been reported. It is advisable to purchase traditional Chinese medicine from reputable sources and those which has met FDA guidelines or strict local health certifications.



Greta