Pioneers of Acupuncture

In Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture the main figures in this concentration are difficult to almost not even able to be found. Many of the influences started in early A.D maybe even B.C. One of them, Fu Hsi, who lived in the Yellow River area of China approximately 8000 years ago, is the one theorist that started the practice. By observing nature, he formulated the first two symbols, a broken line and unbroken line. These symbols represent the two major forces in the universe, creation and reception, and how their interaction forms life. The duality was named Yin-Yang and they represented the backbone of Chinese Medicine theory and application. Fu Hsi then discovered that when yin-yang fuse, a creative action occurs, and this gives birth to a third aspect. Fu Hsi then pondered on how this triplicity occurs eight times and this led to the eight trigrams and then 64 hexagrams of the I-Ching (Book of Change) the I-Ching shaped the thinking for years to come and everything influential book on Chinese Medicine is based upon its fundamental philosophy (1).

Huang-ti Nei-Ching (The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine), one of the oldest Chinese medical books still in existence, is used today as one of the main reference books on acupuncture theory. Since the time of the Emperor, the practice of acupuncture has remained virtually unchanged (2). The original nei ching consists of many parts of which the most important are the "Su Wen" and the " Ling Shu." The former deals with physiology, pathology, etiology, and health maintenance; the latter with anatomy, treatment, and the nervous system. The "Su Wen" introduced the following methods of treatment: Huei Shi- cutting stone, early surgery using stone knives, Medicinal- decoctions and medicinal soups, Acupuncture, Moxibustion- Heat therapy, and Massage- Manipulation and exercise (3).

The Huang Ti Nei Ching, even though it's a book has been a major influence and "founder" of early medicine used in the United States today, such as massage, acupuncture and all early medicine in china that is been brought here today. Most of the techniques used then are widely used here today.






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1. The Art of Acupuncture & Classical Chinese Herbology. 1998. Scott Suvow, M.O.M, L.A.C , NCCAOM. 3 Jan 2007

2. "Acupuncture." coolnurse.com. 3 Jan 2007 .

3. Tierra, Dr. Michael. " Hara Diagnosis." Planetherbs. 3 Jan 2007 .