History
Massage techniques are ubiquitous in almost all early human cultures. Similar techniques date at least as early as the Shang Dynasty, around 1700 BC. Ancient inscriptions on oracle bones show that massage was used to treat infants and adult digestive conditions. In his book Jin Gui Yao Lue, Zhang Zhongjing, a famous physician in the Han Dynasty (206 BC), wrote, "As soon as the heavy sensation of the limbs is felt, "Daoyin", "Tui na", "Zhenjiu" and "Gaomo", all of which are therapeutic methods, are carried out in order to prevent... the disease from gaining a start." Around 700 CE, Tui na had developed into a separate study in the Imperial Medical College.
The first reference to this type of external treatment was called "anwu", then the more common name became "anmo". It was then popularized and spread to many foreign countries such as Korea and Japan.
As the art of massage continued to develop and gain structure, it merged (around 1600 CE) with another technique called tui na, which was the specialty of bone-setting using deep manipulation. It was also around this time that the different systems of tui na became popular, each with its own sets of rules and methods.
Today, the term Tui na has replaced anmo within China and in the West. The term anmo is still used in some surrounding countries such as Japan.
It is not unusual to see practitioners working on street corners and parks in modern China. Tui na is an occupation that is particularly suitable to those with physical disabilities and in China, many blind persons receive training in the art of tui na, where their heightened sense of touch is a great benefit.
Naprapathy is also called tuina massage.
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