The yin and yang technique encourages harmony and balance with nature

In ancient times, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the Taoism were inseparably bound up in each other. Many Taoists were doctors, and nearly all doctors were Taoists.

A dose of TCM was just what the good doctor ordered

GUANGZHOU: When Jesse started suffering from a backache from the long hours he was spending in the office, he knew he might develop permanent problems if he didn't act soon.

Life Art

Brewing culture

On a big white screen in front of a hall decorated with traditional Chinese lanterns, tables and chairs, the Monkey King springs into the air and attacks the demon with his golden cudgel. To the accompaniment of local opera music and drumbeats, the demon retorts with a mouthful of fire.

The Blair witch-hunt project that Italy had to ban

A controversial production, which was cancelled by Italy's leading opera house because of its vicious lampooning of world leaders, is to be staged in London.

Life Style

Why MP3 faces the music

LONDON: The vast majority of songs on file-sharing systems have been in the MP3 file format since Napster propelled the idea of digital music into the mass market in 1999. But that could change over the next decade. Files encoded in the newer and better AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) format could become more popular, as people start to share unprotected songs bought from Apple's market-leading iTunes Music Store.

Reality check for virtual fortune hunters

COLOGNE: It sounds like a dream: sit comfortably at your computer and get rich playing online games.

Technology allows ebooks to turn a new page

MAINZ, Germany: As the last millennium came to a close, many experts were beside themselves with predictions of the golden future that lay ahead for ebooks. Yet most publishing houses were ultimately unable to bring themselves to sell the rights for electronic books, particularly for their best sellers and fine literature.

A hamster, a mouse, and a vacuum cleaner in every port

HAMBURG: A laptop, a mouse and a printer: that's the complete list of standard equipment for many workstations. There has however been a certain trend of late to add more color to the picture: cup warmers, small "swan neck" fans and even mesmerizing lava lamps have begun to make inroads into the uniformly gray PC desk landscape.

Life Travel

In search of a scholar's spirit

Viewing flowers from horseback zouma kanhua is what the Chinese call superficial tourism. Many of us would prefer to stay awhile and try to absorb the culture of an unfamiliar place. But in a country as vast and variegated as China, you'll miss a lot if you avoid brief trips entirely. You'll learn at least a little on a short visit, and if the place is alluring, you can start to imagine making a longer one someday.