Cover: Controversial Mind-Body Therapy Lures Over 1 Million Seeking Miraculous Cures (AI Translation)

【周刊提前读】“心身互动治疗”调查

Summary

A psychological treatment known as "Mongolian Medicine Psychosomatic Interactive Therapy" has rapidly gained widespread popularity among middle-aged and elderly populations in Inner Mongolia and across China, boasting more than 1 million participants nationwide. The therapy features large group classes at medical institutions like the Hohhot International Mongolian Medicine Hospital, where participants listen to Mongolian music, do health exercises, and watch therapy videos in hopes of alleviating persistent ailments ranging from skin and immune disorders to cancer [para. 1][para. 2][para. 3].

The therapy's creator, 61-year-old Nagon Bilige, is a former head of psychosomatic medicine at the International Mongolian Medicine Hospital. Over two decades, he developed this method, combining elements of traditional Mongolian medicine, psychology, and practices like qigong. His books, widely disseminated among followers, recount extraordinary cases of rapid recoveries from conditions including cancer, paralysis, and infertility [para. 6][para. 7][para. 8][para. 10][para. 11]. Bilige’s Agitai Health Group has established 119 therapy centers in places including Inner Mongolia, Beijing, Hainan, and even Singapore. The group has four main parks, all together costing over 1 billion yuan ($137 million), and its mobile app claims over a million members with more than 20,000 daily online attendees [para. 11][para. 12][para. 13].

The group sessions consist mainly of health education and group-sharing, where participants report "miraculous" improvements—some claim reduced medication, resolution of rare illnesses, or drastic improvements in cancer and other complex conditions [para. 4][para. 5]. These testimonials, often given by retired professionals or professors, are broadcast in-person and online, shaping powerful group narratives [para. 14][para. 15][para. 17]. A particularly notable phenomenon is "proxy therapy," where photos of relatives are brought to class in hopes of vicarious cures. Central to the therapy is the claim of accessing "extraordinary energy" to stimulate the body's self-healing via mental suggestion and group hypnosis [para. 18][para. 19][para. 20].

The therapy has cultivated immense loyalty among its followers, sometimes leading to tension with family members who are concerned about delays in seeking conventional treatment or medication non-adherence [para. 21][para. 22][para. 23][para. 24]. The overall process, often cheaper than standard psychotherapy, became easily accessible when from 2019 it was included in Inner Mongolia's basic medical insurance. Patients reported class costs ranging from 50 to 300 yuan, with insurance reimbursement of up to 70% [para. 39][para. 40][para. 41][para. 42][para. 44][para. 47][para. 48].

However, because some participants abandoned necessary medical treatments in favor of this method, serious consequences, relapses, or even fatalities have occurred. Despite official statements that the therapy is only an adjunct and not a cure, negative attitudes toward Western medicine and self-reports of discontinuing prescribed drugs are prevalent in class testimonials [para. 53][para. 54][para. 55][para. 56]. The burgeoning insurance claims and concerns about fraudulent use of public funds led to regulatory scrutiny and, in early 2025, a suspension of insurance coverage for the video-based group therapy in most hospitals in Inner Mongolia [para. 62][para. 63][para. 64][para. 65][para. 66][para. 67][para. 69].

Nevertheless, the therapy persists both offline and online, with some hospitals continuing to collaborate with Agitai or to adjust how patients qualify for and are reimbursed for related stays and therapies [para. 71][para. 72][para. 73][para. 74][para. 75][para. 77]. The group has expanded beyond the elderly market into pediatric and adolescent therapy and is seeking further commercial opportunities, including medical tourism and lifestyle products [para. 85][para. 86][para. 87][para. 88].

Financially, Agitai Health Group has reported losses in some years. Still, it continues to seek hospital and government partnerships. However, since media revelations, regulatory pressure, and family complaints have increased, Nagon Bilige has indicated intentions to downscale assets but remains committed to promoting the “discipline.” [para. 98][para. 99][para. 100][para. 101]

In summary, this “psychosomatic interactive therapy” represents a complex intersection of traditional beliefs, group psychology, affordability, and commercial ambition in China's evolving healthcare landscape. It highlights widespread unmet needs for accessible psychological support, especially among older populations, as well as the risks inherent in the unchecked expansion of alternative therapies into mainstream health systems. [para. 102][para. 103][para. 104][para. 105][para. 106][para. 107]