Several metal needles were unearthed from the tomb of LIU He, the Marquis of Haihun in Nanchang, Jiangxi province. Based on the inscription on the signboard unearthed from the tomb and the handed down literature, these needles should be closely related to the "nine needles" mentioned in the handed down medical classics. These needles should be used in acupuncture and moxibustion at that time, and their diameters are close to the specifications and dimensions of the needles in the modern time, which provides the important cultural relics data of the Han Dynasty for the research of early acupuncture and moxibustion of traditional Chinese medicine. This article uses the method of mutual verification of unearthed cultural relics, unearthed documents, and handed down documents to investigate the acupuncture method of medical needles unearthed from the tomb of Marquis Haihun, and to sort out and demonstrate the development of acupuncture and moxibustion in the Western Han Dynasty. The medical needles unearthed from the tomb of Marquis Haihun and their needling techniques can be confirmed by the "nine needles" in the Lingshu (Miraculous Pivot), the "acupuncture treatment" in the bamboo slips of the Han Dynasty in the Northwest, and the "acupuncture atlas" on the Han portrait stone. It proves that the manufacturing of needles for acupuncture and moxibustion and the therapeutic methods and techniques of acupuncture had been greatly developed in the middle and late stages of the Western Han Dynasty.
Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation* ; Needles/history* ; China ; Humans ; History, Ancient ; Moxibustion/instrumentation* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/instrumentation*

Pizhen is one of the ancient nine needles recorded in Lingshu (Miraculous Pivot), used for pricking pus initially; and it is extensively operated to treat sores and ulcers in the later dynasties. Since the Song and Ming dynasties, there were the changes in the material, form and application scope of pizhen in surgery. By analyzing the representative surgery works, it was found that there were four kinds of pizhen in its evolution, including sword-like needle, triangle-like needle, willow-leaf-like needle and slant type. The action scope was expanded, removing carbuncle, draining pus and cutting off masses and rotten muscles besides pricking pus, blood and harmful fluids. Since the introduction of surgical technology, pizhen almost disappeared in surgery. The paper analyzes the evolution routes of this ancient needle and its influence factors from the perspective of knowledge development. It is summarized that the development of pizhen is related to the approaches to the knowledge production of acupuncture-moxibustion and its inheritance, the limitation of the dissemination of pizhen technique and lack of theoretical derivation.
History, Ancient ; Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy/history* ; China ; Medicine in Literature/history* ; Acupuncture Points ; Needles/history* ; History, Medieval

Professor ZHANG Shan-chen's clinical experience and academic thoughts in the field of acupuncture are summarized. Professor ZHANG stresses on theoretical exploration and has written Zhenjiu Jiayijing Shuxue Chongji, published a series of articles on textual research and expounded the nomenclature of acupoints. He believes that clinical practice should be guided by theory and the comprehensive syndrome differentiation be emphasized. Hence, a holistic idea should be cultivated, in which, the human body is considered as an organic whole and should be adaptive to the nature. Based on the theory above, the diagnosis can be determined and the effective treatment be received. He suggests selecting few acupoints, identifying the deficiency from the excess so as to determine the reinforcing or replenishing method and exerting appropriate needling manipulation. Additionally, the response should be enhanced on the identification of deqi after needle insertion. Moreover, a great consideration is laid on the clinical trial and application of moxibustion, which is complemented with acupuncture technique each other and mutually conductive to the clinical effect.
Acupuncture/history* ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Needles

Professor WU Lian-zhong's experience in treating spasmodic torticollis by Kaiqiao Shunjin method (resuscitation and regulating muscle) is summarized in this paper. The pathogenesis of spasmodic torticollis is the occluded brain orifices and delirium, qi disorder of meridian tendons, specifically divided into five categories: damp-heat, liver-yang hyperactivity, liver-kidney yin deficiency, deficiency of the governor vessel, excess of the governor vessel. The treatment should be based on the symptoms and the root causes, the symptoms should be the main treatment, and the root cause should be treated based on syndrome differentiation. The main treatment is Kaiqiao Shunjin method (resuscitation and regulating muscle), and to take the chief (five heart acupoints-Shuigou [GV 26], Laogong [PC 8], Yongquan [KI 1]), deputy (Yintang [GV 24⁺], Shangxing [GV 23] through Baihui [GV 20], Ximen [PC 4]), assistant (Fenglong [ST 40], Lianquan [CV 23], combined with tongue needle prick), envoy (Hanyan [GB 4]) as the basic main acupoints, at the same time cooperate with local acupoints to remove knots and accumulation. Finally, syndrome differentiation is adopted to dredge meridians and disperse knots, regulate the governor vessel, and nourish yin and dispel wind.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy/history* ; Humans ; Meridians ; Needles ; Syndrome ; Torticollis/therapy*

