WHAT IS TRADITIONAL CHINESE MASSAGE?
In the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) it is recorded that there were 56 massage doctors in the imperial hospital. More than the total of herbalist and acupuncturists around the time.
Chinese massage is closely related to acupuncture in its use of the meridian system and is considered to be effective for a similar range of health problems. It is an effective and comprehensive therapy and considered one of the fundamental arts of traditional Chinese medicine.
Combining massage with herbal medicine has great benefits. Massage can enhance and speed up the action of herbal remedies. The liniments, oils, etc. used in massage provide an additional channel for the herbs to work.
Chinese techniques were imported to japan and eventually gave rise to Japanese Shiatsu. Later still, Peter Henrik Ling learned from Chinese masters before developing Swedish massage the origin of Western bodywork.
Buddhist and Taoist adepts used massage as an essential support to their spiritual yoga. It is widely practiced and taught in hospitals and medical schools, and considered an essential part of primary healthcare.