NAMES OF TCM HERBS IN CHINESE - H1N1

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE - H1N1

INFLUENZA A [H1N1] AND TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

In April 2009, in a little boy in a village in Mexico contacted Influenza A [H1N1]. Since then, it has spread far and wide across the five Continents of the world. As of 4th August 2009, the World Health Organisation has reported that 1,154 people have died of H1N1 and as per report in the Malaysian newspaper on 16th August 2009, an estimated 80,000 Malaysians might have been infected with Influenza A [H1N1], which is a viral pneumonia since it the outbreak began in May 2009. Until 16th August 2009, 59 people have died in Malaysia.

The newspaper reported that the Ministry of Health has reported that it noted that H1N1 related deaths in Malaysia were caused by virus attacking the respiratory system [breathing system]. Most of the death victims suffered from acute respiratory distress syndrome as a result of severe fulminant [disease or symptom of severe and sudden in onset] pneumonia.

The H1N1 virus, like seasonal flu, is spread from person to person through coughing or sneezing by the infected people. It can also be spread by persons who touch on the surface of an object, which are contaminated by droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person.

The signs and symptoms of H1N1 as reported include: -
[1] fever of >38 degrees
[2] dry cough
[3] body aches
[4] running nose
[5] sore throat
[6] nausea
[7] vomiting and/or
[8] diarrhoea
[9] headache
[10] difficulty in breathing

The Lungs, according to the Chinese Medical Philosophy, are “Lid of the of the Yin Organ. It is the cap on top of the thoracic cavity. The Lungs are the most easily affected by External Pernicious Influences.

The Chinese Medical Philosophy describes that the function of the Lungs is very closely associated with the Qi of the Chest. The Qi of the Chest is associated with the movement of all Qi and Blood in the body. A disharmony of the Lungs can lead to Deficient Qi or Stagnant Qi anyway in the human body..

According to the Chinese Medical Philosophy, “Lungs are the upper origin of water”. That is, the Lungs move water in the body in the same two directions as it moves the Qi. The Lungs liquefy water vapour and move it downwards to the Kidneys. At the same time, the Lungs have the disseminating function of circulating and scattering water vapour throughout the human body through the skin and pores. In another words, the Lungs cause the water vapour to ascend or circulate while the water in liquid form to descend. Disharmonies of the Lung Qi may lead to weakening of the Protective Qi in the human body that may result in fever, urination problems or edema and other complications, etc.

Ancient Traditional Chinese Medical experts have classified that diseases are caused mainly by either of the following factors: -
[1] Pestilential Factors
[2] improper diet
[3] fatigue and lack of proper physical exercise
[4] the seven emotions, namely: joy, anger, meditation (thinking frequently about a happening
etc.), fear, grief, melancholy and anxiety
[5] the six excesses, that is: wind, cold, summer-heat, dampness, dryness and fire (heat)
[6] traumatic wound
[7] insect or animal bites
and so on.
These causes are classified further into Yin and Yang categories. Zhang Zhongjing of Han Dynasty [206-220 B.C.], in his Synopsis of the Golden Bookcase, had described that there were several ways a person can contact or acquire a disease, that is, when a pathogenic factor invades the meridian and the viscera [organs], infects the skin, and injuries from excessive sexual activity, wounds, insect or animal bites.

Disease caused by Pestilential Factors
Pestilential factors are highly infectious and contagious pathogens. They are characterised by rapid onset a critical disease with severe infection of a highly contagious type. The Pathogens may attack a local area as well as over a number of areas of the human body.

The prevalence of the Pestilential Factors is usually related to: -
[1] Abnormal change of climate such as the recent Tsunami that hit Indonesia and Sri
Lanka, the Cyclone that hit Myanmar, the Earthquake that hit Szechuan in China and
the Marokat Typhoon that hit Taiwan
[2] The Environment
[3] Delayed prevention and isolation action, e.g. the current spread of the H1N1
[4] Diet,
[5] Pollution of the air
[6] Influence through social activities.
[7] Poor public health programmes o control of the spread of the deadly contagious
disease.

Traditional Chinese Medicine holds that in a situation where the body constitution of Yin and Yang is in balance, the viscera [organs] will function normally and well. The Qi, the Blood and the body fluid will be enriched and hence the anti-pathogenic factor in the human body will be strong. When there is a Yin-Yang imbalance, the anti-pathogenic factor will be weak leading to invasion of pathogenic factors into the human body. The anti-pathogenic factor includes the human body condition that is not conducive for the pathogenic factor to live in.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine [TCM], an invasion by the pathogenic factors into the human body is an indication that there is Yin-Yang imbalance in the human body. The TCM treatment is to restore the Yin-Yang balance in the human body so that the body condition will become non-conducive for the pathogenic factors to live in. Hence the invaders will die naturally as the result of restoration of the Yin-Yang balance and hence strengthen the anti-pathogenic factor in the human body.

