A letter from the desk of Pier Tsui-Po

Melbourne,
Australia.

Dear Friend,

It has been over 21 years since I began my clinical practice in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, and over these years I have been pleased and encouraged to see the progress patients make from session to session. The difference can be quite remarkable, especially in circumstances where patients practice some of the self-healing techniques of Tai Chi, Dao Yin and Chi Kung (website opens in a new window) that they learn to use at home, to speed their recovery, maintain good health and prevent illness.

As a practitioner and teacher I believe that there is always more to learn to benefit my patients. In light of this, I continually try and broaden my knowledge and understanding, through both academic and personal study. This has lead me to gain accreditation and membership as a Fellow of the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association - AACMA (opens in a new window), in a range of fields including acupuncture, moxibustion, Chinese Herbal medicine and Tui Na remedial massage.

Academic study is important and imperative for the practice of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. It provides a base of understanding that allows other valuable knowledge to be incorporated. While it has at times been a time consuming pursuit, gaining a doctoral degree in acupuncture in 1995 and recently a Master of Applied Science in Chinese herbal medicine at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (RMIT), has helped me understand these areas more fully than clinical practice alone would have allowed. There is, however, more to any field than can be covered by academic study. As I tell my students, proficiency comes from being open to learning throughout life and in a willingness to work and study outside the structure of academia, with other professionals in the field.

As a registered acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist with the Chinese Medicine Registration Board (opens in a new window) which operates under the Chinese Medicine Registration Act 2000, Victoria, Australia, I am pleased that from July 2007 the board continues to function under the Health Professions Registration Act 2005 (the Act). This act protects patients by ensuring that those registered practitioners, like myself, comply with various stringent standards and rules required for the safe and effective practice of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine.

To maximise the effectiveness of treatment, I assess the individual needs of each patient so that a personalised therapy programme, unique to them and their circumstances, can be constructed. In developing these programmes I draw on all my knowledge from academic and private study, 21 years of clinical practice, current theory and 46 years experience in traditional Chinese martial and healing arts, to produce the most beneficial and comprehensive therapy programme.

While some may find it difficult to understand the connection to martial arts, there is much in these ancient studies that is helpful today. The holistic nature of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, combined with the healing arts that are incorporated in many ancient martial studies, complement each other very effectively and can produce quicker and more effective results when combined properly.

Other Experiences and Skills

In ancient China, martial arts and medicine developed hand in hand for many years. Monks studying martial arts such as kung fu for health, fitness and self-defence developed their medical knowledge while treating injuries received during practice and in their dealings with the communities around them. Very often they had to attend to their own injuries and those of their students.

The Chinese medical practitioners of the time were required to know martial arts to understand the effects of injury and how to treat them. It was also a way of learning about the mind and body and how they operate.

This symbiotic relationship not only helps explain the interwoven histories of Chinese martial arts and medicine, but also why a traditional master of one discipline was usually very knowledgeable of the other.

In 1971 I founded the Golden Lion Academy (opens in a new window), with the aim of creating place where both the healing and martial arts of China could be learnt, and benefit, anyone who was interested.

It is with great pleasure and pride that I have participated in, and been witness to, the growth of this academy to a position where its students are highly placed in world championships, its masters are internationally recognised in their chosen fields of endeavour, and where the academy itself has gained, and maintains, a position as one of the worlds leading places for martial and healing arts.

While I spend less time on the training floor these days, and more time in my clinical practice, I continue to share my knowledge so that the academy continues to fulfill one of its primary objectives; bridging the gap between ancient skills and secrets and modern needs and applications.

Lecturing and writing extensively on the healing arts, Chinese medicine and defensive practices of martial arts, has given me a means of informing and teaching, not only my students, but a much wider audience about the unique benefits of blending ancient skills and knowledge with modern theory and practice. Below are a list of some written works that you may find interesting and helpful. More details of these books can be found at Dim Mak World of Pressure Points (opens in a new window).