The literature study and physical measurement were adopted to analyze the origin and relevant texture information of a box of French golden acupuncture needles stored in Yunnan University of CM. In 1901 the French vice-consul George Soulié de Morant went to China, based on his Chinese linguistic skills, he studied with several Chinese medicine masters during that time. After returning to France, he researched clinic acupuncture with western medical doctors and published articles and books on it, which led him to be a Nobel Prize nominee. He made a box of acupuncture needles, collected by Yunnan University of CM, in which nine needles made by the gold-copper and silver-zinc alloy, decorated with ruby and sapphire representing tonification and dispersion. The parameter of material, thickness and length match well to the description in (). Being the golden box with needles of its kind in the whole world, it has more value of medicine, education, historical and cultural relics than jewellery, which is the wisdom and innovation stimulated by ancient Chinese medical theory in the western world.
Acupuncture ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; Books ; China ; History, 20th Century ; Moxibustion ; Needles

By analyzing the articles in Huangdi Neijing (Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor), combined with the verification of consciousness in vitro in clinic and modern science, it is found Huangdi Neijing has made special requirements of treating spirit for physicians using spirit-qi acupuncture. The physicians consciously use different methods to motivate the spirit of physician and patients, especially patients, to transform it to the physiological effect of patients, which could minimize the psychological factors that make negative influence on treatment; also the psychotherapy is considered as the most important principle of treating spirit. The reinforcing and reducing methods in later generations, mainly lifting-thrusting twirling method, unintentionally lead patients into a basic or strong status of treating spirit or keeping spirit during the process of achieving stimulation and needle sensation. To partially perform the special role of treating spirit for physicians in Huangdi Neijing on patients could cause the chages including patient-based using spirit to move qi. It not only inspires the body's natural resistance to disease and self-healing, but also motivates the self-protection mechanism of keeping spirit.
Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; instrumentation ; methods ; Books ; history ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Needles ; Qi

Professor GAO Yuchun is considered as the key successor of GAO's academic school of acupuncture and moxibustion in Yanzhao region. Professor GAO's clinical experience of, "sequential acupuncture" is introduced in details in this article. In Professor GAO's opinions, appropriate acupuncture sequence is the key to satisfactory clinical effects during treatment. Based on different acupoints, sequential acupuncture can achieve the aim of qi following needles and needles leading qi; based on different symptoms, sequential acupuncture can regulate qi movement; based on different body positions, sequential acupuncture can harmonize qi-blood and reinforcing deficiency and reducing excess. In all, according to the differences of disease condition and constitution, based on the accurate acupoint selection and appropriate manipulation, it is essential to capture the nature of diseases and make the order of acupuncture, which can achieve the aim of regulating qi movement and reinforcing deficiency and reducing excess.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; methods ; China ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Needles ; Qi ; history

The statement on the depth of needle insertion is collected from Neiiing (nternal Classic) and Nanjing (Classic of Medical Problems) and the relationship of it is discussed with meridians, diseases, symptoms, location of sickness, qi and blood changes in human body, time, layers of needle insertion, reinforcing and reducing of acupuncture, etc. The factors are explored for the determination of the puncture depth, which provides the important guidance for the depth of insertion, needling sensation, reinforcing and reducing manipulations, acupuncture effect and the improvement of acupuncture efficacy. The complex and mystery of acupuncture technique focus on the control of insertion depth. In clinical practice, the increase of needle insertion depth may not induce the equal increase of efficacy. The depth of needle insertion is rather relevant with stimulation at the effective acupoint in the effective layer.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; instrumentation ; methods ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Meridians ; Needles ; history ; Sensation

This paper aims at discussing the clinical characteristics and experiences of ZHU Lian, the renowned contemporary acupuncture master from the following three aspects: "characteristics of clinical manipulations and techniques", "thoughts on diagnosis and treatment" and "examples of clinical cases". The study has shown that ZHU Lian invented the slow insertion technique by rotating needle and the embedding needle technique, improved moxibustion technique with moxa roll and proposed the three keys on the treatment with acupuncture and moxibustion, as well as discovered new acupoints for treatment. The pioneering and distinguished achievements she con tributed play the great demonstrating and driving role in the development of clinical study and practice of acupuncture and moxibustion.
Acupuncture ; education ; history ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; methods ; China ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; history ; instrumentation ; methods ; Needles ; Teaching

The painless needle insertion technique, summarized by Professor WU Lian-zhong during his decades of acupuncture clinical practice is introduced in this article, which is characterized as soft, flexible, fast, plucking and activating antipathogenic qi. The Sancai (three layers) lifting and thrusting manipulation technique is adopted by Professor WU for getting the qi sensation. And features of 10 kinds of needling sensation such as soreness, numbness, heaviness, distension, pain, cold, hot, radiation, jumping and contracture are summarized. Finger force, amplitude, speed and time length are also taken as the basis of reinforcing and reducing manipulations. Moreover, examples are also given to explain the needling technique on some specific points which further embodies Professor WU's unique experiences and understandings on acupuncture.
Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; methods ; China ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Needles