Paida lajin

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'''''Paida lajin''''' (拍打拉筋), also known as '''slapping therapy''',<ref name="gizmodo">{{cite news|url=https://gizmodo.com/guru-who-pushed-slapping-therapy-to-cure-illness-sentenced-over-womans-death-2000535976|title=Guru Who Pushed ‘Slapping Therapy’ to Cure Illness Sentenced Over Woman’s Death|date=December 9, 2024|work=Gizmodo}}</ref> created by Hongchi Xiao (蕭宏慈), is a therapy based upon aspects of [[traditional Chinese Medicine]] (TCM), and [[Tao]]ist and [[Buddhist]] principles.<ref name=schmidt>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/03/16/a-diabetic-boy-in-australia-died-after-a-controversial-self-healing-course-now-his-parents-are-charged-with-manslaughter/ A diabetic boy in Australia died after a controversial ‘self-healing’ course. Now his parents are charged with manslaughter] by Samantha Schmidt (March 16, 2017 at 6:06 AM) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> The therapy involves slapping the body until bruised, stretching, and [[fasting]] for days.<ref name=schmidt/> The idea is to remove "long-held [[toxins]]" and "poisoned blood" (''sha'' or 痧) from the body.<ref name=schmidt/> ''Paida lajin'' literally means "beat-pull", referring to slapping and pulling toxins from the blood. ''Paida lajin'' would appear to be heterodox to TCM because it has been criticized in both [[China]] and Taiwan.<ref name=wong>[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-32545591 What happens at a slapping workshop?] by Tessa Wong (1 May 2015) ''BBC''.</ref>

The slapping therapy is recommended "For children over three years old, in addition to slapping along the entire spine, slap the universal regions (elbows, knees, hands and feet), the entire four limbs, and stretch on a Lajin bench."<ref name=schmidt/><ref>[http://archive.is/6pcr1 Recommended PaidaLajin regions for self healing common health] (2015.04.17 11:04) ''PaidaLajin Self-Healing'' (archived on March 16, 2017).</ref> This could easily be construed as [[child abuse]].

Xiao has claimed that ''paida lajin'' [[panacea|can cure]] or ease the symptoms of colds, body pains, Alzheimer's, strokes, paralysis, kidney failure, [[cancer]], [[autism]], and diabetes.<ref name=schmidt/><ref name=wong/>

In 2011, Taiwanese authorities fined Xiao the equivalent of US$1600 for "promoting folk remedies as medically effective".<ref name=wong/> 

In 2015, Aidan Fenton, a 6-year-old diabetic attended an $1800 week-long workshop in [[Australia]].<ref name=schmidt/> Shortly after the workshop, the boy died, and in 2017, the boy's parents were charged with manslaughter due to "gross negligence".<ref name=schmidt/>

In 2016, 3 people were arrested for manslaughter of Danielle Carr-Gomm, a diabetic, who was being treated at a ''paida lajin'' workshop in the [[UK]].<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/13/three-people-arrested-after-diabetic-grandmother-dies-following/ Three people arrested after diabetic grandmother dies following Chinese 'slap treatment'] by Henry Bodkin (13 November 2016) ''The Telegraph''.</ref> In 2023, Xiao was extradited from Australia to the UK, and charged with manslaughter by gross negligence in connection with Carr-Gomm's death.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/30/man-charged-manslaughter-woman-dies-slapping-therapy/ ‘Healer’ charged with manslaughter after woman dies at slapping therapy workshop: Suspect extradited from Australia after Danielle Carr-Gomm, 71, died after taking part in paida lajin therapy to help her diabetes] (30 November 2023) ''Telegraph''.</ref> In July 2024, Xiao was convicted of gross negligence manslaughter by Winchester Crown Court in the UK<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jul/26/slapping-therapist-found-guilty-of-gross-negligence-manslaughter-danielle-carr-gomm ‘Slapping therapist’ found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter] by Steven Morris (26 July 2024) ''The Guardian''.</ref> and was sentenced to ten years in prison.<ref name="gizmodo"/>

==See also==
*[[Dynastic gymnastics]] &mdash; the [[Russian]] style of "therapeutic" baby abuse

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi5SnvyEItw Let's clap, clap & clap] Journey To Self-Healing (Sep 29, 2016) ''[[YouTube]]''
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNeyikpmlPo Hongchi Xiao envisions a PaidaLajin Global Community] Journey To Self-Healing (Oct 21, 2016) ''YouTube'' &mdash; including baby slapping
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kPJ0s2W_8c Paida Lajin Introduction] PaidaLajin Self-Healing (Apr 13, 2016) ''YouTube''
*{{wpa|Gua sha|''Gua sha''}} (刮痧) &mdash; a TCM treatment that produces bruising using hard objects, such as coins, scraped along the skin

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Chinese medicine]]
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[[Category:Living people]]

Categories: Chinese medicine, Convicted felons, Living people