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Anma

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A photograph of a typical Meiji-era Anma

Anma (Kanji: 按摩) refers to the art of traditional Japanese massage. Practitioners of this art are known as Anmashi (按摩師, Masseuse). Modern Shiatsu is largely derived from the pressure methods (Appaku Ho) contained within Anma.

History

The Japanese term "Anma" is composed of the kanji characters for "press" and "rub". It also means to spread "peace" by "rubbing" or to "calm" with the hands. Anma is one of the oldest forms of massage in the world, and it is the oldest form of bodywork in the orient. This therapy comes from ancient China and is at least 7000 years old. Anma in Chinese is pronounced "Anmo". Anma traditionally was the base of all oriental medical training. Anma techniques develop the sensitivity of the practitioner's hands which is considered crucial for the proper application of other areas of medicine. Traditionally one had to train in Anma for three years before beginning any other areas of training such as acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, etc. which required seven years of training.

Development of Anmo in China:

  • During the Zhou and Qin Dynasties (1122 B.C - 206 B.C.) All of Chinese medicine was systemized and codified by different treatments. The Su Wen 素問 and Lingshu Jing 靈樞經 medical works were created. This is the first time Anmo is recorded and includes detailed information about massage techniques and treatments.
  • During the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. – 264 A.D.) Anmo massage methods flourished and developed in China alongside the other main areas of medicine such as: acupuncture, moxibustion, herbology, cupping, breath regulation, self-healing exercises, methods to prevent aging, etc... These were all recorded in the Huangdi Neijing 黃帝內經 "Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine" written by Huang Ti (Yellow Emperor).
  • During the Jin and Sui Dynasties (265 A.D. - 618 A.D.) there were many internal wars which halted the progress of oriental medicine and Anmo. During this period however, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Anmo, Chinese culture, religion, and martial arts began to travel into Japan through Korea.
  • During the Tang Dynasty (618 A.D. – 907 A.D.) and onwards Anmo fell into decline throughout China except in the north. During this time doctors began to take some of the techniques from Anmo to create a trauma based therapy called Tuina (推拏). This art re-emerged in the south and is the prevalent bodywork art in China today. Tuina means to "push" 推 and "pull" 拏. The original Anmo techniques in China died out and all that remains is the Tuina branch of the tradition.
(Development of Anmo in China Reference: [1])

Development of Anma in Japan

Anma in Japan for the most part developed separately from the Chinese Anmo tradition. There are a number of kinds of techniques that are only found in the Japanese form of Anma. In Japan, Anma eventually went into the formation of the art of Shiatsu. This is similar to how the art of Tuina was created in China. Some of the categories of Anma techniques were combined together to create a new art. In this manner, a number of arts were created using the techniques of Anma. Even Swedish massage was created using the 7 core techniques of Anma.

