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Learn Tui Na Massage and TCM in China
Learn Tui Na (also written Tuina), the traditional Chinese massage, and other methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) at our Kung Fu school in the Yuntai Mountains of Henan. Once a week, our TCM teachers, who also work in local hospitals, show you Tui Na massage, cupping, gua sha, moxibustion and acupuncture. The class is optional and included in your stay.
Included in your stayOnce a weekNo experience neededTeachers from local hospitals
1×TCM class a week
5TCM methods
$0extra cost
Alllevels welcome
All-inclusiveTraining, TCM class, room, 3 meals a day and free pickup
$690 / month (VIP)Less per month for longer stays · All prices ›
What is Tui Na massage?What is TCM?What you learnHow the class worksHistoryWhy in ChinaTui Na & Kung FuWho it’s forFAQ
Impressions from our TCM class. Click a photo to enlarge.
What is Tui Na massage?
Chinese therapeutic massage.
Tui Na, also written Tuina, is one of the main treatment methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine, next to acupuncture and herbal medicine. Unlike a relaxing wellness massage, it works with acupressure points and the meridians, the channels through which Qi, the life energy, flows according to TCM. Techniques like pushing, rolling, kneading and pressing are used for muscle tension, back and neck pain and sports injuries.
What Tui Na is used for
In Chinese hospitals and clinics, Tui Na is used for tense muscles, back, neck and shoulder pain, stiff joints and sports injuries, and also for general well-being and relaxation. In China, there is even a special form of Tui Na for children.
Tui Na vs. deep tissue massage
Tui Na
Follows the ideas of Chinese medicine. Works along the meridians and on acupressure points, with many hand techniques like pushing, grasping, rolling and stretching. Often treats areas away from where it hurts.
Deep tissue massage
A Western massage with slow, firm pressure on the deep layers of the muscles. It focuses directly on the tense or painful area.
The basic Tui Na techniques
Tui Na has many hand techniques. These six are among the most important ones, and you practise several of them in class:
Tui (推) · pushing along a muscle or meridian
Na (拿) · grasping and lifting a muscle
An (按) · pressing on a point with the thumb or palm
Mo (摩) · circular rubbing with the palm
Rou (揉) · kneading in small circles
Gun (滚) · rolling with the back of the hand
推拿Did you know?
Tui Na means “push and grasp”, two of the basic hand techniques you learn in class.
What is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)?
Chinese medicine, simply explained.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is a system of healing that has developed in China over more than 2,000 years. It looks at the body as a whole: health means balance, and complaints are seen as a sign that this balance is disturbed. In China, TCM is not alternative medicine. It is part of the public health system, with its own universities and hospitals, and it is often used together with Western medicine.
Qi and the meridians
According to TCM, Qi, the life energy, flows through the body in channels called meridians. Along them lie the acupuncture points. When Qi flows freely, you are healthy. When it is blocked, pain and complaints appear.
Yin and Yang
Every person, organ and illness has a Yin side (calm, cool, inner) and a Yang side (active, warm, outer). TCM tries to bring the two back into balance. The same idea is behind Tai Chi and Yin and Yang in Shaolin Kung Fu.
TCM rests on several pillars: acupuncture and moxibustion, herbal medicine, Tui Na massage, nutrition and movement practices like Qi Gong and Tai Chi. In our TCM class, you get to know the hands-on methods.
“Where there is flow, there is no pain. Where there is pain, there is no flow.”Classic saying of Chinese medicine (通则不痛，痛则不通)
What you learn in the Tui Na & TCM class
Five classic methods of Chinese medicine.
Your teacher explains and demonstrates each method, and you try the hands-on techniques yourself under guidance. Tui Na is at the centre, and the other methods show you how Chinese medicine works as a whole.
推拿Tui Na
Chinese therapeutic massage. Pushing, grasping, kneading and pressing along the meridians and acupressure points.
拔罐Cupping
Cups create suction on the skin. In TCM, cupping is used for tense muscles and to stimulate circulation.
刮痧Gua Sha
A smooth tool is scraped over oiled skin. In TCM, it is used for tension and to stimulate circulation.
艾灸Moxibustion
Dried mugwort (moxa) is burned close to acupuncture points to warm them.
针灸Acupuncture
The best-known TCM method: fine needles are placed at specific points along the meridians.
How the Tui Na & TCM class works
Once a week. Optional. Included.
- Once a week, usually on Wednesday afternoon
- Optional: you decide if you join
- Included in your all-inclusive price
- No experience needed
- Taught by TCM teachers who also work in local hospitals
- Fits around your Kung Fu, Tai Chi or Qi Gong training
When the class takes place. The TCM class runs all year, except in July, August and during Chinese New Year. In these months, our TCM teachers are fully busy at the hospitals. If TCM is important to you, plan your stay outside these months.
