Ossigeno

two ideograms forming the word Tui Na ( “Tui” push, “Na” grasp) already in use prior to the Ming Dynasty, define a Chinese massage technique that has ancient origins and that, in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is officially recognised as a medical therapy. Therefore, you cannot understand the true nature of the Tui Na practice without a deepening on the principles of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is not easy for the Western culture to approach to the thinking behind Chinese medicine, a very large universe, developed in 6000 years of history and in a territory much wider than Europe. Although the TCM has concretely demonstrated its efficacy as well in this part of the world, according to the Western approach it is based on poorly understood principles, so we tend to focus more on the technical and practical aspects than on the theoretical one, often extrapolating the methodology by the culture from which it originates. This attitude is rooted and is explained by the Enlightenment, a time when the superiority of reason and of Western science represented an absolute principle; precisely on the Chinese medicine, Voltaire declared: “The theory of medicine is still, among them, only ignorance and error; however, Chinese physicians show some practical talent”. Today, however, totally stripping from these prejudices of the West/ Enlightenment, we try to investigate a bit into the fascinating world of TCM. THE t h e O ’ S P A 138