A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE TEN MAIN LINES (SEN PRATHAN SIB) AND THE BASIS MASSAGE LINES IN COURT TYPE THAI TRADITIONAL MASSAGE WITH ANATOMICAL CORRELATION

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between the Ten Main Lines described in The Book of Massage from Volumes 1 and 2 of the Royal Medical Texts (reign of King Chulalongkorn, Rama V) and the Basic Ten Lines in traditional royal Thai massage, focusing on their anatomical correlations. Despite their widespread use in Thai massage, the structural and therapeutic connections between these two systems remain insufficiently studied, which limits their integration into modern clinical practice and education. Data were collected from primary royal Thai massage texts, translated from ancient to modern Thai, and analyzed for point locations, line pathways, and therapeutic effects. Experts validated both systems by mapping point locations and line pathways onto male and female models, while anatomical specialists examined their structural relationships using comparative anatomical analysis. Documentation included written records, videos, and images. This qualitative descriptive research is divided into three key areas: 1) mapping of the Ten Main Lines, 2) mapping of the Basic Ten Lines, and 3) anatomical correlation analysis. Findings indicate that the Ten Main Lines and the Basic Ten Lines share significant structural similarities, particularly in terms of points, pathways, and therapeutic functions. These insights provide a foundation for further standardization of Thai massage techniques and may contribute to their application in both traditional and modern therapeutic settings.