China has a long history of using massage therapy to work with various health conditions and create wellness. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses the theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine such as the energy pathways called ‘meridians’, the interplay of the Five Elements, the interplay of yin and yang. Even though TCM has a very long and extensive history, there is no research that shows that there are such things as meridians. It is all mostly based on tradition.
Chinese Massage methods are often included under the umbrella of Asian Bodywork and Massage Programs offered by schools. Asia is comprised of 47 countries so it is a wide range of therapies.
There are many different types of Chinese Massage that you can learn about in my section on Asian Massage and types of massage section.
Chinese Massage School Students
There are also many Chinese people wanting to attend massage school and become licensed massage therapists. There are a few schools who cater to these people offering bi-lingual programs. The thing you also have to find out is if the state that you are licensed in offers testing in Chinese. Many don’t, so you will still have to take the test in English.
The thing you have to watch out for are schools that are disguised as diploma mills, that say they are offering the required classes but they are not and will give a diploma to anyone. The schools will present information that just sounds too good to be true like saying you can make way more than you really can or that the program can be completed in a very short time. They may also say they are approved or internationally recognized and try to cover the fact that they are not a legit school. Accreditation helps reduce this but accreditation is also expensive for a proprietary school so it if you school is NOT accredited it does not mean it isn’t a legit or good school. Fake diplomas were common in CA for awhile until a bill was passed to stop them.
Correa’s Senate Bill 285 states: “This bill would provide that a person who provides a certificate, transcript, diploma or other document, or otherwise affirms that a person has received instruction in massage therapy knowing that the person has not received massage therapy instruction consistent with that documentation or affirmation is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to specified penalties. By creating a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.”
In the Shadows: Human Trafficking, Fraud and the Cost to the Massage Profession By Kathryn Feather 5/20/2011. Massage Today.
Chinese Massage Schools
Bellevue Massage School in WA State offers a bilingual massage school program.
15921 NE 8th St, Suite C-106
Bellevue, WA 98008, United States
(425) 641-3409
Massage Licensing Program
Registration: $100 (non-refundable after five business days)
Tuition: $13,400
Total: $13,500
Additional costs of books and supplies (approximate):
New Table: $500
Used Table: $250
Text Books: $200