After several days of cultivation, Mu Lin arrived at the Massachusetts State Capitol. The organizers had initially thought that mobilization would be necessary to ensure enough attendees for today’s special lecture. Unexpectedly, when registration opened, thousands signed up. Helplessly, the organizers had to distribute tickets based on identification and the seating capacity of the hall to prevent overcrowding. More people kept coming, so additional seats were added, but still couldn’t satisfy the needs of many influential and wealthy individuals. The organizers asked Mu Lin to increase the number of speaking sessions, but Mu Lin, preoccupied with his own cultivation, firmly refused.
Due to the scarcity of tickets, they eventually ended up mostly in the hands of the elite or wealthy individuals. Today’s attendees were mostly high-profile figures, and security at the Capitol was extremely tight. To avoid increasing his own exposure, Mu Lin requested that interviews with reporters be prohibited. He knew that too many people talking at once would make it difficult to maintain consensus, and the lecture might turn into a verbal dispute. Moreover, since the theories of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) had not yet been widely disseminated among the general public, Mu Lin was concerned that some with ulterior motives might exploit the situation, creating an unfavorable environment for TCM, which opponents could then capitalize on.
As Mu Lin approached the Capitol, some reporters were staging a protest outside, demanding that the lecture be opened to the public. Mu Lin ignored them, and when the organizers sought his opinion, he firmly declined. The organizers dared not open the venue either, because Mu Lin had made it clear: if reporters were allowed in, he would cancel the lecture. If Mu Lin canceled the lecture over this, those high-profile attendees—who had come seeking a chance at life-saving treatment—would not spare the organizers. The organizers hadn’t anticipated the situation would turn out this way.
Standing at the podium, microphone in hand, Mu Lin began what would later be hailed as the foundational work that introduced TCM to the Western world—his last such lecture ever.
“Ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for taking the time to attend this gathering hosted by a young man like me!” A few faint chuckles rippled through the audience. Indeed, who else could have brought them all together here?
Mu Lin dove straight into the topic. “I know many of you are curious about how I managed to cure diseases considered incurable by modern medicine. Let me tell you—it was through acupuncture, an ancient technique from Eastern traditional medicine, combined with the most advanced Western medical technologies. Together, they cured these illnesses, with acupuncture playing the central role.” A murmur spread through the crowd.
“You may find it hard to believe that someone so young—perhaps even younger than some of your children—could have treated thousands of patients in my homeland over the past three years, using acupuncture and Western medicine. But it’s true.” As Mu Lin spoke, the murmurs gradually faded.
“Now, let me show you a Chinese character.” He casually wrote the character “思” (sī, meaning “thought”) on the blackboard behind him. “Does anyone recognize this character?” Surprisingly, someone did. Mu Lin invited him to explain its meaning.
“Very well, let me tell you. This is a character from the ancient Chinese script. The top part can be interpreted as representing the brain, and the bottom part the heart. Ancient Chinese believed that the human mind and heart were closely related—a notion that has since been confirmed by modern medical knowledge. The TCM techniques I use today are the continuation of the wisdom of these ancient Chinese people.” The audience fell into stunned silence, their thoughts momentarily suspended.
“Ancient Chinese believed that the universe expanded from a highly concentrated singularity. Fragments scattered outward in all directions, forming our cosmos. ‘The Dao produced the One; the One produced the Two; the Two produced the myriad things.’ In 1965, Penzias and Wilson discovered cosmic background radiation, later proving it to be a remnant of the Big Bang, providing crucial evidence for the Big Bang theory. They were awarded the 1978 Nobel Prize in Physics for this discovery.
Looking around us, we see the Earth orbiting the Sun, vast galaxies expanding into the distance. The universe is orderly and systematic. Our observations are limited, but the domains within our sight are all parts of a grand, organized cosmic system. Yet the solar system and the Milky Way are merely subordinate parts of a much larger cosmic system—insufficient to be considered independent, self-sustaining material systems. Only by viewing the entire vast cosmic system as a whole can we find a comparable model for life systems. The stable, ordered forms of natural systems provide a pre-established template for the emergence of life. When we break down and expand the human body, we find it is composed of irregularly moving particles, just like other cosmic objects. But why do these particles come together in an orderly way to form conscious beings? Life systems are simulations of cosmic order, and TCM theory is an exploration of that order.
