The Mystery of the Song Dynasty Painting Read Online Free Page B

thirty feet. After regaining consciousness, she developed symptoms of headaches, insomnia and anxiety as well as feelings of déjà vu and amnesia. She had difficulty recalling her name, family history and recent events, but identified strongly with a famous painting of the Northern Song Dynasty titled Along the River at Qing Ming . In an attempt to relieve CC’s neurological symptoms, I began to administer hypnotherapy treatments. During her first hour under hypnosis, CC claimed to be a young girl named Zhang Mei Lan, living during the Song Dynasty.
    I recorded and transcribed CC’s words under hypnosis, and will continue to do so. At the conclusion of her treatments, I will allow CC to hear Zhang Mei Lan’s story in the hope that it will give her insight into her condition, rid her of her headaches and enable her to make a total and complete recovery.

5
    A Real Awakening
    After this first hypnotherapy session, CC slept like a baby right through the night. Even better, the next day she was free from headaches for the first time since awakening from her coma.
    Grandma Wu began to hope that all might be well. ‘Perhaps now she might start to recover and be her old self again,’ she said to Dr Allen.
    ‘It’s certainly a good beginning,’ Dr Allen said. ‘But I think you should listen to this, Madame Wu.’ And he played her the recording of CC talking as Mei Lan.
    Grandma Wu sat and listened in silence. ‘I don’t understand. Has the fall damaged her brain in some way? Does she really think she is this girl Mei Lan? How does she know so much about the customs of the time?’
    Dr Allen shrugged his shoulders. ‘We understand so little about the workings of the mind. CC may have damaged a part of her brain called the temporal lobe during her fall. She could also be imagining all this, remembering things she has read or heard in the past.’
    Grandma Wu thought for a while. ‘Of course, it’s also possible that CC is genuinely recalling events from a previous life. The fall might somehow have caused her to experience a real awakening and remember a past life in a way that most people cannot.’
    Dr Allen smiled. ‘You know that reincarnation is not believed by most westerners.’
    Grandma Wu nodded. ‘Just because people don’t believe in something doesn’t mean it isn’t true.’
    Dr Allen glanced at his notes. ‘I think we need to find the cause of CC’s obsession with that Song Dynasty painting and what she – or at least Mei Lan – is running away from. I can’t help feeling that the answers to her illness lie within that particular painting. I would like, with your permission, Madame Wu, to keep CC here and continue treating her with hypnotherapy until she recovers completely.’
    Grandma Wu agreed. ‘The treatment you gave her yesterday certainly helped her sleep. Besides, CC is not fit enough to travel yet. I believe you have her best interests at heart, Dr Allen, so we are in your hands.’
    For the next two weeks, CC stayed at the hospital and continued her sessions with Dr Allen. Each day she grew a little stronger and happier. Although the dreams troubled her less and less, she continued to be drawn to the Qing Ming painting. She spent hours tracing the outlines of the figures in the picture – as if they could tell her what she needed to know.
    Besides administering hypnotherapy day after day, Dr Allen worked long into the night researching the medical literature, reading pertinent articles and writing his reports. Grandma Wu, meanwhile, stayed constantly at CC’s side. She was always ready to read to CC, accompany her on walks, and play a game of wei qi (go) or chess. Finally, the day came when Dr Allen invited CC and Grandma Wu into his office to hear his conclusions.
    He began by telling CC that what she was going to hear might surprise her, but that she wasn’t to worry in any way. She was fully recovered from her fall and, by listening to the recording, she would begin to understand