The signs and symptoms of the H1N1 as described above indicate that there is Yang excess as the result of the invasion that cause Yin Qi to decrease or Yang Qi to increase into a condition of Yin Qi deficiency in the body. Vomiting and diarrhoea indicate that there is Yin-Yang imbalance in the lungs, spleen and the stomach as the result of the pathogenic attack. The dry cough, headache and sore throat indicate that there is Yang excess [pathogenic wind-heat] in the Lungs and the Liver. Running nose and difficulty in breathing are signs of the pathogenic attack on the Respiratory System.

Analysis of the signs and symptoms indicates that the affection of exogenous (i.e. relating to external factors) pathogenic heat has invaded the Lungs. Hence the Lungs cannot carry on its clearing functions leading to occurrence of cough, difficulty in breathing (hasty and rough breathing). The body fluid has been consumed by the burning heat causing thirst. The blockage of the Lungs by the pathogenic heat caused the sore throat. Delay in clearing stagnation of pathogenic heat from the Lungs will cause the body fluid to be concentrated into phlegm, which will block the Lungs and the nutritional blood will be impaired and pus may form in the Lungs leading to gangrene of the Lungs with foul expectoration. The exogenous pathogenic dryness by invading the Lungs has severely consumed the body fluid and caused occurrence of asthmatic breath with no or little mucoid sputum. The Lung Qi will be weaken and becomes unable to carry out its dispersing functions resulting to fever and aversion to cold. When the pathogenic damp-heat invades the Stomach and the Intestines, the stagnant pathogenic damp-heat accumulates in the Large Intestine as the result of improper diet. The accumulated and stagnated pathogenic damp-heat in the Large Intestine will force the Qi to stagnate causing failure of the Large Intestine to perform its transportation function and hence, diarrhoea occurs and burning sensation of the anus and thirst results.

The Yang Excess condition is conducive for the H1N1 virus [pathogens] to survive in the human body. The TCM method of curing such disease or to prevent the human body from such attack is to restore and maintain the Yin-Yang balance in the human body. Below are some of the herbs that reduce the Yang Excess to restore the Yin-Yang balance in the body and thus overcome the pathogenic attack. However, administrations of the various types of herbs rest with the body condition of the individual and the combination of herbs.

Folium Mori and Semen Sojae Praeparatum in combination can ventilate the Lungs to dispel the pathogenic factors therefrom. Semen Pruni Armeniacae will ventilate the Lungs and promote the flow of Qi while the Radix Adenophorae, Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii together with Exocarpium Pyrus will moisten the Lungs to arrest cough. Fructus Gardeniae will clear the pathogenic heat in the chest. Folium Mori and Flos Chrysanthemi can expel pathogenic heat from the Lungs and the Wei System while the Herba Menthae, which has the effect of dispelling wind-heat with Semen Armeniacae Amarum and Radix Platycodi will assist to promote the dispersing function of the Lungs. Fructus Forsythiae together with Rhizoma Phragmitis can be adjuvant herbs to dispel and clear wind-heat from the exterior and promote the production of body fluid to quench thirst. Radix Glycyrrhizae is the mediator for co-ordinating the various effects of the herbs in the recipe.
Gypsum Fibrosum can clear away the heat from the Lungs and from the Stomach and the Pericarpium Trichosanthis will promote the circulation of the vital Qi to clear the heat and phlegm. Semen Armeniacae Amarum will calm the Lung Qi to increase the purgative effect of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei to expel stagnated heat in the Large Intestine in order to keep the Lung Qi pure and descending. Rhizoma Anemarrhenae which will enhance the effect of Gypsum Fibrosum. Radix Glycyrrhizae and Semen Oryzae Sativae will benefit the Stomach and promote production of body fluids to prevent the extreme cold agents from damaging the Stomach.

