History of Dien Chan

1975-1980: a discovery born of clinical observation

It all begins in Vietnam, at the end of the war. Professor Bùi Quôc Châu works with patients suffering from severe withdrawal syndrome — a direct consequence of armed conflict. It is in this context that he formulates a bold hypothesis: every part of the body, every organ, every system is reflected on the face.

Throughout the following decade, he verifies this hypothesis clinically, thousands of times. He is not satisfied with the traditional theoretical explanations of acupuncture, as no one can offer him a concrete methodology for the points and meridians. So he observes, tests, and refines.

His research crosses paths with that of Dr William Fitzgerald on the energetic divisions of the body, and then with that of Dr Nogier on auriculotherapy. Without knowing the work of Eunice Ingham on plantar reflexology, he reaches a similar conclusion — but applied to the face with an unprecedented dimension: his fixed points describe not one reflex diagram, but dozens of interwoven reflex diagrams.

A decisive observation changes everything! Invasive treatments such as needles, micro-cauterisation, and cupping trigger a defensive reaction — and therefore stress — despite their benefits. Prof. Bùi Quôc Châu then turns towards pain-free stimulations with varied and much gentler textures. From this quest for the balance between yin and yang, the first multireflex tools are born.

This is how Dien Chan comes into being — which we can translate literally as «face» (dien) and «diagnosis/treatment» (chan). It is therefore a discipline in which observing the face is already the beginning of addressing the imbalance.

2001-2002: the encounter that brings Dien Chan to the West

In 2001, Patryck Aguilar-Cassarà meets Prof. Bùi Quôc Châu. What was meant to be a discovery becomes a decade of intense collaboration.

From 2002, in close collaboration with the Professor and his sons, Patryck founds in Barcelona the International School of Multireflexology – Dien Chan (ISMDC). The aim: to pass on the authentic method to the Western world, without distorting or oversimplifying it.

In 2003, he writes the first reference work on the technique, in Castilian and in French, used as course material. In 2009, an expanded version is published in France by Grancher under the title ABC du Dien Chan. Patryck then chooses to transfer all rights to Prof. Bùi Quôc Châu — a gesture of recognition for ten years of collaboration.

2013 and beyond: the method enters the digital age

In 2013, after four years of development, Faceasit launches on Apple's App Store. This interactive application allows practitioners to design personalised treatments and share them with their patients, who can thus continue the work at home.

Faceasit❜clinic subsequently receives the Innovation Prize in Reflexology, awarded by the Reflexology Association of Canada (RAC-ACR), thanks to the collaboration with Erica Layton-Weiland, ISMDC-certified trainer for North America.

The ISMDC research department also continues its work and develops Chan❜beauté, the application of Dien Chan principles to natural aesthetics and holistic well-being.

Today: more than six thousand students worldwide

The ISMDC today counts more than three thousand trained students and a team of teachers spread across many countries. Patryck Aguilar-Cassarà continues to lead and teach the method through his publications, his applications, and training courses offered worldwide.

Dien Chan, from its very origins, rests on a simple but powerful idea: treating the person in their entirety, without needles, without pain, drawing on the body's natural capacity to self-regulate. A holistic approach, compatible with all forms of medicine and all other natural care techniques.

Learning Dien Chan: why the quality of training makes all the difference

Dien Chan is not a technique one improvises after reading a book or attending an isolated workshop. It is a living method, with more than 25 reflex diagrams and 257 bqc·points, whose mastery requires serious and ongoing guidance.

Before choosing a training course, ask yourself a few essential questions. Does your future trainer belong to an active teaching team, in constant development? Do they publish books, applications, articles, videos? Or are they an isolated individual, trained once, teaching from their own interpretation of the method?

The difference between rigorous training and an approximation is felt immediately in practice and in the results you will achieve with your patients or clients. Good training is an investment. Do not waste your time on anything other than the original.