  • Asuka Periods and Earlier (Early 5th Century to 710 A.D.) Anma and other forms of oriental medicine were introduced into Japan from Korea. During two centuries there was trade with China through Korea. The basis for modern Japanese culture was formulated during this time. In 562 A.D. a Chinese monk and physician by the name of Zhicong (Chiso in Japanese) brought many works on Chinese medicine and became a Japanese citizen. Chiso is said to have brought with him more than 160 volumes of Chinese medical texts which, at the time, represented state-of-the-art medicine. By the 8th century, government-sponsored acupuncture medical schools had been established in Japan and medical knowledge from China continued to be assimilated by the Japanese. However, by the middle of the 10th century, political tensions began to arise between China and Japan, and contact with China became increasingly cut off. It was during this period that Japanese physicians began refining the Chinese system and making their own unique innovations to the practice of Anma and medicine.
  • Nara and Heian Periods (710 A.D. - 1185)
    A section from one of the 30 scrolls of the Ishinpō written in 718 A.D. It is the oldest surviving medical work in Japan.
    In 718 A.D. a medical school in Japan was established by the government to make a systematic study of acupuncture. There were many degree offered in this school. It required 7 years to earn a degree in acupuncture and moxibustion. It took 3 years to earn a degree to become a "Anmashi" 按摩師 (massage therapist) or to become a "Jugonshi" 呪禁師 (medical spell incantation therapist). Jugonshi were considered indispensable for their spells, their medical treatments of the sick, and their efforts to make childbirth safer. The most outstanding practitioners from among the Jugonshi was appointed "Jugon Hakase" 呪禁博士 (master sorcerer), with only one such fixed position. The Jugon Hakase worked to train and cultivate the "Jugonsei" 呪禁生 (apprentice sorcerers). In 753 A.D a Chinese Buddhist monk named Jianzhen 鑒真 (Ganjin in Japanese) immigrated to Japan with 35 of his disciples who were all doctors. They transmitted their knowledge of oriental medicine to the monks in Japan. In 984 A.D. the Ishinpō 医心方 was written by Yasuyori Tamba. This medical work is 30 scrolls in length. The work is based on the Chinese Bìng Yuánhóu lún, written by Suí Dynasty author Cháo Yuánfāng. Many of the Ishinpō texts have been lost in China, and have only survived to the present day through their inclusion in the Japanese work. The Ishinpō is the oldest surviving medical work in Japan and is considered a national treasure. It covers all known areas and topics of oriental medicine including Anma. It describes 658 Tsubo (acupoints).
  • During the Kamakura and Muromachi Periods ((1185 A.D. – 1574 A.D.) In Japan this time was a very turbulent period with many wars. Because of the instability of the government the support for the official medical system was abandoned and Japanese medicine began to decline during the 5th and 6th centuries. Anma as well as the other branches of oriental medicine were kept alive by the common people within their families.
  • Momoyama Period (1575 A.D. - 1602) End of the Sengoku Jidai (waring states period). During this time the capitol was moved from Western Japan to the East near Yokohama and across from Tokyo. Society became stable once again and many new developments were made in the medical field including Anma.
  • Edo Period (1602 A.D. - 1868) in 1602 Japan's capitol moved to Edo (Tokyo). Development of Anma and oriental medicine had reached its peek in this period. Many new techniques, text, and schools were established in Tokyo. The Edo Period was the was time Japan was introduced to Western medical knowledge such as anatomy and physiology. This came from the Dutch Trading Company. They were the first Western company to have commerce with Japan and their physicians. With this exchange of knowledge Anma, acupuncture, and other oriental medical arts were taught to Dutch physicians who then brought them back to Europe. During the middle of the 19th century, shortly before the Shoguns fell, a Shogun regulation was made that only the blind were permitted to be practitioners of Anma as a form of welfare. Many blind took over the occupation and gave massage for relaxation purposes (Genko Anma) instead of for therapy (Koho Anma). A lot of technical and clinical knowledge was lost during this time due to the change in practitioners of Anma.
  • Meiji Period (1868 A.D. - 1912) This is the time in Japan when the fall of the Shuguns happened and was replaced by imperialism. The Japanese government was modeled after the Western influences which had entered Japan. Changes where made to make Japanese society more Western. Western medicine became the primary treatment and the first choice for patients to receive. This greatly threaten the tradition of Anma and nearly wiped out the traditional therapeutic value of Anma and Oriental medicine. Anma was still maintained as an occupation for the blind. At the end of this period the government created regulations requiring licensing of all Anma practitioners. Western style of massage and the use of the massage table were introduced to Japan at this time.
  • Taiso, Showa, and the Modern Period (1912 to Current) Info Coming Soon

Schools of Anma in Japan

Anma Tebiki 按摩手引 (Anma's Hand Procedures) written by Fujibayashi Ryohaku in the early Edo period 1801.
Introduction page of the Anma Tebiki.

The main traditions or schools of Anma in Japan are:

  • 藤林流按摩 Fujibayashi Ryu Anma founded by: Fujibayashi Ryohaku
  • 吉田流按摩 Kichiden (Yoshida) Ryu Anma founded by: Yoshida (Ikyu) Hisashi
  • 杉山流按摩 Sugiyama (Sansen) Ryu Anma founded by: Sugiyama Waichi
  • 皆川流按摩 Minagawa Ryu Anma founded by:

Most schools of Anma alive today can be traced back the the Fujibayashi Ryu 藤林流.

In Japan, Anma was practiced in government-sponsored hospitals. Anma as a unique system was founded in 1320 by Akashi Kan Ichi.[2][3] Anma was popularised in the seventeenth century by acupuncturist Sugiyama Waichi, and around the same time the first books on the subject, including Fujibayashi Ryohaku's Anma Tebiki ("Anma Hand Procedures"), appeared.[4] The Fujibayashi school is the foundation of modern anma.[5] Anma (masseurs) were often nomadic, earning their keep in mobile massage capacities, and paying commissions to their referrers. In the nineteenth century, the image of anma suffered somewhat from an association with the ukiyo lifestyle of urban Japan, and it was subsequently less well-regarded as a therapy.[6]

During the Meiji period, the appearance of Western medicine reduced anma's prominence still further. Many of its techniques were subsumed into shiatsu and Western massage practices, although research into anma for medical purposes continues at Tokyo Kyoiku University.[4] Anma is still practiced independently of shiatsu in Japan, with practitioners being certified by the health board of their local prefecture.[7]

Blind Practitioners

Since Sugiyama's time, Anma has been strongly associated with the blind.[8] Sugiyama, blind himself, established a number of medical schools for the blind which taught this practice. During the Tokugawa period, edicts were passed which made the practice of anma solely the preserve of the blind – sighted people were prohibited from practicing the art.[2] As a result, the "blind anma" has become a popular trope in Japanese culture.[9] This has continued into the modern era, with a large proportion of the Japanese blind community continuing to work in the profession.[10]

During the Occupation of Japan by the Allies after World War II, the practice of anma was banned (along with other aspects of traditional Japanese culture) by General MacArthur. The ban prevented a large proportion of Japan's blind community from earning a living. Writer and advocate for blind rights Helen Keller, on being made aware of the prohibition, interceded with the United States government; at her urging, the ban was rescinded.[11]

In recent years the fictional character of Zatoichi, the blind swordsman, has brought the concept of the "blind anma" into the public eye in the West.[12] Blind anma are also commonly used to comedic effect in Japanese cinema.

