Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese system of medicine which involves the practice of inserting fine needles into the skin. To research the beginnings of the art and practice of acupuncture we must pierce the folds of time and cast our minds back to ancient China.

The meridians of acupuncture Under this page I have assembled maps of all the meridians of Chinese acupuncture. These include the 12 main meridians plus their inner pathways and the 8 extra meridians. Maps showing body areas such as head or legs are also included in order to focus directly on an anatomical region rather than on a whole meridian.

Acupuncture is advocated by some for pain control but there are doubts about its effectiveness and its safety. Investigators from the Universities of Exeter&Plymouth (Exeter, UK) and the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (Daejeon, South Korea) evaluated systematic reviews of acupuncture in order to explore the issue.

Acupuncture is a very ancient form of healing which pre-dates recorded history. The philosophy is rooted in the Taoist tradition which goes back over 8000 years. The people of this time period would meditate and observe the flow of energy within and without. They also were keen to observe man's relations with nature and the universe.

Acupuncture has a clearly recorded history of about 2,000 years, but some authorities claim that it has been practiced in China for some 4,000 years. The Chinese believe that the practice of acupuncture began during the Stone Age when stone knives or sharp edged tools, described by the character 'Bian', were used to puncture and drain abscesses. I found this website really helpful

Acupuncture has a clearly recorded history of about 2,000 years, but some authorities claim that it has been practiced in China for some 4,000 years. The Chinese believe that the practice of acupuncture began during the Stone Age when stone knives or sharp edged tools, described by the character 'Bian', were used to puncture and drain abscesses.