Chinese Acupuncture And Moxibustion: Xiamen Universtity Doctor Meng Xianjun

Chinese Acupuncture And Moxibustion XIAMEN UNIVERSTITY DOCTOR MENG XIANJUN

 Simple

obesity

 Simple

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..

经络系统 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

经脉 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(Lung，Pericardium 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(Spleen，Liver and Kidney)．

They are the major trunks

of the system of the meridians，so 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.

络脉 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.