The Tale of the Yellow River and Chinese Acupuncture

1. Acupuncture: A remarkable restorative approach over two 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. diseases by the insertion of fine needles right into the body. In July of 1971, Dr. Henry A. Kissinger made a secret journey to China to prepare for President Nixon's historic go to. Among his entourage was James Reston, a reporter from the New York Times. While in China, Reston endured an assault of severe appendicitis and undertook an appendectomy at the Beijing Union Medical College, developed by the Rockefeller Structure of New York City in 1916. Throughout the second night after the procedure, Reston began to experience considerable discomfort in his abdominal area.

With his authorization, an acupuncturist at the healthcare facility put and also controlled 3 long slim needles, one into the outer component of his best arm joint as well as one below each knee. There was obvious leisure of the stomach pressure and distension within an hour, without any recurrence of the problem afterwards. James Reston consisted of a comprehensive summary of his experiences with acupuncture in his dispatches from Beijing. This was the first such report to reach the English-speaking people of the USA, at the very least the large bulk who had no everyday contact with Asians.

By contrast, acupuncture has been understood and also practiced in China for over 2300 years. Qin Yueren, the earliest videotaped Chinese professional, is considered to be the founder of acupuncture. A bio of Qin Yueren is consisted of in the Records of the Grand Chronicler (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 dad of Western medicine.

Qin Yueren took a trip extensively throughout the feudal states that compromised China throughout his time, treating males and females, old and young alike. As a result, he was provided the advantageous appellation Bian Que, which suggests Wayfaring Magpie - a bird that flies here and there dispensing good fortune. Several carved rocks, uncovered from a burial place dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 ADVERTISEMENT), represent him with a human head and a bird's body.

Once, while going through the State of Guo (present-day Shan County in Henan District), Bian Que discovered that the Royal prince of Guo had passed away and also his topics were preparing to inter him. After mindful exam, Bian Que thought that the prince had actually just experienced a sort of deep coma called corpselike reversal. He effectively resuscitated the patient by needling an acupoint on the vertex of his head, and also become recognized for bringing the dead back to life. This was the first taped use acupuncture in China.

Acupuncture is extraordinary. Needles have traditionally been amongst the most usual devices of life, used for building garments all over the world. Equally as needles are made use of to stitch clothes, they are likewise used medically to stitch lacerations. While hollow syringes are used to infuse liquids into the body or to draw them out, pricking the body with a solid acupuncture needle to deal with illness appears quite incomprehensible. Most individuals choose not to be punctured with needles, as well as associate needling with pain and also injury. No surprise, to "needle" an individual means to disappoint or to aggravate in English. By trial and error, therapists throughout the world have separately found similar therapies for pain and also condition, consisting of herbs, origins, covers, scrubs, blood-letting, massage therapy, meditation, or surgical procedure. Yet the invention of acupuncture is distinct to China.