Celestial Lancets: A History and Rationale of Acupuncture and Moxa (Cambridge History of Science)

Using modern knowledge to shed light on ancient techniques, this text examines two of the earliest therapeutic techniques of Chinese medicine: acupuncture and moxibustion. Acupuncture is the implantation of very thin needles into subcutaneous connective tissue and muscle at a great number of different points on the body's surface; moxibustion is the burning of Artemisia tinder (moxa) either directly on the skin or just above it. For 2500 years the Chinese have used both techniques to relieve pain and to heal a wide variety of illnesses and malfunctions. Providing a full historical account of acupuncture and moxibustion in the theoretical structure of Chinese medicine, Doctors Lu and Needham combine it with a rationale of the two techniques in the light of modern scientific knowledge. Contents List of Illustrations List of Tables List of Abbreviations Authors’ Foreword (1) Introduction, (2) The ching-lo system and its classical theory, (i) The circulation of chhi and blood, p. (ii) The tracts (ching), regular and auxiliary, p. (iii) The acu-points (hsüeh), ordinary and special, p. (3) Historical growth of the system, p. (i) Origin and nature of the instruments, p. (ii) The oldest references, p. (iii) China’s Hippocratic Corpus, p. (iv) Developments in the Han and San Kuo periods, p. (v) Specialist writings and treatises, from Chin to Sung, p. (vi) Circadian rhythms and cosmic cycles, p. (vii) Last phases of the tradition, p. (4) Moxibustion, p. (5) Therapy and analgesia; physiological interpretations, p. (i) The therapeutic range, p. (ii) Head Zones, dermatomes and referred pain, p. (iii) Corticosteroids and antibodies, p. (iv) Acupuncture and major surgery, p. (v) The neuro-physiology of acupuncture analgesia, p. (vi) Efferent inhibition, p. (vii) Afferent inhibition, p. (viii) Neuro-chemical factors, p. (6) Influences on other cultures, p. (i) Asian receptions, p. (ii) Europe and the West, p. (iii) The nineteenth century and after, p. (7) The lore of vital spots, p. (8) Conclusions, p. BIBLIOGRAPHIES Abbreviations, p. A. Chinese and Japanese books before + 1800, p. B. Chinese and Japanese books and journal articles since + 1800, p. C. Books and journal articles in Western languages, p. GENERAL INDEX Table of Chinese Dynasties Conversion Table for Romanisations By Lu Gwei-djen And Joseph Needham. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. 324-381.