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All you knead to know about massage
By Xu Wenwen and Wu Huixin |
November 8, 2012, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A familiar sight on many Chinese streets are illuminated shop signs advertising foot massages, while inside customers relax as staff get to work on their feet. But while foot massage is widely perceived as a typical Chinese massage, it's just one kind.
Massage in China has a long history and has developed into a comprehensive and diverse practice. Different forms include massage to help muscles relax; to reset bones; to heal pain; and clean jing luo - the energy channels in human bodies, according to traditional Chinese medicine.
Tui na, which focuses on pushing, stretching and kneading the muscle, zhi ya, characterized by pinching and pressing at acupressure points, cupping, acupuncture and bone setting are all methods of Chinese massage.
Yesterday, Shanghai Daily profiled two Hangzhou massage therapists, here are the stories of two more.
Cupping doctor combines TCM and Western therapy
In TCM, cupping applies acupressure through creating a vacuum over the patient's skin, usually on the back, neck and shoulders. This is believed to dispel stagnant blood and lymph fluid, thereby improving qi flow.
The air inside the cup is heated by a flame or water, and the rim applied to the skin, forming an airtight seal. As the air inside the cup cools, it contracts, forming a partial vacuum and enabling the cup to suck in the skin, pulling in soft tissue, and drawing blood to that area. It can leave bruising on the skin.
While many Chinese doctors uses fire cupping by lighting a fire in a glass cup, Dr Zhao Ping at Chaoshouqiao Community Clinic uses bamboo cups that have been placed in hot water with herbs added. This is said to help circulate blood, diminish inflammation and relieve pain.
"Once the skin gets hot, the surface blood capillaries dilate, and the medicine liquid or vapor can enter the body," Zhao explains. "People can take herbal tea or herb medicine, while I apply herbal cupping onto the skin, which works faster."
Zhao employs cupping to treat rheumatism, cervical spondylosis and lumbar disk hernias, using a herbal formula handed from his ancestors.
The 56-year-old doctor was born in Xinchang County, in eastern Zhejiang Province, a birthplace of Taoism. As a teenager Zhao learned Taoist kung fu, following a family tradition.
After graduating from the Second Military Medical University in 1978, Zhao began combining traditional therapies with Western medicine.
He has received a national medical award and is currently applying for a national intangible heritage status for his therapy.
Apart from traditional cupping, acupuncture and massage, the Chaoshouqiao Community Clinic run by Zhao also offers Western medical treatments.
"Whether it's TCM or Western medicine, each has its merits and shortcomings. All I'm doing is to combine their advantages to heal the patients," says Zhao.
Address: 519 Fengqi Road (Find 32 Longyou Road and go on for 20 meters.)
Tel: (0571) 8701-7258
Muscle masseur who always finds the spot
"He doesn't waste a second during massage," says a long-time customer of Fu Shunrong, a 54-year-old blind masseur.
The satisfied customer praises Fu's abilities in locating painful areas, where qi - life force in TCM - is blocked.
He also says that Fu applies just the right amount of pressure - not too strong nor too light - and he does not apply force on undamaged muscle and points, which could lead to muscle injury.
Like many blind masseurs in China, Fu learned the therapeutic skill after going blind in his youth, so as to earn a living. Today he continues to learn, from lectures and radio and TV programs.
In his 30s, Fu opened his store in a community and in almost 20 years he has provided massage for thousands of people - locals and foreigners, celebrities and ordinary people.
Word of mouth recommendations have built Fu's reputation in healing cervical spondylosis - abnormal wear on neck bone cartilage - slipped dics and sciatica. In the process, he has gained numerous foreign fans.
A woman from New Zealand was Fu's first foreign customer, and was impressed when a one-hour massage cleared up muscle tension at her waist that had been troubling her. She introduced foreign friends, and Fu says since then his premises has become a "collecting and distributing center of foreigners."
A man from New Zealand who married a Chinese woman and returned to his homeland years ago continues to visit Fu during annual vacations to Hangzhou. He says it's one of his two must-to-do things in China, the other being seeing his in-laws.
Address: Find 70 Moganshan Road and follow the sign board.
