The Chinese believed that the best way to cure disease was to prevent it by maintaining the proper balance between yin and yang . A variety of herbal remedies are hidden in the doors of the huge cabinet in the same room. The visitor opens drawers that reveal interesting smells together with information on the dosage to be administered and the effects it would have on the metabolism. The Daoist concern for long life extended to an insistence on high standards of personal hygiene. Massage, exercise and fasting were part of the routine too.
Information is provided on the techniques of today's Chinese doctors.
The greatest entertainment of the exhibition comes from a copper wash basin. If you can find an experienced person ask for a demonstration. The Chinese wrote on materials ranging from bamboo sticks strung together and animal bones to bamboo paper. One can watch a demonstration of bamboo paper manufacture as well as an exhibit telling the history of Chinese calligraphy. A program running on a cluster of Apple computers underlines the differences between Western phonetics and the Chinese pictographs.