Interview Archives
  • Xiaoqi Qing

    Name:Xiaoqi Qing Occupation: Student BG: From a four-generation family of Chinese medicine practitioners

    Text in English

    Elly:

    I'm delighted to have invited Xiaoqi jie, who shares a similar family background, for an interview today. Could you please give us a brief self-introduction?

    Xiaoqi qing:

    My name is Qing Xiaoqi. I'm 28 years old. I completed my undergraduate degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. Then, I pursued my master's degree at the same university as my younger sister, studying Chinese Health and Humanity at UCL. Currently, I'm pursuing a graduate degree in Performance at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. That's my self-introduction.

    Elly:

    Thank you. Could you please introduce the background of your family's traditional Chinese medicine heritage and share your understanding of this family legacy?

    Xiaoqi qing:

    My great-grandfather, grandfather, and father were all traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, making us a family of TCM practitioners. My great-grandfather and grandfather practiced traditional medicine in the last century. My father started learning medicine from my grandfather at the age of 13 and later studied under renowned TCM masters like Liang Jianqiu and Jiang Tianyou.

    My father was among the first university students in China, graduating in 1977. After completing his undergraduate studies, he began teaching at Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine. During his tenure, he also pursued a master's degree in TCM. In 2017, he was recognized as a provincial-level famous TCM doctor. As for me, I was admitted to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine in 2015 to study TCM, marking the beginning of my TCM research. This is the background of my family's TCM heritage.

    Regarding my understanding of family TCM heritage, I believe the inheritance of TCM is crucial for the development and promotion of traditional Chinese culture. TCM is very complex, requiring daily study and practice for a decade or more to progress and pass it on. As a member of a TCM family, I have a natural advantage in cultivating children's familiarity with, love for, and inheritance of TCM from an early age.

    During my TCM studies and in the process of inheriting this tradition, I discovered that TCM prescriptions are not simply a matter of doubling or tripling doses or using one or two herbs. Instead, they involve hundreds of herbs in varying proportions. Each TCM family has its own school of thought, with different understandings and applications of herbs and formulas.

    Therefore, I believe family inheritance plays a crucial role in the continuation of TCM schools of thought. Family inheritance of TCM allows the ideas and experimental results of our predecessors to continue, while also enabling innovation through generations to adapt to new eras.

    Elly:

    Thank you for sharing your perspective. Growing up in such a family environment, are there any special memories or stories you'd like to share?

    Xiaoqi qing:

    When I was young, I always saw walls full of medical books in my father's study. Besides newly published medical books, there were many ancient medical texts, such as original medical books from the Ming and Qing dynasties. There were also books on traditional culture. This made me realize that traditional Chinese medicine requires extensive reading and knowledge across various fields.

    I remember my father's daily routine included teaching students, seeing patients, studying classic medical texts like the "Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon" and "Synopsis of Golden Chamber," and engaging in traditional cultural practices such as calligraphy, Tai Chi, Wu Qin Xi (Five Animals Play), and other Chinese martial arts. He continues these practices to this day. I believe that a crucial aspect of traditional Chinese medicine is familiarity with knowledge from many fields and persistence. My father would even sometimes perform martial arts at the Tong Ren Tang medical hall.

    According to my father, the philosophy of TCM allows him to perceive the essence of things that others might not see clearly while thinking and acting. It helps him understand how to interact with himself, his body, his emotions, and others, as well as how to take care of his family and patients' health.

    Another significant memory from my adolescence was watching many TV programs in China where people believed that TCM could only slowly nurture the body and couldn't treat acute diseases or terminal illnesses. I strongly believed this at the time. However, my father once told me he had cured leukemia. I was very skeptical of my father's words because leukemia is widely considered, even today, as a very difficult or incurable disease.

    This skepticism remained until a guest visited our home and told me that about 20 years ago, he had been diagnosed with late-stage leukemia at our central hospital. The hospital predicted he had only three months to live. In desperation, he found my father and took his prescribed medicine for a season. When he returned to the hospital for a check-up, his indicators were normal. He continued to nurture his health for several years, and his indicators remained normal. After this conversation, I began to question what I had seen on television and decided to study traditional Chinese medicine at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. This is one of my most special memories.

    Elly:

    Speaker 1: Can you share with us the reasons why you chose to study medicine for your undergraduate degree?

    Xiaoqi qing:

    My choice to study medicine as an undergraduate actually involved a small episode. From a young age, I had a particular aptitude and fondness for foreign languages. After my college entrance examination, based on historical score data, I realized I could apply for the Medical English program at Peking University Health Science Center. I was very keen on this and had already filled out my application. However, after discussing it with my parents, who wanted me to study Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), I reconsidered. This situation also reflects on China's 18 years of compulsory education, including high school. Throughout my 18 years of schooling, I hadn't learned about traditional culture or TCM. I believe there's a gap in the education of primary and secondary school students regarding TCM and Chinese traditional culture.

    I was very curious about TCM because it was both close to me, given my family background, and distant, as I hadn't encountered it in my formal education. I wanted to understand the content of those books I'd seen my father reading when I was young. So, I modified my application.

    However, during my time in primary and secondary school, I didn’t actually study any Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Therefore, I chose a five-year medical undergraduate program because our school also offers eight-year and nine-year programs, which I believe would allow me to adjust my learning direction in the future if necessary.

    When the results came out, my score indeed qualified me for the Medical English program at Peking University Health Science Center. During my studies, when I encountered difficulties, I occasionally thought it might have been better if I had gone to Peking University.

    However, as I progressed through my undergraduate studies and beyond, I gained a deeper understanding of TCM and realized how much it benefited my life.

    After these experiences, I believe choosing to study TCM was a natural and correct choice. The TCM way of thinking has been very helpful in my life, for instance, in skincare and body conditioning theories. After studying TCM, I developed my own discernment abilities, avoided many pitfalls, and prevented the consequences of incorrect care practices. This is why I chose to study TCM for my undergraduate degree.

