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Une Medecine de L'Hommepour L'HommeThe Founding ofInstitute Van NghiChristine Recours-Nguyen, MD |
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(from the final issue of revue française, winter 2000, translation by Edward S. Garbacz)
I was not able to personally express my appreciation to the participants, thanks to whom this event of tribute and sympathy to this great man had been a meeting charged with emotion, nostalgia and friendship. Allow me to do it very warmly here.
The INSTITUT VAN NGHI has been created on this occasion. This must not be a simple, fleeting reaction of sympathy and respect regarding the deceased man or an ambitious utopia. It must endure and become the ferment of discussions, reunions and universal and effective international meetings. My father represented only one movement, one current which carried with it all good will. I have neither his charisma, nor his power, nor his knowledge. This is why I need, more than ever, the participation of all its members so that we can become a close knit and dynamic team, avoiding the hardening of insulation, each locked up within his own certainty. Our objective is to spread his teachings and join forces in order to speak as a single voice equal to the official agencies who would assume to evaluate our practice as a diluted acupuncture ignorant of its traditional foundations.
The time for fruitless or harmful opposition is past. Far from the passionate quarrels of supremacy of persons or ideas, it is now "quite simply" a matter of spreading one Chinese medicine most respectful of classical information and the most open to Western information. The future of Classical Chinese Medicine (CCM) depends on its coherence and its cohesion: cohesion, that is to say refusal of internal conflict, coherence, that is to say continuity of its fundamental principles.
Our therapeutic abilities fall within an original approach, and we must develop it without abandoning anything. From now on, our work must be centered on the critical and status-enhancing analysis of our system of therapy. The validity of acupuncture, it's true, is still too often debated. In the same way, to search for proof of its efficacy within objective criteria in the form of tests, randomized studies or variations of neuro-biological phenomena (in accordance with "evidence-based medicine") is, of course, a logical and commendable attitude. But, to do it without discernment is biased and ambiguous because one risks totally abandoning the excellence of Western Medicine (WM). Thanks to the benefit and experience of more than fifty years of practice and theorization, Dr. Nguyen Van Nghi had an acute awareness of this issue "well modernized, yes, ..too Westernized, no". He ardently aspired toward a unity among all acupuncturists and to disclose, without laxity, the foundational theories because, for him, only a strong CCM is able to initiate a balanced dialogue with WM. This dialogue places in question the pretension of each medicine possessing, by itself, the truth. He also wrote: "We have, therefore, to decipher and clarify the information of CCM into data accessible to everyone and transmit it. We have already personally advanced this work, but it must be pursued by younger generations because a fusion is obviously not possible without perfect knowledge of these two medicines"; and: "The Dao of medicine will be respected when physicians have perfectly integrated these two modes of therapeutic reasoning, without centrist, prejudiced or elitist thinking. In other words, that all physicians, of each culture from which they arise, will give equal consideration to WM and CCM and will be able to impartially judge the use of either".
The Revue Française, more than anything else, was the instrument of information and dissemination. Since the death of its founder, it is changing appearance little by little. We still do not know at the time I write these lines what plan for the future will succeed. Whatever happens, this evolution is inescapable. It is not treason, but the logical pursuit of its first objective, henceforth, with other weapons and other means. Most certainly, this new Revue, which tends towards a pluralism that risks offending the purists, can be heterogeneous yet, without any doubt, stimulating and enriching.
For the most harmonious and serene fusion possible - listening, understanding and exchange are vital in bringing us together. Not withstanding personal ambitions and prejudices, the Institut Van Nghi and Revue Française, will combine with two other quality national acupuncture publications as well as other creative organizations, to attain the same goal: the continuing expansion and development of acupuncture.
Happy third millennium to all!
Christine Recours-Nguyen
The colloquium in memory of Dr. Nguyen Van Nghi November 18-19, 2000 gathered together in Marseilles more than a hundred conference participants from France, Italy, Brazil, Switzerland, Spain and the United States... his students or, quite simply, those he knew or loved, followed one another in giving spontaneous testimony, by presentations or anecdotal accounts, of the richness of his character, work and teaching. These gestures, of quite varied expression according to the personality of each, had been at once extremely warm, poignant, or indeed painful.
