Acupuncture①针灸

    Acupuncture, with a history of thousands of years in China, is at the core of Chinese medicine. It was initially invented as a medical treatment technique and gradually became a science. 

    Acupuncture has a long history. In the Spring and Autumn Period, medicine shifted away from sorcery (巫术) and doctors appeared. In the book, Chun Qiu Zuo Shi Zhuan（《春秋左氏传》）, Doctor Yi Huan mentioned about acupuncture when treating Duke Jing of Qin（秦景公). From the Warring States Period to the Western Han Dynasty, there were more and more needles made of metal with the development of the iron-smelting technique at that time. Needles made of metal could reach the parts of the body which the needles made of stone could not, thus further improving acupuncture. In the Eastern Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms Period, there appeared many doctors good at acupuncture. In Jin and the Northern and Southern dynasties, acupuncture was introduced to Korea and Japan. In the Sui and Tang period, acupuncture became a specialized subject. In medical educational institutions, it was set up as a major. In the 16th century, during the Ming Dynasty, acupuncture was introduced to Europe, yet it experienced a setback in the Qing Dynasty when it was not highly regarded. Nowadays, acupuncture is not only widely used in China to relieve people of their diseases, it has also spread around the world.

   Acupuncture is the stimulation of specific acupoints② (穴位) along the skin of the body involving various methods such as penetration by thin needles or the application of heat, pressure, or laser light. Traditional acupuncture involves needle insertion, moxibustion(艾灸), and cupping therapy（拔火罐）. It is a form of complementary and alternative medicine and a key component of traditional Chinese medicine. Need insertion involves jabbing specially made metal needles of different lengths into the patient’s body at certain acupuncture points, treating the patient by twirling or lifting the needles. Moxibustion therapy requires the placement of burning crushed dry moxa (艾) near or on the skin at certain acupuncture points, treating with the irritation of heat. According to TCM, stimulating specific acupuncture points corrects imbalances in the flow of qi③ through channels known as meridians. Acupuncture aims to treat a range of conditions, though is most commonly used for pain relief.

    In ancient China, there were many well-known doctors using acupuncture and moxibustion therapy to treat patients, such as Bian Que of the Spring and Autumn Period and Hua Tuo of the Eastern Han Dynasty, who had treated some difficult and complicated cases and thus were acclaimed as miracle-doctors. In 1027 AD, a medical officer of acupuncture and moxibustion of the Song DynastyWang Weiyi designed and made two bronze human figures marked with acupuncture points, carefully carved 12 meridians and vessels and 354 acupuncture points on the figures for people to learn the therapy. This was the earliest bronze human figure for medical use in China. 

    Currently, acupuncture sections were set up in all Chinese Medicine hospitals, which now number 2,000 all over China. It now can be applied to different systems inside the human body. In addition, much valuable information has been obtained in the study of acupuncture, in its regulative function, in easing pain, in developing the immunity system, and in the study of human meridians, acupuncture points, and internal organs.  　

      Abridged and revised from

  http://www1.chinaculture.org/info/2013-04/25/content_456629.htm

Notes:

① acupuncture:针灸由“针”和“灸”构成，是中医的重要组成部分之一，其内容包括针灸理论、腧穴、针灸技术以及相关器具，在形成、应用和发展的过程中，具有鲜明的汉民族文化与地域特征，是基于汉民族文化和科学传统产生的宝贵遗产。

②acupoints:穴位：是中医学特有的名词，多为神经末梢和血管较少的地方。也叫穴指人体经络线上特殊的点区部位，中医可以通过针灸或者推拿、点按、艾炙刺激相应的经络点治疗疾病。

③qi:中医学中的气有两个涵义，其一是指在人体中流动着的微小的营气物质，如营气；其二是指人体及各脏腑的功能、动力或能力，如心气、脾气等。