The tea is always hot at Michael Max’s Yong Kang Chinese Medicine Clinic
While Michael Max was studying medicine in China, he noticed something very different about the way it’s practice there, from the way it’s practiced here. No, not the needles. No, not the herbs. He noticed that you can’t get a doctor’s appointment in China. That’s because you can always walk in, grab a cup of tea and a number, and before you know it, the doctor will see you. So when he returned to practice acupuncture and Chinese medicine here in Seattle, he brought the idea home with him. Wake up with a headache? Just twisted your ankle? Head on down to Pike Place Market and the Yong Kang Chinese Medicine Clinic, where a pot of hot water is always on.
Q: Tell me a bit about yourself and how you developed your fascination with Asian culture.
Interestingly, other than being a fan of Toshiro Mifune movies, and having an attraction to Japanese swords, I never really had much of an interest in Asia or Asian Culture. Visiting China ranked way way down on my list of places I’d like to go. There were plenty of other places in the world that seemed more interesting and more accessible. I would not say it has been an accidental journey. But it was unexpected.
I remember taking some kind of aptitude test in the 8th grade, it’s results said I’d be good at medicine or some kind of social work job. Neither of which ever really appealed to. My path lead me to the arts and into high tech. I was introduced to acupuncture by a friend that said I should try it for health problems I’d had, that nothing seemed to help. Ever skeptical, I decided to give it a try, after all, everything else had failed. I think I got lucky that my first Chinese doc was naturally quite talented. And I truly felt different after the treatment, and in time, I got better too. Little did I know that at that time the muse of Chinese medicine was whispering ever so gently into my ear, suggesting I get curious about how this stuff actually works.
One thing lead to another. From self study to the decision to try a couple quarters of Chinese medicine school and see if there was a path that would open up.
It did, and all the way to China at that. I went to both Taiwan and China to learn more about the medicine, and ended up falling love with the vitality, chaos and commerce of the streets. The night markets full of neon and food. And the kindness and generosity of so many people that helped this foreigner to make his way.
Q: You studied acupuncture here in Seattle, but also in China. How did you find someone to study with? Was language an issue?
I earned a Master’s in Oriental Medicine at the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine. And after a few years of practice here, got curious about how it was practiced and used in Asia. My teacher in Taiwan is a 96 year old doctor that I got introduced to when I first arrived there because I was sick, and a friend said “I’ve heard about this old doc across the river, let’s go see him”. In Beijing I studied in the hospitals for about 8 months, but the rest of time I studied with doctors that either somehow showed up in my life, or I was introduced to. You know, sometimes when you put yourself in front of a big dream, and keep yourself there, the universe conspires to help you out.
Language. It was not an issue, once I’d learned to speak enough Chinese to understand the patients and the doctors that I studied with. The process of learning that Chinese. That is another story.
Q: You’re currently running a Chinese medicine clinic in Pike Place Market. How did you choose that location to set up shop?
I must admit that when I first came back to the USA and to Seattle in particular I found it rather quiet, boring, and lacking in vitality. I was used to traffic that resembles chaos theory, crowds where you have to shrink your personal space down to about a half inch from the edge of your skin.
I missed the noise, and chaos. I wanted to have a clinic in a location that had a whiff of Asian street life. Pike Place as an echo of that feeling, sense of community, and wild capitalism. And they also at the time had a space that was just about perfect for the kind of clinic that I wanted to open up.
Q: What sets your practice apart from others in Seattle?
One of my favorite things about Taiwan in particular was that little Chinese medicine clinics were as ubiquitous as coffee shops are in Seattle. They are everywhere. Need an herbal prescription to settle an upset stomach, or to regulate a period, or to find relieve from allergies? Need some acupuncture to help with sleep, or to get rid of that headache? Just walk in, take a number and wait to see the doctor. On the busiest days you might wait a couple hours. But, usually not. And you could get treatment TODAY. I loved how accessible the medicine was there. And wanted to create a clinic with that kind of access in Seattle.
What sets Yong Kang clinic apart from other Chinese medicine clinics? It’s just that, we will see you today. We will create the time to help you when you need it. Not sure you even are interested in acupuncture or Chinese medicine? Drop in anyway, enjoy some tea and get your questions answered about how Chinese medicine can help you.
In addition to myself, there are a couple of other practitioners of Chinese medicine that work out of the clinic. Between us we have expertise in treating a wide range of health issues, from acne to sports injuries, dysmenorrhea to migraines. And, of course, we not only offer treatments that treat illness, but can help you with promoting health and wellness.
Q: Awesome - I’m going to stop by next time I’m in the Market. How do I find your place from the Flying Fish?
Yong Kang clinic is located on the west side of First Ave, in between Pike and Pine. Showgirls is across from us! There is always a kettle of hot water and some kind of unusual tea waiting for you to enjoy.
Michael’s website is www.yongkangclinic.com