Ancient Science of Life, Vol No. VI No. 1 July 1986, Pages 24 - 29 CHINESE MASSAGE AND THE INTRODUCTION OF MASSAGE INTO CHINA BEFORE THE 8TH CENTURY LI JINGWEI China Academy of Traditional, Chinese Medicine, Dongzhinen Nei, Beijing, China. Received: 19 March 1986 Accepted: 28 April, 1986 ABSTRACT: This article deals with history of Chinese massage and the introduction of Indian massage into China. INTRODUCTION Massage, as a treatment, though carries different names in health care of various Chinese massage has a long history which nations, is perhaps one of the most age – old can be traced back to the primitive society. methods for removing fatigue and curing Lushi Chunqui Guyepian said : “At the trauma in the health work of mankind. beginning of Tao Tang Dynasty, due to the excessiveness and accumulation of the Yin There are different titles for massage in principle, the water way was blocked up and different period in China, viz: Jiaoyin, didn’t go to the right way and thus effected Anwu, Jiaomo, Daoyin, Zhezhi, Anjiao, the people who then suffered from Mosha, Tuina, Anmo etc. Since the stagnation of Qi (vital energy) and spasm of pronunciation “massage” in western the tendons, pain and stiffness of the joints. language is quite similar to the Mosha of the Dancing was thus proposed and applied for Chinese, some scholars believe that the eliminating these diseases”. This indicated massage of the western world might be that as early as the Tao Dynasty 5000 years originated from China. Although the terms ago, the Chinese people were aware of the mentioned above and the therapeutic fact that wet surroundings causes widely modalities are varied, they all share common spread disease of joints, and that dancing, a contents and theories. Applying no drugs, form of ceremony for celebrating victories, massage therapy features a series of could cure such diseases. Dancing was then manipulation of pressing, rubbing, pulling, developed with characteristics of Chinese pinching and rotating, exerting on certain massage and Daoyin by imitating the parts of the patient, so as to ease his / her movements of birds and beasts, which were body and extremities and eventually cure the named five or six animal frolics. These diseases. So, massage and Daoyin (Chinese experiences through the long course of setting – up and therapeutic exercises) are history, eventually lead to the appearance of closely linked with the subject of prolonging professionalized doctors specialized in life during its early period of development. massage before 1000 years B. C. Shiji (Book of history), Biographies of Bianque and The Origin of Chinese Massage Changgong, written by the famous historian Pages 24 - 29 shima Qian, recorded that “I heard that them, the Illustrations of Daoyin and fifty- doctor Yu Fu treated the patients without two prescriptions for diseases provide even using decoction and wine but acupuncture, more valuable materials for history of massage, exercises and hot compress in development of massage. Although these ancient times”. This story was told by works were buried as funeral objects in 168 Zhong Shuzi, an attendant of prince of the B. C. and might be written not very far Guo State, who was suspicious of doctor before buried. By comparing its contents, Bianque’s compatibility of curing the crown character and technical terms with Nei Jing prince’s severe shock. It is interesting that (the Internal Classic), scholars believe that Zhong Shuzi’s story revealed significant these books were edited earlier than Neijin. material for probing the details of massage The fifty two prescription for disease 3000 years ago. Also, it indicates that there recorded both the treating experience and were specialists of massage in that time. theory of fifty two kinds of disease out of Bian – que and his students Zi Yiu, Zi Bao which, 20 pieces deal with 7 kinds of were all distinguished representatives and disease treated by massage, including experts in massage in 5th Century B. C. pressing and rubbing the part of sacrum for when they were rescuing the prince, suffered curing urodialysis; massage with application from severe shock, besides acupuncture, hot of ointment and other medicines on the skin compress and decoctions, they applied for curing scar and dermal itch with massage as a treatment. Obviously, Jiaoyin satisfactory results. and Anwu are the ancient names for massage in its semantic sense. Neijin laid down the theoretical foundations of traditional Chinese medicine and is At the end of 19th century, a lot of oracle respected as a canon by medical professional inscriptions (characters carved on beast’s of successive dynasties. Although Neijing bone or tortoise’s shell to keep as records of isn’t monograph for treatment and medical events) were unearthed from a ruins of the technique, nor a monograph for massage, ruling center of the Yin Dynasty some 3000 yet, the skill and instruments of massage are years ago with rich contents on knowledge distinctively emphasized, for example: of human anatomy, diseases of human body concerning the origin of massage, Neijing and treatment. These provide much claims that the people living in the plain of valuable materials for researchers. Among central China where the surroundings is others, the characters and of oracle bone damp and rich in natural products, with a inscription show that “the method of diversity of edible foods so that they are lack applying massage for treatment of diseases in labour and weak in joints, and apt to of the body and abdomen had already suffer from rheumatic arthritis. Massage appeared in the Yin Dynasty (17 – 11th Cent. and Daoyin are indicated for these diseases. B. C.)”