Chinese Acupuncture

And Moxibustion
XIAMEN UNIVERSTITY
DOCTOR MENG XIANJUN

 Simple

obesity

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obesity

Introduction
Acupuncture and moxibustion,

one of the therapeutic methods

in traditional Chinese
medicine with a history of
several thousand years,

developed in the ancient

times and has contributed

much to the healthcare and
medical treatment for the
Chinese people.

During their long clinical

practice, people accumulated

rich clinical experience and
discovered a number of the
therapeutic principles.

The summarization of the

clinical experience and

therapeutic principles has
gradually paved the way to the
establishment of the theory of
acupuncture and moxibustion

which has promoted the

clinical practice and
development of acupuncture
and moxibustion,(acmo) and
eventually directing it to
evolve into an independent
clinical specialty scinence of
acupuncture and moxibustion

Science of acupuncture and

moxibustion develops under the

guidance of TCM theory, its
essential theory is the doctrine of
meridians and collaterals which
mainly includes meridians,
collaterals and acupoints, directly
guiding the clinical practice of
acupuncture and moxibustion.

Clinical treatment with

acupuncture and moxibustion is

done in light of syndrome
differentiation,therapeutic
principles and methods, by means
of needling and moxibustion with
certain manipulating

Methods to stimulate the

selected acupoints for the

prevention and treatment of
disease acupuncture and
moxibustion is an external
therapy. By means of needling
and moxibustion ,

it can stimulate the body and

activate the regulating

functions of the body to
improve and rectify the
disturbance and dysfunction
of certain organs in the body.

Such a therapy not only can

treat disease, but also can

prevent disease. It is noted
for extensive application,
significant curative effects
and no side effects.

It is just because of the

characteristics mentioned
above, the therapy of
acupuncture and moxibustion
is not only used in China, but
also practised in over 100
countries in the world.

It has gradually become a

component in the world
medicine and plays a certain
role in the healthcare course
for all human beings.

2 brief history
A brief introduction to the

establishment and development

of acupunture and moxibustion
is helpful for the study , practice
and research of such a unique
therapy.

In the ancient literature since

the sixth century B.C., there

was the record of treatment
of disease with stone needle.

The earliest needle was made of

stone.In Huangdi Neijing

published over 2,000 years ago,
silk medical books unearthed in
the modern times and ancient
Chinese classics,

there was the description about

how to treat disease with stone

needle. In the 1960s, a stone
needle was found in the ruins of
new stone age in the north of
China.

With the development of

metallurgy, needles were

gradually made of bronze,
iron. gold and silver.
Huangdi Neijing mentions
nine needls, the relics of
which were found in
archaeology.

The materials used for

moxibustion were various in

the early practice,gradually
moxa was selected as the
most suitable material for
performing moxibustion

In using acupuncture and

moxibustion to treat disease,

people discovered some
therapeutic cognition like the
conception of meridians.

In the silk medical books unearthed

in the tomb of West Han Dynasty

in 1970s in Mawangdui,Changsha
City, Hunan province, there are the
descriptions of eleven meridians
named as Eleven meridians of foot
and arm for moxibustion

And Eleven yin and yang

meridians for moxibustion.

Huangdi Neijing compiled in
the Han Dynasty contains
rich knowledge of
acupuncture and moxibustion,

Including meridians,acupoints,
needling methods, indications
and cautions as well as
therapeutic principles,diagnosis
and

syndrome differentiation,
Huangdi Neijing lays the
foundation for the theory of
acupuncture and moxibustion
and guides the development
of such a unique specialty.

Zhenjiu Jiayijing compiled by

Huangfu Mi in the Jin Dynasty

is a collection of the related
contents in Huangdi Neijing
and Mingtang kongxue Zhenjiu
Zhiyao and described the
locations ,.

indications and needling

methods of 349 acupoints as

well as specific treatments
for various diseases

Sun Simiao, a great doctor in

the Tang Dynasty , described

Ashi point and moxibustion
methods for healthcare in
Qianjin Fang with colored
illustrations of meridians.

This book also contains many

therapeutic methods for various

diseases. In the book Waitan
Miyao written by WangTao
contains rich methods for
performing moxibustion, which
has promoted the development of
moxibustion therapy.

In the Imperial Medical Bureau,

acupuncture and moxibustion

became an independent specialy
practised by doctors, assistants
and acupuncturists who were
also responsible for teaching.

In the 11th century A.D.,Wang

Weiyi, an official in charge of

medicine in the government in
the Song Dynasty,rectified 354
acupoints and compiled
Tongren Shuxue Zhenjiu Tujing
which was published nationally .

