🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Massage has been practiced in China for over 2,000 years, offering benefits such as regulating nervous system function, promoting blood circulation, enhancing the body’s resistance to disease, relaxing tendons, dissipating inflammation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. Common health-preserving massage methods include:
1. Bathing the Head
Press the palms firmly against the forehead, rub gently down to the chin, then flip the hands to the back of the head, gliding over the top of the head, and return to the forehead—this counts as one repetition. Repeat 10 times. Then, gently rub the hair roots all over the head with the fingertips, 10 times. This helps balance the meridians, maintain vitality, improve complexion, and reduce wrinkles.
2. Knocking the Zanzhu Point
Alternately tap the bilateral Zanzhu points (located in the depression at the inner corner of the eyebrows) with the protruding part of the bent thumb, 15–20 times per point, with moderate force. This helps relieve forehead pain, eye strain, and restore visual fatigue.
3. Rotating the Eyes
Seat upright, rotate both eyes to the left 5 times, pause briefly facing forward, then rotate to the right 5 times, pause again. Extremely beneficial for protecting vision.
4. Pressing Jingming Point
Press both Jingming points (located 0.1 cun above the inner corner of the eye) with the tips of both index fingers for 15–30 seconds, with moderate discomfort. Helps relieve eye pain and improve vision.
5. Rubbing Eyelids
Lightly press the upper eyelids with both thumbs, then rotate and rub them, 20 times clockwise and 20 times counterclockwise. Helps relieve eye pain and improve vision.
6. Pressing Taiyang Point
Place the tips of both index fingers on the bilateral Taiyang points and rotate, 10–15 times clockwise and counterclockwise. Helps relieve headaches and refresh the mind.
7. Chewing Teeth
Close the mouth lightly and gently tap the upper and lower teeth together 20–30 times. Helps prevent tooth loosening and falling out, and promotes digestive function.
8. Grinding the Nasal Bridge
Use the back of the thumb to rub the nasal bridge firmly until the area feels warm. Helps clear nasal passages and prevent colds.
9. Dry Facial Washing
Interlace the fingers of both hands and rub from the forehead down to the face 20–30 times. Helps awaken the mind and lower blood pressure.
10. Pretend Combining Hair
Touch the scalp with fingertips, combing from the forehead to the back of the head, and from the crown to the temple. Continue until a warming sensation is felt. Helps brighten the mind, relieve pain, and lower blood pressure.
11. Drumming the Heavenly Gate
Press both palms tightly over the ears, then lightly tap the back of the head with the middle three fingers 10 times. Then cover the ears with palms, keep fingers pressed on the back of the head, suddenly lift them, repeating the open-close sound 10 times. Finally, insert the index or middle fingers into the ear canals, rotate 3 times, then suddenly remove them. This counts as one round; repeat 3–5 times. Helps awaken the mind, enhance memory, strengthen hearing, and prevent ear diseases.
12. Rubbing the Chest
Place both palms on the outer upper part of the breasts and rotate and rub, 10 times clockwise and 10 times counterclockwise. Helps accelerate blood flow and reduce chest muscle fatigue.
13. Grabbing Shoulder Muscles
Use the right thumb, index, and middle fingers to pinch the left shoulder muscle, then use the left hand to pinch the right shoulder muscle, alternating, 10 times each. Helps loosen shoulders and relieve fatigue.
14. Pressing Zhongfu Point
Press the midpoint between the two nipples (Zhongfu point) with the pad of the thumb with moderate force, hold for about 30 seconds, then suddenly release. Repeat 5 times. Helps expand the chest, regulate qi, relieve pain, and stop asthma.
15. Clearing the Thoracic Gate
Seat upright, calm the mind, inhale deeply, then exhale slowly. Repeat 10 times. Helps expel stale air, nourish the lungs, regulate qi, and improve respiratory function.
16. Opening the Chest Passage
Spread the fingers slightly, place them on the sides of the chest, and glide the fingertips along the intercostal spaces from inside to outside, repeating 10–15 times. Helps open the chest, regulate qi, relieve coughing, and stop shortness of breath.
17. Relieving the Large Intestine
One hand rests on the waist, the other hand spreads the fingers, fingertips pointing downward, starting from the epigastric region, moving down along both sides of the navel to the lower abdomen, then turning right and upward to the right rib cage, then leftward. Follow the path of the large intestine, rubbing and massaging 10 times. Helps unblock the large intestine, improve digestion, and prevent constipation.
18. Separating Yin and Yang
With the navel as the center, place the thumbs of both hands opposite each other, flat on either side of the navel, and rub inward and outward, 10 times total. Helps regulate qi, eliminate bloating, and improve digestion.
19. Rubbing Huan Tiao Point
Seated or standing, use the left thumb to rub the left Huan Tiao point (located at the outer third of the line connecting the greater trochanter of the femur and the sacral hiatus), then use the right thumb to rub the right Huan Tiao point, alternating, 10 times each. Helps unblock meridians, strengthen tendons, and fortify the feet.
20. Rubbing the Waist Eyes
Press both hands firmly on the waist eyes, rub downward to the sacrococcygeal region, alternating hands up and down, 30 times total. Helps strengthen the waist and kidneys, prevent back pain.
21. Shaking Both Hands
Let both arms hang naturally, swing them forward and backward 30–50 times. Helps relax shoulder, arm, wrist, and finger joints, promote blood circulation, and enhance arm function.
22. Beating the Shoulders
Make fists with both hands, and beat the opposite arm from shoulder to wrist 20–30 times. Helps unblock meridians, make joints flexible, prevent arthritis, and relieve arm pain.
23. Touching the Fingers Together
Place both palms together, press the fingers firmly together 10 times. Helps mobilize finger joints and promote hand function.
24. Pinching the Tiger’s Mouth
Use the right thumb and index finger to pinch the left tiger’s mouth, then use the left thumb and index finger to pinch the right tiger’s mouth, 10 times each. Helps improve hand function and treat facial and head disorders.
25. Rotating the Knees
Press both palms firmly on both knees, first rotate outward 10 times, then inward 10 times. Helps expel wind, improve joint flexibility, enhance knee function, and prevent arthritis.
26. Rubbing the Thighs
Hold one thigh firmly with both hands, press down to the knee, then rub back up to the thigh root, repeating 20 times. Helps make joints flexible, strengthen leg muscles, and prevent leg diseases.
27. Rubbing the Calf
Use both palms to firmly hold one calf, rotate and rub 30 times per side. Helps unblock blood and qi, strengthen muscle power.
28. Pinching the Achilles Tendon
Pinch the Achilles tendon with the thumb and index finger, 20 times per side. Helps improve foot function, relieve lower limb fatigue, and strengthen foot strength.
29. Rubbing the Soles
After warming both hands, rub both soles, 80 times per foot. Helps guide excess heat, soothe the liver, and improve vision.