. Anyhow, experiences handed Hence the technique of massage and Daoyin down, either verbally according to scholars are produced from the plain of central of literally by records 3000 years before, all China. The indications of massage pointed corroborate that massage in China has a by Neijing are obstruction of channels, remote origin. numbness of extremities and rheumatic arthritis. For instruments of massage, the In 1973, fourteen kinds of medical work round needle with a cylindrical body and were unearthed from Ma wangdui Han tomb oval tip is mentioned in Neijing. When in Henan province by archeologists. Among round needle is applied on the body, the Pages 24 - 29 injury of skin and muscle can be avoided. time, this refers to Huangdi Qibo Anmo Massage mentioned in Neijing shows no which was divided into ten volumes as differences with that of ancient legends recorded in Han Shu. Unfortunately it was indeed. What Neijing describes has been the lost and its content could no longer be summarization of the medical experience of known. massage since ancient time. Slowing down of development of massage Now, let us read some books on massage written by authors other than medical The conclusion that Chinese massage was at professional from which we can get to know a low ebb during several hundred years the situation of massage from the around the Christian era, may not be so contemporary intellectuals. Meng zi stated correct. However, judging from the that when Meng zi (372 – 289 B. C.) visited available materials, no other conclusion can King Hui of the Liang State, he said “he be drawn. During these times, Traditional couldn’t work on massage for aged man, he Chinese medicine was developing fast and could do it, but he didn’t like to do”. The many famous doctors appeared in the field paragraph signifies that professional of medicine. Unfortunately, nothing about aspiration of the youth at that period. Also, monograph of massage can be found. the record proves further that professional However, the condition of massage therapy doctor of massage already came into being can be interpreted through case records in as early as 2000 years ago. some historical works. There was a medical case recorded by Hua Tuo, which said, a Xingqi Yupei Ming is a piece of epigraphy patient suffered from dizziness for several carved on a jade – decorations. According years unable to keep his head erect with his to the research by archeologists, the visual function lost, his clothes were then epigraph was carved before 380 B. C. and loosened and Huatuo hung him by the feet had 45 Chinese characters, which described with his head 1 – 2 cm above the ground, the method and technique of breath – and his body was cleaned with wet cloth, exercise and Daoyin for keeping health, then rubbed with medical extract, covered preventing and treating disease. The with quilt. Profuse sweating occurred, he epigraphy is explained as one kind of “Xing was then offered a drink and medical qi” (flowing of vital energy) literatures by powder composed of semen lepidic sen Guo Moruo, while another author Shen descurainiae and dog’s blood. He recovered Shou claimed it as a monograph of physical at once. Doctor Zhang Zhongjing (2nd A. exercise therapy. The contents of massage D.) emphasized that if one preserves Zhen mentioned in xingqi Yupei Ming, The Qi (the vital energy) in the body and avoid Illustration of Daoyin, Fifty two pathogenic wind, one can avoid suffering Prescriptions for diseases and Meng zi, from disease; if pathogenic factors attack Huai Nan Zi were all written approximately someone’s channels and he feels ill in limbs at the same period and closely linked in its and body, he must apply Daoyin and breath meaning. They indicated that technique of exercise, or acupuncture and massage to massage had reached a high level in treating stop the pathogenic factors go along the disease and applied widely for medical use. channels before obstruction of the nine body Of course, the literatures mentioned above orifices occurred. Early application of are not monograph of massage, however massage is an advanced treatment, but no there were monographs of massage in that concrete technique and steps were left down Pages 24 - 29 by Zhangh Zhongjing, only when he showed very little influence on Chinese discussed to rescue the patient who died of medicine, so did Indian massage.