Tibet: The Shangri-La that exists only in the West’s imagination

A blog to liven discussion on all topics regarding China.
Tibet: The Shangri-La that exists only in the West’s imagination
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By Kevin Deluca

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_10359098

With the Olympics over, I hope the Western sport of bashing China over Tibet might
stop.

Working in Beijing during the Tibet riots and the preparations for the Olympics gave me
a unique perspective. Growing up with Western media and Hollywood, I am used to our
embrace of the Dalai Lama. Being in China, I saw the Chinese point of view.

Seeing both sides suggests the need to abandon simplistic political stances in favor of
some self-reflection and historical context.

Although we should criticize China’s censored media, the Tibet riots revealed some
troubling blindness among our own media. While the causes of Tibetan unrest are
complex, it is clear that the March riots were started by Tibetan protesters and that
they were quite violent. Indeed, they were violent enough to lead the Dalai Lama to
threaten resignation if his followers did not stop the violence.

Since “violent Tibetan” does not fit our stereotype, our media fixed the news. While
Chinese media showed extensive footage of violence and interviews with Chinese and
Tibetan victims, Western media manipulated images and even showed footage from other
countries (Nepal and India) in order to paint a picture of ruthless oppression by
China’s government.

Chinese media exposed the Western media manipulations, forcing the BBC, N-TV and RTL-TV
to apologize. Not surprisingly, the American media has yet to acknowledge
its bending of the truth. The point is that while the Chinese know their media is
censored and do not trust it, we believe our news is objective and end up being
righteous while misinformed.

If we had seen the violence of the Tibet riots, our condemnations may be more nuanced.
Quite simply, no government, democratic or not, allows such violence within its own
borders. Providing peace and stability, even by force if necessary, is what governments
do.

Large and powerful countries tend to have regions that were not always part of the
country. In America, we proudly call it Manifest Destiny and never trouble ourselves
with how we got much of California and Texas from Mexico, never mind the rest of the
country and our sordid history with Native Americans.

On the Chinese flag there are five stars commonly interpreted as representing the five
major ethnic groups in China. One of those stars represents Tibetans. China’s claim to
Tibet spans centuries and it is a claim that the United States and the rest of the
world recognizes.

To Chinese people, removing one of those stars is akin to removing one of our states,
such as Hawaii. Our history with the native people of Hawaii has been relatively brief
and quite brutal and there exists a tenacious independence movement. Still, there is no
talk in the mainstream media and among the Hollywood celebrity activist circuit of
Hawaiian independence, not to mention Puerto Rican independence or the American Indian
movement.

Government repression of these movements also escapes media scrutiny. Before we lecture
China, we may want to tend to our own backyard.

Amid cries of “free Tibet” and calls for religious freedom, the question is what does
freedom have to do with Tibet? Under the Dalai Lama, was there religious freedom? Was
there any freedom? Actually, no.

We would recognize the Dalai Lama’s Tibet as a medieval religious theocracy with a
small elite class served by a large and oppressed serf population. The Dalai Lama ruled
a region with no religious freedom, no political freedom, indeed, no human rights of
any kind. The rulers were ruthless. Torture and mutilation were widespread. Poverty and
starvation were rampant. It was Shangri-La only in the West’s imagination.

Richard Gere, Sharon Stone and other Hollywood devotees may be surprised at their
idol’s current positions. The Dalai Lama condemns abortion and homosexuality while
accepting prostitution. For decades the Dalai Lama secured millions of dollars from the
CIA and runs his government in exile like a monarch.

Despite its shortcomings, Chinese rule has provided the Tibetan region with
infrastructure and public schooling and provides Tibetans with widespread opportunities
and a degree of personal freedom unheard of under the feudal theocracy of the dalai
lamas.

China is far from perfect and deserves honest scrutiny and criticism. To expect China
not to act like a large and powerful country, however, and to throw stones from our
glass house, proves nothing but our own ignorance.

KEVIN DELUCA is an associate professor of communications at the University of Utah and
author of “Image Politics.”

世界卫生组织根据受控临床实验列出的针灸适应症[zt]

标 题: 世界卫生组织根据受控临床实验列出的针灸适应症[zt]
http://www.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js4926e/5.html
粗略的中文译本


根据文献中的对照临床试验报告，对针灸可以治疗的疾病可以分为四类，如下所示。

1 。针灸已经通过对照试验证明是一种有效的治疗方法：

放疗和/或化疗的不良反应
过敏性鼻炎（包括花粉热）
胆绞痛
抑郁症（包括抑郁性神经症和抑郁症脑卒中）
痢疾，急性细菌性痢疾
原发性痛经，
胃脘痛，急性（消化性溃疡，急性和慢性胃炎，并gastrospasm ）
面部疼痛（包括craniomandibular障碍）
头痛
高血压，
低血压，
引产
膝盖疼痛
白细胞减少症
腰痛
更正错位的胎儿，
孕吐
恶心和呕吐
颈部疼痛
疼痛，口腔（包括牙齿疼痛，颞下颌功能紊乱）
肩周炎
术后疼痛
肾绞痛
类风湿关节炎
坐骨神经痛
扭伤
敲击
网球肘


