The Story of the Yellow River and also Chinese Acupuncture

1. Acupuncture: An extraordinary therapeutic technique over 2 millennia old

Acupuncture treats 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 fine needles right into the body. In July of 1971, Dr. Henry A. Kissinger made a secret trip to China to prepare for Head of state Nixon's historic browse through. Among his entourage was James Reston, a reporter from the New York Times. While in China, Reston suffered an attack of acute appendicitis and also underwent an appendectomy at the Beijing Union Medical University, established by the Rockefeller Foundation of New York in 1916. Throughout the second evening after the operation, Reston started to experience substantial discomfort in his abdomen.

With his approval, an acupuncturist at the health center put and also adjusted 3 lengthy slim needles, one right into the outer part of his best joint and also one listed below each knee. There was recognizable relaxation of the abdominal pressure and distension within a hr, without reoccurrence of the problem afterwards. James Reston included an in-depth 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, a minimum of the huge majority that had no everyday contact with Asians.

By comparison, acupuncture has been known and exercised in China for over 2300 years. Qin Yueren, the earliest recorded Chinese practitioner, is thought about to be the owner of acupuncture. A bio of Qin Yueren is included in the Records of the Grand Historian (Shi Ji), the masterwork of the distinguished Chinese chronicler Sima Qian (135 -? BC). It is known that Qin Yueren lived around 407-310 BC, as well as was a contemporary of Hippocrates (c. 460-377 BC), the daddy of Western medication.

Qin Yueren traveled commonly throughout the feudal states that endangered China throughout his time, treating males and females, old and also young alike. Therefore, he was given the auspicious appellation Bian Que, which means Wayfaring Magpie - a bird that flies occasionally dispensing good luck. Numerous carved stones, discovered from a burial place going back to the Eastern Han Empire (25-220 AD), depict him with a human head and also a bird's body.

Once, while passing through the State of Guo (present-day Shan Region in Henan District), Bian Que learned that the Prince of Guo had actually passed away and also his subjects were preparing to inter him. After mindful exam, Bian Que believed that the royal prince had actually just experienced a type of deep coma called corpselike turnaround. He efficiently resuscitated the patient by needling an acupoint on the vertex of his head, as well as come to be known for bringing the dead back to life. This was the first videotaped use acupuncture in China.

Acupuncture is phenomenal. Needles have actually traditionally been among the most typical tools of daily life, utilized for constructing garments all over the world. Equally as needles are used to sew clothing, they are also used clinically to stitch lacerations. While hollow syringes are made use of to infuse liquids into the body or to draw them out, puncturing the body with a solid acupuncture needle to deal with health problem seems fairly incomprehensible. Many people favor not to be penetrated with needles, and associate needling with pain and also injury. No surprise, to "needle" an individual suggests to disappoint or to irritate in English. By experimentation, therapists throughout the globe have separately uncovered similar therapies for discomfort as well as disease, consisting of natural herbs, roots, wraps, massages, blood-letting, massage therapy, reflection, or surgical procedure. However the creation of acupuncture is one-of-a-kind to China.