Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Going to a local Chinese hospital could be one of the biggest cultural shocks you encounter
in Beijing. The health-care system here, compared to what we're used to in the West, is
chaotic and impersonal. There's not only no real family doctor system that weeds out the
minor ailments, but millions of out-of-towners also make pilgrimages to Beijing every year
to access its relatively superior health care. That means that hospitals are heavily over-
crowded and expediency outranks any notion of customer service. Fortunately, thanks to
the extensive range of international hospitals and clinics you can easily maintain high levels
of care in a manner that you're accustomed to.
Traditionally, the Chinese have a long history of health care. It is a deep part of their
psyche and at times seems to be almost like a religion. Eat cucumber and it will cool the
“fire” within your body, or snack on some lychees and they will warm the body and im-
prove circulation. They're fanatical about the temperature of drinking water and almost
never drink it below room temperature. Even trying to get a cold beer in summer can be a
problem.
Unfortunately modern society has muddied the more natural Chinese approach to health.
Treatment here is now a cocktail of Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine
