The History of Acupuncture in China

Acupuncture began in China around 3000 to 4000 BC. The first needles were made of stone splinters, called Bian stone, many of which have been found on archaeological digs. Drawings dating from around 1600 BC reveal that sharpened bamboo and bronze needles were used in treatment. In 1968 in Hebei Province an ancient tomb of the Western Han Dynasty buried in 113 B.C.was excavated. Among the relics discovered there were four acupuncture needles made of gold and five of silver.

In the Han dynasty which ran from 206 to 220, three famous acupuncture books were compiled, The Ma Wang-dui scripts, The Nan Jing (The Classic of Difficult Issues, a composition of 81 articles) and The Huang Di Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperors Classic on Medicine, comprised of 162 articles divided into two sections, each composed of multiple books. In the first book, Su Wen, or "Fundamental Questions," the conversation clarifies points of medical theory. The second book is named Ling Shu, and is essentially an acupuncture manual.

In 282, Huang-fu Mi completed the Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing ( The Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion ). This text describes eighty percent of the presently known and used acupoints and contains descriptions of the acupuncture meridian system, naming the points on each channel, and listing their locations and how deeply each should be needled. It also records the length of time for which needles should be retained, the number of moxa cones to be applied to each point, and what each point is known to treat.

By 562, this knowledge was beginning to spread to the neighbouring lands of Korea, Vietnam and Japan. In the Sui dynasty which ran from 590 to 617. Sun Si-miao contributed greatly to the history of acupuncture, combining Daoism and Buddhist theory in his published works. He also described the location of many of the non meridian acupuncture points.

In Korea and Japan, meanwhile, knowledge of acupuncture was increasing rapidly. In 702, the first Imperial medical college was founded in Nara, Japan. Its studies comprised mainly the traditional texts, Nei Jing, Nan Jing, and Jia Yi Jing. Schools were eventually established in both countries, which would become accepted and remain in place through modern times.

The Tang dynasty (618 to 906) an updated edition of The Huang Di Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperors Classic on Medicine ) was published.

After a period of decline, the Tang dynasty collapsed in 906. For the next fifty years, China underwent yet another period of social and political disorder during which acupuncture neither advanced nor declined significantly. The country's financial resources were depleted and it was forced to respond to external threats and aggressions from its surrounding neighbours.

During the Song dynasty, 960 to 1264, the publication of Dou Han-jing's Zhen book, The Jing Zhi Nan. as well as another book known as The Nai Jia Fa, further developed the theory of acupuncture.

The Yuan dynasty (1264 to 1368) was a period when China became a subject of Genghis Khan's vast Mongolian empire. In 1341 Hua Shuo published his book Shi Si Jing Fa Hui ( An Elucidation of the Fourteen Channels). This text described the points on the 12 regular channels and the points on the governing vessel and conception vessel median channels as well. Hua Shuo created many of the modern waterway analogies used to describe the circulation of qi.

In 1368, the Chinese regained control of their land. The Ming dynasty lasted from 1368 until 1643. Confucian education became available to members of the many lower classes who would have formerly been excluded. Opportunity and prosperity increased in abundance for the masses. There were more books and a more widespread sharing of information. These factors combined encouraged the Chinese intellectual community to expand far beyond its previous limits. Many new medicine schools were formed based on this resultant broad variety of ideologies.

Though primarily stable, acupuncture experienced a slight decline in popularity during this period, mainly due to criticism toward the formerly dominant yun-qi stem-branch biorhythmic system. Nonetheless, new innovations in the field continued to arise. One example is Xu Feng's Zhen Jiu Da Quan, which was the first text to systematically describe the eight extraordinary vessels and the daily, 10-day and 60-day biorhythm treatment methods. Another is Gao Wu's Zhen Jiu Ju Ying, which introduced the use of supplementing and draining acupoints.

The most famous work of the era, however, is Yang Ji-zhou's Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, published in 1601. The Zhen Jiu Da Cheng and Li Shi-zhen's Ben Cao Gang Mu together comprise the most comprehensive volumes of Chinese medical knowledge before modern times. Particularly significant about these works is that they were not merely individual or personal theories, but a reflection of the consensus of the medical community. Thus they remain the strongest representatives of classical clinical acupuncture.

