TCM Wellness Tours · Shanghai & Suzhou 上海 · 苏州
Shanghai + Suzhou
Tuina, Acupuncture & Gardens
Eight days for back, neck or joint pain, or general wellbeing, at the international clinics of Longhua and Yueyang hospitals, which offer English-language service and direct billing with many international insurers. The trip ends in the classical gardens of Suzhou.
Trip length
8 days / 7 nights
TCM program
Pain program
Best time to go
March–May and October–November
Best for
Back, neck and joint pain; travellers with international insurance
Overview
TCM in English at Shanghai's international clinics, then Suzhou's classical gardens.
Two Shanghai University of TCM hospitals run international clinics listed on the Shanghai government's English portal. Longhua Hospital, JCI-accredited as an academic medical centre since 2018, offers English, French and Japanese and bills about 25 international insurers directly. Yueyang Hospital, which the same portal says has the nation's leading tuina practice, offers English, French, Japanese and Korean.
Five days of sessions in Shanghai, then two days in Suzhou, about half an hour away by high-speed train.
This route suits
- People with chronic back, neck, shoulder or knee pain
- Expats and travellers with international health insurance
- Anyone who wants consultations without an interpreter
- Garden and architecture lovers
TCM program · Pain program
What the TCM care covers
TCM consultation
A first consultation with a TCM physician at a public TCM hospital.
- History, pulse and tongue examination, with English interpreting
- Review of your current medicines and any conditions
- A written assessment in plain English
- A plan for the sessions during your stay
Pain program
For chronic back, neck, knee or shoulder pain, alongside your usual care.
- Physician assessment of the painful area; imaging reviewed if you bring it
- A course of acupuncture and tuina across the trip
- Exercises to continue at home
- Referral to a Western specialist if anything needs checking first
Herbal advice (optional)
Only if you want it, and only after a medicines check.
- Herbal prescription only after your current medicines are reviewed
- No herbs if you take blood thinners, unless your own doctor agrees
- Written list of every ingredient, in English and Chinese
- Advice on what you may legally take home to your country
Records & handover
So your doctor at home knows exactly what you had.
- Written summary in English of the assessment and treatment
- Ingredient list for any herbs prescribed
- Self-care plan: exercises, sleep and diet advice
- Follow-up video call with your coordinator
The course of sessions is planned by the TCM physician after your consultation. Background and evidence: TCM guide · acupuncture · herbal medicine
Not sure TCM is right for you?
Tell us what you'd like help with and what medicines you take. We'll tell you what a Shanghai & Suzhou trip could realistically offer — free, with no obligation.
Treatment timeline
How the sessions fit the trip
| Visit | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| This trip | This itinerary | Consultation on day 2, then sessions every day or two, so you can see how you respond. |
| Afterwards | At home | A self-care plan, and acupuncture with a licensed practitioner at home if it helped. |
Built around you
How the trip is paced
- Consultation on day 2; sessions every morning or every other morning in Shanghai
- Tuina and acupuncture alternated so the same area isn't overworked
- Flat city walks rather than long excursions on session days
- Suzhou at the end, as a slower finish
Consultation day
What happens at the clinic
| 09:00 | Meet your coordinator at the hotel and travel to the hospital. Bring your passport and a list of your medicines. |
|---|---|
| 09:30 | Registration, then a consultation with the TCM physician: history, pulse and tongue examination. |
| 10:15 | The physician explains the assessment in plain terms, with interpreting, and suggests a course of sessions. |
| 10:45 | First acupuncture or tuina session, if you're ready. |
| Afternoon | Free. Sessions are kept to mornings so the afternoons are for sightseeing. |
Itinerary · 8 days / 7 nights
Day by day
- Day 1
Arrive
- Pick-up and hotel check-in in Xuhui
Overnight: Shanghai (Xuhui)
- Day 2
Consultation
- Morning: consultation at the international clinic; first session
- Afternoon: Longhua Temple
Overnight: Shanghai (Xuhui)
- Day 3
Session & the Bund
- Morning tuina session
- Evening on the Bund
Overnight: Shanghai (Xuhui)
- Day 4
Session
- Morning acupuncture session
- Afternoon free in the former French Concession
Overnight: Shanghai (Xuhui)
- Day 5
Session
- Morning tuina session
- Afternoon free
Overnight: Shanghai (Xuhui)
- Day 6
Review & Suzhou
- Final session and review; exercises for home
- Afternoon train to Suzhou
Overnight: Suzhou old town
- Day 7
Gardens
- Humble Administrator's Garden at opening time
- Afternoon on Pingjiang Road
Overnight: Suzhou old town
- Day 8
Depart
- Train back to Shanghai for your flight
Make this itinerary yours
Change the dates, add rest days, upgrade hotels or combine it with another route. Your coordinator sends a revised plan and itemised quote.
