Safeguarding Lineage-Based Healing for Generations to Come
Background
This project honors the life’s work of Dr. Wei Na Yu, a master Indigenous Chinese Medicine doctor, and her daughter Dominica, founder of Global Wisdom Collective (GWC).Dr. Yu carries forward a rare form of Indigenous Chinese Medicine learned through sacred apprenticeship during a time of persecution and upheaval in China. She has practiced for over 70 years and has served more than 100,000 patients in the U.S. Dominica has been recording her teachings—over 300 hours to date—to ensure this lineage survives and thrives for future generations
Why it matters
Indigenous vs. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): The widely known TCM was standardized by the Chinese state in the 20th century, stripping away much of the ecological, spiritual, and lineage-based depth of the original practice. What remains today is clinical, formulaic, and often disconnected from its Indigenous roots.
Lineage Knowledge at Risk: Many traditional healers were persecuted or forced into secrecy. Without passing on this knowledge through apprenticeships, these systems are at risk of disappearing.
Our Work
We are safeguarding Dr. Yu’s lineage as a first step, while laying the foundation for a broader reclamation of Indigenous Chinese healing traditions within the diaspora.
Current Initiatives
Living Encyclopedia of Indigenous Chinese Medicine
Building a digital and physical archive of Dr. Yu’s teachings
Transcribing 300+ hours of recordings into usable knowledge
Forming an Elder & Healer Advisory Council
Hosting workshops to include other diaspora healers and youth
Apprenticeship Program
Developing a curriculum rooted in lineage-based teaching methods—storytelling, practice, and relationships
Creating culturally grounded learning materials
Providing stipends for elders and apprentices
Recruiting a first cohort of diaspora youth apprentices
Why Now
As the last generation of Indigenous healers grows older, we are at a critical moment. Much of this medicine has never been written down. This project, led by a mother-daughter team, is one of the few efforts by direct descendants to safeguard Indigenous Chinese Medicine before it disappears.
How to Support
We are seeking funding and community partnership to:Complete the transcription and organization of Dr. Yu’s teachingsCONNECT WITH US
Support an Elder & Healer Advisory Council
Develop apprenticeship curriculum and training materials
Provide stipends and honoraria for elders, mentors, and apprentices
Every contribution helps ensure this rare lineage of healing continues to live for future generations.
