Terminological hypotheses and curiosity - anqiao/anmo/tuina

[Guest guest]

I've heard that the classical (Han) term was " an qiao " ( " qiao " /heel as in

8-Extra Qiao channels).

 

In relatively modern China, the popular parlance is " an mo " , but this also

has overtones of " massage parlors " i.e. sexual Tx - which is not

necessarily derogatory in Asian traditions.

 

Hence the TCM (medical) neologism " tuina " (I'm sure someone will correct me

if I'm wrong here).

 

Like the TCM neologism " gigong " , which I've heard is used commonly only in

the last 40 years or so. (Again, better information?) What was it called

before? Well, there's " DaoYin " (apparently also in Japanese tradition as

" Do-In " ) as going back at least to the MaWangDui manuscripts, ca. 200 BCE.

and TaiJiChaun, going back at least several hundred years. Anyone know? Was

" gigong " used back in Ming or Qing times? Any other term(s)?

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Chris,

 

Great questions. :-) I can only address a couple based upon my own

experiences.

 

>

> In relatively modern China, the popular parlance is " an mo " , but

this also

> has overtones of " massage parlors " i.e. sexual Tx - which is not

> necessarily derogatory in Asian traditions. Hence the TCM (medical)

neologism " tuina " (I'm sure someone will correct me

> if I'm wrong here).

 

Yes, different regions have different uses for these words. It appears

some regions use tuina for the " massage parlor " type of meaning. So I

will talk to some people in Chinatown and tell them that I am

practicing tuina and their eyes go wide open. :-) !!! So I explain and

they go - Ah! Anmo. :-) My teacher prefers the word Anmo - which I

have also seen written as Amma. (There is a great book called " Amma

Therapy " written by Sohn and Sohn. I think in China it is just

referred to as Chinese Massage Therapy. That is the name of the

standard TCM book from Shandong Science and Technology Press. I am

sure others will elaborate further.

>

 

>

> Like the TCM neologism " gigong " , which I've heard is used commonly

only in

> the last 40 years or so. (Again, better information?) What was it called

> before? Well, there's " DaoYin " (apparently also in Japanese tradition as

> " Do-In " ) as going back at least to the MaWangDui manuscripts, ca.

200 BCE.

> and TaiJiChaun, going back at least several hundred years. Anyone

know? Was

> " gigong " used back in Ming or Qing times? Any other term(s)?

 

According to Zhang Yu Huan, in " A Brief History of Qi " the term Qi

Gong was first appeared in the Jin Dynasty (265 C.E. - 420 C.E.) in a

Daoist book entitled Records of a Clear Record of Religion (Ming Jing

Zhong Jiao Lu) by Xu Xun. Before that, the earliest records However,

in the book Chinese Qi Gong by Ma Ji Ren, it is pointed out that the

word did not become popular until 1949. Before that, it was known my

various names including DaoYin.

 

Interestingly, all forms of Dao Yin and Qi Gong appear to evolve from

dance - according to the book " The History of the Art of Chinese QI

Gon (Zhong Guo Qi Gong Shi). I personally observed this in my own

early training. Since I love to dance - all kind of dances - I notices

that many Chinese qigong forms looked very much like many of the same

forms that I found in traditional dances - e.g. African dancing - but

it is done much slower. Much, much slower. :-) My guess is becaue

qigong is meant for more meditative uses as well as physical exercise.

 

Looking forward to hearing more on this subject.

 

Regards,

Rich