There are voluminous
Traditional Chinese Medial literatures and numerous medical great stars
in China history. The most well-known doctors of the past were experts in
Acupuncture and Moxibustion. For example, from 400 B,C. to 200 B.C.(the
Periodsof Warring Stage to the Western Han Dynasty), there were
famous doctors Bian Que and Cang Gong.
Bian Que
was not only proficient in all clinical specialties, but also an expert
in clinical Bian puncture, fire moxibustion, herbal decoction, massage
and hot compression therapies. The story that Bian Que cured the prince
in Shijue (like coma) with acupuncture has long been the most relishable
episode in China's medical history. The magpie-shaped stone statue, a
deified symbol of Bian Que holding a stone needle, was found in the excavated
tomb of the Han Dynasty.
In
A.D.200, the medical great of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Hua Tuo, besides
the superb surgical techniques which he was famous of, was also a master
of acupuncture therapies. The acupuncture therapy he used to successful
cure Cao Gao's headache has been a familiar episode in China's medical
history. Clinically, the method used to locate the "Beishu, Back-Shu"
points which located about one cun (a Chinese inch) lateral to the spine.
The locating method was called "Hua Tuo Parallel Spine Method".
There are some other literatures recording the acupuncture methods of
Bian Que and Hua Tuo.
Zhang Zhongjing,
another outstanding medical doctor of Hua Tuo's contemporaries authored
the book Treatise on Febrile Diseases. In his
book he stresses very much the acupuncture treatments besides herbal medication.
For instance, he used Fengchi, Fengfu to treat disease of Tai-yang.
In
third century A.D., during the Jin Dynasty in China, acupuncturist Huangfu
Mi edited the book "Acupuncture Jiayijing", literally meaning
"the systemic of Acupuncture." It incorporates the acupuncture
theories of "Su Wen" and " Ling Shu" with the book
"Ming Tang Essentials of points". It is a complete edition of
Acupuncture. The essence of the earlier acupuncture classic Ming
Tang Essentials of Points was quoted and has been preserved
in Acupuncture Jiayijing. A total of 349 points
are described in this book.
The contemporary
of Ruangfu Mi, the famous medical expert and chemist Ge Hong also advocate
the application of Acupuncture. In his book Bao Pu Zi
he had mentioned "Ming Tang liu Zhu", the diagram of
meridian network and "Yan Ce Tu", a chapter of lateral
and posterior views. His another book Prescription for Emergencies
also records "Ming Tang Liu Zhu." These were all literatures
of points.
The book
Sui Shu Jing Ji Zi recorded many Acupuncture
literatures.
In sixth
to ninth century A.D., during the Sui and Tang Dynasty in China, State
Government paid more attention to medical education and established the
special institution Imperial Medical Bureau, a government unit, responsible
for medical training. At that time the bureau officers controlled the
number of medical specialties, student number, the length of programs
and different accreditation of facilities. They also selected talented
students through a strict examination system.
Sun Simiao,
the great medical specialist living in Tang Dynasty, was crowned "King
of Herbal Medicine". Sun Simiao compiled the hook Prescriptions
Worth a Thousand Gold for Emergencies and A
Supplement to Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold. He considered
that human life is as precious and valuable as a thousand grams of gold,
therefore he used the phrase Qian Jin to name these books of
prescriptions. Charts of meridians and points are illustrated in his book.
They include the anterior, posterior and lateral views of meridians and
points, but the original charts have been missing. The three charts in
Qianjin Yaofang are the research outcome of
famous medical experts of that era. The twelve regular meridians are illustrated
in five kinds of color and the eight extra meridians in green color. It
can be concluded that they are the earliest multi-color charts of meridians
and points in medical history.
Yang Shangshan,
a medical expert and court official, compiled two books Huahgdi
Nei Ting Tai Su and Huangdi Nei Jin Ming Tang.
The latter illustrates all points according to different branches of meridians.
The twelve regular meridians are explained in 12 chapters separately.
But all eight extra meridians are grouped in one chapter only
Wang Tao
was a medical specialist who authored the book The Medical
Secrets of An Official in 752, in which Jiu points are illustrated
in charts. The three charts were expanded to twelve charts. The original
charts are also lost, but we could understand their figures by studying
the survival moxibustion scrolls housed in Dun Huang, Gansu Province.
Traditional
Chinese Medicine has been introduced to foreign countries in the Sui and
Tang Dynasties. The famous monk Jean Zhen of the Tang Dynasty finally
arrived in Japan after five trips to the east. He brought to Japan books
of meridian, Acupuncture and Buddhist scriptures.
