History Of Acupuncture

During the Warring States period in china, Taoism and Confucianism had great impact on the Chinese approach to health and disease. Taoism offered guidance to those seeking harmony between themselves and their world, and the world beyond. Confucianism, on the other hand, focused on government and social issues. It emphasized on the social status, the sacredness of the human body and the importance of preserving it intact throughout life and in death. As a result, the development of anatomy and surgery in China was interrupted. Thus, paving the way for Acupuncture to step in and "cure internal disease by external means". [1] And bringing the Chinese medical practice in terms with Taoism and Confucianism. [1]

It is generally accepted that the practice of Acupuncture was originally invented in china, and that it dates back to the Stone Age. Needles were initially manufactured from stone (Bian stones), then later, bronze, gold and silver were all used in the manufacturing process. Among all the books written on the subject, the 'Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine' (The Nei Jing, 300BC) is perhaps oldest text we have. The book presents the Taoism philosophy, and highlights the acupunctural meridian network together with all the physiological and pathological details. Nowadays this text serves as the main theoretical reference of Acupuncture. As the popularity of acupuncture increased, several other texts, such as 'The Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion' and 'Nei Ching Su Wen' by Haung Fu Mi, became available in the third century BC. Both books were used as the main Acupuncture teaching texts at the Chinese Imperial medical college which was founded during the Sui dynasty (Ad 561-618). [2][1]

A major shift in the Chinese medical ideology occurred when the western interest in trade with china grew during the Chinese Ming dynasty at around 1504. Trading Settlements in China were established. And the new arrivals introduced western medical techniques to the Chinese. The western medical methods challenged the traditional Chinese medical ideas. As a result, the change was initially rejected. But later, however, western medicine prevailed. Acupuncture's popularity decreased. The Acupuncture classes at the imperial university stopped in 1822. The emperors of the Ching dynasty (1644-1911 AD) went as far as regarding Acupuncture "a bar to progress". [1] And finally,