Two bronze figures, the normal

size of man, were modelled for

teaching and examination of
acupuncture and moxibustion.
Such an improvement promote the
unity in the location of acupoints
and education of acupucture and
moxibustion.

In the Jin and Yuan

Dynasties ,there was further

development in the theory of
meridians, methods for
selecting acupoints and
needling techniques.

Hua Boren,a celebrated

doctor in the Yuan

Dynasty ,believed that the
governor and conception
vessels were as important as
the twelve meridians..

Therefore he called them

fourteen meridians and

described meridians
and acupoints according to
the fourteen meridians in his
book Shisijing Fahui

Such an arrangement has

helpful for understanding and

using the theory of meridians
and acupoints in the later
generations.

Acupucture and moxibustion

spread to the other countries

even in the ancient times. In
about 6th centuryA.D.Zhenjiu
Jiayijing was spread to Korea
and Japan

In 552 A.D., the Chinese

Government then presented a

set of Zhenjing to Japanese
Emperor. In the Tang Dynasty,
Qianjin Fang and Waitai
Miyao were brought to Korea.

Following the example of

the Tang Dynasty, Japan also

established acupuncture and
moxibustion specialty and
Korea appointed doctorate
position for acupuncture.

The textbooks used were

Zhenjing and Zhenjiu

jiayijing. In the 17th century,
acupuncture and moxibustion
was spread to Europe.

1 General introduction to
meridians and acupoints
The theory of meridians and
acupoints is the basic theory
of acupuncture and
moxibustion therapy.

while the science of

acupoints elucidates the

relation between the viscera
and the meridians in light of
the theory of meridians

The science of meridians

expounds the routes that

connect different parts of the
body based on the clinical
applicatin of acupoints..

1.1 General introduction to

meridians
Meridians refer to the routes that

transport qi and blood,regulate

yin and yang, connect the zangorgans with the fu-organs,
associate the external with the
internal as well as the upper with
the lower..

 Meridian System
The Meridians is a

comprehensive term of
"Jingluo" in TCM. They
are the passages through
which the Qi can be
conducted.

The meridians mainly

refer to the paths of main

trunks which run up and
down, interiorly and
exteriorly within the body.

The branches of

meridians are called

collaterals which imply the
networks, thinner and
smaller than meridians,
run crossly over the body.

The meridians are internal

trunks, its transversing

branches are collaterals,
the subdivisions of
collaterals are minute
collaterals.

The meridians and its

collaterals belong to the

Zang-Fu organs interiorly
and extend to the extremities
and joints exteriorly
integrating the Zang, the Fu,
tissues and organs into an
organic whole,

by which they transport Qi of

blood and regulate Yin and

Yang, keeping the functions
and activities of all parts of
the body in harmony and
balance relatively.

Development of the
Theory of the Meridians

The theory of the

meridians is formed through
longtime practice and
observation of Chinese
people. Based on the
analysis of records, the
formation is as follows:

1. Observation of

Needling Sensation:
Acupuncture produces
sensation of soreness,
numbness, distension or
heaviness.

This sensation usually

goes to the distal region

along a definite pathway.

 2. The acupoints which

have similar clinical effects

are regularly lined on the
same course.

3. Reference of the

Pathological Phenomenon
on the Body Surface: When
there appears the disorder in
a certain organ, way of
discovering the system of
meridians.

then on the corresponding

areas of the body surface

appear tenderness,
tubercles, skin rash and
changes of the skin color,
this is also another way.

 4. Suggestions from

knowledge of Anatomy and

Physiology:With the help of
anatomy, Chinese doctors in
ancient times got to know the
position, the appearance and
some physiological functions
of internal organs,

and observed the

tunnellike and the cordlike

structures are distributed
over the body and
connected with four limbs
as well.

The phenomenon of the

circulation of blood can be

seen in same blood
vessels

 Meridian
The mainly refer to the

paths of main trunks which

run up and down, interiorly
and exteriorly within the
body.

The meridians include the

Twelve Regular
Meridians,the Eight Extra
Meridians and those
subordinate to the Twelve
Regular Meridians,

the Twelve Divergent

Meridians,the Twelve
Muscle Regions and the
Twelve Cutaneous
Regions.

The Twelve Regular

Meridians include
three Yin Meridians of
Hand(LungPericardium
and Heart)

Three Yang Meridians of

Hand(Large Intestine
Triple Energizer and Small
Intestine)

Three Yang Meridians of

Foot(Stomach,Gallbladder and Bladder)

Three Yin Meridians of
Foot(SpleenLiver and
Kidney)

They are the major trunks

of the system of the

meridiansso they are
called the Twelve Regular
Meridians.