Some had not been able to come, but had expressed themselves by sending a representative or messages of sympathy. For example, Sean Marshall of the USA cared to send us a tribute. His words summarize perfectly the feelings of all participants:
--Christine
Dr. Nguyen Van Nghi, the eminent physician who brought true energetic medicine to the west, died December 17, 1999. This loss is felt deeply worldwide. Having been the president, founder, or figurehead emeritus of world organizations too numerous to mention, he brought the message of true classical Chinese medicine to virtually every continent, in both hemispheres, for the last 50 years. He worked, literally, until the day he died. He has left us, but not without leaving behind the legacy of his efforts: 18 volumes of his seminal works - the classical texts of Chinese medicine. These works will now have great implications in the practice of Chinese medicine as we know it today.
What are the implications of Van Nghi's work? In a word, these
implications are "wonderful". Dr. Nguyen was always
fond of saying "we are not competing with Western medicine,
we are completing Western medicine". The collateral effect
of this completion will also be to resolve the current elliptical
understanding of Chinese medicine into a cohesive whole that will
unite the disparate so-called "schools of thought".
The ultimate idealistic result: One biology, one medicine. This
was his wish.
Over the last 25 years Dr. Nguyen and his compatriot Dr. Tran
Viet Dzung have communicated much of the essence of this material
in oral transmission and tutorial settings. I have been blessed
beyond my comprehension to have been there for 18 of those years,
and now find it my duty to these men, to my teacher in particular,
and to this profession to make as available as possible the priceless
fruits of his labor... and echoing in my ears, his instruction:
"this is not me, it is not you, it is Lingshu, it is Suwen,
it is Nanjing... We are nothing, we will come and go, but Chinese
medicine will last forever, it belongs to all the world and must
survive, you (the grand collective "you") must see to
it".
For me, at this juncture, the classics themselves have not even
been the direct answer or the solution to this situation. The
true debt of gratitude we owe Dr.s Van Nghi, Recours-Nguyen and
Tran is for the synthesis of the classical information into cohesive
presentations in individual subject areas. Because of the obtuse
nature of the concepts as presented in the classics, many feel
these concepts are open to multiple interpretations, and further,
have questionable applicability to modern times. This attitude
issues from the disintegrated understanding of the original theories
based on the fragmented study materials available today. For instance,
references to Sanjiao energetics are scattered about the classical
texts with one sentence or one concept in a chapter "here",
another reference in another chapter "there", and further
references are to be found in yet other classical texts altogether.
For the last 50 years, and in collaboration with Tran the last
25 years, these men have culled and mined the Lingshu, Suwen,
Nanjing, the Zhenjiu Dajing, and more, to link together a full
singular picture of each of these critical areas. Just some of
these syntheses I list below now yield clear descriptions and
highly detailed clinical applications of: The Sanjiao; the production
of Ying, Wei, Jing, and Jingshen; the nutritional and the 10 organic
liquids and the production of "blood"; "Chinese
anatomy" (Zangxiang) the "organ images". Tenfold
the resolution and detail of Zang-fu theory, Zangxiang defines
the entirety of the contiguous fields of the five organs, on a
continuum from the enamel on our teeth to our most subtle mental
states. The Liuqi (the Six Great Circulations) and the Baqimai
(Eight Curious Vessels). The list goes on.
These reconstructions derive from translating the Chinese medical
classics not only from numerous original Chinese sources but also
from ancient Vietnamese renditions of these texts that were passed
down to Dr. Nguyen and originate from pre-Confucianist times,
free of that era's alterations. The only thing French about this
work is the language in which it was first published. French language
provides a much better interim medium than English, due to a more
subtle nuance, for moving these concepts from asian ideography
into the romance languages.
Invariably, in my experience, whether student, faculty member,
or practicing professional, the universal comment from anyone
exposed to these reunited concepts is: "This is the first
time it has actually made sense". More than that, in the
clinic, it is the first time we understand how and why we do what
we do, and how and why it works.
It comes as a surprise to some that acupuncture (Zhenjiu) can
be and still is a self sufficient stand-alone modality of Chinese
medicine that can be practiced solely on its own, without the
need to supplement its efficacy with any other modality. It represents
a subtler and more profound form of intervention and restoration.
It represents the biological and energetic sciences, not of what
treats disease, but of what causes health.
