Chinese Acupuncture

The History Of Chinese Acupuncture

The idea of Chinese acupuncture is one steeped in history, linked back 
farther than we could ever pinpoint on exact terms, and has been cited as a 
medical wonder for thousands upon thousands of years. And, yes, we realize 
that the debate over Chinese acupuncture seems to waged just as long but 
that is not the point of this article. We are not here to weigh the 
advantages and disadvantages of this procedure; instead, we are here to 
explain the history behind it. You can never form a true opinion on 
something without all of the facts and this is just another step in the 
research you should take toward learning everything about acupuncture. And the fact that is an 
interesting science certainly makes that easier.

The actual expression of Chinese acupuncture postdates the act itself. This 
name was given to the practice by Willem Rhyne, who saw it done during his 
travels. The Chinese had originally been using the character of Chen, which 
means to prick with a needle. Rhyne’s influence clearly lasted the longest, 
however, as the rest of the world now uses the expression Chinese 
acupuncture when discussing this. Name origins aside, this had been going on 
for much longer than Rhyne’s time.

Chinese acupuncture borders on the spiritual rather than the scientific. 
When it was developed, it emphasized creating balance along the meridians on 
the body. These were the channels of energy we all possessed and, when the 
body was in pain or distressed, these channels were clearly blocked. Using 
needles on the specific points along the meridians would release the tension 
and restore the energy.

These points were developed with the meridians as each represents certain 
organs. Each one makes up the twelve major organs of the body, not to 
mention the spine and abdomen. These all reflect the most common ailments we 
have: from headaches to stomach aches, joint problems to chronic pain, the 
points can represent the illnesses we usually have. And, by using Chinese 
acupuncture, the theory is that you can relieve them by fixing the flow of 
energy.

This is not the only medical practice that relies on a spiritual background 
(many of the ones found in Chinese culture do the same) but it is one of the 
more well-known. Still, even with the level of popularity Chinese 
acupuncture has reached, few understand how far back its origins stretch. 
There is no way to determine the exact first time but, since recorded history has begun, we have found mentions of Chinese acupuncture and similar 
practices. This is an ancient procedure that relies of spirituality. That 
makes it quite different from modern approaches to medicine.

Does it work? We are not here to say. What we can say, though, is that the 
history of Chinese acupuncture is almost uncharitable but always 
fascinating, and you should learn all you can about it. Never approach a 
medial procedure without learning the facts; this is common sense, and 
Chinese acupuncture certainly applies to that. Know everything and learn all 
you can.