This fall my trip to China was very exciting. I was able to join the Chi Institute of Florida's Fourth Annual International Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine Seminar in Guangzhou, at the South China Agricultural University. There were less than 20 participants, including veterinarians from Japan, Italy, and United States. Speakers were from Japan, China, and the United States and topics ranged from clinical studies, to traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine patterns of disease, and recent research activities in China.
After the Seminar, the group continued onto Chengdu for some recreation.  This is the heart of China in Sichuan, and we were able to visit the Giant Panda Breeding Research Center as well as the Giant Panda Nature Reserve outside of Chengdu at Wolong in the mountains. The scenery was spectacular.
In addition, there was even time to visit a Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital, and climb Mount Qingcheng as well as visit the famous Mount Emei which is one of the holy mountains of China. Lastly we visited the largest sitting Buddha in the world outside of Chengdu, at the confluence of three rivers where after its construction there were no longer any drownings or floods of the waters. This Buddha remains the largest in the world, the second largest having been the one in Afghanistan that was destroyed by the Taliban.
Photographs accompany this letter of the Giant Pandas and other scenic views. There are only 1500 Giant Pandas left in the world, and China is now in a major program to breed them in captivity in the hopes of eventually returning them to the wild. We commend them in their good work. The Giant Pandas look pretty happy and healthy!

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Most sincerely yours,
Ann-si Li, DVM, OMD