Traditional medicine attracts students

(Dan Tri) - After the Covid-19 pandemic, the demand for learning and applying traditional medicine in Hong Kong (China) increased sharply, with the trend of combining traditional methods with Western medicine.

Every morning when Kingsley Ho Chun-ngai, 21, wakes up, he massages the “acupuncture points” between his eyebrows and behind his ears to reduce swelling, promote blood circulation, relax his muscles, reduce stress and aid recovery. Meanwhile, Angel Li Sun-yi, 22, uses acupuncture to control stomach pain, menstrual cramps and even anxiety.

“I can apply acupuncture because it is very quick and convenient. Stimulating one point can affect the whole body,” said Li.

Both Ho and Li are currently students in the traditional Chinese medicine program at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), a long-standing field of study that is attracting a lot of public attention.

Dr Sarah Chan Sze-nga (left) assists traditional Chinese medicine students at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in identifying medicinal herbs (Photo: Young Post Club).

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a history of about 2,000 years, based on methods such as acupuncture, massage and herbs to cure diseases through balancing the body's qi.

According to Dr. Sarah Chan Sze-nga, Director of the Bachelor of Traditional Chinese Medicine program at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), interest in TCM in Hong Kong (China) has been increasing significantly recently.

In 2014, CUHK’s traditional Chinese medicine programme attracted around 1,600 applications. This number dropped below 1,200 in 2019-2021, but by 2024 it had rebounded, reaching a 10-year high of 1,637 applicants.

In addition to CUHK, which has one of the city's oldest schools of traditional medicine, Baptist University and the University of Hong Kong also offer this course.

Dr Chan said the growing interest is partly due to government promotion. In 2024, Hong Kong will hold its first traditional medicine festival. The Hong Kong (China) government has also established a Traditional Medicine Development Committee, tasked with devising a strategy to promote the industry over the next two years.

Ms Chan also said that the Covid-19 pandemic was an important factor in promoting the development of this industry. During the epidemic, health became the top priority, causing even people who had never been exposed to traditional medicine to seek out traditional medicine practitioners.

Student Kingsley Ho Chun-ngai (left), Dr. Sarah Chan Sze-nga (center) and student Angel Li Sun-yi (right) (Photo: Kathryn Giordano).

Over the years, traditional Chinese medicine training programs in Hong Kong (China) have continuously adapted to the times, aiming to equip students with the ability to work alongside Western medicine.

According to Li, many traditional methods are easy to apply in daily life to maintain health, and he suggests students try methods such as drinking tea, listening to music or practicing slow movements.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/nganh-y-hoc-co-truyen-thu-hut-sinh-vien-20250910115449300.htm