Tel: (0571) 8882-3555
(This is the second part of this feature on Hangzhou's masseurs. The first part was published on yesterday's Hangzhou Special.)
Massage in China has a long history and has developed into a comprehensive and diverse practice. Different forms include massage to help muscles relax; to reset bones; to heal pain; and clean jing luo - the energy channels in human bodies, according to traditional Chinese medicine.
Tui na, which focuses on pushing, stretching and kneading the muscle, zhi ya, characterized by pinching and pressing at acupressure points, cupping, acupuncture and bone setting are all methods of Chinese massage.
Yesterday, Shanghai Daily profiled two Hangzhou massage therapists, here are the stories of two more.
Cupping doctor combines TCM and Western therapy
In TCM, cupping applies acupressure through creating a vacuum over the patient's skin, usually on the back, neck and shoulders. This is believed to dispel stagnant blood and lymph fluid, thereby improving qi flow.
The air inside the cup is heated by a flame or water, and the rim applied to the skin, forming an airtight seal. As the air inside the cup cools, it contracts, forming a partial vacuum and enabling the cup to suck in the skin, pulling in soft tissue, and drawing blood to that area. It can leave bruising on the skin.
While many Chinese doctors uses fire cupping by lighting a fire in a glass cup, Dr Zhao Ping at Chaoshouqiao Community Clinic uses bamboo cups that have been placed in hot water with herbs added. This is said to help circulate blood, diminish inflammation and relieve pain.
"Once the skin gets hot, the surface blood capillaries dilate, and the medicine liquid or vapor can enter the body," Zhao explains. "People can take herbal tea or herb medicine, while I apply herbal cupping onto the skin, which works faster."
Zhao employs cupping to treat rheumatism, cervical spondylosis and lumbar disk hernias, using a herbal formula handed from his ancestors.
The 56-year-old doctor was born in Xinchang County, in eastern Zhejiang Province, a birthplace of Taoism. As a teenager Zhao learned Taoist kung fu, following a family tradition.
After graduating from the Second Military Medical University in 1978, Zhao began combining traditional therapies with Western medicine.
He has received a national medical award and is currently applying for a national intangible heritage status for his therapy.
Apart from traditional cupping, acupuncture and massage, the Chaoshouqiao Community Clinic run by Zhao also offers Western medical treatments.
"Whether it's TCM or Western medicine, each has its merits and shortcomings. All I'm doing is to combine their advantages to heal the patients," says Zhao.
Address: 519 Fengqi Road (Find 32 Longyou Road and go on for 20 meters.)
Tel: (0571) 8701-7258
Muscle masseur who always finds the spot
"He doesn't waste a second during massage," says a long-time customer of Fu Shunrong, a 54-year-old blind masseur.
The satisfied customer praises Fu's abilities in locating painful areas, where qi - life force in TCM - is blocked.
He also says that Fu applies just the right amount of pressure - not too strong nor too light - and he does not apply force on undamaged muscle and points, which could lead to muscle injury.
Like many blind masseurs in China, Fu learned the therapeutic skill after going blind in his youth, so as to earn a living. Today he continues to learn, from lectures and radio and TV programs.
In his 30s, Fu opened his store in a community and in almost 20 years he has provided massage for thousands of people - locals and foreigners, celebrities and ordinary people.
Word of mouth recommendations have built Fu's reputation in healing cervical spondylosis - abnormal wear on neck bone cartilage - slipped dics and sciatica. In the process, he has gained numerous foreign fans.
A woman from New Zealand was Fu's first foreign customer, and was impressed when a one-hour massage cleared up muscle tension at her waist that had been troubling her. She introduced foreign friends, and Fu says since then his premises has become a "collecting and distributing center of foreigners."
A man from New Zealand who married a Chinese woman and returned to his homeland years ago continues to visit Fu during annual vacations to Hangzhou. He says it's one of his two must-to-do things in China, the other being seeing his in-laws.
Address: Find 70 Moganshan Road and follow the sign board.
Tel: (0571) 8882-3555
(This is the second part of this feature on Hangzhou's masseurs. The first part was published on yesterday's Hangzhou Special.)
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