Modern Acupuncture Encyclopedia

Author: Chief Editor: Liu Gongwang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1998-01-01
Features: Synopsis The Comprehensive Manual of Modern Acupuncture and Moxibustion is a practical reference book that condenses the essence of acupuncture and moxibustion from ancient to modern times. It is divided into four parts: Basic Theory, Meridian and Acupoint, Techniques, and Clinical Application. The Basic Theory section comprehensively explains the fundamental theories and diagnostic methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine, incorporating the essence of Japanese abdominal diagnosis. The Meridian and Acupoint section follows national standards to determine the location and selection of acupoints, and elaborates on each acupoint from aspects such as naming, indications, mechanism of action, operation methods, ancient and modern formulas, and modern research. The Techniques section summarizes the operational procedures of common acupuncture and moxibustion techniques throughout history and provides standardized explanations for micro-area acupuncture methods such as auricular acupuncture, head acupuncture, facial acupuncture, and the lateral hand acupuncture. The Clinical Application section discusses the basic principles and principles of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment, offers unique insights into acupoint selection and combination methods, and provides detailed discussions on the treatment methods for 92 conditions with good therapeutic effects in clinical practice. This book is rich in content, systematic, concise and lucid, integrating ancient and modern knowledge, bridging Eastern and Western medicine, and accompanied by nearly a thousand illustrations to facilitate understanding and learning. It serves as an excellent reference for clinical practitioners, acupuncture and moxibustion teachers, and students. The English and Japanese editions of this book have already been published, with bilingual (Chinese-English) and trilingual (Chinese-English-Japanese) versions available, making it an important reference for learning professional foreign languages in Traditional Chinese Medicine and international exchanges. Excerpt: During the late Han Dynasty, Zhang Zhongjing, in his pursuit of ancient teachings and extensive collection of formulas, wrote the Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases, known as the " of medical formulas," earning him the title of "Sage of Medicine." The prescription principles of the Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases had a decisive influence on the development of later drug therapies. Its Six Meridian Differentiation method represented a breakthrough in progress based on the Neijing, and many specific differentiation methods in later generations were derived from it. The Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases also included examples of combining acupuncture and herbal medicine, which are worth exploring. Later, it was divided into the Treatise on Cold Damage and the Essential Prescriptions from the Golden Cabinet, with numerous commentaries and elaborations written around the Treatise on Cold Damage, particularly influencing the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine infectious diseases. After the Song and Ming Dynasties, research on the Golden Cabinet deeply impacted the fields of internal medicine and gynecology in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In summary, the establishment of the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine can be illustrated as in Table 1-1. (3) Achievements of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Since the Jin Dynasty The acupuncture and moxibustion field became an independent discipline with the further specialization of medicine during the Tang Dynasty. The Imperial Medical College of the Tang Dynasty established acupuncture and moxibustion as one of the medical specialties, leading to the emergence of "acupuncturists" and "moxibustionists" as professional physicians. However, this period still emphasized the combination of acupuncture and herbal medicine. Sun Simiao's Emergency Preparation of a Thousand Gold and Ten Thousand Silver Prescriptions and Supplementary Formulas of a Thousand Gold and Ten Thousand Silver included dedicated chapters on acupuncture and moxibustion, extensively collecting the treatment experiences of renowned masters from previous generations. Wang Tao's Essential Prescriptions from the Outer Platform emphasized moxibustion while being wary of acupuncture, leading to a tendency to prioritize moxibustion over acupuncture in the development of acupuncture and moxibustion in the middle Tang Dynasty. If the Jin Dynasty can be considered the second peak in the development of acupuncture and moxibustion, then the Song and Yuan Dynasties marked the second peak. The signs of this peak included the systematic organization of a large number of documents with the advancement of papermaking and printing technology, the introduction of Wang Weiyi's acupuncture and moxibustion bronze man, and the promotion of the Ziwu Liu Ni (Twelve Meridian Flowing) acupuncture method influenced by the theory of the Five Elements. To clearly present the meridians and acupoints, acupuncture and moxibustion diagrams such as the Lateral Recumbent Figure and the Ming Tang Figure appeared as early as the Jin Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, figures like were involved in revising the Ming Tang Figure, which was later illustrated in color by Sun Simiao and included in his Thousand Gold Prescriptions, named the Three Persons of the Ming Tang. In the Song Dynasty, Wang Weiyi wrote the Illustrated Manual of Acupuncture and Moxibustion on the Yellow Emperor's Ming Tang and cast two bronze man models for acupuncture and moxibustion teaching and examination, taking the Ming Tang acupuncture system to its peak. During this period, many renowned acupuncture and moxibustion masters emerged, and numerous works were produced. Among the most influential were Wang Zhizhong's Comprehensive Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Life, which emphasized clinical experience; Huai Shou's Elucidation of the Fourteen Meridians, which gave equal importance to the Ren and Du meridians and the twelve regular meridians, correcting acupoint locations based on meridians; and Dou Cai's Huangwu Xinshu, which advocated burning moxibustion. Another notable figure was Dou Hanqing during the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, who combined acupoint selection with the Earthly Branches, promoting the Ziwu Liu Ni acupuncture method of time-based acupoint selection, which was also a feature and achievement of acupuncture and moxibustion during this