A picturesque hutong courtyard is not your typical hospital locale, but then again, the Beijing Massage Hospital is not your typical hospital. The same can be said of its faculty – with its dedicated team of 35 blind masseuses, the facility provides some of the best traditional Chinese medicine treatment, particularly through acupressure (tui na), in town. Staff member Qi Hong is among these visually impaired therapists and we recently spoke with him about his experiences, profession and the basic tenets of tui na.

 

How long have you been working as a professional therapist?
I’ve been in this career for 24 years. I came to Beijing Massage Hospital in 1985 after my graduation. Over the years, I have taken charge of the clinical massage section and focused on the treatment of spinal and neck problems, aches in chest and back and slipped discs, as well as various kinds of acute or chronic tissue injuries. I’ve also published dozens of articles in medical journals and have written books on massage.

 

How did you become a therapist?
I initially attended a regular school, but later, because of my failing eyesight, it became difficult for me to keep studying there. By coincidence I started to learn massage at the Beijing School For The Blind around the same time. After two years of study I was recommended to work in the Beijing Massage Hospital for my outstanding academic record. After that, I studied with famous massage masters Hong Xuebin and Wang Jiancheng.

 

What are the main principles of massage? How does it work?
Clinical massage falls under the directory of the basic theory of Chinese medicine (the theories of Qi, Yin and Yang, the five elements, visceral activities, special meridians etc.). Practitioners often speak of “blockage pain” – these symptoms are related to the blockage of qi and blood along a meridian. In Chinese medicine Qi [roughly translated as “universal energy”] is something invisible; it is also the power that pushes the circulation of the blood. Blockages are due to the impassability of blood and qi. Therefore, in Chinese medicine, we call these two conditions “qi stagnation” and “blood stasis.” Tui na uses different massage techniques along the meridians to achieve the curative purpose of moving the qi and blood through them.

 

What is the secret of “blind” massage? What special skills do blind massage practitioners need to have?
Blind therapist must have a good training in specific schools. After they get the qualification to become a therapist, they will need to apprentice under an experienced therapist and practice with colleagues to improve their skills. It’s not enough to just master the theory. Blind therapists, of course, have limited eyesight. But they also have a heightened sense of touch. They can locate certain bones and ligaments under the skin that normal therapists cannot, so an acute touch can definitely help find problem areas.   

 

Who make the best therapist – men or women? Or does each have their advantages and disadvantages?
Gender does not really matter in this field. It’s more important to perfect your basic theory and enrich your clinical experience. There are plenty of female therapists in our hospital (many of whom are particularly good with children). People often have a misconception that female massage therapists do not have enough strength. But the truth is medical massage does not only depend on strength – it also depends on the ability to analyze the specific condition of the specific illness.

 

 

When is it a good idea to get tui na therapy?
Nowadays, due to the complexity of the working environment and the stress of living, people feel tired not only psychological, but also physically, suffering from backaches and sore limbs. These are indications that you should seek the help of a professional therapist. In another words, the faster you start treatment, the quicker the recovery. If you do not get this treatment in a timely manner, it will develop into a chronic condition, if not a disease.

 

Can some problems be treated by the patients, themselves at home?
Treating yourself at home falls more under the area of prevention. Before the symptoms become serious, you can do some self-massage to slow down the development of the ailment. For example, after a long day work, you may feel achy and exhausted. Under such circumstance, you can alleviate these symptoms through self-massage. There are also some chronic diseases like hypertension and bowel disorders, all of which can be controlled or relieved by self-massage.

 

Can massage be dangerous (for example, trying to do it yourself)?
Generally speaking, massage is quite safe if the technician has the correct massage technique, knows how to respond to the symptoms and follows the massage principles. If you know nothing of massage and do it for your patient randomly, the results can sometimes be extremely bad.

 

Has tui na evolved with any new techniques, or are they same today as they have been for hundreds of years?
The existing historical records show that massage has a history of 3,000 years. So it is a very ancient, yet modern treatment. Massage uses the hands to work on specific points, but there are now many new electric massage instruments sold in stores – though they can never replace the skill and accuracy of your own two hands.

 

What are the simplest problems that can be relieved with one or two sessions?
Massage is quite effective for many kinds of disease. For instance, joint sprains can be cured instantly by massage. The patient may come in on a stretcher, but after a single session, he can definitely walk out by himself. Dizziness caused by neck problems can be resolved after just a few sessions. Patients suffering from most diseases treatable by massage will have feel obvious effect in one or two sessions.

 

Are there any serious illnesses or diseases that massage cannot help or cure?
Cancer is definitely not treatable with massage. Other illnesses like serious damage to the heart, liver and kidney, and contagious diseases are also untreatable by massage.