Wang Xuetai (Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine)
Acupuncture and moxibustion is one of the important investigations in China. It has a time-honoured history. In this essay, the origin and development of which is to be traced and evidenced according to ancient and modern literature and the substantial material and relics available.
I. The Origin of Acupuncture and Moxibustion:
The very first evidence of using acupuncture was in the primitive society according to records in ancient books. The earliest needle used was made of stone, it was termed as the Bian Stone. This proves that acupuncture was originated as early as in the stone age (8,000-2,000 B.C.). Recently Bian Stone needles were excavated by archeologists, some of which have the shapes of the nine kinds of needles mentioned in the Canon of Medicine (Huangdi Neijing) such as the swordlike needle, the 3-edged needle and the round needle.
II. The Establishment of Theoretical System of Acupuncture and Moxibustion:
Channels and points were gradually discovered through observation and summarization of the appearance of reaction spots on the body surface, the efficacious puncture points, the venous outting area and the propagation of sensation along the channel during treating diseases. In the Spring and Autumn, Warring States period (770-221 B.C.) anatomy was being studied which contributed to the establishment of the theory of channels. The Canon of Medicine appeared around the 5th-1st century B.C. laid the foundation of acupuncture theory taking the channed theory as its core. A Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing ) written in 256-260 A.D. had further summarized the achievements of acupuncture of ancient days which is the earliest extant book in a systematic way devoted to acupuncture and moxibustion.
III. The Development of Acupuncture and Moxibustion:
From the 3rd century to the 19th century, basing on the established theoretic system, Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion continued to advance. Besides the 361 acupuncture points, hundreds extra points were incessantly discovered. The knowledge of acupuncture was enriched especially after the development of the use of filiform needle. Since then manipulation methods became more and more sophisticated. Moxibustion method also developed, material used was not only the moxa-wool but many other kinds of substances to put on the skin surface as a base for indirect moxibustion. Following the popularization of the practice of acupuncture and moxibustion, the theory of which too was further substantiated. The connection of the acupuncture points was gradually unified with the route of the channels and so the 14 channels were formed. At the beginning of the 7th century, acupuncture academic work started to flourish as it had become an independent faculty in the Imperial Medical College. In the 11th century, there was the bronze figure with acupuncture points for teaching purposes. Books on acupuncture appeared one after another. In the 4th century there were the charts of acupuncture points -- the "Yancetu" ( Acupuncture Charts). In the 9th century, acupuncture and moxibustion books in block-printed editions appeared and block-printed maps of acupuncture points came into being.
IV. The Decline and Restoration of Acupuncture and Moxibustion:
In 1822, acupuncture faculty was abolished from the Imperial Medical College by the government of the Qing Dynasty. In 1840 after the opium war, China became a semifeudal and semi-colonial society, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture were brutally trampled upon by the imperialists. The reactionary government too disclaimed traditional Chinese medicine and adopted a series of measures for the abolishment. Traditional medicine including acupuncture and moxibustion then was at the edge of being perished. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, thanks to the Chinese Communist Party and the People's government which attached great importance to traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese acupuncture is restored. Since 1949 up to 1977, more than 8,000 articles on acupuncture and moxibustion were published in various medical journals and newspapers. It was reported that about 300 kinds of diseases can be treated with acupuncture and moxibustion, among them, 100 kinds obtained marked therapeutic results. Acupuncture and moxibustion methods became more and more enriched. There were the classic method, the conventional method and the new method invented through integrity of traditional and modern medicine. Acupuncture anaesthesia was created upon the method of relieving pain by needling. It includes simple acupuncture anesthesia, electro-acupuncture anesthesia, hydro-acupuncture anesthesia and finger pressing anesthesia. The latter had been recorded long ago in the book written by Wu Yiding in 1851.
Acupuncture and moxibustion is one of the important investigations in China. It has a time-honoured history. In this essay, the origin and development of which is to be traced and evidenced according to ancient and modern literature and the substantial material and relics available.
I. The Origin of Acupuncture and Moxibustion:
The very first evidence of using acupuncture was in the primitive society according to records in ancient books. The earliest needle used was made of stone, it was termed as the Bian Stone. This proves that acupuncture was originated as early as in the stone age (8,000-2,000 B.C.). Recently Bian Stone needles were excavated by archeologists, some of which have the shapes of the nine kinds of needles mentioned in the Canon of Medicine (Huangdi Neijing) such as the swordlike needle, the 3-edged needle and the round needle.
II. The Establishment of Theoretical System of Acupuncture and Moxibustion:
Channels and points were gradually discovered through observation and summarization of the appearance of reaction spots on the body surface, the efficacious puncture points, the venous outting area and the propagation of sensation along the channel during treating diseases. In the Spring and Autumn, Warring States period (770-221 B.C.) anatomy was being studied which contributed to the establishment of the theory of channels. The Canon of Medicine appeared around the 5th-1st century B.C. laid the foundation of acupuncture theory taking the channed theory as its core. A Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing ) written in 256-260 A.D. had further summarized the achievements of acupuncture of ancient days which is the earliest extant book in a systematic way devoted to acupuncture and moxibustion.
III. The Development of Acupuncture and Moxibustion:
From the 3rd century to the 19th century, basing on the established theoretic system, Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion continued to advance. Besides the 361 acupuncture points, hundreds extra points were incessantly discovered. The knowledge of acupuncture was enriched especially after the development of the use of filiform needle. Since then manipulation methods became more and more sophisticated. Moxibustion method also developed, material used was not only the moxa-wool but many other kinds of substances to put on the skin surface as a base for indirect moxibustion. Following the popularization of the practice of acupuncture and moxibustion, the theory of which too was further substantiated. The connection of the acupuncture points was gradually unified with the route of the channels and so the 14 channels were formed. At the beginning of the 7th century, acupuncture academic work started to flourish as it had become an independent faculty in the Imperial Medical College. In the 11th century, there was the bronze figure with acupuncture points for teaching purposes. Books on acupuncture appeared one after another. In the 4th century there were the charts of acupuncture points -- the "Yancetu" ( Acupuncture Charts). In the 9th century, acupuncture and moxibustion books in block-printed editions appeared and block-printed maps of acupuncture points came into being.
IV. The Decline and Restoration of Acupuncture and Moxibustion:
In 1822, acupuncture faculty was abolished from the Imperial Medical College by the government of the Qing Dynasty. In 1840 after the opium war, China became a semifeudal and semi-colonial society, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture were brutally trampled upon by the imperialists. The reactionary government too disclaimed traditional Chinese medicine and adopted a series of measures for the abolishment. Traditional medicine including acupuncture and moxibustion then was at the edge of being perished. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, thanks to the Chinese Communist Party and the People's government which attached great importance to traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese acupuncture is restored. Since 1949 up to 1977, more than 8,000 articles on acupuncture and moxibustion were published in various medical journals and newspapers. It was reported that about 300 kinds of diseases can be treated with acupuncture and moxibustion, among them, 100 kinds obtained marked therapeutic results. Acupuncture and moxibustion methods became more and more enriched. There were the classic method, the conventional method and the new method invented through integrity of traditional and modern medicine. Acupuncture anaesthesia was created upon the method of relieving pain by needling. It includes simple acupuncture anesthesia, electro-acupuncture anesthesia, hydro-acupuncture anesthesia and finger pressing anesthesia. The latter had been recorded long ago in the book written by Wu Yiding in 1851.
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