The nomenclature of the

Twelve Regular Meridians is

based on the three factors:
a) hand or foot,
b) Yin or Yang,
c) Zang or Fu organ.

The Twelve Regular

Meridians pertain to the

twelve Zang and Fu organs
correspondingly, each
regular meridian is named
after the organ to which it
pertains.

In consideration of the

factors, such as hand or foot,

interior or exterior, anterior,
middle or posterior aspect of
the meridian travels through,
and also in accordance with
the theory of Yin and Yang,.

The meridians that pertain

to the Fu-organs are Yang

meridians which mainly
travel along the lateral
aspect of the limbs.

The meridians that pertain

to the Zang-organs are

called Yin meridians which
are mainly distributed on
the medial aspect of the
four limbs.

Based on the

development of Yin and

Yang theory, the
meridians are divided into
three Yin meridians and
three Yang meridians

Body-Surface Distribution of the

Twelve Meridians
The twelve regular

meridians are distributed

symmetrically at the left
and right sides of the head,
trunk and four limbs and
go through the whole body.

The six Yin meridians are

distributed on the medial

aspects of the four limbs,
the thoracic and
abdominal regions.

The three Yin meridians of

the hands are distributed

on the medial aspects of
the upper limbs.

The three Yin meridians of

the foot are distributed on

the medial aspects of the
lower limbs.

The six Yang meridians

are mostly distributed on

the lateral aspects of four
limbs, head and trunk.

The three Yang meridians

of hand are distributed on

the lateral aspects of the
upper limbs.

The three Yang meridians

of foot are distributed on

the lateral aspects of the
lower limbs.

The three Yang meridians

of hand and foot are

arranged in an order,in
which "Large Intestine and
Stomach Meridians" are
the anterior ones,

"Triple Energizer and

Gallbladder Meridians" the

medium ones,
"Small Intestine and
Bladder Meridians" the
posterior ones.

The three Yin meridians of

hand are arranged as follows:

"Lung Meridians" are the
anterior ones, "Pericardium
Meridians" the medium ones,

Heart Meridians" the

posterior ones,
The three Yin meridians of
foot are to the aspects of
the lower limbs and instep.

They are arranged in an

order in which
Liver Meridians are the
anterior ones,
Spleen Meridians are the
medium ones,
Kidney Meridians are the
posterior ones,

Special path
under the lever 8 cun

above the medial

malleolus,
Liver Meridians and
Spleen Meridians are
crossed,

Spleen Meridian is in the

anterior aspect,
Liver meridian in the
medium aspect,
Kidney Meridian in the
posterior aspect.

Courses and Links of the

Twelve Meridians

The Courses of The

Twelve Meridians:
Three Yin meridians of
hand start from the chest
to the hands.

Three Yang meridians of

hand run from hands to

the head.

Three Yang meridians of

foot run from the head to the

feet.
Three Yin meridians of foot
run from the feet to abdomen
and chest.

Links of the Twelve Regular

Meridians
(1) The Yin Meridians link

with the Yang meridians

mainly in the limbs.
For instance, the Lung
Meridian links with the Large
Intestine Meridian on the tip
of the index finger.

The Stomach Meridian

connects with the Spleen

Meridian on the tip of the
great toe,

the Bladder Meridian

reaches the lateral side of

the tip of the little toe
where it links with the
Kidney Meridian.

The Gallbladder Meridian

runs to the distal portion of

the great toe and
terminates at its hairy
region where it links with
the Liver Meridian

(2)The Yang meridians

and Yang meridians (with

the same nomenclature)
are met on the head.

For instance, both the

Large Intestine
meridian and the
Stomach Meridian go to
both sides of the nose.

Both the Small Intestine

Meridian and the Bladder

Meridian reach the inner
canthus, and both the Triple
Energizer Meridian and the
Gallbladder Meridian reach
the outer canthus.

(3)The Yin meridians and

Yin meridians are met in

the chest region.
For instance, the Spleen
Meridian links with the
Heart Meridian in the heart,

the Kidney Meridian links

with the Pericardium

Meridian in the chest,
and the Liver Meridian
links with the Lung
Meridian in the lung.

 Collaterals
The branches of

meridians are called

collaterals which imply the
networks, thinner and
smaller than meridians,
run crisscrossly over the
body.

The meridians are internal

trunks, its transversing

branches are collaterals,
the subdivisions of
collaterals are minute
collaterals."

The collaterals consists of

the Fifteen Collaterals,the
Superficial Collaterals,and
the Minute Collaterals.