period. The Ming Dynasty marked the third peak in the development of acupuncture and moxibustion, particularly evident in the emphasis on acupuncture techniques and the reform of moxibustion methods. The former was represented by Yang Jizhou's Twelve Acupuncture Methods, while the latter involved the invention and popularization of mugwort cone moxibustion. Since the Qing Dynasty to the founding of the People's Republic of China, acupuncture and moxibustion saw no significant development. In the early Qing Dynasty, the focus was on continuing the Ming Dynasty's academic style, with efforts in annotating and explaining classics. From the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, under the influence of decadent feudal culture and semi-feudal, semi-colonial culture, acupuncture and moxibustion gradually declined. However, as an effective treatment method, acupuncture and moxibustion remained widely practiced and slowly developed in the. Additionally, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, acupuncture and moxibustion, along with the entire field of Traditional Chinese Medicine, received high attention and strong promotion in the revolutionary bases. At the beginning of the liberation, Zhu De stated: "Acupuncture and moxibustion in China have a history of thousands of years in treating diseases. Not only is its application simple and economical, but it also has proven effects on certain diseases. This is science. I hope that Chinese and Western medicine will unite to further improve its techniques and scientific principles." After the founding of the People's Republic of China, acupuncture and moxibustion expanded from relatively simple clinical applications and the organization of ancient literature to integration with modern medicine and modern science, with extensive research conducted from various perspectives to explore the principles of meridians, acupoints, and needle sensation. Especially in recent years, research on the principles of acupuncture analgesia and the application of acupuncture anesthesia has had a significant impact on the field of world medicine. (4) Internationalization of Acupuncture and Moxibustion According to historical records, acupuncture and moxibustion began to spread to Korea and Japan around the 6th century, and until the Ming Dynasty, Japan continued to send students to China to study medicine. Currently, acupuncture and moxibustion remain important parts of traditional medicine in Japan and Korea. In other neighboring countries of China, such as Southeast Asian countries and India, acupuncture and moxibustion were also adopted early through mutual exchanges and cultural interactions. After European missionaries were sent to China, acupuncture and moxibustion were introduced to various European countries. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Soviet Union and Eastern European countries sent physicians to China to study acupuncture and moxibustion. Since the 1970s, the World Health Organization has recognized acupuncture and moxibustion as an important part of traditional medicine, organizing multiple training sessions in China, leading to rapid promotion. According to the data from the "World Acupuncture Society Union Conference" held in Beijing in November 1987, acupuncture and moxibustion societies have been established in over 60 countries worldwide, including the United States, Japan, France, Germany, and the Soviet Union, conducting acupuncture treatment and research across the globe. In the past decade, over 50,000 international students have come to China to study acupuncture and moxibustion, and acupuncture clinics have sprung up like mushrooms in various parts of the world. Acupuncture treatment has been incorporated into the medical regulations of many countries, with educational institutions established and systems for examinations and business licenses implemented, gradually transforming from a folk therapy into a formal part of healthcare. The popular education of traditional acupuncture and moxibustion, as well as modern research on the principles of acupuncture, will become an integral part of world medicine. Upon returning, we will make greater contributions to the health of people worldwide in this field. II Content of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Basics In summary, the basics of acupuncture and moxibustion should include the following: (1) Philosophical Foundation: Yin-Yang and Five Elements Theory; (2) Morphological and Functional Foundation: Zang-Fu Theory, Meridians and Collaterals, Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids; (3) Etiological and Pathological Foundation: Six Evils and Seven Emotions Pathogenesis; (4) Diagnostic Foundation: Four Diagnostic Methods and Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment; (5) Therapeutic Foundation: General Principles of Acupuncture and Moxibustion. Most of these are inseparable from the entire foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, but since acupuncture and moxibustion therapy and drug therapy each have their own characteristics, they require some basic knowledge specific to each. For acupuncture and moxibustion, it is essential to clearly identify acupoints, while for drug therapy, it is necessary to be familiar with the properties of drugs and prescriptions. Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment emphasizes meridian differentiation, while drug treatment focuses on Six Meridian Differentiation and Wei-Qi-Ying-Xue Differentiation, among others. Since ancient times, Traditional Chinese Medicine has been closely related to ancient philosophy, often referred to as "medicine is connected to the I Ching." Learning ancient philosophical theories is crucial for understanding the basics of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and this point needs to be emphasized especially for beginners. III Learning Methods of Acupuncture and Moxibustion As mentioned in the previous section, understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine is like having a key, which is Chinese ancient philosophy. From the relationships between zang-fu organs to the naming of meridians, from the concept of qi and blood to the cold, heat, deficiency, and excess attributes of diseases, from replenishing and reducing techniques to acupoint selection principles—all are based on the fundamental views of Yin-Yang and Five Elements. Therefore, it is essential to gradually deepen the understanding of ancient philosophical views centered on Yin-Yang and Five Elements during the learning process. Although Yin-Yang and Five Elements are not part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine cannot exist without this philosophical perspective, and it has also promoted its development in certain aspects.