    Elly:

    Speaker 1: I understand that after your undergraduate studies, you chose to pursue a master's degree in Chinese Health and Humanity at UCL. I'm very curious about why you decided to come to the UK to study a program related to TCM. What were the reasons behind your choice?

    Xiaoqi qing:

    After completing my undergraduate degree, the most basic path for someone wanting to become a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner in China would typically involve working in a hospital, undergoing standardized training, and pursuing a master's or even a doctoral degree.

    While I was very keen on developing TCM, I didn't want to work as a TCM practitioner in a hospital. Simultaneously, I wanted to study other specialized knowledge and experience living abroad, particularly in London, to see what foreign countries are like. So I decided to change my field of study. However, I was very interested in understanding how TCM is viewed and researched within the foreign medical humanities system. I believed that the Chinese Health and Humanity program would provide the answers I was seeking, which is why I chose to study this program.

    Elly:

    I'm curious about another point. I've noticed that you've transitioned from medicine to humanities, and then to performing arts in Hong Kong. What does this series of academic transitions mean to you? Is it about constantly challenging yourself, or do you see similarities between these fields?

    Xiaoqi qing:

    There are certainly similarities. For instance, both medicine and humanities involve elements of critical thinking, while performing arts involve elements of expression.

    For me, this series of academic transitions signifies a continuous search for the discipline, work, and state of being that I truly enjoy. It's about constantly finding the lifestyle I desire at present and my way of existing in this world.

    I'm not someone who enjoys monotony. I aspire to work across multiple fields, so I may study more disciplines in the future. I believe it's crucial to consistently pursue current ideas and goals - to act on the thoughts I have.

    Elly:

    What challenges have you faced and what have you gained from these transitions?

    Xiaoqi qing:

    I believe my studies and research have equipped me with much of the thinking required for humanities research. Performing arts is also a form of humanities, so I feel this has greatly benefited my performance studies.

    During my undergraduate studies in medicine, my focus was primarily on memorization and practical application—using the knowledge I gained to treat patients in clinical settings. Apart from my graduation thesis, I rarely write the kinds of essays, dissertations, and other academic papers that are typically required at the graduate level. So when I first started writing papers, like abstracts, references, and especially literature reviews, it was quite challenging for me. I remember very clearly that I didn’t even know the structure of a literature review at that time. However, after a period of study and practice, I feel that my paper-writing skills have significantly improved, along with my ability to think critically. I’ve learned to approach things with more dialectical thinking.

    I believe that my studies and research at that time equipped me with the critical thinking skills necessary for humanities research. Since performing arts is also a branch of the humanities, this background has greatly benefited my performance studies.

    When I first started studying performance, I had no prior experience in the field, so I wasn't familiar with what it entailed or what was expected. I spent a lot of time reading relevant concepts and papers. During my performance studies, I learned to experience and express very subtle emotions and learned methods to convey a character's emotions to the audience.

    For example, when portraying someone waking up startled, in reality, this isn't always a very obvious reaction in daily life. However, as an actor, one needs to exaggerate it slightly to make it more perceptible to the audience. I learned this slightly exaggerated approach and realized that our daily experiences or our own perceptions can be different from others' perceptions. This has been a significant gain for me.

    Elly:

    I find this very interesting and I'm happy to hear about your experiences. From your professional background, what do you think is the status and significance of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as a cultural heritage in contemporary society?

    Xiaoqi qing:

    Personally, I believe TCM can serve as a representative of traditional Chinese culture because it possesses an extensive and complete system. Through long-term experimentation and practice, it has formed its own unique cultural mindset. It has become a culture in itself, and through extensive practice, it has proven to be beneficial to human groups. Therefore, I believe we can enhance the Chinese people's self-confidence by promoting TCM culture, while also allowing foreigners to better understand China and its traditional culture.

    Of course, TCM's role isn't limited to cultural aspects. We can use TCM therapies to treat diseases. As I mentioned earlier, it has been proven beneficial to human health through extensive practice, if applied appropriately. It can reduce human mortality rates and, through some TCM health preservation methods, lower morbidity rates.

    Here, I want to mention a TCM concept called "treating pre-illness" (zhi wei bing), which means treating diseases before they occur. It involves observing and identifying potential diseases in an individual and then using various conditioning methods to prevent these diseases from developing. During my TCM studies, I was required to learn Western medicine as well, covering the entire Western medical system. In the Western medical system, I found that the concept of "treating pre-illness" receives relatively little attention. TCM theory differs significantly from Western medicine. Chinese herbal medicine primarily uses herbs, unlike Western medicine which often uses pre-formulated pills. In TCM, each doctor needs to continually adjust herbal combinations based on their understanding of TCM, the patient, and the patient's different physical conditions.

    I believe this is very challenging, but I also think TCM provides a very different perspective and theory from Western medicine for comprehensively understanding the human body. It also contributes greatly to our understanding of animals and plants, which we refer to as medicines. TCM is very ancient, and many of its theories have added rich knowledge to the medical field. Therefore, I believe its status and significance in modern society make it an indispensable and important component of the modern medical field.

    Elly:

    What challenges and opportunities do you think TCM inheritance faces in modern society?

    Xiaoqi qing:

    Regarding challenges, firstly, I believe TCM inheritance is passed down from generation to generation. However, each generation has its own living environment, which leads to different understandings of life, self, and TCM. Additionally, since the 1970s, China implemented the one-child policy, meaning each family could only have one child. This created a situation where TCM family traditions could only be passed down to a single child. As society continues to develop and China becomes increasingly modern, unlike in the past when children might have simply followed their parents' advice or orders, today's generation has their own ideas and may want to pursue other interests or fields. This could lead to a situation where there's no one to inherit TCM, which I consider a significant challenge.