Herba Menthae is cool in property and it acts on the Lungs and Liver Channels. It is effective in dispelling wind-heat and relieving sore throat while Flos Lonicerae is cold in property. Flos Lonicerae acts on the Lungs, Stomach and Large Intestine Channels. Fructus Forsythiae is cold in property and it acts on the Lungs, Heart and Gallbladder Channels. It clears away heat and toxins. Radix Platycodi is neutral in property and it acts on the Lung Channel. It ventilates the Lungs while Semen Armeniacae Amaran, which is slightly warm in property, acts on the Lungs and the Large Intestine Channels. It relieves cough and moistens the Intestines to relax the bowels. Rhazoma Amenarrhenae is cold in property and it acts on the Lung, Stomach and Kidney Channels. It clears away heat, purge out fire and promotes the production of body fluid. Rhizoma Coptidis is cold in property and acts on the Heart, Stomach, Liver and Large Intestine Channels. It clears away heat, dry up dampness and purge away fire and clears away toxins. Cortex Phellodendri is cold in property, acting on the Kidneys, Urinary Bladder and Large Intestine Channels. It clears away heat, purging fire & toxins. Herba Artenisiae is cold in property and acts on the Liver, Gallbladder and the Kidney Channels. It can effectively remove the heat from the blood and brings down hectic fever. It also clears away heat from the Gall bladder. Radix Palsatilla, which is cold in property acts on the Large Intestine Channels. It detoxifies and clears and removes the heat from the blood. Cortex Lycii Radicis is cold in property and it acts on the Lungs and Kidney Channels. It removes and clear away heat from the Blood and the Lungs and brings down hectic fever. Semen Arecae is warm in property and acts on the Stomach and the Large Intestine. It has anthelmintic functions (destory parasites in the human body) as well as descend of flow of Qi function. Radix Spepheniae Tetrandrae is cold in property and acts on the Urinary Bladder, Kidney and Spleen Channels. It expel wind to relieve pain. Semen Plantaginis is cold in property and acts on the Kidney, Liver and the Lung Channels. It induces diuresis to arrest diarrhoea, Caulis Artistolochiae Manshuriensis is cold in property and it acts on the Heart, Small Intestine and Urinary Bladder Channels, It expels heat and induces duiresis. Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae is warm in property and it acts on the Lung and Spleen Channels. It regulates Qi and normalises the functions the Spleen and the Stomach. Magnoliae Officinalis is warm in property and it acts on the Lung, Spleen, Stomach, and the Large Intestine Channels. Bulbus Macrostemi is warm in property and it acts on the Lung, Stomach and the Large Intestine Channels. It can disperse the accumulation of pathogens and promote circulation of Qi. Herba Leonuri is slightly cold in property and it acts on the Heart, Liver, and the Urinary Bladder Channels. It invigorates the Blood Circulation to remove blood stasis. Rhizoma Corydalis is warm in property and acts on the Heart, Liver and Spleen Channels. It promotes Blood Circulation and the flow of Qi to relieve pain. Radix Polygalae is slightly warm in property and it acts on the Lung and the Heart Channels. It tranquillises the mind and induce resuscitation. Fructus Mume is neutral in property and it acts on the Lung, Liver, Spleen and Large Intestine Channels. It acts on the Lungs and the bowels to relieve cough and stop diarrhea. Fructus Tritici Lovis is cold in property and acts on the Heart Channel. It replenishes Qi and clear away heat. Herba Dendrobii is cold in property and acts on the Stomach and Kidney Channels. It nourishes Yin and clear away heat. Radix Ophiopogonis is slightly cold in property and it acts on the Lung, Heart and the Stomach Channels. It moist the Lungs and nourishes Yin and clear away Heart-fire. 424, Radix Glehniae is slightly cold in property and acts on the Lung and Stomach Channels. It nourishes the Yin and clear away heat from the Lungs. It also reinforces the Stomach as well as promoting production of body fluid. Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae is slightly cold in property and acting on the Heart, Pericardium and the Liver Channels. It invigorates the Blood Circulation to cool the blood and tranquillises the disturbed mind.

Most of the herbs prescribed above are cold or cool in property and act on the Lung, Heart, Liver, Stomach, Gallbladder and Spleen, e.g., Folium Mori is cold in property and is good for clearing away wind-heat or dry-heat from the Lungs, but it is not strong enough, hence it has to be assisted by Semen Sojae Praeparata and Fructus Gardeniae, which is cold in property and acts on the Heart, Lungs, Stomach and the Sanjiao Channels. Fructus Gardeniae is capable of purging fire-heat, relieving dysphoria, removing heat from the Blood and promoting diuresis. However, some of the herbs are warm in property such as the Rhizoma Corydalis and Radix Polygalae.

Application of herbs is related to the body condition as diagnosis has determined by the TCM Physicians. However, to strengthen the body resistance and relieve exterior syndromes, the first decoction to start with can be as follow:
[1] RhizomaPolygonati Odorati [H40] 9g 90
[2] Bulbus Allii Fistulosis [H41] 6g 90
[3] Radix Platycodi [H10] 5g
[4] Radix Cynanchi Atrati [H43] 3g 90
[5] Semen Sojae Praeparata [H44] 9g
[6] Radix Glycyrrhizae Praeparata [H45] 2g 90
[7] Herba Menthae [H 8] 5g
[8] Fructus Ziziphi Jujubae [H47] 2pcs 90



The second prescription that follows after taking 4 to 6 packets more of the aforesaid prescribtion can be as follow [take about 4 packets]:

[1] Semen Armeniacae Amarum [H 9] 6g
[2] Fructus Forsythiae [H 11] 5g
[3] Herba Menthae [H 8] 2.5g
[4] FOLIUM Mori [H 1] 7.5g
[5] Flos Chrysantemi [H 7] 3g
[6] Radix Platycodi [H 10] 6g
[7] Radix Gyyrrhizae [H 13] 2.3g
[8] Rhizoma Phragmitis [H 12] 6g

The subsequent prescriptions eill be determined by the body’s response to the two above decoctions. As a general preventive measure, a person can drink the following decoction once or twice a week [ prescription for adult. For children, reduce the weight age of the herbs so prescribe below by half]:

[1] Flos Lonicerae [H 19] 12g
[2] Flos Chrysantemi [H 7] 8g
[3] Herba Menthae [H 8] 3g
[4] FOLIUM mori [H 1] 12g
[5] Semen Arecae [H 25] 4g
[6] Semen Plantaginis [H 42] 10g

The following herbs can also be added to the above 6 herbs:

[7] Fructus Gardeniae [H 6] 8g
[8] Magnoliae Officinalis [H 29] 8g
[9] Radix Polygaiae [H 33] 8g
[10] Semen Armeniacae Amarum [H 9] 8g


W Y Ho, ACIS
[Dragon Ho]
8th September 2009-09-15

W Y Ho [Ho Wah Ying] is the former Advisor to the Kuala Lumpur Traditional Chinese Physicians Association. Currently, he is the President of the Kiwanis Club of Pandan Jaya [2007 – 2008 & 2008 – 2009] and the Lt. Governor-Elect for Division 3 of Kiwanis Malaysia [2009 – 2010]. For his contributions to societies, China has awarded W Y Ho with:



WARNING: The author is not asking or advising readers to follow this article of his and he therefore disclaims and shall not be liable for any eventualities as the dispensing of the herbs must be prescribed by TCM physicians.



