

411 Part 1, Improvising the Body- Maps, Meaning and Clinical Imagination • Lan Li
Jun 3, 2025
Lan Li, a historian and filmmaker at the intersection of medicine and creativity, dives into the improvisational nature of the body and clinical practice. She discusses how anatomy serves as a malleable metaphor rather than a fixed map influenced by culture. Explore the connections between traditional Chinese medicine and modern neuroscience, the significance of imagination in healing, and the interplay between energy channels like meridians and the body's systems. Lan encourages a rethinking of medical knowledge as an evolving narrative, blending art and science.
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Video Blogging Sparks Creativity
- Lan Li used early YouTube vlogging to explore self-expression and connection.
- Engaging with followers nourished her creative journey and sense of belonging.
Learning vs. Improvisation
- Learning feels static, but improvising is a dynamic way of knowing.
- Lan Li struggles with defining 'knowing' as it involves imagination beyond certainty.
Channels Beyond the Body
- Channels or jingluo may exist both inside and outside the body, connecting us to the world.
- Lan Li senses these pathways as forces that extend beyond the physical body.