    For TCM families, they can only pass down their knowledge to one child due to the one-child policy. If that child doesn't want to become a TCM practitioner or inherit the tradition, it poses a substantial challenge. In response to this phenomenon, I believe we should move away from the idea that inheriting TCM only means becoming a TCM doctor in a hospital or clinic to treat patients.

    We could expand the scope of TCM inheritance. For instance, activities related to TCM such as popularizing TCM knowledge, promoting TCM culture, innovating TCM theories, and standardizing TCM medical systems could all be included within the scope of TCM inheritance.

    I believe that the inheritance of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) should not be limited to passing it down only to one’s children. For example, taking on apprentices can be a valuable method. Apprentices can observe their TCM master's diagnosis and treatment processes, copy down the master's prescriptions, and then learn theoretical knowledge and practical experience from their master. All of these practices can be considered part of TCM inheritance. This way, more and more people can become involved in the continuation of TCM.

    Our goal is to prevent the interruption of TCM as a traditional culture. Regarding opportunities, I believe that as China's national strength increases, people are paying more attention to traditional culture, such as the popularity of Hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing) and intangible cultural heritage. This has a significant promotional effect on the inheritance and development of TCM and Chinese traditional culture.

    I believe the key to TCM inheritance lies in having more people engage in this endeavor, which will ensure a promising future for it.

    Furthermore, with the current 144-hour visa-free policy, many foreign tourists come to China to experience TCM treatments and health preservation methods. I think this is an excellent opportunity to promote TCM internationally. Inheritance isn't just about preservation; it also requires promotion for development.

    Elly:

    I'd like to ask if you have any other siblings?

    Xiaoqi qing:

    No, I don't.

    Elly:

    Does your family support your choices?

    Xiaoqi qing:

    What kind of choices are you referring to?

    Elly:

    Developing your own interests and hobbies, and not necessarily pursuing only medicine-related work despite having the background and environment in your family.

    Xiaoqi qing:

    My family is actually very supportive. I've discussed this issue with my parents before, and their thinking and ideas are similar to mine. They believe that developing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) isn't limited to just practicing it.

    While pursuing my own interests and hobbies, I've been continuously developing TCM through various means, such as TCM entrepreneurship, cultural promotion, inheritance activities, and even radio programs. I've been consistently engaged in these activities.

    My parents, especially my father who is a TCM practitioner, agree with my view that inheritance shouldn't be limited to passing knowledge to one's children. As a result, my father has taken on many apprentices, passing on his clinical experience and academic school of thought to them. I believe this truly realizes the broader scope of inheritance we discussed.

    Passing knowledge to children is a form of intellectual property protection for the family, but passing it to apprentices can also protect intellectual property. Some people might not want to pass their heritage to those outside the family due to the strong family consciousness in China. However, after discussing it with my parents, my father was willing to do this. Therefore, even though I am not practicing TCM myself, either in a hospital or a clinic, it doesn't significantly impact the inheritance of TCM within our family.

    Elly:

    Speaker 1: Thank you very much for sharing your perspective. I think this spirit of greater love is indeed a very good point. From a public history perspective, what do you think is the importance of recording and disseminating family TCM inheritance?

    Xiaoqi qing:

    I believe recording and disseminating family TCM inheritance can let more people know about this group of people and families who are doing this kind of work.

    We've seen examples of craftsman spirit and intangible cultural heritage inheritance touching the public. The most direct effect is that the more people know about it, the more attention it receives. For instance, when we encounter problems or difficulties in TCM inheritance, people who are aware of our work might be more willing to help us with financial or material support. Therefore, I believe the greater the support we receive, the stronger the force for the continuous inheritance and development of TCM will be.

    From a historical perspective, I believe Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is the crystallization and embodiment of human wisdom from ancient times to the present. It requires every TCM practitioner, as well as observers and recorders of TCM practice and development, to write down TCM stories in a true and specific manner. This is how TCM can be passed down, providing guidance, reference, and inspiration for future generations of TCM practitioners and those seeking health preservation. Today's people should also write down their stories to guide, inform, and inspire future generations. As each generation writes down their family stories, it becomes the history of TCM.

    Chinese people have a tradition of compiling family histories, especially for families specialized in certain fields, such as TCM or intangible cultural heritage. This has a profound impact on future generations of the family and the public.

    Elly:

    I think you've made excellent points. In your opinion, what are some effective ways to better showcase TCM culture and family stories to the public?

    Xiaoqi qing:

    I believe we can approach this through areas of great public interest, such as films, TV series, documentaries, and other visual media. Using these mediums to narrate TCM culture and family stories is a highly effective way to reach a wider audience.

    For example, we now have period dramas and modern TCM-themed series, like "The New Generation" and "The Old Chinese Doctor." There are also programs like the fourth season of "A Bite of China," which focuses on TCM stories and traditional Chinese health preservation. These are all areas of public interest, and because the public is interested, they will watch. By watching, they can learn about TCM, so I think this is a very good approach.

    We can also use popular cuisines as an entry point, such as traditional Chinese pastries like Ba Zhen Gao (Eight Treasure Cake), or Guangdong's pig trotter and ginger stew, which have TCM characteristics. This can integrate TCM and Chinese herbal medicine into people's daily lives.

    Self-media is very popular now, so we can also leverage its traffic. TCM family members or people related to TCM can share TCM culture and family stories through self-media platforms. I believe these three methods are particularly important among those I can think of.

    Elly:

    I think the methods you've mentioned are very practical and excellent suggestions, Sister. I’d like to know, for young people like us who come from families with a background in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where our parents and even our grandparents have been practicing TCM, but who may choose not to work solely in hospitals or become traditional diagnostic doctors, how can we find a balance between continuing our family heritage and exploring our personal interests? Do you have any good advice?

    Xiaoqi qing:

    Based on my own experiences, I understand these young people from similar backgrounds who may have their own ideas and aspirations. My advice would be to prioritize what interests you most. While parental expectations and family responsibilities are important, one's own interests should take precedence. However, I believe it's best to learn more about your family's stories and the TCM work they're doing.

