Our mission is the documentation and dissemination of China’s traditional knowledge. While ATS does not personally run a clinic or organize treatments, the doctors it works with do see patients and can be found in several different clinics in Beijing. As ATS frequently receives request for information, the following guide will hopefully be useful in helping you make the best choice for your situation.

Treatments in Beijing:

Costs in Beijing range from 20+rmb to 600rmb. It is now quite standard to pay between 200-300rmb to see a doctor of reputation in a quiet setting for 5-15 minutes. The less you pay, the more you are in with the masses, lining up early to obtain your treatment number and then waiting 2-3 hours in a hall for your turn to be seen. Treatments then tend to be rushed and impersonal, with little privacy or compassion.

In terms of the last Chinese traditional practitioners here in Beijing, the following is ATS’ of recommendations. Most are herbalists still practicing from the classical perspective of Chinese medicine. Sadly, while acupuncture is the most common treatment modality within Chinese medicine, it is also the one that has strayed furthest from its roots. ATS cannot honestly recommend any acupuncturists working in the hospitals as truly traditional in style and practice.

1)The best, without question, is 85 year old Li Hongxiang (李鴻祥）. However, he is quite expensive for Chinese standards. He charges 300rmb per formula he writes, and 300rmb if he also performs acupuncture. The clinic can cook your herbs in the traditional way and deliver them to your house in convenient bottles, but the service is expensive. A weekly treatment of a formula, acupuncture and their preparing of your herbs can end up costing 600-1200rmb. It is, however, money very well spent. Cooking your own herbs dramatically reduces your costs, but filling the presciption at outside pharmacies can sometimes be difficult because of the amounts of herbs he prescribes. He works at the Beijing Hotel's Famous Practitioners Clinic on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9am-11:30am BY APPOINTMENT ONLY (6522-9009). ATS director Andrew Nugent-Head works with him there, which means that there are no translation difficulties should you come during those times. Dr. Li is the major focus of ATS' work in China, which should speak for itself.

2)Liu Jincheng (劉金城）is a 62 year old practitioner whom ATS respects a great deal. You can arrange a private appointment at your convenience via the Beijing Hospital of Chinese Medicine's high end clinic, called Xing Lin Yuan(杏林院） for 200rmb at the time of this writing. His official time slot there is Tuesday afternoons.

4)Liu Yuzhu (劉玉珠） is a 70 year old woman who can also be booked at the high end clinic Xing Lin Yuan I mentioned above for 200rmb. She also has a shift in the Cadre Clinic on the 4th floor of the Beijing Hospital of Chinese medicine on Saturday mornings for 100rmb.

5)In terms of bodywork, Liu Yuzhu's husband Yang Guifu does a tuina/bone setting style of work that is honest, though somewhat socialized by a lifetime of working in the hospital. He is at the Beijing Hospital of Chinese Medicine's cadre clinic on monday mornings for 100rmb or can be booked at the Xing Lin Yuan clinic mentioned above.

Seeing ATS Director Andrew Nugent-Head in Beijing or as a long distance client:

ATS director Andrew Nugent-Head and his wife maintain a private practice in Beijing and also work with an international clientelle via email, telephone and travel. Both have a Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine and are nationally certified and state licensed practitioners of acupuncture and Chinese herbs in the United States. They practice a combination of Chinese herbs, acupuncture and bodywork. Full information can be found at their clinic’s website, www.pinewinds.com