FAQ & Information

Without knowledge of Chinese, one cannot do much in China. People often cannot make themselves understood and don't understand what their Chinese teacher means. Interpreters may be available but are expensive and generally don't know anything about things that belong to specific disciplines such as Chinese medicine, taijiquan or qigong.​ For things that belong to the old, classical culture (Chinese medicine, taijiquan and traditional qigong, etc.) there is an even bigger problem. Without – as a student – having extensive knowledge of the ancient culture, literature, customs and traditions, the real experts do not take you seriously (due to lack of respect for Chinese culture). A stay in China, however long, without these conditions, can only provide superficial knowledge. Don't be naive and don't let the pseudo-experts, who have usually never spoken directly to a real Chinese specialist, fool you. Taoist-Lifestyle.Com tries to pass on the old knowledge in a feasible way. We want to help you remove the insurmountable difficulties (language and cultural barriers) and still offer you the opportunity to come into contact with the real essence of Chinese culture.

The best teacher is the one who is actually the best student, i.e. who is constantly studying and continues to become more proficient, wants to know/be able to know everything about his/her field. The best teacher owes it to his students to give the best of him/herself and therefore to educate him/herself indefinitely. When looking for a good teacher, look at the references of the person (official diploma's, level of training, duration of the training, references of teachers/professors, research delivered, own publications, practical experience, refresher training, etc.) and see if the style/approach, the atmosphere and the training and lectures suit your personality. Practical lessons with large groups of students are equivalent to little individual guidance and therefore a great loss of subjective quality. Also compare words and deeds: if the teacher consistently acts on his/her words, then you can usually expect consistent and reliable teaching. A good structure in the lessons usually shows good preparation and solid knowledge.

The same is true of many Chinese masters emerging in the West: the younger generations [under the age of eighty] have usually received at most a limited classical education. Some are not even able to delve into the traditions because they can hardly read classical texts or understand the backgrounds. Most of them do not master the classical language, which is necessary to explore the secrets. Some have undergone a long and thorough practical modern training, but are usually not familiar with the backgrounds, philosophy, history and other important facets. Due to all kinds of specific circumstances (such as the Cultural Revolution 1966–1976 and its origins and aftermath), an awful lot of knowledge has been lost in China and the real experts have disappeared from the scene. Those who knew a lot are now very old or dead for a long time. Being a Chinese is therefore not the same as being a connoisseur of Chinese traditions. So be on your guard!

The question “How long before I am proficient?” comes up often, but there is no general answer for Chinese medicine, taijiquan, qigong and similar disciplines. These fields are so complex that even highly intelligent, highly talented and experienced people need many years to reach a decent level. However, don't be put off by the long duration of the study. Each level has its interesting experiences and, in fact, authentic Chinese traditions are about enjoying being on the road, about studying itself and not about achieving some limited goal. After reaching the top you see that behind this mountain lies another one, with an even higher peak. Enjoy your way!

The seminars and lectures are intended to give a clear picture of what exists in the field of Chinese cultural studies and what can be done with it. They deal with the types of topics that are needed to give a broad and clear picture of authentic Chinese cultures, so that practice is always grounded in real context and understanding. By combining practice-oriented lessons with lectures and seminars, our programs help you understand not only how to do the exercises, but also what you are doing and why it matters within Chinese philosophy, medicine, and Taoist traditions.

We do indeed offer a wide choice, but on the other hand, it is mainly about substantively interconnected programs. All our programs can be followed separately, as well as the lectures and seminars. In our complete Taoist Lifestyle program you will get the most complete range of things we have to offer and there are opportunities for personal consultations. Written handouts will also be offered along with the video to form a complete course material, and a number of books written by Prof. Dr. Dan Vercammen will also be included in the program. For well-motivated students, it is certainly feasible to combine a lot and the Taoist Lifestyle program can be followed at your own pace, so that it fits well into your life.

We do not offer a total study for Authentic Chinese Medicine, because this is not possible in an online format. However, we do possess deep Chinese medical experience and knowledge, rooted in Taoist medicine and related classical sources. Taoist-Lifestyle.Com will share relevant information and offer lectures or seminars with important and useful background information about Authentic Chinese Medicine, such as the Taoist view of the human body. Subjects can include material directly translated from The Book of the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi Neijing) and other relevant medical and alchemical texts. In this way, you receive essential, reliable medical background as part of a broader Taoist cultivation program, without pretending that a complete, clinically responsible training in Chinese medicine can be replaced by online study alone.

Authentic Chinese Medicine differs greatly in philosophy, theory and practice from modern Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is, in essence, a completely different way of thinking with specific diagnostic and treatment methods, rooted in classical culture rather than in modern standardisation. For that reason, it does not really matter whether you have studied TCM or not: in TCM, basic philosophy and classical backgrounds are usually insufficiently covered, because TCM is a modernised (Westernised) and standardised training. The classical and cultural backgrounds are necessary to understand our programs and the terminologies used, especially where Taoist views of the body, alchemy and cultivation are involved. Apart from that, it is also very interesting to dive into the authentic classical backgrounds, for they are much richer and more nuanced than their modern counterpart. Even if you already know TCM, the Authentic Chinese Medicine content in our programs will deepen and reorient your understanding rather than repeat what you have already learned.