See where the TCM class fits into your week: training schedule.
History of Tui Na
More than 2,000 years of hands-on healing.
- 2,000+ years agoMassage is described in the Huangdi Neijing, the classic of Chinese medicine
- Tang dynastyThe imperial medical office has its own department for massage
- Ming dynastyThe name Tui Na becomes common, also for treating children
- TodayTui Na departments in hospitals all over China
Massage is one of the oldest healing methods in China. For centuries, Tui Na was passed on from teacher to student. Today, it is taught at TCM universities and used in hospitals, and our TCM teachers bring this everyday hospital practice into the classroom.
Why learn Tui Na massage in China?
Learn it where it is part of everyday life.
- Your teachers use TCM every day in local hospitals, not only in theory
- In China, TCM is part of daily life: in hospitals, pharmacies and in many families
- You combine it with Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Qi Gong, which are based on the same ideas
- The class is included in your stay, so you can try it without extra cost
- You experience Chinese culture far beyond the training hall
Tui Na and Kung Fu
Healing has always been part of martial arts.
Kung Fu training is hard on the body. Traditionally, martial arts teachers also knew how to treat bruises, strains and sore muscles. In China, this knowledge is called Die Da (跌打), which means “fall and hit”. Learning Tui Na helps you understand your own body, recover better after training and help your training partners.
Tui Na, Qi Gong and Tai Chi share the same ideas of Qi and the meridians. If you train one of them, the others become easier to understand.
Who the Tui Na & TCM class is for
Curious minds, no experience needed.
- Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Qi Gong students who want to understand their body better
- People interested in massage, bodywork or Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Anyone who wants to get to know Chinese culture beyond martial arts
What you take home
Simple Tui Na, acupressure and gua sha techniques you can use for yourself, your family and your training partners, for example after a hard training day. You know what cupping, moxibustion and acupuncture are and how they are used. And you understand your body better from the point of view of Chinese medicine.
The TCM class is an introduction and hands-on practice during your stay. It is not a professional therapist training.
Free & without obligation
Ready to start your training?
No deposit and no application fee. You only pay after you arrive at the school.
- Start any week
- Invitation letter for your visa
- Free pickup in Zhengzhou
FAQ
Learning Tui Na in China: your questions.
What is Tui Na?
Tui Na is Chinese therapeutic massage and one of the main treatment methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It works with acupressure points and the meridians, using techniques like pushing, grasping, kneading and pressing.
What is TCM?
TCM stands for Traditional Chinese Medicine, a system of healing that has developed in China over more than 2,000 years. It includes acupuncture, herbal medicine, Tui Na massage, nutrition and movement practices like Qi Gong. In China, it is part of the public health system.
Is the TCM class included in the price?
Yes. The TCM class is included in your all-inclusive price, together with your training, room, three meals a day and free pickup. There is no extra fee. See all prices.
How often is the TCM class?
Once a week, usually on Wednesday afternoon. The class is optional, so you decide if you join.
Is there a TCM class all year?
The TCM class runs all year, except in July, August and during Chinese New Year. In these months, our TCM teachers are fully busy at the hospitals.
What do I learn in the TCM class?
Tui Na massage, cupping, gua sha, moxibustion and acupuncture. Your teacher explains and demonstrates each method, and you try the hands-on techniques yourself under guidance.
Who teaches the TCM class?
Our TCM teachers also work in local hospitals, so you learn from people who use Chinese medicine every day.
Do I need any experience?
No. The class is open to all students, no matter if you have done massage or bodywork before.
Can I use what I learn at home?
Yes. Simple Tui Na, acupressure and gua sha techniques are easy to use for yourself, your family and your training partners, for example after a hard training day. Methods like acupuncture belong in the hands of trained therapists, but you will know what they are and how they work.
Is this a professional Tui Na training?
No. The TCM class is an introduction and hands-on practice during your stay at our Kung Fu school. It does not qualify you to work as a therapist. For that, you need a professional training at a TCM university or school.
Can I combine the TCM class with Kung Fu or Tai Chi?
Yes. The TCM class fits around your training. You train Shaolin Kung Fu, Tai Chi or Qi Gong as usual and join the TCM class once a week.
What is the difference between Tui Na and a Western massage?
A wellness massage mainly relaxes the muscles. Tui Na is a treatment method of Chinese medicine: it works with acupressure points and the meridians and is used for specific complaints like muscle tension or back pain.
Combine your training
Mix styles during your stay.