The final dynasty, the Qing, lasted from 1644 to 1911. For almost three centuries, China was subject to the rule of Manchurians. The Manchu, too, had adopted the Confucian social model, so China's cultural continuity was preserved. The empire eventually collapsed due to a great number of events, invasion, civil war and various other circumstances and the new Chinese Republic was created.

Meanwhile the increasing infiltration of Western thought brought about a severe decline in all Traditional Chinese Medicines. In the entire Qing dynasty, there were few new books or innovations in the field of acupuncture. By 1912 much of China had attached less importance to the traditional medicinal methods of the past.

The few who still believed in traditional medicine turned to what is considered the Han-Xue movement. Proponents of this movement looked toward the early Han dynasty for the pure and untainted knowledge of the earlier wise men. By the 1930's there were very few acupuncturists in China.

In 1944, western medicine began to do research work on Acupuncture and Moxabustion and many western medical doctors began to learn Acupuncture and Moxabustion and spread its use. This came about at the request of Chairman Mao Zedong, at the meeting of the cultural and educational workers in Shang-Gansu Nangxia border region.

The founding of the Peoples Republic of China bought support from all levels of Government to develop the cause of Chinese Medicine on the basis of being simple and effective, and also being very effective for treating many kinds of diseases. In 1945, an Acupuncture clinic was opened for the first time in a Comprehensive medical hospital in Yan'an.

In 1951, the Experimental Institute of Acupuncture-Moxabustion therapy , affiliated directly with the ministry of Public Health, was set up. In 1955, it became the institute of Acupuncture and Moxabustion attached to the Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Late 1950s to early 1960s Acupuncture was introduced into many hospitals, with a specialized unit devoted to the development and clinical observations, and a deep study of ancient literature. From the 1970s until now, investigations on Acupuncture have been done with many modern medical departments, such as anaesthesiology, operative surgery, neuro - anatomy, histoanatomy, histo chemistry, analgesia physiology, biochemistry, psychology and medical electronics on the phenomena and nature of the acupuncture meridians (energy pathways).

In the 1950s, China gave assistance to the Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries in the training of Acupuncturists. In 1975, at the request of the World Health Organization, international Acupuncture training courses have been run in Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing, and Acupuncturists have been trained up to now, from more than one hundred countries.

The History of Acupuncture outside China

In the sixth century A.D., Acupuncture and Moxabustion were introduced to both Japan and Korea. With the cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, Acupuncture was disseminated to South East Asia and the continent of India. In the fourteenth century, Chinese Acupuncturist Zou Yin, went to Viet Nam to treat diseases for the Vietnamese nobles. Also in the 14th century, due to reports from Marco Polo, that acupuncture became known in Europe, although it had no influence on medicine. It was only through the trade missions of England, Holland and France in East Asia in the 17th century that acupuncture finally came to Europe.

The first publications appeared in Europe at this time as well. In 1658, the Dutch doctor Jakob de Bondt published an extensive, six volume work about the history of nature and medicine in East India.
Wilhelm Ten Rhyne (1683) and Andreas Cleyeer (1686) published the first extensive works on acupuncture. Thereafter, a number of studies in acupuncture appeared. Acupuncture was applied in Europe for the first time. The doctor Engelbert Kmpfer applied the therapy as the personal physician of Count von der Lippe and reported his findings. In the 17th and 18th centuries, acupuncture was applied in some cases, but usually only among royalty.

It was in the 1950s in Europe and the USA when acupuncture re-emerged in the West. The 4th International Acupuncture Congress in Paris caused a sensation. Doctors throughout Europe became interested in this (supposedly new) form of therapy and the first medical acupuncture organizations came into being. The German Acupuncture Society was established in 1951.

In 1972 President Nixons visit to China caused acupuncture to gain media popularity in Europe and the USA. Acupuncture is today a recognized therapeutic method in the West, which is being readily researched and developed. In many countries it is a recognized addition to western orthodox medicine.

In Britain over the last thirty years acupuncture has taken root and in the last 20 years it has been flourishing alongside other alternative and complimentary medicines. In 1996 The Acupuncture Society was recognized by the London Local Authorities under the London Local Authorities Act 1991 to further the development of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Britain along side many other chinese and british societies, associations and schools. Acupuncture has grown as a self regulatory profession independent of the orthodox medical profession yet it has earned a reputation as an effective therapy in its own right, many doctors and health professionals now incorporate it to supplement their own particular disciplines.