    Understanding is crucial for determining whether you like it or not. Don't develop a rebellious attitude or start disliking TCM just because you're not particularly interested in it and your parents have high expectations or constantly urge you to become a TCM practitioner. When faced with future choices, communicate well with your parents and make the choice that suits you best.

    As I mentioned earlier, you don't necessarily have to become a TCM practitioner to contribute to its inheritance. Many things can be done to support TCM's legacy. If possible, it's best to do something that can help inherit and promote TCM culture and traditional Chinese culture. For example, some people might work in finance or law, which doesn't prevent them from contributing to TCM's inheritance. I believe that even if your work isn't directly related to TCM, it doesn't mean you can't develop it. As long as your field doesn't conflict with TCM development, you can contribute. I think young people today might think, "My work has nothing to do with TCM, so I won't develop it." Instead, they could think, "My field doesn't conflict with TCM development, so I can contribute to it." This way of thinking can help many young people convince themselves and expand their possibilities for developing TCM.

    I hope young people can adopt this mindset: if it doesn't conflict with what I'm doing, I can do both things. This can expand the scope of TCM promotion. My biggest advice is, firstly, for each young person to do what interests them most, because it's hard to excel at something you're not interested in. Even if you work in TCM without interest, you might not be able to inherit it with passion and effort.

    Secondly, if possible, help your family or contribute to the promotion and development of traditional TCM. These are my two main pieces of advice.

    Elly:

    I strongly agree with you.

    Xiaoqi qing:

    There are some media productions nowadays that might portray scenarios where a TCM practitioner treats a patient and the patient dies as a result.

    I want to express a viewpoint: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) itself is not fundamentally problematic. If you encounter a TCM practitioner and feel unwell after taking their prescribed medicine, there could be several reasons. Firstly, you may not have met an experienced or skilled TCM practitioner. Secondly, they may not have found the most suitable treatment approach for your body - a match between patient and doctor. I believe people shouldn't lose faith in TCM because of such isolated incidents.

    Regarding media productions and their role in TCM inheritance, as you mentioned earlier, I think they're crucial for promoting TCM. My dream is to write, direct, and even act in a production about TCM, showcasing modern TCM development and the promotion and inheritance of traditional TCM. I hope to achieve this goal in the future.

    Elly:

    I think this is a grand yet highly valuable and meaningful aspiration. While it might not be appropriate to evaluate dreams in such terms, I believe that people should first conceive ideas and then act on them. Your idea gives me a sense of hope. You're correct in saying that if the public has limited channels to understand TCM, they might be influenced by news that sensationalizes rare incidents. To some extent, TCM may have been stigmatized.

    People who don't understand it might think TCM is fraudulent. This stigmatization needs to be addressed through continuous efforts in inheritance and promotion, proving its value.

    I deeply resonate with what you mentioned earlier about your father being able to cure leukemia. TCM indeed has some miraculous aspects that Western medicine cannot explain. Some rare and complex diseases do have the possibility of being cured through TCM, although not all cases. I believe this represents a significant part of traditional Chinese culture.

    This is why efforts like my building of an online platform, and your dream of becoming an actor, director, and scriptwriter, are all contributing to TCM promotion. We're helping more people understand what TCM truly is, not just domestically but also internationally. I think this is a great endeavor. As inheritors who didn't become practicing doctors, we still hope to contribute to TCM through our own efforts. As you rightly said, we can contribute to TCM in different ways within our capabilities. I believe this is what we're doing now. So, thank you very much for accepting my interview today, and thank you for sharing these valuable insights. I think they're excellent.



    Text in Chinese

    陈红盟:

    很开心今天能够邀请到和我有相似家庭背景的小琪姐姐接受我的采访,那么请姐姐先做一个简略的自我介绍。

    青小琪:

    我叫青小琪,然后今年28岁,本科是毕业于北京中医药大学的中医学的专业,然后研究生毕业于跟妹妹同一个学校,ucl的Chinese health and humanity专业,然后目前在香港演艺学院读表演系的研究生,这是我的自我介绍。

    陈红盟:

    好的,姐姐,那么我想请你介绍一下你的家族中医传承的一个背景,以及你对家族中医的传承有什么样的理解?

    青小琪:

    我的曾祖父还有祖父、父亲都是中医,算是中医世家,然后我曾祖父,还有祖父是传统的中医,他们只是在上个世纪然后行医,然后我父亲从13岁开始跟着我祖父学医,然后师承于梁建秋、蒋天佑等中医名家。

    然后我爸爸是全中国第一批的大学生,他是77届的,然后他大学毕业之后开始在中医山西中医药大学任教,然后在任教期间他又读了中医的研究生,然后他在2017年的时候当选了就是省级的名中医,我自己的话是2015年考上中北京中医药大学的中医学专业,开始从事中医研究,这是我的家族中医的传承背景。

    然后家族中医的传承有什么样的理解呢?就是我觉得中医的传承对中国的文化发展,传统的中国传统文化发展和宣传是非常重要的。然后中医就是非常的复杂,它需要10年如1日的学习,还有传承还有进步。我作为中医世家其实有天然的优势,可以从小培养孩子的,熟悉中医,喜爱中医、传承中医。

    然后我在中医的学习过程当中,就是在传承中医的过程当中,发现中医的药方中并不是简单的一倍两倍,或者一种两种药,而是几百种药、几百倍药的加减配比,所以对于家族中医来说,每一个家族都有一个自己的流派,每一个流派都对药物和方子的有不同的理解和运用。

    所以在中医流派的延续当中,家族传承的作用非常重要我觉得。所以家族传承中医可以使前人的思想以及实验的硕果延续下去,也可以通过一代代的人进行中医的创新,以适应新时代。

    陈红盟:

    好的,谢谢姐姐分享你的观点,那么我想请问一下姐姐,你从小在这样的家庭环境中成长,你觉得有哪些特别的记忆或者是故事?你想要分享的?