Techniques

Anpuku Zukai 按腹圖解 (Illistrated Manual of Abdominal Therapy) by Shinsai Ota 1827
Konki technique from the Anpuku Zukai.

There are nine major categories of techniques within the art of Anma. Seven are original and two were added later on (Kyosatsu Ho and Haaku Ho). Also, the Kyokute Ho methods are only found within the Japanese tradition of Anma and not in any other art form. Each category of techniques is meant to work the body in a unique way. These nine categories create various effects that assist in the achievement of the goals of Anma therapy. During an Anma massage all nine areas are utilized to create a complete therapy. Anma techniques are also said to improve the practitioner's own health and mental well-being.

Anma's Nine Major Categories of Techniques:

  • 1. Keisatsu Ho 軽擦法 Light stroking techniques also known as Anbu Ho 按撫法
  • 2. Kyosatsu Ho 強擦法 Rotation & stroking with heavy pressure also known as Annetsu Ho 按捏法
  • 3. Junen Ho 柔念法 Kneading techniques also known as Junetsu Ho 柔捏法
  • 4. Appaku Ho 圧迫法 Pressure techniques
  • 5. Shinsen Ho 振せ法 Vibration techniques
  • -Gaishin 外振: Outer Vibration
  • -Naishin 振: Inner Vibration
  • 6. Haaku Ho 把握法 Gripping & squeezing techniques
  • 7. Koda Ho 卯打法 Percussion techniques
  • 8. Kyokute Ho 曲手法 Melodious bending hand percussion techniques
  • 9. Undo Ho 運動法 Movement, Stretching & Rehabilitation Methods
  • Jido Undo Ho 自動運動法: Movement by yourself combined with equipment
  • Tado Undo Ho 他動運動法: Movement by the therapist
  • Shincho Undo Ho 伸张運動法: Stretching methods
  • Teiko Undo Ho 抵抗運動法: Testing, resistance & exercising methods
  • Kyosei Ho 矯正法: Structural diagnosis bone and joint realignment methods similar to Chiropractic.

These techniques are directed at specific Tsubo vital points and Keiraku meridians on the body.[4] The seven traditional techniques are: pressing/stroking, grasping/kneading, strengthening, compressing, vibrating, tapping and "hand music". In addition, methods of abdominal palpitation (Anpuku), developed by Shinsai Ota in the seventeenth century, are used.[13][14] It is considered quite a vigorous form of massage, with gripping movements intended to increase blood flow to the muscles and deep tissues, and forceful acupressure techniques applied with the knuckles. The treatment is usually performed through the clothing, rather than directly on the skin.[15]

References

  1. ^ Mochizuki, Shogo Anma (1995). The Art of Japanese Massage. p. 12. ISBN 157615050X (1-57615-050-X)
  2. ^ a b Jōya, Moku (1985). Mock Jōya's Things Japanese. p. 55. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  3. ^ Fu ren da xue (Beijing, China). Ren lei xue bo wu guan; S.V.D. Research Institute; Society of the Divine Word (1962). Folklore studies. p. 235. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  4. ^ a b c Kaneko, Dr. DoAnn T. (2006). Shiatsu Anma Therapy. HMAUCHI. ISBN 9780977212804.
  5. ^ Louis Frédéric (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Harvard University Press. pp. 28–29. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  6. ^ Micozzi, Marc S. (2001). Fundamentals of complementary and alternative medicine. Churchill Livingstone. p. 120. ISBN 9780443065767.
  7. ^ Liza Crihfield Dalby (1984). All-Japan: the catalogue of everything Japanese. Morrow. p. 132. ISBN 978-0-688-02530-4. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  8. ^ Young, Jacqueline (2007). Complementary Medicine For Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. p. 99. ISBN 9780470519684.
  9. ^ Beresford-Cooke, Carola (2010). Shiatsu Theory and Practice. Elsevier Health Sciences. ISBN 9780080982472.
  10. ^ American Foundation for the Blind (1973). "The New outlook for the blind". 67: 178. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  11. ^ Beresford-Cooke, Carola (2003). Shiatsu Theory and Practice: A Comprehensive Text for the Student and Professional. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 2. ISBN 9780443070594.
  12. ^ David West (26 December 2006). Chasing Dragons: An Introduction to the Martial Arts Film. I.B.Tauris. pp. 33–. ISBN 978-1-85043-982-0. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  13. ^ Kiiko Matsumoto; Stephen Birch (1988). Hara Diagnosis: Reflections on the Sea. Paradigm Publications. pp. 315–. ISBN 978-0-912111-13-1. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  14. ^ Carl Dubitsky (1 May 1997). Bodywork Shiatsu: Bringing the Art of Finger Pressure to the Massage Table. Inner Traditions * Bear & Company. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-89281-526-5. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  15. ^ Jacqueline Young (26 October 2007). Complementary Medicine For Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-470-51968-4. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
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