Copyright, 1996 © Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc.

History of Acupuncture and Moxibustion

Ron Sokolsky, MSOM

Old Stone Age (10,000 years ago)

Use stone knives and scrapers to incise an abscess, drain pus and let blood out for therapeutic purposes.

With the accumulation of experiences the indications of the treatment by bian stone were gradually increased.

New Stone Age(10,000-4,000 years ago)

Make bian stone as a special tool with more medical usage.

In China, a 4.5 cun long bian stone was discovered in the New Stone Age ruins in Duolun County of Inner Mangolia.

Oval, Pyramid, three-edged and cone-shaped ends bian stones were discovered.

Shang Dynasty(3,000 years ago)

The hieroglyphs of acupuncture and moxibustion appeared in the inscriptions on bones and tortoise shells.

Bronze medical needles appearedYin-Yang and Five Elements

philosophies were formed.The basic theory of Traditional

Chinese Medicine was germinated.

Basic Acupuncture and OM Philosophy

Yin and Yang

The Five Elements

The Vital Substances—Qi, Blood, Body Fluids

Warring States Period (475 B.C-221 B.C) to Western Han

Dynasty (206 B.C-A.D. 24)

The establishing and strengthening stage of the feudal system in China

Bian stone needles were replaced by metal medical needles

Nine kinds of metallic needles with different shapes were used at that time

Ancient Nine Needles

Warring States Period (475 B.C-221 B.C) to Western Han

Dynasty (206 B.C-A.D. 24)

Bian Que (Qin Yuren)Treated patients by needling, moxibustion, herbal decoction, massage and hot compression.

Chunyu YiGood at acupuncture-moxibustion and herbal treatment

Two Classic Books in Third Century

Huangdi’s Internal ClassicMiraculous PivotPlain Question

Huangdi’s Canno of Eighty-One Difficulty problems and Essentials of Points (Nan Jing)

Eastern Han Dynasty (A.D. 25-200) to the Three

Kingdoms Period (A.D. 220-265)

Hua Tuo

The pioneer to apply herbal anesthesia for surgical operations”Canon of Moxibustion and acupuncture preserved in pillow”

Eastern Han Dynasty (A.D. 25-200) to the Three

Kingdoms Period (A.D. 220-265)

Zhang Zhongjing

Six Stage (Meridians) Differentiation”Treatise on Febbrile and Miscellaneous Diseases”

Eastern Han Dynasty (A.D. 25-200) to the Three

Kingdoms Period (A.D. 220-265)

Huangfu Mi

”Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion”Is the earliest exclusive and systemized book on acupuncture and moxibustion

Jin Dynasty and the Northern and Southern Dynasties

(A.D. 265-581)

Ge Hong: “Prescriptions for Emergencies”

More monographs on acupuncture and moxibustion:Acupuncture Chart from Lateral and Posterior Views Diagrams of Meridians and Points

Sui Dynasty(581-618) to Tang Dynasty (618-907)

Sun Simiao: “Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold for Emergencies” and “A Supplement to the Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold”Designed and made”Chart of Three View”—the earliest multicolored charts of meridians and points

Tang Dynasty (618-907)

Yang Shang-Shan: Complied “Acupuncture Points in Internal Classic”

Cui Zhi-di: “Moxibustion Method for Consumptive Diseases”

Tang Dynasty (618-907)

The Imperial Medical Bureau divided medical education into four departments of medical specialties (include Acupuncture as one of them) and one pharmacology department

Five Dynasties (907-960) to Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368)

The extensive application of printing technique greatly promoted the accumulation of medical literature and speeded up the dissemination and development of Chinese Medicine and pharmacology

Song Dynasty (960-1279)

Wang Weiyi: “Illustrated Manual on the Points for Acupuncture and Moxibustion on a New Bronze Figure” (A.D. 1027)

Wang Zhizhong: “Canon on the Origin of Acupuncture and Moxibustion”

Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368)

Huo Shou: “Exposition of the Fourteen Meridians”

Yang Jie & Zhang Ji: observed autopsies and advocated anatomical knowledge on the selected acupuncture points

Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368)

He Ruoyu & Dou Hanqin: suggested select acupuncture points according to Zi Wu Liu Zhu (Chinese two-hour time on the basis of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches)

Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)

Extensive collection and revision of the literature of acupuncture and moxibustion

Studies on the manipulating methods of acupuncture

Development of warm moxibustion with moxa stick from burning moxa cone

Form “Extra Points” category

Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)

Yang Jizhou: “Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion”

Zhang Jiebin: “An Illustrated Supplement to Systematic Compilation of the Internal Classic”

Li Shizhen: “Research on the Eight Extra-Meridians”

Qing Dynasty to Opium War (1644-1840)

The medical doctors regarded herbal medication as superior to acupuncture, therefore acupuncture and moxibustion gradually turned to a failure

Opium War (1840) to 1947

In 1899, Liu Zhongheng: “Illustration of the Bronze Figure with Chinese and Western Medicine”.

In 1934, Tang Shicheng et al: “The Technique and Principles of Electro-acupuncture and “The Study of Electro-acupuncture”

The People’s Republic of China (1948 to now)

Acupuncture and Moxibustion were unprecedentedly popularized and promoted.

Apply modern scientific knowledge to the research work on the Traditional Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture in USA

Acupuncture was introduced to USA after President Nixon visited China in 1973

FDA removed Acupuncture Needles from “experimental instrument” to “medical instrument” in 1998

Licensed Acupuncturists (L.Ac) can practice independently in most states

Conditions for Acupuncture Therapy (W.H.O.,

1979)

Abdominal pain

Constipation

Diarrhea

Hyperacidity

Indigestion

Digestive System

Conditions for Acupuncture Therapy

(cont’d)

Anxiety

Depression

Insomnia

Nervousness

Neurosis

Emotional Problems

Conditions for Acupuncture Therapy

(cont’d)

Cataracts

Gingivitis

Poor vision

Tinnitis

Toothache

•Eye-Ear-Nose-Throat

Conditions for Acupuncture Therapy (cont’d)

Infertility

Menopausal symptoms

Premenstrual syndrome

Gynecological

Conditions for Acupuncture Therapy

(cont’d)

Arthritis

Back pain

Muscle cramping

Muscle pain/weakness

Neck pain

Sciatica

•Musculoskeletal System

Conditions for Acupuncture Therapy

(cont’d)

Headaches

Migraines

Neurogenic bladder dysfunction

Parkinson’s disease

Postoperative pain

Stroke

•Neurological Problems

Conditions for Acupuncture Therapy

(cont’d)

Asthma

Bronchitis

Common cold

Sinusitis

Smoking cessation

Tonsillitis

•Respiratory System

Conditions for Acupuncture Therapy

(cont’d)

Addiction control

Athletic performance

Blood pressure regulation

Chronic fatigue

Immune system tonification

Stress reduction

Miscellaneous