    青小琪:

    我小的时候我在我爸爸的书房里总是能看到满墙的医书,然后除了新出版的医书,还有很多古代的医书,比如说明清时代的原版的医书,所以除了医书还有传统文化的书籍,所以我觉得中医需要读非常多的书籍,以及了解非常多领域的知识。

    我记得我爸爸每天的日常就是给学生上课出诊看病,然后看一些比如说黄帝内经金匮要略等医书,然后还有进行一些传统文化的学习和实践,然后比如写毛笔字、打太极拳和五禽戏等等,打中国武术等等,然后一直到现在他还在坚持做这件事情,所以我认为中医的话非常重要的一件事情就是要熟悉非常多领域的知识,以及要坚持,我爸爸有时还会在同仁堂医馆表演武术。

    据我爸爸所说,中医的思想,让他在思考和做事的做事的同时,能够很多时候能够别人看不清、看不到的就是事物的本质,并且他能懂得如何就是与自己相处,与自己的身体相处,与自己的情绪相处,还有是与人相处,并且就是懂得如何照顾好自己家人以及患者的身体。

    然后还有一件事情就是在我青少年的时期,我在中国的电视上看到很多节目,当时人们对中医的认知,中医只能慢慢的调养身体,不能治疗就是一些急性的疾病,或者是一些绝症,我当时也特别相信这一点,但是有一次我爸爸跟我说他曾经治好过白血病,我当时对我爸爸的话充满疑惑,因为白血病对于每个人的认知,甚至是直到现在来说,它都是非常难治疗的一种疾病,然后甚至是说是治不好的一种疾病。

    但是直到有一次我家里面来客人,然后客人和我说,他大概20年前在我们的中心医院诊断为白血病晚期,然后医院预测他还可以活三个月,然后他就在绝望当中找到了我爸爸持续吃了一个季度的药,然后去医院复查指标是正常的,随后他又调养了几年,然后之后指标一直是正常的。然后经过这番对话,我就是对电视上所说的开始有所质疑,所以就是决定自己进入北京中医药大学学习中医,这就是我的特别的记忆。

    陈红盟:

    姐姐你当时选择本科学医的原因是什么?能跟我们分享一下吗?

    青小琪:

    我当时选择本科学医,其实这是有个小插曲的,我从小的话比较喜欢也是比较擅长学外语的,所以当时我高考结束之后,我看了历年的分数,然后我的分数是可以报北大医学部的,然后医学英语的专业我特别想报,并且我已经填写了志愿,但是经过和父母的商量,他们想让我学习中医,我自己觉得这个也涉及到我们中国的18年以来的教育,就是义务教育阶段,还有高中教育阶段,我在18年的学校的知识学习中并没有学习到传统文化和中医的内容,所以我觉得现在中国对中医和中国传统文化,对中小学生的教育其实是有所缺失的。

    所以当时我也对中医非常好奇,因为它是一个离我很近,因为我爸爸中医,我们家是中医世家,但是他又离我很远,因为我在学校的学习过程中并没有接触到中医的知识,所以我非常的好奇,然后我也想知道,我小的时候看到的爸爸的看的那些书,他究竟写了什么内容,所以我就修改了志愿。

    但是在中小学的时候我其实在学校并没有学过中医知识,所以我选择了5年制的医学本科,因为他也我们学校是有8年制和9年制的,所以这样将来我认为也可以及时的调整学习的方向。

    后来志愿结果出来,我的分数确实是能够上北大医学部的医学英语专业的,但是我在后来的学习过程中遇到困难,也一度有过想如果当时能去北大就好了这种想法。

    但是随着后面慢慢的学习,在本科期间的学习,以及后来在本科结束之后,我对中医的理解以及中医它对我生活起到很多的帮助。

    经过这些事情之后,我觉得我学习中医是一个很正常很正确的选择,因为中医的思维对于我人生来说是非常有帮助的,比如说我们的一些日常,比如说皮肤护理,身体调养很多理论,我学了中医之后,我有自己的辨别能力,也少走了很多的弯路,也避免了一些进行错误的护理而引发的代价,所以我觉得这是我学本科学习中医的原因。

    陈红盟:

    那么姐姐据我了解到,你本科毕业以后选择了ucl读Chinese health and humanity研究生的专业,其实我会非常的好奇,就是你为什么会选择来到英国,然后学习这样一个与中医学相关的这样的一个专业,影响你选择的背后的原因是什么?

    青小琪:

    其实我本科毕业以后,如果按照一个想要在中国当中医的最基本的路线来说,其实是要在医院工作,要进行规范化培训,要考研究生甚至考博士。

    我非常想发展中医,但是我并不想成为一个在医院工作的中医。同时我也想学习别的专业知识,并且我想出国看一看,在伦敦生活一段时间,看看外国是什么样子的,所以我决定转换专业,但是我又非常想知道在外国的外国人医学人文体系中是如何看待并且研究中医的,所以我觉得Chinese health and humanity应该有我想了解的答案,所以我去读了这个专业。

    陈红盟:

    姐姐我还比较好奇的一点,因为我看到你有从医学,然后再到人文学科,然后又到香港学艺术学表演艺术,那么这么一系列的学科的转变,其实对你来说这意味着什么?是不断的挑战自我吗?还是你觉得他们有什么相似的地方?

    青小琪:

    相似的地方肯定是有的,比如说他医学和人文学科都有一些思考的成分在,还然后表演艺术它有一些表现的成分在。

    所以我觉得对我来说,这一系列的学科转换意味着我一直在不断的寻找自己喜欢的这个学科,喜欢的工作,喜欢的状态,不断的找到当下我想要的生活方式,以及我生活在人世间的一个状态。

    我不是一个就是喜欢一成不变的人,我向往在很多个领域展开工作,所以未来我可能还会学习更多领域的内容,但是我觉得一直去追寻当下的想法和目标,就是我有这个想法,然后我就去做。我觉得是非常重要的一件事情。

    陈红盟:

    你觉得在这几次的转变当中,你经历了哪些挑战和收获了什么呢?