[Please see the names of herbs in Chinese below:

TRADITION CHINESE MEDICINE

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
[Continued from earlier article posted on 16/7/2009]

Actions of Lifting, Lowering, Floating and Sinking.
In the previous week, we have discussed about the Properties and Flavours of Chinese herbs.
This article is discussing the actions of Chinese herbs tend to act on the human body.

The terms Lifting, Lowering, Floating and Sinking refer to the upward, downward, inward and outward directions in which the herbs tend to act on the human body:

Lifting indicates that the herbs will cause an upward movement of Qi in the body and Lowering is the opposite of that. Floating means causing the Qi to move outward towards the surface of the skin from the inside of the human body while Sinking means going inward into the body or purging away.

Herbs that belong to the Lifting and the Floating class have the upwards and outwards actions, hence these herbs are used for elevating Yang to relieve exterior syndromes by way of causing resuscitation, diaphoresis [to induce perspiration] dispelling superficial wind and cold, inducing vomiting, etc.

Herbs that belong to the Lowering and Sinking class have downward and inward action and therefore, these herbs are used for inducing purgation, promotion of micturition [ stimulate urination], clearing excessive body heat, removing dampness, causing an adverse flow of Qi to stop vomiting, checking the exuberance of Yang, relieving cough and asthma, removing stagnated food, tranquillising the mind, etc.

Generally, for diseases that are located in the upper part or exterior of the human body, it is appropriate to use herbs that belong to the Lifting and Floating class. For diseases that are located in the interior or lower part of the human body, such as dry stool and constipation, it is appropriate to use herbs of Lowing and Sinking class.

For diseases of which the manifestations tend upward, such as headache and vertigo due to hyperactivity of Liver-Yang, herbs belonging to Lowering and Sinking class should be used to calm the Liver and suppress the hyperactivity of the Liver-Yang.

For diseases of which manifestations tend downward, lifting herbs are suitable for curing such diseases as treatment for chronic diarrhea.

Most herbs that are pungent, or sweet in flavour and warm or hot in property have lifting and floating actions, while most herbs that have bitter, sour or salty flavour and cold or cool in property have lowering and sinking actions.

Generally, most of the herbs that are light in weight have lifting and floating actions while those that are heavy in weight have lowering and sinking actions. However, some herbs that are light in weight have lowering and sinking actions and conversely, some herbs, which are heavy in weight, have lifting and floating actions.

Composition of herbs in a prescription and the processing of the herbs can influence or alter the property of the herb, e.g., when wine is added to the decoction of herbs that have lowering and sinking properties, such properties can change to that of lifting and floating actions. Likewise the lifting and floating properties of herbs can be changed to that of lowering and sinking when salt solution is added to the preparation of` decoction.

If herbs that have lifting and floating actions are decocted with a greater amount of lowering and sinking action herbs, they may also have lowering and sinking actions. Similarly, if herbs that have lowering and sinking actions are decocted with a greater amount of lifting and floating action herbs, they may also have some lifting and floating action characteristics.

Some herbs may exert specific therapeutic action on pathological changes in certain viscera and certain or several channels, but having little effects on the other channels. For example, among the heat-clearing herbs, some herbs will either clear heat in the Lung Channel or in the Liver Channel or in the Heart Channel, etc. This herb’s selective therapeutic effects on certain channels and certain organs of the human body are referred to as Channel Tropism.

The human body is an organic whole in which the channels and collaterals are linked up with the interior and exterior and the all parts of the body. Pathological change in the exterior may affect the viscera in the same way as diseases in the viscera may find expressions in the exterior of the body, e.g., bacteria in the blood may weaken the liver and cause fever that is felt in the exterior of the body. Base on the theory of the channels and collaterals, the signs and symptoms of diseases in different parts of the body can be understood systematically, e.g., swollen gum in the oral, cavity is the symptom of the flare-up of stomach-fire, and pain in the hypochondriac region is the symptom of stagnation of Liver-Qi. Gypsum is used to treat pain and reduce swelling of the gum because it contains mainly hydrated calcium sulphate [CaSO4.2H2O]. It is pungent & sweet and cold in property. It acts on the Lung and the Stomach Channel. Gypsum has the effect of clearing away heat and purging fire, relieving thirst and restlessness. It promotes regeneration of the tissue and heals wound.