Travel
What you’ll see
Humble Administrator's Garden, Suzhou
The largest of Suzhou's UNESCO-listed classical gardens: ponds, pavilions, bridges and carefully framed views.
Tip: Arrive at opening time; it gets busy by mid-morning.
Pingjiang Road, Suzhou
A canal-side lane of old houses, teahouses and small shops in Suzhou's old town.
Tip: Listen to pingtan (Suzhou ballad singing) in one of the teahouses.
Longhua Temple, Shanghai
Shanghai's largest and oldest Buddhist temple, with a seven-storey pagoda, close to Longhua Hospital.
Tip: Combine with a morning session at Longhua.
The Bund at dusk
The riverside promenade of historic banks and hotels facing the Pudong skyline.
Tip: An easy evening walk.
Hospitals
Where the TCM care happens
Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of TCM 上海中医药大学附属龙华医院
Public TCM teaching hospital (3A) · Shanghai University of TCM
Founded in 1960; a first-batch national TCM clinical research base (2008), JCI-accredited as an academic medical centre (2018), and a first-batch site building a national TCM medical centre (2021). Its international service offers English, French and Japanese, covers acupuncture, tuina and rehabilitation, and bills about 25 international insurers directly.
We use it for
- TCM consultation in English
- Acupuncture and tuina
- Insurance direct billing
Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine 上海中医药大学附属岳阳中西医结合医院
Public integrated TCM–Western hospital · Shanghai University of TCM
Described by the Shanghai government's English portal as having the nation's leading tuina practice. Its international department offers English, French, Japanese and Korean, with tuina, acupuncture and rehabilitation.
We use it for
- Tuina for back and neck pain
- Acupuncture
- Rehabilitation
The hospital and physician are confirmed after we know what you'd like help with, your dates and availability. An English-speaking coordinator accompanies you to every appointment.
Have chronic pain?
Tell us where it hurts, for how long and what you've tried. We'll suggest whether a TCM pain program makes sense, and whether anything should be checked first.
Aftercare
After your sessions
After acupuncture
Mild soreness or small bruises are common and fade within a day or two. Drink water, and avoid a heavy meal or alcohol right after a session.
After cupping
Round marks are normal and fade over a few days to two weeks. Keep the area warm and covered on the day.
Medicines
Keep taking your usual medicines unless your own doctor advises otherwise. Tell the TCM physician about everything you take, including supplements.
Pace
Plan easy sightseeing on session days. Many people feel relaxed or sleepy afterwards.
General guidance only. Follow the advice of the physician who treats you.
Practical tips
Before you go
- If you have international health insurance, send us the details: Longhua bills many insurers directly.
- Suzhou is about 25–30 minutes from Shanghai by high-speed train.
- Bring a list of all your medicines and supplements, with doses, plus any recent test results or scans.
- If you take blood thinners, are pregnant or have a bleeding disorder, tell us before booking: some treatments will be adjusted or left out.
- Wear loose clothing on session days, so the practitioner can reach your arms, legs and back easily.
- Have a light meal before each session; don't go on an empty stomach.
FAQ
Shanghai & Suzhou TCM wellness tour — answered.
- Can I have treatment in English?
- Yes. Both hospitals' international clinics list English among their languages. Your coordinator still comes to the appointments to help with registration.
- Will acupuncture fix my back pain?
- It may help, but don't expect a cure in a week. Trials show acupuncture does better than sham for chronic back and neck pain, but the extra benefit is modest. The exercises you continue at home matter as much as the sessions.
- Does acupuncture actually work?
- For chronic pain, the largest analysis of individual patients from high-quality trials (the Acupuncture Trialists' Collaboration, about 20,000 people) found acupuncture did better than both sham acupuncture and no acupuncture for back and neck pain, osteoarthritis and headache. The extra benefit over sham was modest. We present it as a reasonable complement to standard care, not a replacement.
- Are Chinese herbs safe?
- Not automatically. Some herbs can cause liver injury, and some interact with medicines; goji, ginkgo and garlic, for example, can affect warfarin. That's why herbs are optional on these trips, prescribed only after your medicines are checked, and always with a full ingredient list for your own doctor.
- Why a hospital and not a spa?
- At a public TCM hospital, treatment is given by licensed TCM physicians who also know when a symptom needs a Western check first. Every route uses public TCM hospitals.
- Can I take herbs home?
- Rules differ by country, and some ingredients are banned or need a licence. Your coordinator gives you an ingredient list and advice, but check your own country's customs rules before you buy.
- How much does a TCM wellness tour cost?
- It depends on the route, hotels and how many sessions you want. Send us your dates and what you'd like help with, and we'll reply with an itemised quote.
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Get your itemised quote.
Share your dates, who’s travelling and what you’d like help with. We’ll confirm the hospital, program and hotels, and keep the pace gentle.