The paper reviews systematically the main ancient medical books with the origin literature included on acupuncture prescription. It is found that the origin literature with acupuncture prescription in successive dynasties mainly focuses on Qin-Han and Jin-Yuan Dynasties. In Jin, Tang and Song Dynasties, as well as Ming and Qing Dynasties, the literature mainly records the experience of medical masters in the previous dynasties. By taking "headache" and "retention of urine" as examples, the origins on the literature of clinical acupuncture prescription are explored, the distribution rules and characteristics are summarized. Moreover, the evidences and evaluation method of quality grading were explored on the ancient books with the origin literature of acupuncture prescription involved.
Acupuncture ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Books ; China ; History, Ancient ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Prescriptions

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

Except the complete literature of , Tianhui medical slips unearthed in Chengdu also include a part of literature document on meridian, which was seriously damaged. Both of them were found in the same box together with . The title of the document chapter was not found in the residual medical slips. By investigated the textual content, it was discovered that such medical slips were different from the Mawangdui silk books, i.e. and , of Zhangjiashan bamboo slips of Han Dynasty, as well as in Tianhui medical slips. But, the sentences in description are similar to the sentences of in (), therefore, this residual slips was named as () by the collator. In the paper, by the comparison of this residual slip chapter with the unearthed literature document on meridian as well as in , the origin and evolution of meridian theory of traditional Chinese medicine in the Qin and Han dynasties were explained. By taking it as an example, the construction process of classical theory of traditional Chinese medicine was explored.
Acupuncture ; history ; Books ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Meridians

Xiaozhenjie (Miraculous Pivot Chapter 3: Annotation of Fine Needle) is the earliest annotation of Jiuzhen Shieryuan (Miraculous Pivot Chapter 1: Nine Needles and Twelve Yuan-Primary Acupoints). There are particularly 24 annotations of qi in the chapter. Based on the original literature, the styles of qi annotationsl were divided into three categories. By comparing with the original text, semantic features of qi annotations were reasoned. In reference to the understandings and notes of qi annotations given by the scholars of different dynasties, the origin of qi connotation in the ancient time was clarified so as to provide the historical evidence to the for-mation of this unique "qi language" and "qi worldview". It presents the instructive significance to understand and interpret "qi" for the scholars in the modern time.
Acupuncture Points ; Books ; history ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; Meridians ; Qi ; history

Numerology has a long history in China and has the profound impacts on every academic field in TCM, with acupuncture involved. In this paper, the impacts on acupuncture were discussed in different aspects such as the numbers of meridians, the length of meridian, the time taboo of acupuncture, acupuncture manipulation and time acupuncture. It was found that numerology had laid the critical impact on acupuncture and had the profound imprint nowadays. It is of great significance to study the numerology theory in its impacts on acupuncture, in the exploration on the theories behind acupuncture as well as the comprehensive understanding of acupuncture.
Acupuncture ; history ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; methods ; Books ; China ; Culture ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Time

When classifying and compiling Huangdi Neijing (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic), YANG Shangshan had constructed the systematic framework of the meridian-collateral theory. It has been found in the investigation of Huangdi Neijing Taisu (Grand Simplicity of The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic) that YANG Shangshan constructed the meridian-collateral systematic framework on the foundation of meridian theory. This framework includes two parts. One is the twelve meridians and the other one is the eight extra meridians, in which, the divergent meridians are derived from the regular meridians, and the collaterals, the cutaneous regions of meridians, genjie and biaoben are attributive to the regular meridians. The theory of the jingjin of meridians should be different from meridian-collateral system. YANG Shangshan constructed and annotated the meridian-collateral system, interpreting his unique thinking and analytic foundation. Being one of the forms of meridian-collateral theory at the early stage, YANG Shangshan's discovery deserves to be considered.
Books ; history ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Meridians

Through textual research of the literature on tiny collateral and perforator vessel, the two concep- tions were compared and the similarity was analyzed in terms of definition, anatomical level, quantity, the flow of qi and blood and clinical application, etc. It is considered that the tiny collateral in Neijing (Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor) and the perforator vessel of modern medicine are different names of one physical structure. It is proposed that the combination of the tiny collateral theory of CM and the research findings of perforator vessel of western medicine would deepen the understanding of the tiny structure of human skin and promote the development of both TCM and modern medicine.
Books ; history ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Meridians ; Microvessels ; pathology ; Qi

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

Jiujing Tu (Illustration of Moxibustion), excavated from Mo Kao Grotto at Dunhuang, is one of the earliest existing monographs on moxibustion. The medical masters from different schools have focused on this book because it is different from the existing ancient medical works and have not been collected in the medical works of different dynasties. In this study, the literature of Jiujing Tu on five acupoints (Dachangshu, Pangguangshu, Daxiaochangshu, Nieshu and Cigong) relevant with intestinal disorders is collected. It is intended to discuss and analyze the acupoint location, main intestinal disorder, moxibustion characters, recognition on the literature of different dynasties and modern clinical applications. It is believed that the thought of strong moxibustion in the treatment of intestinal disorders advocated in Jiujing Tu has profound impact on the medical development in later generations. It deserves us to have a further digging, collection and promotion of this thought in the modern time.
Acupuncture Points ; Books, Illustrated ; history ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Meridians ; Moxibustion ; history

By analyzing the acupuncture taboos in Neijing (Internal Classic) on clinical application of mind conduction of acupuncture therapy in going against the actual situation, astronomy and others, it is found that the relevant acupuncture taboo implies many subtle mysteries of human body, qi, mind and astronomy, which have not been discovered yet in modern science and are very significant in qi protection. In Neijing, the acupuncture physicians have been highly required in the mind treatment, in which, accurately regulating qi circulation is the target in the treatment. The mind conduction is used for qi circulation to accomplish accurately the reinforcing or reducing in the deficiency or excess condition. All of the taboos are provided to normalize the accuracy of reinforcing and reducing technique of acupuncture therapy and avoid the damage of qi in human body. Hence, those taboos must be obeyed so as to prevent from serious consequence and ensure the safety of this acupuncture therapy.
Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; psychology ; Books ; history ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Mind-Body Therapies ; history ; psychology