What is acupuncture
Background
​
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice that has been around for over 4,000 years. The tradition dates back to 2600 B.C.E., the first concrete evidence of acupuncture was nine needles, four gold, and five silver that were found in Prince Lui Sheng's tomb dating back to 113 B.C.E. The shape and number of the nine needles conform with the "nine needles" tradition of acupuncture (James, Peter, 44-45). Since then acupuncture has gone through some changes to improve the practice and it has made its way to the west.
The nine needles found in Prince Lui Sheng's tomb
Acupuncturemoxi. “History of Acupuncture.” Acupuncture Moxibustion.com, 20 Jan. 2020,www.acupuncturemoxibustion.com/history/.
History
​
The first evidence of acupuncture was in China, the first book on acupuncture was in China, and China was the first country to ever teach acupuncture.
Acupuncture was taught at the Imperial Medical Academy for a long time until Emperor Dao Guang in 1822 thought it was unfit for the Academy and had it removed (Colquhoun, David). Since then it has been re-added to the Academy.
In 1026 C.E. Wang Wei I wrote a book called the illustrated manual explaining acupuncture and moxibustion with the aid of the bronze figure and its acupoints on six giant 22 foot stone slabs. These slabs were passed around China and were displayed in the capital during the Sung dynasty (960-1279 C.E.), and also in the Imperial Medical Academy during the Mongol (Yuan) dynasty (1260-1368 C.E.). This book explained all of acupuncture and moxibustion with the bronze figure being a hollowed-out figure made with some of the acupoints poked through the bronze outside. This figure would be covered in yellow wax, filled with water, and given to students. The wax would cover up all of the writing and acupoints so the student had to accurately find the acupoint and puncture it correctly. If they did so, water would spew out showing success (James, Peter, 42-45).
Five of the six slabs were recovered in 1971. The bronze figure, the book, the needles found in Prince Lui Sheng's tomb, and the Imperial Medical Academy all show that acupuncture was popular all over China.
​
​
Traditional Chinese acupuncture
​
Acupuncture was born and raised in China. It roots from moxibustion, another traditional Chinese practice where dried moxa leaves are shaped into cones and inserted into the patient's skin than lit on fire. Sometime around 100 B.C.E they stemmed off of moxibustion and acupuncture was born (Palermo, Elizabeth).
Acupuncture was thought to be the cure for diseases at the time. In China, diseases were thought to be an imbalance of Yin and Yang or a block in the flow of Qi (Chi) in the body ("Acupuncture"). Qi and other energies flow through meridians in the body, there are 14 main meridians, there are many more but only 14 main ones, and about 361 points along these meridians where they found acupuncture to be most effective (James, Peter, 42-45). Inserting a needle or applying pressure or heat on some of these points causes a specific therapeutic response.
Acupuncture partnered with Tia Chi and herbal medicine to provide multiple solutions to many of China's medical problems at the time (Hopp, Craig). Tia Chi used movement to help cure mental health issues, some easy to cure physical problems like muscle pain, and it helped balance the mind, body, and spirit. Herbal medicine helped more internal, harder to fix problems like an illness, immune system, or the function of specific organs.
​
some of the meridians on the back of the body
Curtis. “Acupuncture Points On Your Back.” Smarter Healing, 27 Sept. 2019, www.smarterhealing.com/acupuncture-points-back/.
The bronze figure with some of the acupoints on it
helliwell, David. “The Bronze Man.” SERICA, 22 Oct. 2019, serica.blog/2015/05/21/the-bronze-man/.
Western acupuncture
​
Acupuncture became more popular in the west in 1972 when Richard Nixon went to Japan and learned about acupuncture. But it wasn't until a journalist named James Reston went to Beijing for acupuncture that it became a common practice in America and the western world (Colquhoun, David). James made it a major fringe practice in America, consequently, it had many more tests conducted to determine if it was effective. I will discuss more on some of these results in the effectiveness page.
Western medicine is more biological and less spiritual. We view acupuncture as inserting the needle and triggering the immune system to respond. Immune cells are sent to that area in the nervous system and they release hormones that help the patient feel more relaxed or ease their problem ("Acupuncture"). This is Western medicine's best try at figuring out how acupuncture works.
In 2002 a census showed that 8.2 million American adults tried acupuncture (Levy, Suzanne). Many people who have tried it do not understand how it is supposed to work. For many Americans, it can be hard to apply ideas like Qi and meridians and all that the Chinese have been raised with. The people who have not tried it do not believe in it because they are not familiar with Qi or meridians or acupoints (Levy, Suzanne).
Sources
“Acupuncture.” Harvard Health, Harvard Health Publishing, May 2017, www.health.harard.edu/medical-tests-and-procedures/acupuncture-a-to-z.
Colquhoun, David, and Steven Novella. “Acupuncture Doesn't Work.” Science, 19 June 2013, sciencebasedmedicine.org/acupuncture-doesnt-work/.
​
Hopp, Craig, and David Shurtleff. “Traditional Chinese Medicine: What You Need To Know.” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 29 Apr. 2019, nccih.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/chinesemed.htm.
​
James, Peter, and Nick J. Thorpe. Ancient Inventions. Ballantine Books, 2006
​
Levy, Suzanne. “How Does Acupuncture Work?” Health.com, Health, 29 Feb. 2016, www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20189570,00.html.
​
Palermo, Elizabeth, and Staff Writer. “What Is Acupuncture?” LiveScience, Purch, 22 June 2017, www.livescience.com/29494-acupuncture.html.