The Tale of the Yellow River and also Chinese Acupuncture

1. Acupuncture: A remarkable healing technique over two centuries 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. conditions 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 historic visit. Among his entourage was James Reston, a reporter from the New york city Times. While in China, Reston experienced an attack of acute appendicitis as well as went through an appendectomy at the Beijing Union Medical College, developed by the Rockefeller Structure of New York in 1916. Throughout the 2nd evening after the procedure, Reston began to experience substantial discomfort in his abdominal area.

With his approval, an acupuncturist at the medical facility put and adjusted three long thin needles, one into the outer component of his ideal elbow as well as one listed below each knee. There was visible leisure of the abdominal pressure and distension within an hour, without reoccurrence of the trouble thereafter. James Reston included a comprehensive description of his experiences with acupuncture in his dispatches from Beijing. This was the first such report to get to the English-speaking people of the USA, at the very least the vast bulk that had no everyday call with Asians.

By contrast, acupuncture has actually been understood as well as exercised in China for over 2300 years. Qin Yueren, the earliest recorded Chinese specialist, is considered to be the creator of acupuncture. A bio 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 daddy of Western medicine.

Qin Yueren took a trip commonly throughout the feudal states that endangered China during his time, dealing with men and women, old and also young alike. Because of this, he was offered the auspicious appellation Bian Que, which implies Wayfaring Magpie - a bird that flies occasionally giving good fortune. Numerous carved stones, uncovered from a tomb dating back to the Eastern Han Empire (25-220 ADVERTISEMENT), represent him with a human head and also a bird's body.

Once, while travelling through the State of Guo (contemporary Shan Region in Henan District), Bian Que found out that the Prince of Guo had actually died as well as his topics were preparing to inter him. After mindful evaluation, Bian Que thought that the royal prince had just experienced a kind of deep coma referred to as ghostly reversal. He efficiently resuscitated the individual by needling an acupoint on the vertex of his head, and become known for bringing the dead back to life. This was the first tape-recorded use acupuncture in China.

Acupuncture is amazing. Needles have actually traditionally been amongst one of the most typical tools of daily life, used for creating garments all over the globe. Just as needles are made use of to sew clothing, they are additionally made use of medically to suture incisions. While hollow syringes are used to inject fluids into the body or to attract them out, puncturing the body with a solid acupuncture needle to deal with disease seems rather incomprehensible. Most people choose not to be pierced with needles, and also associate needling with discomfort and injury. Not surprising that, to "needle" a person implies to displease or to aggravate in English. By experimentation, therapists throughout the globe have actually individually found comparable treatments for pain and also disease, consisting of natural herbs, roots, covers, scrubs, blood-letting, massage, reflection, or surgical procedure. But the development of acupuncture is special to China.