Different herbs can act on the same channel, but have different effects owing to the differences in property, flavour and actions, e.g. Dried Ginger [Gan Jiang], Lily Bulb [Baii Her], Lipidium seed [Huang Jin] and Scutellaria Root [Ding Le Zi] all act on the Lung Channel, but Dried Ginger can warn up cold Lung, Lily Bulb can cure Lung deficiency, Lipidium seed is used to soothe excess syndrome of the Lung and Scutellaria Root is used to clear heat in the Lung. Thus the Channel Tropism theory must be understood in association with the theories of the Properties and Flavours and the Action of Lifting, Floating, Lowering and Sinking.

Toxicity in Chinese herbs
Five thousand years ago, the Father of Chinese Medicine, Sheng Nong had identified Chinese herbs into: -
[1] Non-toxic herb:
[a] Food herbs – the food that the Chinese takes daily until to-day
[b] Curative herbs – those herbs that are used until present days

[2] Toxic herbs are classified into:
[a] Slightly toxic
[b] Extremely toxic
[c] Deadly toxic.
The slightly toxic herbs have no harmful effect on the human body.

Most of the herbs used in the administration of medicines are non-toxic herbs. Some extremely toxic herbs have remarkable effects and in certain extreme cases, are required to cure certain chronic, critical or obstinate illnesses. For the purpose of safety, such toxic herbs are usually prescribed in small and proper dosage to ensure that it will not have harmful effect on the human body. The dosage so prescribed will not cause side effects. The administration of such herbs is also determined by the patient’s age, severity, constitution and location of the disease. The dosage of such herbs is dispensed with extreme care to prevent and avoid overdose. Extremely toxic herbs must be DISCONTINUED immediately after the patient shows signs of getting better. Toxicity of the herbs can be eliminated or reduced by processing, preparation and dispensing. All the herbs available in the Chinese Medicine Shops [Drug Stores] are prepared or processed herbs.

TCM PRINCIPLE: “Treat the critical or obstinate illnesses with toxic herbs, of which the prerequisite is safety”.

Deadly toxic HERBS CANNOT BE DISPENSED for oral consumption.

[To be continued next week – Application of herbs - Compatibility and Contraindictions]

W Y Ho
26th August 2009



Meastro D’Taijiquan conducts Taijiquan and Qigong in Petaling Jaya. Please contact Master W. Y. Ho at 012-3319234

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

[Continued from earlier article dated 2nd July 2009]

The Five Flavours of Chinese herbs
The flavour of some of the herbs are often described below are different from their true tastes, nonetheless they are grouped together according to the various effectiveness. The various groups of herbs are explained below according to flavour grouping: - [1] Sweet [2] Sour [3] Bitter [4] Salty and [5] Pungent. There are two more groups and they that are Tasteless and Astringent.

[1] Sweet flavour herbs
The sweet flavour herbs have the effect of nourishing, tonifying replenishing and enriching the3 different parts of the human body or its organs. It has the impact on normalising the function of the spleen and the stomach as well as harmonising the properties of different herbs in combination, relieving spasm pain. Herbs of this group are effective usually in treatment of dry cough, lack of spleen – stomach co-ordination, constipation caused by dry intestine, various pains and the syndrome of the deficiency type, etc. Some of the sweet flavour herbs have detoxication effects.

[2] Sour flavour herbs
This group of herbs has the effects of inducing astringency and arresting discharge. Sour flavour herbs are used for treating:
[a] chronic diarrhea [f] emission
[b] sweating due to debility [g] spermatorrhea
[c] chronic cough [h] enuresis (involuntary urination)
[d] chronic leukorrhagia [I] frequent micturition (having the urge to urinate).
[e] metrorrhagia (non-menstruation) or metro-stasis (stoppage of menses)

[3] Bitter flavour herbs
Bitter flavour herbs have the effects of purging out pathogenic fire, clearing heat, sinking of the adverse Qi to treat cough and vomitting, cough and vomiting, cough with dyspnea (laboured breathing) eliminating dampness, relaxing the bowels, constipation due to heat excess, damp-heat syndrome as well as damp-cold syndrome etc.

[4] Salty flavour herbs
Herbs of this group have the effects of relieving constipation, softening and resolving hard mass. It is usually used for treating dry stool, scrofula (disease with glandular swelling), goitre, abdominal mass, etc.

[5] Pungent flavour herbs
This group of herbs has the effect of promoting the circulation of the vital energy and the blood as well as dispersing exo-pathogens (external micro-organisms that can cause diseases) from the body. Pungent flavour herbs such as garlic are usually used to treat blood stasis, stagnation of vital energy (Qi flow) and other superficial and mild illness caused by exo-pathogens, etc.

[6] Tasteless flavour herbs
This group of herbs has the effects of excreting dampness and inducing diuresis (sweating). It is commonly used for treating edema (water retention) and dysuria (difficulty in urination), etc.

[7] Astringent flavour herbs
This group of herbs has the harsh, biting quality. Astringent flavour herbs have the similar actions as those of the Sour flavour herbs.

Generally, herbs of the same flavour will have similar actions and herbs of different tastes will have quite a different actions. Nonetheless, some herbs have the same property, but have different flavour and vice-versa and as such, their effects are not all the same.