    青小琪:

    我在本科时期,其实医学的专业学习当中,主要就是记忆和实践。就是应用所学的知识,然后在临床中给病人看病。除了毕业论文我很少写我们在研究生期间写的essay,dissertation等等。所以在研究生一开始的时候,比如说写abstract,还有一些 reference等等,对我来说其实都是一种挑战。还有literature review那些,我记得非常清楚,我当时甚至不知道literature review,它是一个什么样的构架。但是经过一段时间的熟悉和研究之后,我觉得我写论文的能力有了很大的提升,同时提升的还有我的思考能力,我会更多的就是用辩证的思维去思考事物。

    我觉得我当时的学习和研究,使我具备了很多研究人文学科需要具备的思维,然后他表演艺术其实也是一种人文学科,所以我觉得为我的表演专业带来很大的帮助。

    我刚刚读表演专业的时候,我之前其实从来没有接触过表演,所以不熟悉它究竟是学什么,也不熟悉他究竟要做什么。所以我花了很多的时间阅读就是有关的概念和论文。然后我发现在我学习表演的过程当中,我学会了体会非常细腻的感情,情感毕竟学会了通过一些方法能够让观众感知到人物的情绪。

    比如说我们比如说我们演惊醒,实际我们在日常睡梦当中惊醒,其实并不是一个非常明显的表现,但是作为一个演员,他需要把它表现得更夸张一点,然后可以让观众更能感知到,所以我学会了这种略微夸张的方式,然后我并且也就是意识到我们日常的生活,或者是我们自己的感知和他人的感知其实是不一样的,这对我来说是非常大的收获。

    陈红盟:

    我觉得非常的很有意思,听你说很为你感到开心,那么我想指导姐姐从你的专业背景来看,你认为中医它作为一种文化的遗产,它在现当代的一个社会中的地位和意义是什么?

    青小琪:

    我其实作为我自己,我认为中医是可以成为中华传统文化的代表的,因为它拥有非常庞大和完整的体系,并且他在长久的实验当中实践当中,已经形成了一种他自己独有的一种文化思维,他已经是可以成为一种文化的,而且在大量的实践中,它证明这种文化它是有益的,对人类群体它是有益的,所以我认为我们可以通过宣传中医文化,增强中华民族的自信心,然后也可以让外国就是更好的了解中国和传中国传统文化。

    当然中医的作用不只是文化的作用,就是我们可以通过中医疗法来治疗疾病,因为我之前也提到过,它在大量的实践中证明它其实是对人类身体有益的一种,如果要是方法得当的话,它是对人类身体有益的一种疗法,所以降低人类的死亡率,还可以通过中医的一些养生方法降低人类的患病率。

    这个时候我就要提到中医的就是一个词语叫治未病,治疗没有发生的疾病,他通过观察然后发现人类,不能说病人发现某一个人他可能可能马上就要患什么样的疾病,所以这个时候他通过一些调养来预防这种疾病的发生。据我在很多因为我在学习中医的时候,我是必须要学习西医的,西医体系是全部都要学的,所以我在西医体系中,我认为治未病这一点提到的篇幅是比较少的,而且中医的理论和西医有很大的不同,然后中药它也以草药为主,它不像中西药,它是可以比如说这种药片已经配好的,中药是需要他不断的每一个医生根据自己的理解,对中医和病人的理解,以及病人的不同的身体状况,然后来进行草药的配比的。

    所以我认为这个是非常难的,但是我也认为中医它对人类就是全面认识人体提供了一个与西医非常不同的一个角度以及理论。然后他还对认识动物和植物,也就是我们所说的药物对提供了很大的作用,中医非常古老,中医的很多理论为医学领域增加了非常丰富的知识,所以我觉得在现代社会中的地位和意义,我觉得是现代医学领域不可或缺的重要组成部分。

    陈红盟:

    姐姐,你认为在现代的社会中医传承,它面临了哪些挑战和机遇呢?

    青小琪:

    挑战的话,首先我认为中医传承它是一代一代的传承,但是每一代人其实有自己的生活环境,他其实就会产生不同的对生活对自身以及对中医的理解。再加上之前就是中国70年代开始,我记得是有独生子女的政策,所以每一个家庭只有一个孩子,所以会出现一些家庭,比如说中医家庭,中医世家,他只能传承给他的一个孩子,但是这些孩子们他们可能随着社会的不断发展,随着中国也越来越现代社会,跟之前相比的话,可能只是听从父母的劝告或者说命令一类的,但是现在的话,也是时代不一样了,所以可能就会有自己的一些想法,然后自己想要做其他的事情或者感兴趣的其他的领域,所以可能会面临着没有人传承中医这件事情,我觉得是一个很大的挑战。

    因为中医世家的话,它只能给一个孩子传承独生子女政策,然后但是如果那个孩子他不想当中医或者不想做中医的传承人,我觉得这就是一个非常大的挑战了。针对这个现象,我觉得我们可以并不局限于只要当中医,在医院或者是在诊所当中医治病救人才是传承中医,这个想法,我觉得我们可以摒弃掉。

    我觉得我们可以扩大中医传承的范围,比如说只要跟中医有关的中医科普、中医文化宣传,中医理论创新,中医医疗体制的规范等等,我觉得都可以囊括进中医传承的范围。

    我觉得也不要局限于中医传承,只传给子女这样子,可以比如说收以收徒的形式,然后可以让徒弟然后来观察中医的师傅的在诊疗过程,然后通过抄写或者说抄写中医就是师傅的中医方子,然后师傅再传承给中师傅,再教授给徒弟一些理论知识或者是一些实践经验,我觉得都可以算是中医传承的范围,这样的话就会有越来越多的人能够做中医传承这件事情。

