Acupuncture Research Based On The Japanese Ancient Literature

The medical science of acupuncture and moxibustion is of long standing and well established between China and Japan. On the basis of inheriting Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion medicine, Japan's acupuncture and moxibustion has developed and innovated, even made significant achievements in its uniqueness of acupuncture manipulation. Japan's most representative acupuncture manipulation are three major needling methods: twirling needling, hitting needling and tube needling,which are coexisting and have all been used in clinical treatments. Twirling needling and hitting needling were introduced from China; from the view of the current literatures what I have in my hands,tube needling was found earlier in Japanese literatures. The use of the tube needling is of significance in the history of acupunctur e in Japan. Japan's traditional acupuncture manipulation is characteristic,and the extant literature of acupuncture and moxibustion is abundant in Japan, but the current academe is still lack of systematic carding for its traditional acupuncture literature. So this article adopts research methods of philology and history, launches the research at Japanese ancient acupuncture and moxibustion medical books that have been collected at present, and mainly discusses the development situation and features of Japanese traditional acupuncture manipulations. The author hopes to provide certain reference for theory research and clinical practice of the modern acupuncture manipulations.The main body of this paper includes preface, twirling needling, tube needling,ot her acupuncture manipulations and related issues which are involved in the use of acupuncture manipulations (include indications of the acupuncture manipulations,acupuncture taboos and treatments for acupuncture accidents and acupuncture tools ),the paper has a total of five parts.Preface, the first chapter, mainly explains questions which include the idea and purpose of the topic, research materials and research methods in this paper, etc.The second chapter mainly discusses twirling needling. Japanese twirling needling comes from China, and the important doctors inheriting the technology of Chinese twirling needling are Yosida Ikyu, Yanagawa Hiroyasu Izumi, Damamori Teisuke, Syuetusai Keisetu, Ishizaka Sotetsu, Yamamoto Gentu, Simaura Wadaitu,Okansitu Syujin, Wada Syuntetu, Ozawa Syueki, Tyouseian Ryoumi, and many others;the representative medical schools are Yosidaryu, Irieryu, Hikitiryu, Henjyakusinryu,Hesinitiryu,and so on; the crucial works are Sinkyusetuyaku, Sinkyusuiyou, Sinkyusok aisyu, Isairyusinsyo.Japanese doctors based mainly on the theory of Nei Jing and Nan Jing, drew mostly the technology of Yuan and Ming Dynasties of China, and comprehensively summarized the needling technologies of China's past dynasties. It reflected quite well in the acupuncture and moxibustion books compiled by Japanese people, and the contents are extremely rich.The methods of twirling needling that Japanese doctors often operate mainly include rebingci, yinyangxingqici, zhutongyinyangcifa, feishouyingzhuangnishunzhi ci, yuancifa, miuci, sishicifa, xiezaiwuzangzhici, wubianwushuci, wuluanzhici, wuci,cizhenbafa, jiuzhifa, shierci, shierjingqixueci, shieryuanci, shierqici, shierjieci, shisifa,buxieshoufa, jingxingshujinghebuxie, hanrebuxie, xushibuxie, zuoyoubuxie, zimubuxi e, huxibuxie, yingsuibuxie and badengbuxie,etc.These specific acupuncture methods fully consider the choice of point, direction, speed, depth, strength, withdrawing,retaining and many other aspects of needle insertion. These issues are important technologies that acupuncturists must master, and these acupuncture methods need to be used flexibly and comprehensively according to individual differences and nature of diseases.The third chapter mainly discusses tube needling. From the view of the current literatures what I have in my hands,tube needling was found earlier in Japanese literatures. The first doctor to use the tube needling is a blind acupuncturist Sugiyama Waichi, which is significant in the history of development of Japan's acupuncture manipulation, and this is the mark that Japan begins on the road of characterized acupuncture. In addition to Sugiyama Waichi, there are other important doctors that are good at using tube needling, like Simaura Wadaitu, Ishizaka Sotetsu, etc. The schools represented by these doctors like Sugiyamaryu and Sugiyamasindenryu and Ishizakaryu mainly performed and inherited the technology of tube needling that was developed by Sugiyama Waichi. Most contents of the technology of tube needling are recorded in works like Sugiyamasindenryu, Hakuhousinjyutu, Sugiyamasindenryu sintusyujyutusyougi,Nansimyouten,Sinkyuhikai,etc.The techniques of acupuncture are varied, and mainly include shibashu,ershiwushu, babachongzhishu, shisiguanshu, ershiyishu, qilongqihu, rongweihuantong,badubuxie, batongbuxie, xietuxiabufa, shiwushi, Loose Needle, and so on. These methods are the rich and colorful, exquisite and wonderful, widely spread and far-reaching, and they still effectively directs the clinical practice of Japan.The fourth chapter discusses other acupuncture manipulations. In addition to the three major needling methods: twirling needling, hitting needling and tube needling,Japanese doctors also adopted acupuncture methods such as Blood-letting Puncture,Skin Needle, Hot Needle,Catch Needle and many other processes to cure diseases.These acupuncture methods were introduced earlier from China, and have been well inherited in Japan; at the same time, during the Mid-later Edo-Period, Japanese doctors also learned some western techniques of acupuncture by deftly blending together eastern and western medicine science, and have formed Japan characterized acupuncture technologies.The fifth chapter explains four aspects, including the expanded range of indications, taboo of acupuncture, disposal of acupuncture accidents and tools of acupuncture, which synthetically analyses the related issues involving Japanese acupuncture methods. With the continuous development and innovation of acupunctur e methods, Japanese doctors not only enriched the acupuncture techniques of Japan,but they also expanded the scope of clinical indications of the diseases as they could treat other illness except from surgical diseases, like internal, gynecology, pediatrics,ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology. Japanese cognitions for methods contraindic ated, points contraindicated and dates contraindicated in acupuncture have not exceeded the record of Chinese medical books, and some Japanese doctors were not constrained by the ancients' opinions of above problems about taboos. The disposal of Japanese doctors about accidents for fainting, breaking or other situations of needles during acupuncture treatment mostly inherited Chinese doctors' process modes.At first, the needling instruments used by Japanese basically patterned nine needles of China; fine needle, rounded sharp needle and sword-shaped needle were given priority to use in the Edo Period; later, with the influence of western medicine, the three-edged needle (similar to the ensiform needle), willow needle, frame needle and leek leaves needle and some other kinds of needles appeared in Japan. In addition,Japanese doctors exploited a complete set of tools matching tube needling and hitting needling during the Edo Period. In terms of needle materials, iron replaced gold and silver which are precious.In conclusion, Japanese traditional acupuncture manipulations basically continue d the theory of Chinese acupuncture manipulations; on the basis of inheriting Chinese acupuncture techniques, it develops and innovates further, and has found out a way with its own characteristics of acupuncture manipulations. The three major needling methods of Japan have all achieved great development, twirling needling and hitting needling have quite fully absorbed and comprehensively inherited the essence of Chinese medicine theories and acupuncture technologies, and Japanese doctors also expanded the scope of clinical use of acupuncture. Tube needling has distinctive characteristics of Japan, and its clinical application is extremely wide and popular.Other acupuncture manipulations, such as Blood-letting Puncture, Skin Needle, Hot Needle, Catch Needle, were mostly introduced by China. They absorbed the contents of Chinese medicine and were also affected by the concepts of western medicine. It has important meanings for China's modern acupuncture manipulations and clinical practices to explore and study in depth of Japan's acupuncture manipulations.