Recently, I came across a Weibo post about a woman named Li Jianqiu who relied on singing red songs to endure the extreme pain brought on by cancer treatment. It has been 12 years since then, and she sings red songs every day. Not only has she not succumbed to her illness, but her health has gradually improved. Once this Weibo post was published, it caused quite a stir. The comments poured in like the heavy rain of recent days, flooding the internet with all kinds of opinions—admiration, mockery, and everything in between!
In fact, this woman's actions are easily explained from a medical perspective. Simply put, it is what we often refer to in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as psychological therapy. China is one of the earliest countries in the world to adopt psychological therapy. As early as 2000 years ago, the classic TCM text *Nei Jing: Baoming Quanxing Lun* pointed out: "In treating illness, first treat the spirit, second nurture the body, third know the true nature of toxic drugs, fourth control the size of stone needles, fifth understand the diagnosis of organs and blood qi. All five methods must be broken down, each having its priority." From this, we can see that ancient people treated illness primarily by adjusting the spirit, as referred to by "first treat the spirit."
Psychological therapy in ancient times has already become an integral part of comprehensive treatment; it includes supportive therapy, psychoanalysis, hypnosis, behavioral correction, biofeedback therapy, as well as music, art, exercise, etc.
Since cancer cells arise due to a weakened immune system, and the strength of the immune system is closely related to psychological resilience, those with weaker mental fortitude, such as individuals with mild depression tendencies, are more prone to cancer. On the other hand, cheerful and generous people are less likely to develop cancer under similar conditions. During the course of cancer, if both medical treatments and psychological therapy are used to boost immunity, cancer can be completely controlled.
In Shandong, there was a man named Zhang Yi who was diagnosed with late-stage cancer in 1999, and doctors gave him only two months to live. He used micro-carving to shift his focus away from the pain, spending three years carving the entire *Dream of the Red Chamber*. In 2010, he even appeared on a TV show. At an Air Force hospital in the U.S., a 61-year-old throat cancer patient, despite difficulty swallowing saliva, actively cooperated with his doctors. Especially after watching how white blood cells attack cancer cells and eventually surround and eliminate them, his determination to overcome cancer was strengthened. Two weeks later, the patient’s tumor had significantly shrunk, his weight gradually recovered, and he eventually fully regained his health. Glen was a child with a brain tumor, and the doctor said there was no hope left, only waiting for death. But Glen imagined cancer as a "big and stupid" gray thing, and his immune cells as spaceships. In his imagination, he played a video game where the spaceships continuously bombed the fortress. Every day, he engaged in such visualization, and after several months, he told his father: "I just flew a spaceship around my head, you know? I couldn't find any cancer anymore." When they went to the hospital for a check-up, they found that his tumor had spontaneously healed.
Psychology believes that humans possess the potential for self-actualization, striving for sound development, with abundant "energy" available for use. Therefore, as long as one maintains a positive and optimistic attitude, firm belief, and the right method, one can overcome difficulties and diseases!
Li Jianqiu, unable to bear the pain of cancer, was forced to sing, accidentally stumbling upon psychological therapy. She successfully diverted her attention from the pain by singing red songs, making her mood open and reducing stress. In reality, many patients have such experiences: when in pain, watching TV or listening to recordings can make the sensation of pain seem reduced. In the process of diverting attention, if the patient focuses intently and feels confident and joyful while doing other things, their immune system will also be strengthened. A robust immune system can kill cancer cells! This point is very important!!
Well, sing then! Sing whatever you like, whether it's red songs or love songs, as long as it's something you enjoy singing, sing joyfully!