Most tours to Chinese cities come with a visit to a medical shop. The program would include an exhibition of red hot iron chain being held by a demonstrator who later use a white cream to apply and presto, his hands are none the worse. And of course the usual `free leg massage' by masseurs and `free diagnosis' by white-robe Chinese physicians.

The free leg massage is really free, so usually, the tourist would give a small tip to the masseurs for their efforts. But really what the masseurs did was to elicit some vital information from you for the Chinese physicians.

Apparently the Chinese physicians must have some medical knowledge. They are able to tell you the symptoms of the latent illness we are suffering from...Whilst in Beijing we were led to this big clinic of an established Chinese physician. Diagnosed, usually with liver problems, we were told to buy Chinese medicine for six months for a full cure - the cost, an astronomical S$2000. If we say we don't have the money, then the period for taking the medication could be lessened to a week, costing only a few hundred dollars. All of us did not buy the medicine and the Chinese tour guide was infuriated! That was that.

In Zhuhai, the same modus operandi was practised and two of our group bought two handful of Chinese herbs, said to thin the blood. The 'patient' have to take the medication for six months. And he nearly died. Because he took the Chinese medication, he forgot the medication for his hypertension. One morning, he fainted
and was taken to hospital. Luckily he survived to tell the tale.

Then in Hainan Island, we have this couple who was diagnosed with liver problem. The physician used `qigong' to bring out the `bad' blood of the man and he brought back six months of Chinese herbs. The score - S$2000 which he used his credit card to pay. His wife was also diagnosed with the same problem. She paid about S$1500 for taking our the `bad' blood and also the Chinese herbs.

My question: is it possible for Chinese physician to diagnose what is wrong with our body within minutes?

We were in group of 4 traveling with local guide at Hainan, near a place called Bo Ao - checking out the small local food cafe by the river. Look ordinary & backdated house with slightly poor hygiene. When we order for simple seafood meal for 4 persons includes prawns, crabs (no lobster) plus some local veggies, failing to "negotiate" & pay off early before a meal, the bill came up to RMB1,767.00 equivalent to SGD353.00. That is more than a seafood meal at a low end 5-star hotel in Singapore. Its totally rip off...