    我们的目标是不要让中医传统文化断代,所以我认为提到机遇,我认为中国国力越来越强,人们更多的主要关注传统文化,比如说现在汉服的流行,还有中国非遗的流行等等,对于中医中国传统文化的启发,对中国传统文化的传承和发展其实有非常大的推动作用。

    因为我觉得中国传承中医传承的重点在于有越来越多的人去做这件事情,他就会有很好的未来。

    对,再加上现在有144小时的免签政策,所以很多外国的游客来中国体验中医的治疗和保健,我觉得这也是一个很好的对外宣传中医的机遇,传承我觉得不光要做,还要宣传才可以发展,

    陈红盟:

    我想问一下姐姐是否有其他的兄弟或者是姊妹?

    青小琪:

    没有。

    陈红盟:

    你做这个选择家人是支持的吗?

    青小琪:

    你是指什么样的选择?

    陈红盟:

    发展自己的兴趣爱好,然后也不一定说家里有学习的背景,然后有这个环境,然后我们就去只从事医学相关的工作,

    青小琪:

    家里面是支持我家里面其实是非常支持我的,是因为之前的话,我也跟父母讨论过这个问题,然后我的父母他的思维或者说他的一些想法其实是跟我一样,他认为并不是只有做中医这件事情才可以发展中医。

    因为我在做我自己的兴趣爱好的同时,其实我也一直在发展中医,比如说做一些中医创业,然后做一些中医的传承,文化的宣传,还有一些广播节目等等这些,我其实都是一直在做的。

    所以我爸爸和我妈妈的话,尤其是我爸爸,因为我爸爸是中医,他认为我说的不只局限于传给子女,这一点是非常对的,所以他就是收了比较多的徒弟,然后把自己的一些诊疗经验,还有自己的一些学术流派传给他们,这样的话我觉得真正实现了我们所说的那种很大的一个范围。

    因为传给子女,我认为其实是对于家庭的一种知识产权的保护,但是其实传给徒弟也能够保护知识产权,但是有一些人他可能因为不想要把自己的传承给家族以外的人,因为中国的家族意识还是比较强的,所以他们不会这样做,但是我觉得我跟我父母商量了一下,然后我觉得我们商量过程当中我爸爸是愿意这样做的,所以我觉得我本人并不当中医,并不做在医院或者是在诊所的中医,其实没有很大的影响,就是我们家族中医的传承。

    陈红盟:

    非常谢谢姐姐分享的观点,我觉得这种大爱的精神确实是一个我觉得非常好的一点,然后我觉得从公共历史的角度上来看,你认为在记录和传播中医家族传承,你觉得它有哪些的重要性?

    青小琪:

    我认为记录和传播中医家族传承,可以让更多的人知道有这样的一批人,这样的一些家族在做这样的一些事情。

    那么我们也看到过,比如说一些匠人精神,然后一些非遗的传承,这些都会触动到公众,最直接的作用,就是知道的人越多得到的关注就越多,那么比如说他我们在遇到中医传承遇到问题的时候,或者遇到困难的时候,帮助我们的人,他们给我们一些比如说钱财或者是物品这些相对更多,所以我觉得得到的力量越大,中医就是持续传承发展的力量也就越大。

    而从历史的角度来看,我觉得中医是从古至今的人们的智慧的结晶和体现,它需要每一个中医从业者以及中医实践和发展的观察者、记录者,以真实具体的方向方式写下就是中医的故事。所以我觉得才可以使中医流传下来,给后世的人们以教导参考和启发后世的中医,以及一些需要养生保健的人。所以当今的人们也应该写下他们的故事,然后给后世的人一些教导参考和启发,这样一代一代的人写下家族的故事,所以我觉得成为了中医的历史。

    所以我觉得中国人也有编写家族历史的传统,尤其是某一领域的世家,比如说中医世家,或者是一些非遗的,所以这样我觉得对家族后代以及后世的公众的影响都是非常深远的。

    陈红盟:

    我觉得你说得非常好,姐姐你觉得通过什么样的方式可以更好地向公众展示中医的文化和家族的故事?

    青小琪:

    我觉得切入点可以是公众生活中非常感兴趣的领域,比如说电影、电视剧、纪录片等等影视作品,我就用影视作品来讲述中医文化和家族故事,这是一个非常能够扩大范围的一种方式。

    比如说我们现在演一些古装剧,还有就是说现代中医的一些剧,比如说后浪。

    对,比如说什么老中医等等这些电视剧,它可以还有一些比如说舌尖上的中国第四季,然后讲的是中医的故事,讲的是中国传统中医养生这些的故事,所以我觉得这些故事都是公众感兴趣的领域,那么可以通过公众感兴因为公众感兴趣,所以他就会去看。然后他去看了的话,他就能了解到中医,所以我觉得这个是非常好的一个方式。

    然后还有也可以通过公众感兴趣的就是一些美食来切入,比如说一些中国传统糕点,如八珍糕,然后还有一些广东那边还有猪脚姜等等带有中医中药特色的传统美食,这样可以让中医还有中药融入人们的日常。

    现在自媒体非常流行,我觉得也可以通过自媒体的流量,然后比如说中医世家或者跟中医有关系的人,来讲述在自媒体中讲述中医文化以及中医家族的故事,我觉得这几个方法我觉得是我能想到的就是尤为重要的三个方法。

    陈红盟:

    我觉得姐姐说的这些方法都非常的实际,我觉得提得非常好。姐姐,我想知道一下,你觉得可能对于像咱俩我们的家庭背景都是像父母,然后从从父亲祖辈开始就有在做中医这一块的,可能我觉得也有一些其他可能同我们类似的背景下成长起来的年轻人,但是他们可能也会像我们俩现在的选择,可能不是说完全的只是说在医院工作或者是成为那种成为那一种看诊的那种医生,比较传统的这一种,你觉得是如何在这种的家族的传承中,然后和探索个人兴趣之中找到一种平衡?你有什么好的一些建议吗?

