History of Acupuncture
and Moxibustion
Ron Sokolsky, MSOM
Copyright, 1996 © Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc.
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 coneshaped 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 appeared
Yin-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.C221 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 Yi
Good at acupuncturemoxibustion and herbal treatment
Two Classic Books in
Third Century
Huangdi’s Internal Classic
Miraculous Pivot
Plain Question
Huangdi’s Canno of Eighty-One
Difficulty problems and Essentials of
Points (Nan Jing)
Eastern Han Dynasty (A.D. 25200) 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. 25200) 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. 25200) 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 twohour 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 ExtraMeridians”
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 Electroacupuncture and “The Study of Electroacupuncture”
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)
Digestive System
Abdominal pain
Constipation
Diarrhea
Hyperacidity
Indigestion
Conditions for Acupuncture
Therapy (cont’d)
Emotional Problems
Anxiety
Depression
Insomnia
Nervousness
Neurosis
Conditions for Acupuncture
Therapy (cont’d)
•Eye-Ear-Nose-Throat
Cataracts
Gingivitis
Poor vision
Tinnitis
Toothache
Conditions for Acupuncture
Therapy (cont’d)
Gynecological
Infertility
Menopausal symptoms
Premenstrual syndrome
Conditions for Acupuncture
Therapy (cont’d)
•Musculoskeletal System
Arthritis
Back pain
Muscle cramping
Muscle pain/weakness
Neck pain
Sciatica
Conditions for Acupuncture
Therapy (cont’d)
•Neurological Problems
Headaches
Migraines
Neurogenic bladder dysfunction
Parkinson’s disease
Postoperative pain
Stroke
Conditions for Acupuncture
Therapy (cont’d)
•Respiratory System
Asthma
Bronchitis
Common cold
Sinusitis
Smoking cessation
Tonsillitis
Conditions for Acupuncture
Therapy (cont’d)
Miscellaneous
Addiction control
Athletic performance
Blood pressure regulation
Chronic fatigue
Immune system tonification
Stress reduction