Let me begin with the most fundamental theories of TCM. The theoretical system of TCM has two main characteristics: first, the concept of holism; second, the principle of syndrome differentiation and treatment. Holism includes three aspects: 1) the human body is an organic whole; 2) the unity between humans and the natural environment; and 3) the unity between humans and the social environment. What is a ‘syndrome’? It is a summary of the pathological state at a particular stage of disease under specific environmental conditions. What is a ‘disease’? It is a disruption of the body’s normal functions, a loss of harmony with the natural ‘order.’ How do we grasp this ‘syndrome’? Traditionally, we used the four diagnostic methods—inspection, listening and smelling, inquiry, and palpation. Today, we can use CT scans, ultrasounds, and MRIs. Perhaps with each passing day, we move one day closer to the truth, rather than the opposite…”
Mu Lin’s speech broke through the mental barriers of those present. Afterward, countries around the world began to increase their research and study of acupuncture theory. Acupuncture practitioners gradually gained popularity in the West, and people began adopting TCM acupuncture treatments for various diseases. Germany was the first to officially recognize acupuncture as a legitimate therapy, requiring statutory health insurers to cover the costs of acupuncture treatments. However, this decision did not bring cheers from many German acupuncture enthusiasts, who felt it was long overdue and too limited.
The following is a report from Deutsche Welle. The regulation applied only to patients suffering from chronic back pain or chronic knee pain, and only after the pain had persisted for more than six months would statutory insurers cover the costs. Furthermore, acupuncturists had to be university graduates who had undergone comprehensive pain therapy training, meaning acupuncture was only one of several methods.
Patients suffering from headaches, hip pain, or elbow pain still had to pay out of pocket for acupuncture treatments. After a six-year pilot program, Germany’s most important autonomous health authority—the Federal Joint Committee, composed of doctors and health insurers—finally made the above decision. During the pilot phase, health insurers funded acupuncture treatments administered by about 10,000 doctors to hundreds of thousands of patients across Germany.
For many German policyholders, acupuncture has now become part of standard insurance coverage. Therefore, Federal Joint Committee Chairman Heiss expressed slight disappointment: “Overall, this decision has imposed more restrictions.” However, when making decisions, the Federal Joint Committee must consider not which therapy is currently fashionable, but rather which is most effective. Supporting research from the pilot phase showed that acupuncture’s effects were the same as those of treatments using non-specific acupuncture points.
Yet, German Acupuncture and TCM Association President Germain questioned the design of the pilot project. He believed that using non-specific acupuncture points might also have an effect. Perhaps this could explain the main conclusion of the Federal Joint Committee’s pilot study—that both acupuncture methods (specific and non-specific points) were more effective than standard Western medical treatments, at least for knee and back pain. However, Germain was deeply puzzled by the restrictions on these two areas. He asked, “Why can acupuncture relieve knee pain but not hip pain?” Regarding the pilot study’s findings that acupuncture was as effective as standard Western treatments for migraines and tension headaches, Germain was completely baffled. The German Federal Consumer Association also viewed the decision as “a step backward in the diversity of pain therapies.” But the final decision rested with the German Federal Ministry of Health, which has stated it will carefully review the Federal Joint Committee’s decision. Stupart, representing health insurers in the Federal Joint Committee on behalf of the German Federal Industry Health Insurance Association, also regretted the exclusion of migraines. But he predicted that after further testing phases in the coming years, acupuncture might gain recognition in more areas.
Similarly, in Country U, the government officially acknowledged that acupuncture anesthesia is feasible. The largest corporate health insurer, BKK, announced that it would include acupuncture treatments for chronic back and knee pain in its standard coverage. Until now, these costs were only covered within the scope of pilot projects. BKK’s CEO, Suyou, welcomed the Federal Joint Committee’s decision, stating, “Many policyholders have already experienced how acupuncture can help treat their conditions more effectively. Therefore, these patients no longer need to return to traditional Western treatments, which is a good thing. The current priority is to ensure the quality of acupuncture treatments within the framework of pain therapy.”
However, Suyou also expressed regret over the exclusion of acupuncture for chronic headaches and hay fever from the standard coverage. From the patient’s perspective, this was difficult to understand, as acupuncture had also shown special efficacy for these two conditions. Suyou suggested that the existing pilot projects for these two groups of patients should not be terminated but continued until the originally planned end date of the year 2000 to gather more data.
It can be said that Mu Lin’s actions played a significant role in promoting TCM, gradually gaining recognition for acupuncture in the Western world and leaving a legacy for future generations. Unfortunately, his time was limited—he needed to cultivate and constantly improve himself. Otherwise… it would have been a great pity. This is how secular TCM practitioners later described him. This article was first published on Qidian.
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