Tribute to Lillian Bridges

Lillian Pearl Bridges

TRIBUTE

Gifted teacher. Accomplished face reader. Compassionate friend. These are a few of the many tributes on a website in memory of Lillian Bridges following her recent death in late September 2021. She was of Chinese American origin and learned her skills from a line of master practitioners in her Chen family lineage. She was credited for bringing the knowledge of face reading back to the field of Chinese medicine, and her book, Face Reading in Chinese Medicine was published in 2012 and became a best seller within its genre.

She was a teacher with immense charisma and skill who could bring a room alive and have all participants mesmerised. She taught face reading CPD courses at the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine (CICM) in Reading to many graduates and students as well as members of the public between 2006 and 2017. She also taught in many countries and at many acupuncture conferences. She was a regular speaker at the Rothenburg TCM Kongress in Germany, as well as at events in the United States and here at the BAcC’s annual conference. She was truly unique in her ability to inspire her students and because of this she became one of CICM’s most popular speakers.

I first met Lillian at an introductory face reading seminar hosted by Julian Scott in Bath in 2005. I was so captivated that although I only expected to attend for one day, I cancelled my commitments and returned for the second day – bringing along John, my husband, who wanted to find out more about this person I was raving on about. He too was captivated.

From then on between 2006 and 2017, the College hosted Lillian presenting one- and two-day face reading seminars in the UK. She was an open and empathetic teacher, always willing to admit to her failings and inadequacies and at the same time showing us how she learnt from them; by doing this she allowed others to admit to theirs. I learnt a lot from her about how to embrace other people for their authentic attributes. By her example she encouraged others to take pride in themselves and to value the unique qualities that she showed us how to read on their faces.

So many students and graduates from many acupuncture colleges and from around the world admired her for the work she did, and all of us in this extended acupuncture ‘family’ will greatly miss her presence in the Chinese medicine world. We send out peace, light and love to all her family and friends.

Angie Hicks

Joint Principal: CICM

I got to know Lillian Bridges both as an eager student on one of her ever-popular face reading courses and, in my role as conference organiser, when we had occasion to speak together at the BAcC or other similar conferences. Lillian’s workshops were always firm favourites. You could guarantee that her classes would be the first to fill up.

Such was her enthusiasm for facial diagnostics that if you were talking with Lillian one-to-one, you got the distinct impression she might be scouring your face to find ways to give tips and guidance on how best to move forward in your life!

Indeed, she did this to me on many occasions and I was truly grateful for, and inspired by, her wise words. She had such exuberance! If anyone had found life’s elixir, I’d say Lillian had done so... which makes it all the sadder that she has left us behind. But of course, as a legacy, we have her books.

In my memory, and in that of all her students I’m sure, will remain a resounding echo of her joyful laughter, her passion, her insights, her warmth.

Janice Booth

BAcC Fellow: Wiltshire

‘Showtime!’ I often heard Lillian exclaim as she stepped up to take the stage at one of the numerous congresses she was invited to as the world’s leading face reading expert. Many will rightly sing her praises for her pioneering work in this field, her quick, perceptive mind and her lively teaching style, full of anecdotes from her colourful life. Her untimely death leaves us her legacy in the books and online courses she put so much work into, so that her knowledge is not lost and the precious thread of tradition is not broken.

As teachers, our paths crossed many times and I got to know her well with our shared passion for music. A gifted and natural performer, blessed with a clear, beautiful voice, she sang jazz standards – Summertime, All of Me, Over The Rainbow, I’ll Be Seeing You… – and composed her own songs on piano, children’s songs written for her grandchildren.

The popular and successful Saturday evening concerts at the annual Rothenburg TCM Kongress in Germany, one of the largest gatherings of Chinese medicine practitioners worldwide, would never have happened without Lillian. Evolving from humble beginnings as singalongs in Hell, the town’s intoxicating after-hours meeting place, we took the music to a much larger audience in the elegant Rococo Room at the Wildbad Hotel, creating a space for talented teachers and practitioners to share their love of music in an accessible and joyful format that we also took to congresses in Denmark, London (pictured) and Vancouver, Canada. A highlight of the evening was always Lillian singing Icelandic singer Hera’s song Chocolate, with helpers suitably placed to throw chocolates into the audience during the chorus, ‘Choco-late, it melts the pain away, it melts the pain away…’

When someone so full of life dies, the silence is deafening. I miss her bright, vivacious spirit, her kindness, her intelligence and her unremitting enthusiasm for life. She has gone on, but the experiences we shared together remain. Hers was a full life well-lived.

Peter Firebrace

BAcC Fellow: Denmark