Respected Ancient Chinese Physicians

Huang Ti
To this legendary emperor is attributed the earliest known Chinese medical writing, Huang-ti Nei ching (The Canon of Internal Medicine). This work consists of two treatises, one a dialogue about living matter between Huang Ti and his minister Qibo, and the other a description of medical physiology, anatomy, and acupuncture. This famous classic is considered to be the bible of traditional Chinese medicine but its true authorship is unknown.

Bian Que
Pien Ch'iao
(Bian Que; ca. 500 B.C.)
Pien Chi'ao [Bian Que] - The most ancient of the physicians from the historical period (ca. 500 B.C.). He was reputed to be an excellent diagnostician, excelling in pulse taking and acupuncture therapy. He is ascribed the authorship of Bian Que Neijing (Internal Classic of Bian Que). Han Dynasty physicians claimed to have studied his works, which have since been lost.

Shen Nung
Considered to be the father of Chinese agriculture, this legendary emperor taught his people how to cultivate grains as food, so as to avoid killing animals. He is said to have tasted hundreds of herbs to test their medicinal value, and is assumed to be the author of Shen-nung pen ts'ao ching ( Divine Husbandman's Materia Medica ), the earliest extant Chinese pharmacopoeia. This text includes 365 medicines derived from minerals, plants, and animals. The true authorship of this work is also unknown.

Shen Nung is venerated as the Father of Chinese medicine. He is believed to have introduced the technique of acupuncture.

Chang Chung Ching
(Zhang Zhongjing; 150-219 A.D.)
Regarded as one of the great physicians of the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), the most glorious period in Chinese medical history, Chang Chung-ching wrote Shang han lun ( Treatise on Colds and Fevers ). This work had a profound influence on Chinese medicine and is considered to be the most important medical classic after the Huang-ti Nei ching . Chang Chung-ching is called the Hippocrates of China.

Hua Tuo
(Hua Tuo; 110-207 A.D.)
Hua Tuo] was the first famous Chinese surgeon. He developed the use of anaesthesia, and furthered the limited Chinese knowledge of anatomy. Unfortunately, the tradition of using surgery was not carried on afterward (until Westerners re-introduced it), as there were apparently no books or direct disciples of Hua To to further the cause. When using acupuncture and herbs, he preferred simple methods, using a small number of acupuncture points and formulas comprised of only a few herbs. He practised Chi-kung [Qi Gong] and taught the "frolics of the five animals," a practice still used today. His fame as a successful healer has led to his name becoming a brand name for Chinese medical products, such as Hua To Acupuncture Needles.

Sun Ssu Mo
(Sun Simiao; 581-682 A.D.)
Sun Ssu-mo [Sun Simiao] was a child prodigy. He had mastered the Chinese classics by age 20 and then became a well known medical practitioner. His ideas and collected prescriptions were recorded in the books Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold and Precious Formulas for Emergency. He helped develop nutritional medicine; for example, recommending seaweed to people living in the mountain regions who suffered from goitre, and recommending liver of ox and sheep for person suffering from night blindness. He was also a Taoist alchemist, seeking demon dispelling remedies, including spells, herbal formulas, and toxic alchemical preparations.

Li Shih Chen
(Li Shizhen; 1518-1593 A.D.)
Chinese medicine seems to have reached its peak during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) when Li Shih-chen wrote his Pen ts'ao kang mu ( The Great Herbal ). This great pharmacopoeia, which summarizes what was known of herbal medicine up to the late 16th century, describes in detail more than 1800 plants, animal substances, minerals, and metals, along with their medicinal properties and applications. Li Shih-chen was 35 years old when he began to compile his Pen ts'ao kang mu. He took 27 years to finish it.

Yao Wang
The Taoist Healing God
Yao Wang is one of the primary Gods in the Taoist pantheon. He embodies good luck, health and prosperity. Taoist Healers Call upon Yao Wang when ever they do any kind of healing work and he will add his special energy and knowledge to assist in the Healing.

  

For more information please email info@ccmlondon.com