[Reading this in-depth study presupposes knowledge of the content presented in the cultural test relating to this practice].

In Western biomedical discourse, the focus is on an individualistic approach and on organ systems and body components. Typically, disease is seen as an alteration in the functioning of a single component or in the relationship between the components that make up the individual. In contrast, traditional East Asian medicine, specifically Chinese medicine, is based on philosophical concepts that look at the human body in correlation with the external environment and not only in its individuality. The meaning of health is synonymous with functional interactions between entities within the body in response to the natural forces of the environment. This concept is based on an understanding of unity, of the harmonious relationship between the microcosm of human beings and the macrocosm of the universe. What must be achieved to restore health is the overall dynamic balance, thus not treating any one entity in isolation. Indeed, diagnoses based on East Asian traditional medicine tend to consider the whole patient, rather than focusing on a particular symptom, taking into account many different symptoms and signs to decide on or identify the 'pattern' of diagnosis (Leung 2010). Those who use such traditional medicine focus particularly on the whole person, the close correspondence between the individual and nature, and the fundamental principles of balance and harmony that contribute to health and well-being.
It is a traditional medicine that therefore refers to a broader philosophy, according to which all things are composed of yin and yang. Yin and yang are perceived as the principles and origins of all things and underlie the functioning of the phenomenon of life in relation to the environment. All changes in natural phenomena operate in the incessant movement and complementarity of yin and yang. When yin and yang are not in balance, disease is inevitable. Qi, the life energy, is produced when the two forces combine. Therefore, due to the duality and dynamism of yin and yang, which do not exist in a state of equilibrium in the environment or in the body, but rather oppose each other, Qi is formed (Leung 2007).
 The main effect of illness is the blockage of Qi, the life force that permeates our bodies and the universe. Qi is an internal energy of human beings and is vital for health. Qi refers to the intangible energy within the human body and constitutes the essence of life. Qi is contained in the 12 meridians that are connected in sequence in a great circle that branches out through different parts of the body. Symptomatically, Qi deficiency is recognisable by fatigue, malaise, shortness of breath, low voice, pale complexion, pale tongue and spindly pulse. When the level of Qi is normal, but its flow is slow, a stagnation syndrome occurs, in which internal organs may swell or pain develops at points where Qi cannot flow through the meridians. In such cases, Gua Sha is necessary. Qi is used to understand the world in general, as all elements of the universe are made up of Qi (Leung 2007).
 

Gua Sha is a therapeutic intervention to treat pain and pathologies that manifest themselves as stasis and stagnation of Qi (i.e. the life force, an invisible force behind all events) and blood occurring on the skin surface. The area to be treated is first lubricated with a simple oil (usually peanut oil in China) or a medicated oil or balm (Nielsen, 2007).
As an essential technique of traditional East Asian medicine, practised in both domestic and clinical settings, the instruments used can range from a simple Chinese soup spoon, a smooth coin or a slice of ginger, to tools made from cow bone, water buffalo horn, jade or stone. The important characteristic of any Gua sha instrument is that the edge is smooth, not so sharp that it breaks the skin, but also not completely blunt so as to stimulate the skin (Nielsen, 2007).
The petechiae of the sha appear slowly, increasing with each stroke. The rubbing stops when all the sha is expressed as petechiae on the treated area, before producing a bruise.
In Vietnamese, Gua Sha is called Cao gio (pronounced cow yo, meaning 'scraping away the wind'), in Indonesian it is called Kerik (ka-drik or ka-drok), in Khmer Cambodian it is called Kos khyal (kos kee-yaul) and in Laotian it is known as Khoud lam (cooed-lum). The most frequent translations refer to scraping and spooning. 
As with Gua Sha, cupping is practised in both domestic and clinical settings and the instruments used can vary, from the more traditional horn, ceramic, bamboo or glass cups to more modern methods using plastic cups with a valve and a hand pump for suction.
The practice itself can vary slightly, depending on the purpose and motivation behind the therapy: it can be performed more or less intensively, as can cupping 'in motion', or combined with acupuncture and/or the use of herbs.
For what concerns the “official” use of Gua Sha and cupping, contrary to Italy where the “official” medicine is only one (mono-medical system) and other medical practices are allowed but not considered as scientifically proved, in East Asia the medical systems are plural, in the sense that two different types of medicines cohabit: the Western and the traditional. For instance, in 1929, the Republican government nearly eradicated Chinese medicine from legal recognition. Seventy years later, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has become a fully institutionalized and government-supported component of the Chinese healthcare system, holding equivalent legal status to Western biomedicine. TCM now provides nearly 40% of all healthcare services in modern China. Similar to Western medicine, TCM in China is primarily hospital-based. In addition to approximately 3000 specialized hospitals, over 95% of Western medical facilities also incorporate fully-equipped TCM facilities.