Nowadays,
there are some duplicated editions such as Tai Su
and Nei Jing Ming Tang are preserved in Japan
In the same
period, Japanese medical experts wrote the book Yi Xain Fang,
which records the monthly meridian diagram of pregnant women.
In the tenth
century, in the Song Dynasty of China, medical science was so emphasized
by the Imperial Court that various medical books were edited under the
assistance of the Imperial Court. The Imperial Court-edited Taiping
Sheng Hui Fang contains twelve human anatomical charts demonstrating
the unique literary style of the Song Dynasty.
At the time
of Emperor Renzong in the Song Dynasty, Court Doctor Wang Weiyi, was a
master of herbal medicine and Acupuncture. In 1026, he revised the locations
of Points and compiled the book Brass Model Illustration of
Points & Acupuncture Anatomy which Contains diagrams
of points and three anatomical charts in anterior, posterior and lateral
views, a total of 354 points are included. The content of the book had
been inscribed on stone tablet and displayed on brass model by the Court
of the Song Dynasty in medical educational institutions.
In 1027,
two years after the book was published, two brass model were produced
to demonstrate meridians and points. They are the earliest three-dimensional
Acupuncture models important to the development of Acupuncture science.
But it is a pity that the original brass models are missing. Nowadays
there are only duplicate models with meridian illustration, points and
locations of Zhang-fu.
Emperor Renzong
of the Song Dynasty was a strong advocate of Acupuncture. He had bodily
experienced the healing effect of Acupuncture treatment, resultingly he
built a temple for Bian Que and conferred him Prince of God
Response. Later in history, there were many Acupuncture
books written in the name Bian Que, such as Bian Que's Medical
Experiences and Acupuncture Classic of Bian
Que's God Response.
During the
period of 1100-1300's, in the Southern Song Dynasty and the Jin, Yuan
Dynasties, there had been numerous acupuncturists and their publications
were voluminous. For example, in South China, Wang Zhizhong authored the
book Canon on the Origin of Acupuncture. Don
Hanqing of North China compiled Guide to Acupuncture Theories.
Hua Boren
of the Yuan Dynasty wrote the book Exposition of the Fourteen
Meridians, explaining the relationship between meridians
and points. The book contributed and influenced very profoundly the studies
of Acupuncture science.
During the
period of 1500-1600, in the Ming Dynasty of China all medical hooks were
published by referring to the Exposition of the Fourteen Meridians.
Li Shizhen,
a great doctor of that time, wrote An Outline of Herbal Medicine
and compiled a book, specialized in the most emphasized eight extra meridians.
The Ming
Dynasty saw the most voluminous publication of Acupuncture works in China's
medical history. There were comprehensive medical writings such as Xu
Feng's A Complete Book of Acupuncture; Gao Wu's
An Exemplary Collection of Acupuncture and Yang Jizhou's
version of Acupuncture Dacheng. Yang Jizhong's
Acupuncture Dacheng deserves particular attention
here for its the most complete and comprehensive Acupuncture library summarizing
important previous Acupuncture publications. It describes a total of 359
points, five points more than does the brass model. Traditional Chinese
Medicine had been spread to neighboring oriental countries at that time.
The Korean Doctor Xu Jun compiled a book A Treasury of Oriental
Medicine, in which a special chapter is devoted to Acupuncture.
Bronze statues
of different sizes have been manufactured in subsequent periods after
the first model by Doctor Wang Weiyi. All Acupuncture names and running
courses of meridians were marked on the surface of the brass model. As
an illustration of the exact locations of Zhang-fu(guts), chest and abdomen,
the models also demonstrate in detail where prudent precautions should
be taken and where puncturing should be avoided to prevent injuring vital
internal organs. There are also meridian structures inscribed on wood
blocks & stones. Present acupuncture and meridian diagrams and models
are evolved from these original ones.
In 1700s,
during the Qing Dynasty in China, the national medical institution the
Imperial Court sponsored organization, was formed to edit Golden
Mirror of Medicine. In this book, the chapter Principles
of Acupuncture consists of meridians & points charts and drawings
as well as poems. To award the editorial officials for their efforts,
a small brass model, the earliest version of brass models, was given to
each of them from His Imperial Majesty of the Qing Dynasty.
In 1882,
Doctor Li Xuechuan, a native of Wu County, Jiangshu Province, wrote
The Source of Acupuncture which systematically summarized once
again the points of the fourteen meridians. In his book, the 361 points
of the fourteen meridians are illustrated and have the same to date.