Chinese society has been thinking about wellness since its first medical treatise in the first century BCE. The universe was conceived as a dynamic system motivated by the interaction between yin and yang, or female and male, principles. When energies are in balance, the system, whether Nature or more specifically the human body operates harmoniously. An illness is a sign of imbalance; the system can be healed by addressing the imbalance.

We highlight nutrition, therapies and practice as being useful to visitors. For nutrition, Chinese thought recommends a varied diet, consumed regularly and encourages eating foods appropriate to the season. Therapies, whether massage, acupuncture or moxibustion, are based on the manipulation of chi or energy lines that are thought to run through the universe and along determined paths in the human body. Practice envisages regular wellness exercises such as taichi to foster better balance and control, promote health and slow down certain ageing processes.

Wellness experiences can be interspersed within an itinerary, for example, including a taichi lesson by West Lake in Hangzhou, a visit to a TCM practitioner in Beijing or to a spa in Shanghai. Those who wish for a stronger focus can incorporate more and should consider spending a few days at a wellness center. But, don’t worry, if your idea of wellness involves a round of golf followed by some extensive retail therapy with top designers, we can certainly include these too.