2 。针灸显示出治疗效果，但需要进一步证明的：

腹痛（在急性胃肠炎或因胃肠痉挛）
寻常痤疮
酒精依赖和解毒
贝尔氏麻痹
支气管哮喘
癌症疼痛
心脏神经官能症
胆囊炎，
胆石症
竞争压力症候群
颅脑损伤，关闭
糖尿病，非胰岛素依赖型
耳痛
流行性出血热
流鼻血，简单（不含广义或当地疾病）
眼痛，由于结膜下注射
女性不孕
面肌痉挛
女性尿道综合征
纤维肌痛和筋膜炎
Gastrokinetic干扰
痛风性关节炎
乙型肝炎病毒携带状态
带状疱疹（人（阿尔法）疱疹病毒3 ）
高脂血症
低ovarianism
失眠
分娩的痛苦
哺乳不足
男性性功能障碍，非器质性
梅尼埃病
神经痛，带状疱疹后
神经性皮炎
肥胖
鸦片，可卡因和海洛因依赖
骨性关节炎
疼痛的内视镜检查
血栓闭塞性脉管炎疼痛
多囊卵巢综合征（斯坦-综合征）
Postextubation儿童
术后恢复期
前期综合征
前列腺炎，慢性
瘙痒症
根和pseudoradicular疼痛综合征
雷诺氏综合征，原发性
经常性下尿路，呼吸道感染
反射性交感神经营养不良
尿潴留，外伤
精神分裂症
Sialism ，药物诱导
干燥综合征
喉咙痛（包括扁桃体炎）
脊椎疼痛，急性
颈部僵硬
颞下颌关节功能障碍
蒂策综合征
烟草依赖
Tourette综合征
溃疡性结肠炎，慢性
尿路结石
血管性痴呆
百日咳（百日咳）


3 。只有个别对照试验报告了一些治疗效果疾病，但因为传统的治疗和其他疗法难以治
疗，所以针灸是值得一试，

黄褐斑
脉络膜病变，中心性浆液性
色盲
耳聋
Hypophrenia
肠易激综合征
神经性膀胱的脊髓损伤
肺心病，慢性
小呼吸道阻塞


4 。，只有针灸医生提供了特殊的现代医学知识和足够的监测设备情况下，可以治疗的
疾病，症状或条件

呼吸困难的慢性阻塞性肺疾病
昏迷
婴儿惊厥
冠心病（心绞痛）
腹泻婴幼儿
脑炎，病毒性，儿童，后期
麻痹的，渐进的和假性延髓

http://www.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js4926e/5.html
3. Diseases and disorders that can be treated with acupuncture

The diseases or disorders for which acupuncture therapy has been tested in
controlled clinical trials reported in the recent literature can be
classified into four categories as shown below.

1. Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture has been proved-
through controlled trials-to be an effective treatment:

Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
Allergic rhinitis (including hay fever)
Biliary colic
Depression (including depressive neurosis and depression following
stroke)
Dysentery, acute bacillary
Dysmenorrhoea, primary
Epigastralgia, acute (in peptic ulcer, acute and chronic gastritis, and
gastrospasm)
Facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders)
Headache
Hypertension, essential
Hypotension, primary
Induction of labour
Knee pain
Leukopenia
Low back pain
Malposition of fetus, correction of
Morning sickness
Nausea and vomiting
Neck pain
Pain in dentistry (including dental pain and temporomandibular
dysfunction)
Periarthritis of shoulder
Postoperative pain
Renal colic
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sciatica
Sprain
Stroke
Tennis elbow


2. Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which the therapeutic effect of
acupuncture has been shown but for which further proof is needed:

