If you want a uniquely Chinese experience while you travel in China, the Chinese traditional medicine called cupping is ideal. Cupping is very unusual, relaxing, fun, easy to do and does not take long . This makes cupping an ideal way to enjoy an evening after a hard day seeing China’s incredible sights.
To help you understand what cupping is and how it is done, I have included photos of a cupping session I had several nights ago.
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- A clear view of how the cups are heated and placed
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- All the cups have been placed and waiting for 10 minutes
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- Looks freaky but no discomfort
What is Cupping?
Cupping is when heated cups are pressed against your skin on acupressure points and the cooling air in the cups creates a vacuum. This vacuum causes a suction effect that makes the cups to stick to your skin.
Normally the cups are placed on acupressure points on your neck, shoulders, back and upper arms. Cupping can be done on other parts of your body but it should only be done on soft muscle tissue and should not be done on your face, abdomen or on the lower back of pregnant women.
The sucking effect is said to literally suck toxins out of your body. Cupping draws blood to the surface of your skin and this is what causes the red circles you can see in the photos. The darker the circles on your back, the more serious the health problems you have.
