The Story of the Yellow River as well as Chinese Acupuncture

1. Acupuncture: A remarkable restorative technique over 2 millennia old

Acupuncture deals with The Story of the Yellow River and Chinese Acupuncture

By Bai Xinghua |   Submitted On October 10, 2009 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Share this article on Facebook Share this article on Twitter Share this article on Google+ Share this article on Linkedin Share this article on StumbleUpon Share this article on Delicious Share this article on Digg Share this article on Reddit Share this article on Pinterest

1. Acupuncture: An extraordinary therapeutic method over two millennia old

Acupuncture treats diseases by the insertion of fine needles into the body. In July of 1971, Dr. Henry A. Kissinger made a secret trip to China to prepare for President Nixon's historical visit. Among his entourage was James Reston, a journalist from the New York Times. While in China, Reston suffered an attack of acute appendicitis and underwent an appendectomy at the Beijing Union Medical College, established by the Rockefeller Foundation of New York in 1916. During the second night after the operation, Reston started to experience considerable discomfort in his abdomen.

With his approval, an acupuncturist at the hospital inserted and manipulated three long thin needles, one into the outer part of his right elbow and one below each knee. There was noticeable relaxation of the abdominal pressure and distension within an hour, with no recurrence of the problem thereafter. James Reston included a detailed description of his experiences with acupuncture in his dispatches from Beijing. This was the first such report to reach the English-speaking citizens of the United States, at least the vast majority who had no daily contact with Asians.

By contrast, acupuncture has been known and practiced in China for over 2300 years. Qin Yueren, the earliest recorded Chinese practitioner, is considered to be the founder of acupuncture. A biography of Qin Yueren is included in the Records of the Grand Historian (Shi Ji), the masterwork of the eminent Chinese historian Sima Qian (135 - ? BC). It is known that Qin Yueren lived around 407-310 BC, and was a contemporary of Hippocrates (c. 460-377 BC), the father of Western medicine.

Qin Yueren traveled widely throughout the feudal states that compromised China during his time, treating men and women, old and young alike. As a result, he was given the auspicious appellation Bian Que, which means Wayfaring Magpie - a bird that flies here and there dispensing good fortune. Several carved stones, unearthed from a tomb dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD), portray him with a human head and a bird's body.

On one occasion, while passing through the State of Guo (present-day Shan County in Henan Province), Bian Que learned that the Prince of Guo had died and his subjects were preparing to inter him. After careful examination, Bian Que believed that the prince had merely experienced a type of deep coma known as deathlike reversal. He successfully resuscitated the patient by needling an acupoint on the vertex of his head, and become known for bringing the dead back to life. This was the first recorded use of acupuncture in China.

Acupuncture is extraordinary. Needles have historically been among the most common tools of daily life, used for constructing garments all over the world. Just as needles are used to sew clothes, they are also utilized medically to suture incisions. While hollow syringes are used to inject fluids into the body or to draw them out, pricking the body with a solid acupuncture needle to treat illness seems quite incomprehensible. Most people prefer not to be punctured with needles, and associate needling with pain and injury. No wonder, to "needle" a person means to displease or to irritate in English. By trial and error, healers throughout the world have independently discovered similar treatments for pain and disease, including herbs, roots, wraps, rubs, blood-letting, massage, meditation, or surgery. But the invention of acupuncture is unique to China. illness by the insertion of great needles right into the body. In July of 1971, Dr. Henry A. Kissinger made a secret trip to China to plan for President Nixon's historical browse through. Among his entourage was James Reston, a journalist from the New york city Times. While in China, Reston endured an assault of severe appendicitis and undertook an appendectomy at the Beijing Union Medical University, established by the Rockefeller Structure of New York City in 1916. During the second night after the operation, Reston began to experience considerable discomfort in his abdominal area.

With his authorization, an acupuncturist at the health center put as well as manipulated three lengthy thin needles, one right into the external component of his best elbow and one listed below each knee. There was obvious relaxation of the stomach pressure and distension within an hour, without recurrence of the problem thereafter. James Reston included a detailed summary of his experiences with acupuncture in his dispatches from Beijing. This was the very first such report to get to the English-speaking residents of the United States, a minimum of the large majority who had no daily contact with Asians.

By contrast, acupuncture has actually been known and also exercised in China for over 2300 years. Qin Yueren, the earliest videotaped Chinese practitioner, is taken into consideration to be the founder of acupuncture. A biography of Qin Yueren is included in the Records of the Grand Historian (Shi Ji), the masterwork of the noteworthy Chinese chronicler Sima Qian (135 -? BC). It is known that Qin Yueren lived around 407-310 BC, and was a modern of Hippocrates (c. 460-377 BC), the papa of Western medication.

Qin Yueren took a trip extensively throughout the feudal states that endangered China during his time, treating males and females, old and young alike. As a result, he was provided the advantageous appellation Bian Que, which indicates Wayfaring Magpie - a bird that flies here and there dispensing good fortune. A number of sculpted stones, unearthed from a burial place dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 ADVERTISEMENT), depict him with a human head and also a bird's body.

On one occasion, while passing through the State of Guo (contemporary Shan Area in Henan District), Bian Que found out that the Prince of Guo had actually passed away as well as his topics were preparing to inter him. After cautious evaluation, Bian Que believed that the royal prince had simply experienced a kind of deep coma called corpselike turnaround. He successfully resuscitated the person by needling an acupoint on the vertex of his head, and become recognized for bringing the dead back to life. This was the initial videotaped use of acupuncture in China.

Acupuncture is remarkable. Needles have traditionally been among the most common tools of day-to-day live, utilized for building garments around the world. Just as needles are utilized to stitch clothing, they are additionally used clinically to stitch cuts. While hollow syringes are used to infuse liquids into the body or to draw them out, puncturing the body with a solid acupuncture needle to deal with health problem appears quite incomprehensible. The majority of people like not to be pierced with needles, and associate needling with discomfort as well as injury. Not surprising that, to "needle" a person implies to disappoint or to irritate in English. By trial and error, healers throughout the world have separately uncovered comparable treatments for pain and also disease, including herbs, origins, covers, massages, blood-letting, massage therapy, meditation, or surgical procedure. Yet the creation of acupuncture is one-of-a-kind to China.