The property and the flavour of a herb should be considered as an integrated whole and not be treated separately

W Y Ho
16th July 2009


[To be continued next week – Action of Lifting, lowering. Floating and Sinking ]


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Maestro D’Taijiquan conducts Taijiquan and Qigong in Petaling Jaya. Please contact Master W. Y. Ho at 012-3319234

FOREST RESERVES - Deforestation

Recently, The Star Metro had reported about the deforestation exercises that took place at the Sungai Jelok Forest Reserves (reported on 29th June 2009) and at Rantau Panjang Forest Reserves near Bukit Terak (reported on 2nd July 2009). The Sungai Jelok Forest Reserves is in the Hulu Langat District while the Rantau Panjang Forest Reserves Hulu Selangor District in the State of Selangor, Malaysia.






The two reports in the Star Metro had prompted the Association of Backpackers Malaysia to revisit the jungle trails of Bukit Terak (Rantau Pajnang Forest Reserves) on 5th July 2009. Twelve members of the Association of Backers Malaysia (ABM) travelled by 3 cars from Petaling Jaya through the Rawang Interchange to a spot about 1Km before the Rawang to Batang Berjuntai – Batang Arang Junction. Bukit Terak is on the right side of Rawang-Batang Berjuntai [now known as Bestari Jaya] Road. From that spot the group of 12 ABM members walked up to the top of Bukit Terap and thereafter crossed over to Batu Arang Town on the left side Rawang-Batang Berjuntai Road. Below is what the 12 members of ABM saw during their excursion up Bukit Terak.

Dated 6th July 2009

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE - Properties & Flavours

[Continued from earlier article dated 24th June 2009]

Properties and Flavours of Chinese herbs
Every Chinese herb has its property and flavour, hence Chinese herbs are also referred to “Four properties and five flavours”. “Property” in this context, refers to cold, hot, warm or cool nature of the herb while “Flavour” refers to pungent, sweet, sour, bitter, salty, tasteless and astringent.

Most cold or cool-natured herbs have the effects of clearing heat, purging the ‘fire’ from the body, removing toxic substances, and nourishing the Yin. Herbs that are warm or hot in nature have the effects of dispersing cold, warming up the interior of the body, supporting the Yang.

Besides the cold or cool-natured and the warm or hot-natured herbs, there is another class of herbs that are neutral to the aforesaid natures. Herbs of neutral in nature can be used to treat either hot or cold syndromes.

In term of flavour, sweet and tasteless coexist while the sour and astringent herbs have the same effects in the treatment applications. Pungent, sweet, sour, bitter and salty tastes herbs are the cardinal flavours that are habitually known as the five flavours. Some of the herbs are classified according to the herbs’ actions other than tastes.

Herbs of different flavours and different compositions give different pharmacological and therapeutic actions, while herbs of the same taste usually have similarities in effect and composition..

[To be continued next week – Application of herbs according to flavours]


W. Y. Ho
1st July 2009


Maestro D’Taijiquan conducts Taijiquan and Qigong in Petaling Jaya. Please contact Master W. Y. Ho at 012-3319234

ENVIRONMENT - CLIMATE CHANGE

The US Global Change Research Programme, a grouping of a dozen US government agencies and the White House, has recently released its report, titled “Global Change Impacts in the United States”. Mr. Jerry Melillo of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts said that “Climate change is happening now, it is not something that will happen decades or centuries in the future”. Mr. Jerry Melillo is one of the lead authors of the report. According to the report, the climate change is caused mainly by human-induced emissions of heat-trapping gases. The report outlines in plain, non-scientific terms hoe global warming has led to an increase of extreme weather like the powerful heat-wave that swept Europe in 2003. Global warming has impact on everything from water supplies to farming, to energy, to health. On Friday, 26th June 2009, The House of Representatives in the United States has narrowly passed the legislation that establishes the United States’ first limits on pollution that is linked to global warming. Democratic Representative, Ed Murkey described the legislation as “the most important energy and environmental legislation in the history of our country”.

On Thursday, 18th of June 2009, the Star reported that the haze that covered the Kuala Lumpur skyline on 17th June 2009. According to that report, the Air Pollutant Index showed that some 26 areas in Malaysia, the air quality reading were between 51 to 100 while in Tanjung Malim area was declared as unhealthy with the reading between 101 and 200 as recorded.


On 27th June 2009, Malaysia Environment NGO (MENGO) in association with the Purple Ants had organised a Treasure Hunt to create awareness of the environmental impact on human life among the people. The Treasurer Hunt took some 500 participants, the majority of whom were below the age of 30 years age, from Petaling Jaya to Jalan Ampang to Jalan Sultan Ismail to Jalan Imbi to Jalan Hang Tuah to Jalan Sambantan areas in Kuala Lumpur. The rules of the Treasure Hunt prohibited the use of cars, buses or any petrol or diesel driven vehicles as a means of transport. It was all fun and challenges that had put the thought of winning in the second place.

The Team, “The Green Hunter”[picture above]is the only team, which has 3 of its 4 members who are above 60 years of age. Among them, the oldest is 70 years old..



