The Four Regimens of Qichun

Qichun enjoys a good reputation as the “Chinese Herbal Valley,” “ Oriental Health City,” “ Capital of Chinese Mugwort,” and “Paradise of Health Care.” There are various methods or therapies of preserving one’s health in this magic land. Among them, medical care, pharmaceutical care, rehabilitation care and diet care are very popular, and known as the “Four Regimens of Qichun.”

Medical care

Qichun is rich in traditional Chinese medicine resources.In addition to specialized Chinese medicine hospitals and research institutes, large and small hospitals are equipped with Chinese medicine clinics while private clinics can be seen all over the county. There is no shortage of experts and famous doctors here. The streets are all connected and rows of shops regarding health, massage, and rehabilitation are numerous.Qichun Western medicine has been relatively small scale, as Qichun people rely primarily on traditional Chinese medicine to stay healthy. Each person from Qichun can narrate some Taoist methods of traditional Chinese medicine. In addition, there are many temples, many monks and Taoist disciples who have studied and passed on the medical ethics of Li Shizhen. They make use of their talents and tried their best to help cure the ill persons,particularly the ones who came from thousands of miles away.

Pharmaceutical Care

Qichun has a subtropical continental monsoon climate with four distinct seasons. The forest coverage rate is over 40%. Among the 1,892 kinds of drugs recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica, more than 700 specimens remain in Qichun, which is deemed a veritable Chinese herbal medicine library. Qi mugwort is the staple of Qichun medical care. Since ancient times,it has been believed that “If you save three years’ mugwort, then you don’t need a doctor.” Qichun moxibustion, mugwort bath and mugwort oil-care are all popular with tourists as well.

Daily moxibustion training of practitioners in Li Shizhen Vocational School李时珍职校艾灸师日常灸法训练

Li Shizhen Chinese Medicine Hospital李时珍中医院

蕲春被称为“华夏中药谷，东方养生城”，有“中国艾都·养生蕲春”的美誉。这里的养生之法包罗万象，集“医养”“药养”“疗养”“食养”于一身，也叫“蕲春四养”。

蕲春四养

医养

蕲春中医资源丰富，除专门的中医院和研究所外，大大小小的医院都设有中医门诊，私人中医门诊更是比比皆是，这里不乏专家、名医。大街小巷这堂那堂“堂堂相连”，以保健、按摩、推拿、康体为生的店铺不胜枚举。蕲春西医临床重症手术一直处在较少的状态，这与蕲春人注重中医调养有很大关系。每个蕲春人都可以讲一些中医的方法理论。此外，蕲春寺庙庵观较多，僧侣和道家弟子中也多研究和传承李时珍医德医术之人，他们都用毕生所学为游客诊病除疾。

药养

蕲春属亚热带大陆季风气候，气候温和，四季分明，森林覆盖率达40%以上。《本草纲目》记载的1892种药物，蕲春境内有700余种，是名副其实的华中药库。蕲艾是蕲春药养的主流，自古有“家有三年艾，医生不用来”的佳话，“艾灸疗法”、艾汤沐浴、艾油保健等都是来蕲春旅游必须的体验。

疗养

古风水先生对明荆王说：“蕲春‘龙凤呈祥（龙峰山和凤凰山）’、‘麒麟献宝’，有‘王’字地脉”。为此，明荆王将府址从江西瑞昌迁到这里。这里灵山秀水，由此可见一斑。依山（大别山）伴水（长江）的蕲春，山川秀丽，湖泊星罗棋布，古刹隐约其间，名胜境点多达120多处。蕲春自然环境没有遭到现代工业破坏，是难得的人间仙境，首屈一指的养生疗养之地。

Rehabilitation Care

In ancient times, a geomantic master said to Lord Jing (1406-1453) of the Ming Dynasty that Qichun was an ideal place to reside because it had “prosperity brought by the dragon and the phoenix (Dragon Point Mountain and Phoenix Mountain)” and“Unicorn Presenting Treasure.”For this reason, Lord Jing moved his palace here from Ruichang,Jiangxi Province. Located by the Dabie Mountains and the Yangtze River, Qichun has breathtaking mountains and placid lakes all around, with many ancient temples flecking the landscape with rich heritage. There are more than 120 scenic spots in the area,and its natural environment is being protected from destruction by modern industry. It is a veritable paradise on earth and widely considered the best choice for rehabilitation and maintaining health.

Herbal food made from TCM materials discovered by Li Shizhen李时珍药膳美食

Li Shizhen Herbal Food Experience Center李时珍药膳美食体验中心

食养

“蕲春以‘水隈多蕲菜’而得名，‘食养’不可不提。”在外经营餐饮业21年的蕲春人袁莉芳，回到家乡，挑起药膳养生产业发展的重担，“我们药膳协会的宗旨是：积极弘扬和传承我县中医药健康药膳养生文化，使之形成知名度高、文化氛围浓厚、药膳菜肴精美、餐饮环境优、体系全的理想格局，让游客观蕲春美景，品艾都药膳，重养生之道。”“我们正努力打造养生药膳一条街，以漕河一路现有药膳资源为基础，发挥‘李时珍’‘金三利’‘艾晶’‘皇家壹号’‘江洲寨’‘鄂人谷’‘三江’等餐饮企业的龙头作用，科学规范管理，让游客体会吃的讲究，培养食疗保健意识，把蕲春药膳文化带回家。”袁莉芳说，“药膳协会将结合蕲春旅游线路特点和游客热门景点，把药膳餐饮融入进去，方便游客进餐体验。同时，我们还结合季节特点、人的肌体变化、中医理论等，设计养生食谱，达到食以致用。”

Diet Care

Qichun is noted for its clean water and fresh vegetables.People here are naturally picky about their foods and diets.Yuan Lifang, who had been in the restaurant industry for 21 years before returning to her hometown here, spearheaded the development of the medicated diet industry. As head of the Qichun Herbal Diet Association,her aim is to actively carry forward and pass on the county’s TCM health diet and culture,in order to create an enduring pattern of good reputation,strong cultural atmosphere,exquisite medicinal dishes, and a nice dining environment. “We are trying to create a health medicated street based on the existing medicated resources of Caohe First Road, and to play leading roles among ‘Li Shizhen,’ ‘Jinsanli,’ ‘Ai Jing,’‘Royal No.1’ and ‘Jiangzhouzhai’‘E-ren Valley,’ ‘Sanjiang’ and other dining companies. We manage these establishments in scientific and standardized ways,allowing visitors to appreciate the food, cultivate awareness on healthy eating, and bring home the Qichun diet culture.” Yuan Lifang said, “We’ve designed healthy recipes to promote good health in accordance with the seasons, individual body changes, and traditional Chinese medical theories. The Herbal Diet Association will utilize the tourist routes and hot spots to integrate the food and beverage offerings and facilitate the dining experience for tourists.”