Qigong (氣功) has a long history of several thousand years and is practiced by many people throughout the years. It is practiced today by millions of people in China as well as in many other parts of the world. With such a long history involving so many people and numerous teachers/masters, there are many types of Qigong. However, the theory of Qigong is really based on concepts behind Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which includes examining external appearances, examining internal conditions (e.g., via listening to one’s pulse), analyzing patient’s descriptions of his/her ailments, prescribing herbal medicines, utilizing techniques such as Tui Na (推拿), acupressure, and acupuncture. This article provides an introduction to Qigong.
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What Is Qigong?
Meaning of 12/28/2015 Japan and South Korea’s Agreement on Comfort Women
On December 28, 2015, it was announced by the governments of South Korea and Japan that they had reached an agreement to settle the decades-old dispute on the Comfort Women issue. Just exactly what was that agreement, and did it settle this long dispute between South Korea and Japan? This article discusses these questions.
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Tailoring Taiji Classes to Audience
Just like in any field of teaching, you have various types of students, with different backgrounds, abilities, interests, and some may even have minor physical or mental handicaps. Therefore, there is not a single type of class that fits all the students. Similarly in Taiji, you need to tailor your Taiji classes to various types of students. This article discusses the different types of Taiji students, and how to tailor your Taiji classes to your students.
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Some Thoughts on South China Sea Dispute
Recently we hear a lot of criticisms from countries like Philippines, Vietnam, and especially the U.S. regarding China’s actions on some of the islands, e.g., the Spratly Islands, in the South China Sea. These criticisms claim that (1) China has no rights to claim sovereignty over these islands, (2) China’s construction activities in these islands, including landfills, building oil rigs and constructing air strips, are illegal and represent an act of military expansion and threaten the security of the region, and (3) China wants to restrict freedom of navigation through the South China Sea.
This article addresses these issues, from historical, legal, and world-politics perspectives.
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