"Acupuncture" is what we call what we do. It is what
Van Nghi taught. It is what I have learned and practiced, singularly
and effectively, for the last 25 years. We now have the resources
to discover how and why we call this acupuncture, and mean it.
"I desire that they guard against the use of toxic medicines...but
instead use only the fine needles..." - Huangdi
I don't know how that could be said more plainly. I am compelled
to at least give one example of how this elucidation and clarity
looks and feels, as evidenced below.
Early on in our studies we learn the anterior surface is Yin and
the posterior surface is Yang. We learn also that cold and water
are Yin to their antithetical Yang complements heat and fire.
Further, we learn that Yin creates Yang and Yang activates Yin.
But we are then counseled by Laozi in verse 42 of the Dao De Jing:
"The ten thousand things carry yin on their backs and embrace
yang." This verse, I have read, has perturbed more than one
sinologist.
The Zangxiang Xin (the organ-field of the heart) represents the
Imperial fire of the system, the blood, the thermogenesis. The
Xinbaoluo (energetic envelope of the heart) and the Sanjiao represent
the ministerial fire. The distribution of this thermogenic force
is first through the Xinbao and then to the consumption of it
through the Sanjiao (the production of "qi" (ying, wei,
jing, and jingshen) and the heating and the metabolization of
the organic liquids). The ministerial fire is the deployment of
the thermogenic force of the Zang Heart. In fact, all the Zang
- the liver, heart, spleen, lung and kidney - have in common the
blood, that which actually distributes heat throughout the body.
Whether detoxifying, pumping, storing, oxygenating, producing,
or filtering, it's the blood that ties them to each other. Conversely,
the Fu, the bowels, all have in common the digestive system, and
the migration and metabolization of the alimentary liquids or
digestate through the system and is driven by thermogenesis. Thus
the yin/zang organ channels carry fire and the yang/fu bowel channels
carry water. The Zang (solid) store the five Jing and metabolize
it into each of the secondary and tertiary forms of Jing: the
anatomic Jing, the sensory Jing and the 5 jingshen. The Fu (hollow)
then provide transport and continuity.
Along with the full elaboration of Sanjiao energetics, and at
the level of the channels and points, this has dire consequences
in pathogenesis and the application of needles vs. moxa. Along
the trajectory of the bladder channel, the back shu points are
carrying water, and require "aeration". The Lingshu
counsels us "one should not needle the back shu points more
than 5 times.. throughout the patients life! To do so may cause
death. Moxibustion instead is the treatment of choice. "I
just love how Chinese medicine can seemingly be turned on its
head, and seemingly does so to itself. --- Without the lucid clarification
of the qualitative and relativistic nature of the classical texts,
these concepts are lost, or worse, abandoned.
Again, from Van Nghi's "Introduction" to Volume I of
the Lingshu translation:
"Regrettably, the Confucian literature of our era reports:
"Since the publication of the translation of the Lingshu
into popular and Western language, the practice of acupuncture
is lost...." It is not about a literal loss, but a loss in
quality due to translators ignorant of all medical material, distorting
the thinking and extremely subtle facts of Oriental energetic
medicine without which, acupuncture no longer makes sense."
Such a synthesis, as has been accomplished by Van Nghi, could
not have been possible without a fluency based on his broad and
intimate familiarity with the full range of Chinese classical
texts over some forty years.
For Van Nghi, a lifetime dedication to the accurate preservation
of this most mysterious art is the true epitaph of this great
man. Even the day before he died, in hospital, Van Nghi summoned
Tran to his bedside to describe an insight into a particularly
troublesome section of the Nan Jing. To be sure, he insisted that
Tran write it down right there.
I don't know why we, as a species, tend to recognize the greatest
amongst ourselves only posthumously. Now I am sure that only in
the future, and hopefully not too distantly, we will all come
to recognize the incredible gift and responsibility Dr. Nguyen
Van Nghi has bequeathed to us.
I have heard it said that if one lives to see the end result of
his work, he has chosen too small a challenge. Dr. Einstein did
not live to see his unified field theory realized, and so his
students continue his work. As we finally enter the 21st century,
it behooves us to honor - in the most diligent fashion possible
- Van Nghi and his work, our profession, and this science with
the integrity, stringency, humility, and maturity both he and
it deserves.
Sean Marshall,
November, 2000
USA
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