UNESCO listed Thai Massage or Nuad Thai as one of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This means that Thai Massage is something special that needs to be preserved for future generations.
Then What is “Nuad Thai”?
According to Unesco, “Nuad Thai, traditional Thai massage is regarded as part of the art, science and culture of traditional Thai healthcare. As a non-medicinal remedy and manual therapy, it involves bodily manipulation in which the practitioner helps rebalance the patient’s body, energy and structure to treat illnesses believed to be caused by the obstruction of energy flow along ‘sen’, lines understood to crisscross the human body.”
It all started in India by Jīvaka, Buddha’s physician, thousands of years ago. When Buddhism came to Southeast Asia, Yoga Massage, along with other cultures, also reached the first era of Thailand, Sukhothai. At the time, people called it “Ruesi Datton” or “Thai Hermit Exercise” as hermits usually perform these massage positions to gain their physical and mental strengths.
What is this illustration and where is it?
The illustration describes the energy points in a person’s body as its medical effects when treated properly. There are hundreds of energy points in our body and when pressed, pinched, or touched at the right intensity, a miracle happens. This illustration is at Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha), or Wat Phra Chetuphon. About the 19th century, King Rama III restored Wat Pho and declared as Rama I’s official temple. He established ”Wat Pho Thai Traditional Medicine School” to preserve this culture with accuracy and authenticity.
What to expect when getting Thai Massage?
In general, Thai Massage is the use of the masseurs’ or masseuses’ body, including thumbs, elbows, knees, and feet, to push, pull, stretch, and even twist your tissues, muscles, and bones to correct your posture. After such powerful movements, your body will be free from any contractions or tensions. Hence, this is a MUST-HAVE experience for anyone coming to Thailand. There are some useful articles on this website for you to fit in when coming to Thailand. Or you can book a Thai massage treatment right away on our platform. Just visit our website here: thaihandmassage.com/