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Maestro D’Taijiquan conducts Taijiquan and Qigong in Petaling Jaya. Please contact Master W. Y. Ho at 012-3319234

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

My name is Ho Wah Ying [better known as W. Y. Ho]. I was a practising TCM Chinese Physician for more than 40 years. For a number of years, I was the Advisor to the Kuala Lumpur Traditional Chinese Physician Association.

Very often I have overheard people at the coffee-shop talks, discussing about usage of herbs to cure certain illness, particularly single-herb prescriptions. Let me share my experience and knowledge, as a Chinese Physician, with you about Chinese Medicine. However, I have to share my knowledge by instalments as it would be too long to describe it in one single article.

Discussion 1 - The Characters and Functions of Traditional Chinese Herbs
Every herb has its own specific characters. Such different characters of the herbs are used to treat diseases, rectify the hyperactivity and hypoactivity of Yin and Yang. It helps the body to restore its normal physiological functions and hence eliminate the diseases and restore the body to good health. The characters and functions of these herbs include: -
[1] herbs’ properties, which refers to the cold, hot, warm, or cool nature of the herbs
[2] Its flavours, which refers to the taste of the herbs – pungent, sweet, sour, bitter, salty, tasteless and
astringent (harsh biting quality)
[3] actions of lifting,
[4] actions of lowering
[5] actions to float
[6] actions to cause Channel Tropism
[7] action to clear or neutralise toxicity, etc.

This theory is based on the theories of Yin and Yang, the viscera, the channels and collaterais, and the treatment principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

W Y Ho
24th June 2009
Next week – Properties and flavours

BLOGGERS CARNIVAL - PJ challenge 2009

The Day on 20th June 2009 is the 3rd Anniversary of Petaling Jaya City Day. As part of the City Day Celebration, the Association of Backpackers Malaysia (ABM) in association with Kaspersky Lab and MBPJ held a one-day Bloggers “K”arnival at Jaya 33 in Petaling Jaya.

More than 500 people came to participate in the Carnival. About 300 of the participants took part in the Blogging Competition while the rest of them took part in the Treasure Hunt, Find Your Match, Photography Contest (Capture Karnival Moments), Mystery Gift for Dad, and the Children’s Colouring Contest, All participants were given a goody-bag of freebies.


The Bloggers Competition was divided into two categories – [1] Basic (Blog 101) and [2] Advanced (Blog 411). The Prizes for the Basic (Blog 101) are Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 Antivirus system and the prizes for the Advanced (Blog 411) are Laptops.

1dragoncall.blogspot. com has won a prize in the Basic category.



There were also cultural activities to entertain the people who came to Jaya 33 to participate in the Carnival as well as to shop there.

BEAUTES OF BUKIT GASING, P. JAYA

The recent fire in May 2009 that burnt out part of the Bukit Gasing range, has destroyed some of the flora and fauna in the forest on those hills of the Bukit Gasing range. However, not all are lost. Below are some of the beauties that you can still find in the forest of Bukit Gasing.
















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Maestro D’Taijiquan conducts Taijiquan and Qigong in Petaling Jaya. Please contact Master W. Y. Ho at 012-3319234

Meditation - the seven basic steps

In learning to meditate, it is essential to begin with the seven basic steps. They are:
[1] Start out with focussing the mind by placing the Tian Mu [a point at midpoint between, but immediately above the eyebrows] at the mid-point that lies between the Solar Plexus and the navel of your own body. I refer to that point as the M-point
[2] Take 7 long, smooth, silent and deep in-out breathing [to breathe in and out is one breath]
[3] Concentrate on the M-point and observe and be aware of the movements of the M-point as you
breathe in and breathe out.
[4] Following the seven long breathing, learn to adjust the breathing in the following 4 ways:
[a] Long in and long out
[b] short in and long out
[c] long in and short out
[d] short in and short out
[5] Let the mind be at ease as you breathe, but without lose of concentration and focus
[6] Spread your awareness [your sense of conscious feeling] to every parts of your body
[7] Unite the breath sensations that are spread all over your body and let them flow together freely
and comfortably, but keep your awareness as broad as possible.

Once fully aware of the aspects of your breathing, you will come to know all other aspects of things as well. By its nature, the breathing has many facets, i.e., breathing sensations flowing in the nerves, those flowing around and about the nerves in the body to every pore. In summary, meditation:
[a] will improve the energy that is already existed in your body so that you can contend with such things as diseases and pain;
[b] can clarify the knowledge that is already within you so that it can become a basis for the skills that will lead to release and purity of heart.

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Maestro D’Taijiquan conducts Taijiquan and Qigong in Petaling Jaya. Please contact Master W. Y. Ho at 012-3319234

PHILOSOPHY of SUCCESS

Men are bound by their desire to succeed in their missions that they had set forth to achieve their ultimate victory. For thousands of years, many wars had been fought from Asia through Europe to America. Many victors and losers had been created out of those wars, but what is success?