Abdominal pain (in acute gastroenteritis or due to gastrointestinal
spasm)
Acne vulgaris
Alcohol dependence and detoxification
Bell’s palsy
Bronchial asthma
Cancer pain
Cardiac neurosis
Cholecystitis, chronic, with acute exacerbation
Cholelithiasis
Competition stress syndrome
Craniocerebral injury, closed
Diabetes mellitus, non-insulin-dependent
Earache
Epidemic haemorrhagic fever
Epistaxis, simple (without generalized or local disease)
Eye pain due to subconjunctival injection
Female infertility
Facial spasm
Female urethral syndrome
Fibromyalgia and fasciitis
Gastrokinetic disturbance
Gouty arthritis
Hepatitis B virus carrier status
Herpes zoster (human (alpha) herpesvirus 3)
Hyperlipaemia
Hypo-ovarianism
Insomnia
Labour pain
Lactation, deficiency
Male sexual dysfunction, non-organic
Ménière disease
Neuralgia, post-herpetic
Neurodermatitis
Obesity
Opium, cocaine and heroin dependence
Osteoarthritis
Pain due to endoscopic examination
Pain in thromboangiitis obliterans
Polycystic ovary syndrome (Stein-Leventhal syndrome)
Postextubation in children
Postoperative convalescence
Premenstrual syndrome
Prostatitis, chronic
Pruritus
Radicular and pseudoradicular pain syndrome
Raynaud syndrome, primary
Recurrent lower urinary-tract infection
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
Retention of urine, traumatic
Schizophrenia
Sialism, drug-induced
Sjögren syndrome
Sore throat (including tonsillitis)
Spine pain, acute
Stiff neck
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction
Tietze syndrome
Tobacco dependence
Tourette syndrome
Ulcerative colitis, chronic
Urolithiasis
Vascular dementia
Whooping cough (pertussis)


3. Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which there are only individual
controlled trials reporting some therapeutic effects, but for which
acupuncture is worth trying because treatment by conventional and other
therapies is difficult:

Chloasma
Choroidopathy, central serous
Colour blindness
Deafness
Hypophrenia
Irritable colon syndrome
Neuropathic bladder in spinal cord injury
Pulmonary heart disease, chronic
Small airway obstruction


4. Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture may be tried
provided the practitioner has special modern medical knowledge and adequate
monitoring equipment:

Breathlessness in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Coma
Convulsions in infants
Coronary heart disease (angina pectoris)
Diarrhoea in infants and young children
Encephalitis, viral, in children, late stage
Paralysis, progressive bulbar and pseudobulbar

