Ⅰ. History

Acupuncture treatment can be traced back to the Stone Age, when stone knives and other sharp-edged tools were invented to meet the needs of production. These instruments were also used to relieve pain and diseases, and were known as "bian" stone. Such tools appeared between 4,000 to 8,000 years ago, during the later part of the clan society, according to archeological excavation.

With the continuous development of production, the "bian" stones were replaced by bone or bamboo needles. In the Shang Dynasty (c.16th-11th century BC) bronze casting was developed and it became possible to make bronze needles.

In the Spring and Autumn Period (770-446BC), medicine shifted away from sorcery and some doctors appeared. It is recorded that a doctor used acupuncture to treat a member of the aristocracy of a disease.

From the Warring States Period to the Western Han Dynasty (475BC-24AD), there were more and more needles made of metal with the development of iron-smelting techniques.

The use of metal for needles is highly significant in the development of acupuncture treatment by acupuncture. The conduction produced while needling led in time to the discovery of the "jing luo" (channels of the body) system. Needles made of metal could reach the parts of the body which the needles made of stone could not, thus further improving acupuncture. Through long-term practice, acupuncture eventually became an important means for treating diseases.

In the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and the Three Kingdoms Period (25-280), many doctors well versed in acupuncture appeared. 'Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing' was the first book to discuss acupuncture systematically.

More and more books on acupuncture were written in the Jin and the Northern and Southern dynasties (265-589), when acupuncture was introduced to Korea and Japan.

In the Sui and Tang period (581-907), acupuncture became a specialized subject. It was established as a major in medical educational institutions.

In the 16th century, during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), acupuncture was introduced to Europe, yet it experienced a setback in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) when it was not highly regarded.

After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, acupuncture has seen great progress. Currently, there are acupuncture departments in all Chinese medicine hospitals. 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 functions, in easing pain, in developing the immune system, and in the study of human channels, acupuncture points, and internal organs.

Ⅱ. The First Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion -- Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing

The science of acupuncture aims to record its technique, clinic regulation, and basic theory. Written by Huang Fumi (215-282), The Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion consists of 12 volumes and 128 chapters and is the earliest classic on acupuncture and moxibustion (a form of heat therapy) in China. It summarizes information on the channels and collaterals (the channels' branches), acupuncture points, needle manipulation, and contraindication (effect). It lists the total number of the acupuncture points as 349, and discusses the therapeutic properties of each point.

This book has exerted great influence on acupuncture and moxibustion treatments all over the world. In the 5th century it spread to Japan and South Korea.

The Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion promoted the development of acupuncture and moxibustion, and became a model for later acupuncture and moxibustion works.