Acupuncture (针灸) is a traditional Chinese medical practice of treating various physical and mental conditions. It won respect and interest in the United States after New York Times reporter James Reston visited China with President Nixon and needed an operation.

Chinese doctors used acupuncture on James after surgery (外科手术) to reduce his pain, and his recovery was quick. Curious about this, James was allowed to watch surgery on patients who received acupuncture for anesthesia (麻醉). Patients talked with their doctors during the operation and then walked back to their rooms on their own.

Acupuncture left James such a deep impression that he wrote a front-page article in New York Times about his operation upon returning to the United States. “A leading medical expert sent by Premier Zhou Enlai removed my appendix (阑尾). I was awake in the whole process.”

The National Institutes of Health began to organize some of their top doctors to visit China to investigate acupuncture and its possible functions in western medicine. With years going by, acupuncture has become popular across the world with magical effect.

Boris, a foreign student at Communication University of China, often shares his experiences of Chinese culture on his vlog (视频博客).

In one video, for example, Boris shared how he had learned the Chinese word dongxi. He translated each part separately into “east west”. And he introduced one theory (说法) about how dongxi came to mean “things”. He told people that all marketplaces in ancient Chinese cities were set up along a single road that ran from east to west. So when you would say qu mai dongxi, you’d be saying, “I’m going to buy things.”

Some other videos show his reading Chinese poems and performing kung fu in Chinese traditional costume, which are quite welcome among his 40, 000 followers.

“Many of my followers are learning Chinese,” Boris said. “But sadly, they know little about Chinese culture and the country.”

Like many foreigners, Boris once believed that all Chinese could perform kung fu, flying onto roofs and walking over walls. He thought the country was not that developed. But after he got a scholarship (奖学金) to study in China, his view changed. “China has entered a new period, but many people’s impressions of China are still stuck in the1970s,” Boris said. “That’s why I started to shoot vlogs to share Chinese culture in 2019.”

Until now, Boris has posted more than 40 Chinese culture vlogs online. But making these vlogs is not easy. Take reading the poem Second Farewell to Cambridge by Xu Zhimo as an example.

“I can understand and read every word in the poem,” Boris said. “But to touch readers, I need to use proper feelings while reading.” So he needed to look for much background information and make his feelings suit each part of the poem.

Though shooting these vlogs takes lots of time, the young man feels proud that his vlogs have inspired many people. Boris said that he wanted to continue bridging the differences between two cultures. “This goal may not be achieved easily, but I will spare no efforts to do my part.”

Chinese New Year 2022 in London event programme

Follow CNY London on social media channels for online celebrations from 31 January to 6 February 2022. Usually, every year, hundreds of thousands of people pour into the West End to enjoy a colourful parade, free stage performances, dragon or lion dancing and traditional Chinese food. But this year special online activities have replaced the canceled parade, live performances and events.

Watch a special television broadcast on London Live and YouTube on 6 February.

Head to Chinatown where you’ll be able to shop for presents, enjoy on — the — go treats and sit down for a traditional Chinese New Year meal in one of Chinatown’s restaurants.

Follow these tips for celebrating Chinese New Year in London:

Wrap up warm: celebrations take place in February when the weather can be cold.

Learn Chinese New Year greetings: Say “Xin Nian Kuai Le” (Happy New Year in Mandarin) or “San Nin Faai Lok” (in Cantonese)

Dress in red: Red is the key colour of Chinese New Year. You can dress up with a red scarf, jumper or shoes — this will bring good luck for the coming year.

Enjoy special Chinese New Year food: order a whole chicken or try dumplings at top restaurants in Chinatown

Buy something red: To bring luck to your year, Chinese tradition dictates that you should buy something red for yourself or your house.

Ensure good luck: In Chinese culture, to “climb high and gaze far” on New Year’s Day or the following day brings good luck in business, career, study and fortune. Take a trip on the Emirates Air Line cable car, head up to The View from The Shard or see the sights from the London Eye.

How to get to the Chinese New Year event

There is no organized Chinese New Year event in London in 2022 because of the epidemic, but the area around Chinatown may still become busy during the celebrations. Plan your route in advance using Transport for London’s Journey Planner.