In the modern world, the criteria for success begin with a set of belief follow by the strong focus on that belief with high standard of mental strength and energy. Success lies not in the “win”, but the endurance in the “challenge” to the end. Jean Babtiste Henri Lacordaire once said, “Neither genius, fame, nor love show the greatness of the soul. Only kindness can do that”. Thus the success lies in the act of kindness to other living beings and things.

The spirit of Challenge is the success of the day. What is “challenge”? Is it an act to oppose for opposing sake? Challenge is an art of skilful creation and display of one’s individual talent in harmony with the intellectual assembly of thought for the external execution of actions.

The aim of the Challenge is not to defeat any one, but to participate in demonstration of one’s skills and talents with complete harmony and balance with one’s mind. In that completeness there is no excess and at the same times no deficiency. Ex-President of USA, Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are”. Life is not in the good cards that one holds, but in the manner of playing well with those cards that one has. “The tragedy of life is not that the man loses, but that he almost wins” said Heywood Brown.

To a wise man, life is only a festival in time. Participation is the aim in time, but winning in a competition is the satisfaction of the man’s ego. Buddha said, “To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent.



Life is worthwhile if one is willing to learn from one’s own positive and negative experiences, i.e, learn from one’s mistakes in order for one to do things positively right. Success in life is in the willingness to learn from one’s mistakes as well from others. Human beings learn by observation, paying attention as good listeners to selective input, i.e., accept what one considers acceptable and put aside, but not discard all that one considers unreasonable.

Life is not worthwhile if one has not try on what one has learned. Try will make a difference. It is the “Try” that brings oneself to the next level of success. Without trying one will never know. Albert Einstein said, “I think that only daring speculation can lead us further and not accumulation of facts” and John F. Kennedy said, “There are risks and costs to a program. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.

A man must strong and bold, but he must not be rude and a bully. He must be humble and express his kindness, but must not be weak and timid. He must be proud of his achievements, but he must not be arrogant. These are the ingredients of success. Success in life is not the acquisition of material wealth or one has achieved one’s goal in one’s mission, but the enjoyment of the experience gained and all that one has learned from one’s own mistakes during one’s participation in the challenges in one’s lifetime.

Dragon Ho
16th June 2009


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Learn Taijiquan & Qigong from Maestro D’Taijiquan. Contact Master W Y Ho at 012-3319234

The high standard of the English Language used and spoken in Malaysia is fast becoming history. It has not acquire the status of history yet, just becoming antic. English is the foreign language that once Malaysians could speak and write so well that even the Englishmen were proud and envy of.

To-day, the Senior Citizen can still speak and write good perfect English, but most of the young Malaysians today speak and write what is called Communicative English. What is Communicative English? It is a language that sounds like English, similar to that of English, most young Malaysians can understand the thoughts of the transmitters of the messages, but it is not English. As an example of the Communicative English, I quoted below the following passage from an English daily:

“Two nabbed over sex posters in hotel
Two men who were busy posting posters offering sexual services in the toilet of a five-star hotel in Genting Highlands have been arrested”.

Let us analyse the sentence.
The main clause in the sentence is: “Two men have been arrested”.
The adjectival subordinate clause is: “who were posting posters” describing what the two men were doing.
“offer sexual services” is an adjectival phrase that describes the kind of posters that the two men were in the process of posting when they were arrested
Where did they intend to provide the sexual services? “in the toilet” is another adjectival phrase that describe the venue for the sexual services.
Which toilet? In the toilet “of a five-star hotel in Genting Highlands” is another adjective phrase that identified the location of the toilet.

Is this the message that the reporter was trying to tell the public? I think not. I believe that the author of the sentence is confused in the construction of that sentence. The sentence is consisted of one main clause, one adjectival clause and three adjectival phrases. The main problem in the sentence is that there is no punctuation therein and therefore the poster describes the kind and venue of the offer, 1.e., “sexual services in the toilet”.

According to the Rules of English Grammar, the adjective is the describing word, which must be placed as close as possible to the noun or another adjective it qualifies. The same rule applies to adjectival clause and the adjectival phrase. Applying the rules to the aforesaid sentence, “sexual services” describes the kind of offer in the “offering” and the phrase “in the toilet” describes the place or venue where the “sexual services” was going to be rendered.

Is it better to restructure the sentence as follows?

The police had arrested two men who were busy posting posters in the toilet of a five-star hotel in Genting Highlands. The posters reveal the offer of sexual services [probably in the hotel or elsewhere, as it was not reported in the English daily].

Here is another sentence that tells you information that is everybody’s guess.

“Free return Airfare to Ho Chi Minh City?”

This advertisement was placed on the Malaysian English daily that I had obtained it in Petaling Jaya. In the first instant, it appears that the advertisement aims to attract the Vietnamese in Ho Chi Minh City to visit Malaysia, but how can the residents of Ho Chi Minh City read it when the newspaper is sold in Malaysia?

Read on further, you will find that the prerequisite qualification is “minimum total of 3 nights stay required at Hotel XXXXXX Ho Chi Minh City”. It becomes clear that the advertisement is intended for the Malaysian residents to read. From here, let us analyse the word “return”. The word ‘return’ means to go back to the place where you came from. Why must I return to Ho Chi Minh City again after visiting Ho Chi Minh City?

Where are we heading from here?