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The History of Chinese Acupuncture

'Acupuncture' comes from Latin acus meaning 'needle' and punctio meaning 'puncture'. The Chinese language has the character 'Chen' (literally meaning 'to prick with a needle'). This graphically describes the technique of the treatment. Now used worldwide for treating a number of health problems and for improving general body and mental condition, Chinese acupuncture has a history extending back in time to thousands of years.

The Birth of Acupuncture in China

It is claimed that Chinese acupuncture has been around for at least four millennia. There is evidence that in the Stone Age, Chinese treated painful abscesses by using sharp knives of stone, a practice called 'Bian' in Chinese. Historical records attest that the practice is at least 2000 years old.

Advent of The Needles

From the sharp stone knives of the 'Bian', the practice of acupuncture took its form that we know today more than 2000 years ago when needles of stone and pottery entered the treatment scene. Some rural Chinese areas still have these types of needles used for the same purpose. These were eventually replaced by metal needles made of bronze, silver or gold, about 2000 years ago. The famous set of nine needles came in use at this time, having differently shaped needles for things like massaging, pressing, puncturing etc.

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is a practice that started independently of acupuncture but now it is a regular part of Chinese acupuncture. Moxibution is the process of burning the herb moxa on the skin of the patient. It does not involve scarring the skin, though the word 'Chiu', used to denote Moxibution in Chinese, literally means 'scarring with a burning object'.

Burning of moxa serves to heat locally the points of acupuncture. However, moxa is not burnt over certain points (like those around the eye) for safety reasons. The ancient Chinese used to burn moxa over points of acupuncture to keep the diseases at bay and improve general body health.

Successful Chinese Acupuncture Therapy

The first recorded evidence of the successful use of acupuncture is from the period of the Warring States i.e. 5th century BC when Pein Cheuh, the famous Chinese physician, used acupuncture to heal the Governor of the State of Kuo, regaining him his consciousness from the state of coma.

Marking Channels and Points for Acupuncture

While there were no marked points for acupuncture in the beginning, through time and experience practitioners of Chinese acupuncture identified and grouped specific points on the skin where treatment proved the most fruitful. Nei Ching Su Wen, the first known text on acupuncture from Warring States time of China, describes the main channels and points for acupuncture.

The Coming of The Europeans

Chinese acupuncture kept repeating and developing in China for centuries. While China was known to foreigners and visits had been made, the first trading settlements from Europeans were started in China by the Portuguese in the 16th century. European priests and physicians accompanying these traders took the knowledge of acupuncture to the west.

From the 17th century to early 20th century, Chinese acupuncture was on a decline in China. Instead, western medical treatment flourished in several areas of China. In 1929, acupuncture was banned by the Chinese government. In the 1940s, communists revived the traditional acupuncture therapy and started to modernize it. Since then, acupuncture has been increasingly gaining popularity both in and out of China.