汉唐（睨海厦）关于皮肤问题的解释和治疗原理

汉唐（睨海厦）关于皮肤问题的解释和治疗原理
无意中在汉唐英文网页读到几则关于皮肤问题的文章，比较中西医的治疗原理和方法，但是没发现对应的中文版本。所以我节选中医部分翻译如下，供有兴趣的同仁参考。如果有谁能根据中医治疗的思路补充相应的药方就更好了。皮肤干燥的问题－－－－－－－－－－－－－传统中医药认为，皮肤是由肺控制的（肺主皮毛）。肺和皮肤毛孔一同呼吸。皮肤的水分与肺脏的水分直接相关。小肠的热度使水汽从大肠蒸发（大肠的一段在小肠上边），水气会进入到肺部，然后转移才到皮肤。这就是为什么皮肤正常情况下是柔软的。传统中医药认为，如果小肠的温度太低，或如果有太多的粘液在肺部，肺部的水汽就无法转移到皮肤，导致皮肤干燥和发痒。使用类固醇治疗皮肤干燥会造成许多副作用，其中一个是皮肤的毛孔将关闭。如果毛孔不能得到水分，他们将更干燥。 传统中医使用中草药治疗干裂性和皮肤发痒，原理是： *增加小肠的温度， *清理残留在肺部的粘液。保持 小肠->大肠->肺脏->皮肤 这个水通道开放，我们就可以消除当前和未来的皮肤问题。 进行体育锻炼身体出汗也对减轻皮肤干燥有帮助。尽量避免锻炼后立即进入一个空调房，因为空调会将皮肤毛孔收缩，让汗水流不出来。应该让身体自然降温。皮肤潮湿的问题－－－－－－－－－－－－－传统中医药认为，人体的肌肉和水分循环是由脾脏控制。通常，体内的多余水分是通过排便释放。但是缺乏运动和进食过量的甜或酸的食物会导致水分通过皮肤被释放。这可能看起来像皮肤疾病，但问题实际上是在更深的肌肉。 传统中医药的治疗方法是用中药加强肾脏以保持良好的水循环，降低小肠的温度，消除大肠多余的水分，吸收过剩的湿气，并止痒。类固醇药物会损害肾脏所以必须避免使用。皮肤出疹(皮疹)的问题－－－－－－－－－－－传统中医药了解皮肤过敏的根源（尤其是食物过敏源）。过敏发作是由于残余在小肠内的毒素造成的。这些毒素是当你出生的时候没有消除干净的胎毒。某些食物会刺激小肠中的毒素和导致过敏反应，包括皮肤发疹和发烧。皮肤的过敏性反应也可能因为您有非常挑剔的饮食习惯。当您训练你的身体只吃某一类品种的食品，身体在突然吃其他食品的时候可能调整过度，导致过敏反应。正常人的体内有多种细菌作为清道夫，负责吃掉体内的废料和残余毒素。使用抗生素会不仅杀死这些清道夫细菌，也无法消除疾病的根本原因（体内的毒素）。此外，抗生素会导致儿童不正常的体重增加，损害他们的心脏和肾脏。 传统中医药用中药解决这个问题：原理是增加小肠的消化功能，同时消除血液中的毒素。用中药调整身体的内部环境时，有益人体的清道夫细菌也可以继续生存。英文全文，供有兴趣的同仁参考，注意我的翻译不是逐字逐句，而是补充了一部分汉唐中文网页的内容。DRY SKIN PROBLEMSWestern Medicine believes dry, itchy skin is due to allergic, psychological, or hereditary reasons. Dermatologists will likely examine the skin with a magnifying glass and take specimens of the skin for microscopic study. Blood tests and a biopsy of superficial lymph nodes may be performed to help them rule out other diseases which could be affecting the skin.Western Medicine treats dry, itchy skin by advising patients to avoid substances which may be triggering the problem. To keep the skin from losing moisture, they recommend applying lotions or oils to the affected skin areas, and taking iron supplements for nutritional measures. If the skin becomes infected, antibiotics are commonly prescribed. Other drugs to control the symptoms of itching and pain include steroids and antihistamines. If conditions worsen, hospitalization may be necessary so they can rule out any strong irritant and to provide intensive care for the symptoms.Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that the skin is controlled by the lungs. The lungs and skin pores should breathe together when inhaling. Having good moisture in the skin directly relates to the quality of the moisture in the lungs. When the steam from the large intestine evaporates, the vapor goes to the lungs and the lungs then transfers it to the skin. This is why the skin is normally soft. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that if the temperature of the small intestine is too low or if there is too much mucus in the lungs, the water vapor in the lungs cannot spread to the skin, resulting in dry, itchy skin. Using steroids creates numerous side effects, one of them being that the pores of the skin will close. If the pores can’t get water, they’ll get drier.Traditional Chinese Medicine uses herbs to treat dry and itchy skin by * increasing the temperature in the small intestine and * by cleaning out residue or mucus in the lungs. By keeping this water channel open, we can eliminate present and future skin problems.It is also helpful to engage in exercise to help the body perspire. Avoid entering an air conditioned room immediately after exercising because it will close the skin pores and trap the sweat inside. Let the body cool down naturally.MOIST SKIN PROBLEMSWestern Medicine believes that moist skin disorders (eczema) are caused allergens but also recognizes that it often occurs for no known reason. Some Western Medical physicians believe the causes are from genetic or psychological factors.Western Medicine uses oils or lotions on the affected areas to keep the skin soft. In many cases, antihistamine drugs for itching, corticosteroid drugs for pain, and antibiotic drugs for infections are prescribed.Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that the body’s muscles and moisture circulation is controlled by the spleen. Ordinarily, the excess moisture in the body is released through the bowels, however, lack of exercise and consumption of excessive amounts of sweet or sour foods will cause the moisture to be released through the skin. This may look like a skin disease but the problem is actually deeper in the muscles.Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine will use herbs to strengthen the kidney’s to maintain good water circulation, decrease the temperature in the small intestine, eliminate excess moisture from the large intestine, absorb excess moisture, and stop itching. Steroids will damage the kidneys and must be avoided.SKIN RASH PROBLEMSWestern Medicine explains that the development of itchy wheals and rashes (urticaria) are the result of an allergic reaction in which a chemical (histamine) is released from skin cells and cause fluid to leak into the skin tissue. Western Medicine understands that urticaria often results from an allergic reaction to a particular kind of food, drug, or food additive.Treatments with Western Medicine will attempt to stop the symptoms of itching by applying calamine lotion or with antihistamine drugs. With severe cases, antibiotics or steroids are prescribed. Additionally, you will be advised to avoid certain foods to prevent future allergic reactions. The cause of urticaria in Western medicine is unknown.Traditional Chinese Medicine understands the cause of allergies (especially from food). Allergic breakouts are the result of residual toxins in the small intestine which were not eliminated when you were born. Certain foods will excite the toxins in the small intestine and cause allergic reactions in the form of skin eruptions and a fever. Allergic skin reactions may also occur if you have very picky eating habits. When you train your body to eat only a certain variety of foods, the body will adjust when other foods are eaten resulting in allergic reactions. Germs act as scavengers and feed on waste materials and residual toxins within the body. Using antibiotics will kill the scavenger germs, but will not eliminate the underlying cause of the disease nor the toxins which feed the germs. Additionally, antibiotics will cause abnormal weight gain in children and cause damage to the heart and kidneys.Traditional Chinese Medicine solves the problem by using herbs to increase the digestive function of the small intestine while eliminating poisons in the blood. When we change the environment in the body, we are able to eliminate the suitable habitat needed for germs to survive.