Listen to this articleAcupressure, Hand Pressure, Needle Insertion, Twisting, and Lifting… At Binzhou Medical University in Yantai, Shandong, young clinical medicine student Aje（阿杰）from Ghana practices acupuncture repeatedly, mastering these techniques.
“Traditional Chinese medicine can treat illnesses with just a few silver needles, which is amazing,” Aje said. Initially, he found acupuncture “unbelievable,” but as he continued to learn and witness its effects, he began to believe in acupuncture. Through study and practice, he acquired knowledge of acupuncture points and needling techniques.
Aje often practices using models and fake skin but also volunteers to be a “practice subject” himself. As his skills matured, he seized opportunities to help those around him with minor ailments, gaining some recognition among his classmates.
“Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes a holistic approach, focusing on balancing various aspects of the body,” Aje believes that Chinese medicine is a profound summary of ancient Chinese medical theory and practice.
In 2019, Aje began his medical journey at Binzhou Medical University with the aspiration to use advanced medical knowledge to help his hometown. As he delved deeper into his clinical medicine studies, he found that his existing knowledge of Chinese was insufficient for learning traditional Chinese medicine. Therefore, he continued to improve his Chinese language skills and passed the HSK 4 (Chinese Proficiency Test). Pinyin, pronunciation, and grammar were all formidable challenges on his learning journey. He learned while traveling to various parts of China, deepening his understanding of words and phrases.
To excel in traditional Chinese medicine, Aje had to understand Classical Chinese. He spent countless hours in the library, studying ancient Chinese texts. Initially, he relied on rote memorization, but later, he attempted to interpret the meanings. When he encountered the statement from the “Huangdi’s Classic on Medicine （黄帝内经）” that reads, “治已病治未病，不治已乱治未乱” (“Treat the disease before it occurs; regulate before there is disorder”), Aje initially didn’t grasp the meaning of “已” and “未.” Through research, he finally understood that the whole sentence advises people to prevent illness in advance and not wait until they are seriously ill to seek medical help.
Simultaneously, while studying Classical Chinese, he became enamored with ancient Chinese poetry. From the line “岱宗夫如何” (“Mount Tai, what does it signify?”) he not only understood the surface meaning but also recognized the poet’s admiration and praise for Mount Tai.
“Chinese Classical Chinese initially seemed incomprehensible, but through extensive reading and research, I discovered the rich wisdom hidden within,” Aje can often be seen participating in various traditional Chinese cultural recitation competitions. He even earned the title of “Best International Recitation Ambassador” at the 2021 Confucian Classics Cross-Language Recitation Competition.
“In Ghana, there are traditional healers, and locals believe in ‘local remedies’ over Western medicine and drugs,” Aje believes that traditional Chinese medicine has great potential in his homeland. Methods like acupuncture, massage, cupping, and gua sha are fast-acting, cost-effective, easily accepted, and Ghana has many small clinics, making it conducive to the promotion of traditional Chinese medicine.
It is known that Binzhou Medical University, where Aje is studying, has been training a large number of foreign medical talents since its establishment. Many students from countries such as South Korea, Pakistan, and Ghana have taken Chinese medicine knowledge back to their respective countries.
