A T’ai Chi teacher once said: “The difference between Chinese and Western medicine is thus: Western medicine is based on corpses, things that you discover by cutting up dead bodies and pulling them apart. Chinese medicine is based on living flesh, things observed from vital, moving humans.”
Once there was a playboy who got himself a nasty infection in his favorite body part. He went to see several Western doctors. Each one told him that his condition was incurable and advised he allow them to cut his joystick off. How could the Playboy agree to that? In desperation, he decided to see an old doctor who specialized in traditional Chinese medicine. He was rumored to be so good that he could “effect a miraculous cure and bring the dying back to life.” The doctor felt his pulse and had a good look at his badboy. Then he told him: “Although it a little bit too late, it is still okay!”
“Really?” replied the playboy. “I saw a lot of Western doctors; they all said my third leg must be cut off.” The playboy was thrilled with the doctor’s answer.
The old doctor said to the playboy: “Alas! Western doctors frequently enjoy cutting things off. I only use acupuncture with traditional Chinese medicine.” The old doctor did some acupuncture treatments then gave him a bottle of Chinese medicine salve. He told the young man “Put this salve on your wang three times a day. After one week the problem should be resolved.”
The playboy heard this gladly but still felt the news was too good to be true. He thought he would ask the old doctor just one more question “So, after one week my iron rod will have fully recovered?”
“No’” replied the doctor. “After one week your little brother will fall off all by itself.”