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Learn Chinese Words and Phrases
"Common Expressions" cont.

Here are more key words and phrases you'll need to know as you are communicating with your Chinese friends or business partners. Reminder: be sure to download our free audio files at the Cathay Cafe (www.CathayCafe.com) that accompany this lesson. To download the audio file, go to our homepage, click our Download Audio link, then click Chapter IV. Common Expressions. You can then practice your Mandarin by reading this lesson and listening to the correct pronunciation and tones at the same time! Zoh bah! Let's go!

Did You Know?

	China has more than 2.6 million websites.
	China has 37 million more males than females.
	China has 162 million internet users.
	China has about 440 million mobile phone users.
	There are over 70,000 HIV/AIDS infected people in China, with over 25,000 deaths reported.
	China's population is over 1.3 billion.
	China has 20 million bloggers.
	More than 89,000 were killed on China's roads during 2007.
	China's economy grew by 9.9% this past year.

The Benefits of Chinese Medicine - An Alternative Medicine for Drug Free Health

John Philips

For thousands of years Chinese medicine, although considered as alternative medicine in the Western world, has been the primary medical system in China. More and more people in the Western world are turning to Chinese medicine attracted by the natural healing rather than modern medicines' reliance on synthetically produced drugs.

Said to have been practiced for 5,000 years the history of Chinese medicine is anything but lucid. The first written document concerning Chinese medicine is thought to be Hung-Di Nei-Jing (Cannon of Internal Medicine) and is considered to date back 2,000 years. It is attributed to the Yellow Emperor although the dates and author is still the subject of much debate.

The primary methods of Chinese medicine, and the ones people are most familiar with, are herbal medicine and acupuncture with massage, qi gong, or food therapy playing a secondary role. Through these methods Chinese medicine aims to restore harmony and regain balance to the system rather than treat the disease or illness.

The main reason for any illness or disease is lack of harmony. A well-balanced body can resist most everyday illness and disease and this is the philosophy of Chinese medicine, whereas modern medicine treats bacteria and viruses directly by the use of antibiotics or vaccines.

While more and more medical schools are including classes on alternative medicine in their syllabuses, the relationship between Chinese medicine and Western medicine is still contentious. Chinese medicine is more likely to be viewed with distrust by older Western doctors.

This is not to say that the techniques are of no value in the West. In fact, drug companies have acknowledged the value of traditional medicines and teams of scientists in many parts of the world are employed to accumulate knowledge from traditional medical practitioners. In addition, many Western hospitals and increasing numbers of clinics now offer T'ai Chi Ch'uan or qigong classes as part of their inpatient and health programs.

Not considered as alternative medicine by over three quarters of the world's population, Chinese medicine excels in the areas of prevention of physical and emotional illnesses. For centuries it has been regarded as form of non-intrusive, remedial, risk free treatment.

Attitudes towards Chinese medicine are changing by the day and an increasing number of people are finding relief in this form of alternative medicine after failing with modern medicine and prescription drugs. But rather than as a last resort as was often the case it is now becoming a first recourse and more and more people are having regular treatments to maintain their health at an optimum level or to help with addictions or dietary problems.

John Philips is the author of Chinese Healing, an information website with articles about Chinese Medicine. To read more, visit www.chinese-healing.info.

In The News...

China Bans Bra, Underwear, Sex Toy Ads

AP News, Sept 30

BEIJING (AP) - China has banned television and radio ads for push-up bras, figure-enhancing underwear and sex toys in the communist government's latest move to purge the nation's airwaves of what it calls social pollution.

Regulators have already targeted ads using crude or suggestive language, behavior, and images, tightening their grip on television and radio a few weeks ahead of a twice-a-decade Communist Party congress at which some new senior leaders will be appointed.

The latest move by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, or SARFT, also bans advertisements for sexual aids such as tonics that claim to boost performance in bed.

The notice indicated that regulators were concerned about both lascivious imagery and outrageous or insupportable claims about some products' benefits or effectiveness.

"Illegal 'sexual medication' advertisements and other harmful ads pose a grave threat to society," said the SARFT notice, issued in the past week and posted on the administration's web site.

"They not only seriously mislead consumers, harm the people's health, pollute the social environment, and corrupt social mores, but also directly harm the credibility of public broadcasting and affect the image of the Communist Party and the government," the notice said.

China has already also issued strict rules for TV talent shows, including the banning of "American Idol"-style mass audience voting by mobile phone text message or the Internet.

A few weeks ago, SARFT ordered 11 radio shows off the air in southern and central China for talking too explicitly about sex or for broadcasting material of an "extreme pornographic nature."

Regulators have also banned television shows about cosmetic surgery and sex changes, and a talent show that they deemed coarse.