Old Chinese lady smacking her back with a bag

[Entropy_Rising]

I went out this morning and I saw this really old Chinese lady shuffling down the street. She had a cloth bag with a really long cloth handle and she was using that getup to smack herself in the back, over and over again. It kind of looked like the self-flagellation you see in some Latin American countries on Good Friday only a a hundred times less intense and with a little cloth bag instead of a cat-o-nine-tails. Another neighborhood lady walked by and quipped to the old lady (they obviously knew each other), "Shuai le, shuai le, bu yao shuai diao le." I could've heard that completely wrong as my hearing ability is crap, but it sounded like if whatever the lady was doing was x, the other lady said "X, and x some more, but don't knock yourself out."

Chinese old folks have a vast body of traditional beliefs and medicine to refer to keep healthy. Anybody know what this practice is? I'm curious.

[johnmck]

A cure for an itchy back?

[roddy]

Sounds like a homemade 敲背棒 - back-hitting stick. I'm not sure there are any benefits claimed beyond what you'd get from a back-rub. I guess having it on a leash means you don't have to move your arm round the back so much, probably handy for the elderly.

[gougou]

There's plenty of fun activities like these - the other day I've seen an old lady pat a tree for at least 5 minutes (could have been longer, but that's how long it took me to cross that street)

[woliveri]

The act of beating oneself in this manner has the effect of toning the area, helping to keep qi channels open, and help move the blood.

Chinese view health in terms of Qi and Blood rather than cardiovascular as we in do in the west.

A more intense version of this training is Iron Body from Shaolin. This combines breath with hitting techniques to train the qi in that part of the body.

There are many, many types of these beating exercises but in general the theory is the same.

[woliveri]

There's plenty of fun activities like these - the other day I've seen an old lady pat a tree for at least 5 minutes (could have been longer, but that's how long it took me to cross that street)

It's interesting, one day I saw a man 'humping' a tree in broad daylight

:mrgreen:

[ABCinChina]

I saw a man 'humping' a tree

Please explain more...perhaps it is an ancient Chinese secret of some sort.

[woliveri]

Please explain more...perhaps it is an ancient Chinese secret of some sort.

Doubtful. The Chinese in the parks do some strange things. There are seriously knowledgible people who hang out int the parks and there are 'wanna-be's'. One of my Neigong teachers I met in the park. But this guy was not doing anything that I would want to learn. Many people just bump up against trees for health which I think this guy was doing a version of.

[ABCinChina]

Except that he was "humping" the tree in order to "be at one" with the tree. Perhaps he felt that he must be more grounded in life and take roots in what he believed in.

I've also seen people walking backwards very early morning in the park. Sometimes the Chinese are way too superstitous...

Edit: And as it turns out, there may be Physical Benefits of Walking Backwards. Go figure...

Edited November 14, 2008 at 03:07 AM by ABCinChina

[woliveri]

yeah, there's a lot of good benefits to walking backwards.

I try to look at practices I see energetically or through TCM. My neigong teacher practices with trees but from a neigong practice point of view. To toughen or test his abilities.

I can see little benefit of humping a tree unless he's getting the iron wennie

[liuzhou]

And as it turns out, there may be Physical Benefits of Walking Backwards. Go figure...

About the Author:

Junji Takano is a Japanese health researcher involved in investigating the cause of various diseases since 1960. In 1968, he invented Pyro-Energen, the first electrotherapy device that eradicates viral disease, cancer, and diseases of unknown cause effectively without side effects.

Hmmm.

On his website, he also claims to be able to cure AIDS. I'll keep walking in my usual direction. thanks. (That's usually more like staggering from side to side )

[ABCinChina]

This Pyro-Energen device seems much more effective than walking backwards or smacking your back with a bag! Just see what this customer in Zambia has to say...

I was diagnosed with HIV. I had been losing weight since that time. After using PYRO-ENERGEN, I felt better and then started gaining back my normal weight. I then eventually felt strong and recovered like a normal person. I let my doctor check my blood again and it did become HIV-free. But I was instructed to use the device as frequently as I can to prevent the virus from reappearing.

I wonder if they wrote that testimonial themselves...