    青小琪:

    我针对我自己的成长经历,我其实是非常理解这种背景下成长的一些年轻人,他们可能会有自己的一些想法,自己想要做的事情。然后所以我的建议还是就是说要先以自己最感兴趣的事情为主,因为父母的期望或者家族的重任其实也很重要,但是还是要以自己最感兴趣的事情为主,但是我认为我觉得最好能够去多了解一下一些家族的故事,多去了解家族正在做的这些中医事业。

    因为我觉得了解了才可以判断自己是否喜欢,千万不要因为对不要因为比如说我自己其实对中医不是特别感兴趣,然后父母又对我期望很大,或者是一直在跟我说一定要当中医之类的这种事情,可能会出现这种事情,但是不要因为这些就产生逆反心理,甚至说我去讨厌中医,我觉得这个是不可取的。我觉得在遇到未来选择的问题的时候,可以和父母好好沟通,然后做出最适合自己想要的选择。

    就像我刚刚说的一样,就是不一定非要当中医才是传承中医去做,很多事情都可以为中医传承中医出一份力,所以我觉得如果可以,最好还是能够做一些事情,能够传承推广中医的文化,还有中国传统文化,比如说有一些人他可能在金融公司工作,有一些人他可能在法律行业工作,这些我觉得都不影响传承中医,我认为如果说你和中医,你所做的工作和中医并不是同一个领域,这并不是你不可以发展中医的理由,就是我觉得只要你所在的领域和发展中医不冲突,那么你可以做这件事情,我觉得如果我觉得现在的年轻人,比如说他会认为我所做的工作和中医没有关系,所以我就不发展中医,我觉得可以换一种思维,比如说我所在的领域和中医发展中医并不冲突,那么我就可以发展中医,那么这样的话我觉得很多年轻人他就能说服自己,他把自己能够发展中医的可能性来扩大。

    所以我觉得这样的话这种思维的话,我觉得我希望现在的年轻人能够掌握这种思维,因为我只要和我做的事情不冲突,两件事情不冲突,我就可以做这件事情。我觉得可以扩大宣传中医的范围,所以我最大的建议,第一我要找到每一个年轻人最好还是做自己最感兴趣的事情,因为做自己不感兴趣的事情,其实是我认为是不太能做好的。所以即使是你做了你不感兴趣的中医领域,我觉得你也并不能用你的热忱和这个努力去传承中医,所以我觉得年轻人还是要找到自己最感兴趣的事情。

    第二个如果可以的话,帮家里面做一点事情,或者是帮助传统中医的宣传和发展做一些事情,我觉得这就是我最大的两个建议。

    陈红盟:

    我非常的认同,

    青小琪:

    现在会有一些影视作品,它会可能会说一些关于比如说某某中医给人治病,然后把这个人给治死了之类的这种。

    所以我觉得我是想表达一个观点,中医本身其实是没有什么大问题的,如果你要是碰到了某一个中医,然后比如说你吃了他的药之后感觉不好,这种我觉得是有几种情况,第一种情况可能你们并没有碰上一个经验老道的或者好中医。第二种情况其实就是他可能还没有探寻到你身体最适合他的一种就是病人适合医生,医生适合病人的这种方式,所以我觉得大家也不要因为这么一个小插曲,然后就对中医丧失信心。

    所以我觉得我对影视作品,你刚刚说到的影视作品对中医的传承,我觉得是非常中医的宣传是非常重要的,所以我的想法能够写一个,其实我的梦想算是能够自己写一个,自己写一个,可以甚至是自编自导自演这种,然后写一部关于中医,还有现代中医成长,以及以前中医的这种宣传传承这种影视作品,我希望将来能够实现这个目标。

    陈红盟:

    我觉得这是一个非常大的,但是我又觉得非常的有价值和意义的,虽然说梦想我觉得用这种东西评价可能不大好,但是真的我觉得这个想法首先我觉得人是要想然后再去做,我觉得真的会让我觉得看到了看到了希望的感觉,因为我觉得姐姐说的确实也没有错,现在可能大众了解的一些途径如果比较少的话,可能因为新闻总是抓一些小概率的事件,然后作为一种噱头,然后可能中医某种程度上来说,其实也是有被污名化的这种可能存在的。

    大家可能不是很了解的会觉得中医它是骗子或者是什么的。这种被污名化的现象,其实我觉得是需要大家在传承和宣传的过程中不断的去做努力,然后为他证明的。

    因为像刚刚姐姐提到的东西,我也蛮深有感触的,就是关于姐姐说姐姐的父亲可以治好白血病这一点,因为我觉得中医它确实有西医所不能解释的一些神奇之处,是一些那种疑难杂杂症,它确实在中医学有被治愈的可能,虽然不是说全部,但是它是确实存在有被治愈的这种可能的,然后我觉得它是非常是非常我觉得能够代表中国传统文化的一部分,所以我觉得这个也是大家就像我搭建一个这样的网络平台,然后姐姐梦想成为一个演员,然后再做一个导演和编剧,然后都是在投身中医的宣传这一方面,让更多的人来了解它,然后到底是个怎样的一个事情,然后不仅是国内,然后海外也是让更多的人来关注进来,我觉得这个是非常好的一件事情,我也希望作为在这种背景下没有去当一个坐诊医生的这样的传承者,我觉得还是比较希望通过自己的努力能够为中医做一点事情,我觉得姐姐说得很对,通过不同的方式,力所能及的为中医来做一点事情,我想这是我们现在在做的。所以非常谢谢今天姐姐接受我的采访,也非常谢谢姐姐今天分享的这些观念,我觉得非常的好。