REFLECTIONS FROM A HOSPITAL BED
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"--..Therefore, a bad thing that happens may be a blessing in disguise, yet what appears good may bring bad luck. The turns of events in life are mysteriously unpredictable."
Huai Nan Tzu
I was lying in a hospital bed with a life-threatening disease. I had been in that bed several months already, and each day that went by was very much the same as the day before. The hospital routines were a total bore, and there was little to look forward to for the next day. To help pass the time, I read storybooks, which I would not have read under ordinary circumstances, and came upon a Chinese story from Huai Nan Tzu:
"Once upon a time, there lived in the region of Sai, at the northern border of China, some excellent horsemen, who took great pride in their horses. One day, an old man's most treasured stallion disappeared into the wilderness without a trace. Friends and neighbors came to comfort him. "Why so much fuss?" said the old man, "This could be a blessing." Several months later, his stallion returned from the wilderness, bringing along a beautiful mare. Friends and neighbors came to congratulate him. "Why so much fuss?" said he, "This could bring bad luck." At the sight of the newly arrived mare, his son, being a good rider, could not resist the temptation to take a ride. As good a rider as he was, he unluckily fell off the horse and broke his hip. Friends and neighbors came to comfort both father and son. "Why so much fuss?" again said the old man, "This could be a blessing." Soon thereafter, the nomadic tribes from the north overran the border to invade China. All able-bodied young men of Sai went to war to defend their country, and nine out of ten were killed in battle. But the old man’s son was spared from becoming a war casualty, because his broken hip kept him from going to war.
Therefore, a bad thing that happens may be a blessing in disguise, yet what appears good may bring bad luck. The turns of events in life are mysteriously unpredictable."
The story cheered me up a bit, and I tried to amuse myself. Could lying in the hospital bed be a blessing in disguise? Hard to believe! Are there better things in store for me yet to come? What about letting me out of this miserable hospital bed?
CHILDHOOD IN BEIJING
During the long hours of bed rest in a TB hospital, my mind wandered, and my memory drifted back to my childhood in Beijing in the 1930's. The city, then called Peiping, was a cultural center and for a number of times in the long history of China, was the capital. It was a city richly endowed with history, charm and serenity, and was famous for its grandiose palaces and historical monuments. It was said that Beijing had such a cultured community that even the coolies could recite poetry. If that was an exaggeration, it was certainly true that famous writings and ancient texts were quoted frequently in everyday conversation, to add subtlety and flavor to whatever subject was under discussion. Quoting ancient texts was the accustomed manner of speaking, especially among elite circles.
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About the Book
This book tells the stories of the author’s childhood in China in the 1920s, how he and his family and friends survived the eight year war between China and Japan, and World War II, how he left China for the United States to pursue graduate education and landed in a TB hospital after graduation with a Ph.D. degree. Miraculously, he recovered from the disease, and with regained health and a new set of life values, he pursued an exciting career of a research biochemist. In the book, the author tells the story how he learned and practiced Qi-gong while he was a sick child, and how he refined his techniques of Qi-gong while on bed rest in the TB hospital. He explains how this meditative exercise fine-tunes the mind and body to achieve harmony within one’s self and the world, and how the power of Qi brings on relaxation and self-healing. He uses the bad things that happened to him as examples, to point out the brighter side of tribulations, and how to cope with misfortune and find comfort, inner peace and happiness even when a disaster strikes.
About the Author
Sung L. Hsia, Ph.D. is professor of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at University of Miami School of Medicine. He was born in Hubei, China, and grew up in Beijing. He is a graduate of Fu Jen University with a B.S. degree in chemistry, and after World War II, came to the United States for graduated education. He graduated from St. Louis University with a Ph.D. degree in biochemistry, then taught biochemistry and conducted research at St. Louis University and University of Miami. He has published over two hundred research papers on lipids and biochemistry of the skin, and presented his work at national and international meetings. He has trained many medical students, graduate students, and research scientists.