Media workers experience the therapeutic benefits of traditional Chinese medicine, Xu Haoyu reports.

At the Main Media Centre of the Asian Games, the Exhibition Hall of Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture has become the favorite place for people to visit in their spare time.

Teachers, student volunteers and massage therapists from Zhejiang Chinese Medical University and its affiliated hospitals have contributed to the promotion of health concepts, and fostered cultural exchange by providing distinctive traditional Chinese medicine services to the media workers. Since its opening, the exhibition hall has received over 2,000 visitors. Every day, it receives approximately 200-300 visitors, and around 30 to 40 people come to experience tuina, a form of Chinese therapeutic massage.

TCM encompasses thousands of years of experience and theoretical knowledge from ancient China in the battle against disease. Under the guidance of ancient materialism and the spontaneous dialectical thinking of the time, it was gradually formed and developed through long-term medical practice into a comprehensive theoretical system.

It originated in primitive society, stemming from people's reverence of nature. By the time of the Spring and Autumn (770-476 BC) and Warring States (475-221 BC) periods, a basic medical theoretical system had already been established.

Through continuous development and refinement over successive dynasties, TCM has matured and had a profound influence on the healthcare systems of countries and regions around the world.

The exhibition hall displays classical Chinese medicine books and specimens, to introduce the concept of TCM to a broader audience.

"Through a combination of graphics, multimedia and physical objects, we hope to showcase the profound culture of TCM and explain the common health concepts shared by traditional medicine and modern sports," said Zhu Wenpei, a teacher at the university, who's also the general manager of the exhibition hall.

Journalists from both home and abroad receive massage treatment at the exhibition hall. [Photo by Shi Futian/China Daily]

Journalists from home and abroad can also learn baduanjin, a traditional Chinese form of aerobics by following images on a screen, with the system providing real-time scoring.

"Performing baduanjin following the demonstration on the screen doesn't take much time, but it relaxes my neck, shoulders and waist to a large extent," said Xu Wendi, a reporter from Zhejiang Daily.

Zhu says that many people do not understand the difference between massage and tuina. The former affects the skin and muscles, but tuina can treat issues related to qi, blood, internal organs and even some complex diseases, such as stunted growth in children.

"The connotation and extension of TCM are much broader," Zhu added.

Jiang Nengyi from the Traditional Chinese Medical Massage Department of the affiliated hospital of the university, who studied tuina during his undergraduate and postgraduate periods, said that the initial stage of study was quite painful. "On the first day of learning tuina in my freshman year, my hands couldn't stop shaking during lunch."

However, compared to the joy of practicing it, the struggles are negligible.

Since massage therapy tends to show relatively quick effects in treating bodily ailments, those engaged in massage work experience a strong sense of accomplishment.

Jin Duo, a reporter from Hangzhou TV Station, said that the hall highlights both healthcare services and cultural elements. By providing educational and experiential content, it showcases widely recognized and easily acceptable knowledge of TCM to the public.

Professional massage doctors also use TCM meridian theory as a guide to diagnose and treat different conditions, allowing media workers from around the world to relieve their exhaustion amid a busy Asiad schedule and experience the charm of TCM firsthand.