Origins and Development

Acupuncture has been practiced in China for some 3,500 years but the exact date of its origin is unknown. The first medical textbook was the Nei Jing Su Wen, “The yellow emperor’s classic of Internal Medicine” (About 400 BC) which is still of relevance today for all styles of acupuncture around the world.

The practice was gradually developed and refined through centuries and since the communist revolution, acupuncture has been revitalised and is now widely used. Acupuncture was able to spread out of China to Korea, Japan and Vietnam. It was through the French connection to Vietnam that Acupuncture reached Britain in the 1960’s.

Acupuncture points have been mapped out over 2000 years and more recently have been confirmed by electromagnetic research.

Nowadays in China, around forty percent of the population use acupuncture, it is offered in hospitals alongside western medicine. The population is also using Chinese medicine to prevent disease, using several modalities: Herbal therapy, acupuncture and acupressure, Tui Na (Chinese physiotherapy and massage), moxibustion, cupping, exercise (Tai Chi, Chi Qong) and diet.