INTRODUCTION

Acupuncture and moxibustion are the important component in traditional chinses medicine (TCM)
which are used to treat disease by pricking certain points on the body with needles or applying heat
with ignited moxa wool. This therapy is widely popular in china.

In Latin “ACUS’ means needle and “PUNGERE” means to prick. Thus acupuncture is the oldest system
therapy known to man.

The exact origin of acupuncture is still mystery. From the existence of stone needles (also known as
BIAN) reveals that it had been practiced even during Stone Age. But the basic form of acupuncture
still survived in many parts of the world.

 Eskimos still uses sharpened stones to treat certain illness.

 The Bantus of south scratch certain areas of their skin to treat the symptoms of several
illness.
 In Brazil tribes shoot tiny arrows through blow pipes to the specific area of skin to treat
certain illness.
 Burning the part of ear by hot metal probe is still practiced by the certain tribes in Arabia.

The earliest written record about acupuncture is found in the chinses medical treatise called “Huang
Di Nei Jing “, which dates back around 2000 years back. It is the summary of medical experiences
and theoretical knowledge believed to be obtained around from 4000 years back. This books
consists of two parts, SUWEN and LINGSHU, which describes basic theories of traditional chines
medicine, such as YIN-YANG, the Five Element, ZANG-FU, channels and collateral, Qi (vital energy),
and blood , etiology ,pathology, diagnostic methods and differentiation of syndromes as well as
knowledge concerning acupuncture points and needling methods.
 CHAPTER 1

YIN-YANG AND FIVE ELEMENTS

The ancient natural science describes every phenomenon of the universe based on Yin-Yang and 5
element theories. Ancient Chinese philosophers, astrologers and doctors used the yin-yang and five
element theories to describe everything happening in the cosmos. The yin-yang and five element
theories have been the basic reasoning behind all ancient Chinese natural science. It was strongly
believed that the production, the development and changes of everything in the cosmos is the result
of interaction of YIN-qi and YANG-qi.
Table 1-1
FIVEELEMENTS WOOD FIRE EARTH METAL WATER
Emotions Anger Joy Pensiveness Sorrow Fear
Anatomy Tendons Blood Vessels Muscles Skin and Hair Bones
HUMAN BODY Specific Openings Eyes Tongue Mouth Nose Ears
Bowels Gall Bladder Small Intestine Stomach Large Intestine Urinary Bladder
Viscera Liver Heart Spleen Lungs Kidneys
Directions East South Centre West North
Seasons Spring Summer Late Summer Autumn Winter
Weather Wind Hot Wet Dry Cold
NATURE
Developments Production Growth Transformation Harvest Storage
Colours Green Red Yellow White Black
Tastes Sour Bitter Sweet Spicy Salty
.

In ancient chines cosmology, the whole universe was believed undifferentiated and oneness called “Taiji” which
means the beginning of cosmos. And gradually YIN and YANG evolved out of Taiji.

The yang is about releasing of energy, which represents upward active, bright, expand, exocentric, masculine
and lively. Whereas YIN is about contracting of energy, which are downward, passive dark, accumulated,
introvert, feminine and quiet. Everything in the world has both yin and yang side they are in constant motion and
mutual transformation.

The theory of Yin and yang explains the opposition, interdepending, inter consuming –supporting and inter
transformation relation of yin and yang. These relationship between yin and yang are extensively used in TCM to
explain the physiology and pathology of the human body and serve as guide to diagnosis and treatment in clinical
work.

1. The opposite and interdependence of yin and yang

The opposition of yin and yang contradiction and struggle of two opposites within an object or
phenomenon. Ancient scholar used water and fire to symbolize the basic properties of yin and yang. .

That mean basic property of yin simulate those of water which includes coldness, downward direction
etc., while the basic properties of yang are like those of fire includes hotness, upward direction ,
brightness etc. So anything that has the characteristics that includes coldness, lower position, interior
position, dimness, asthenia, inhibition, slowness or which is substantial etc. pertains to YIN. Whereas
anything that is moving hot, in an upper position, exterior position, bright, sthenic, excited, rapid, non-
substantial etc., belongs to yang.

The tissue and organ of the human body may pertain either to yin or yang according to their relative
locations and functions. Viewing the body as a whole the trunk surface and four extremities being on the
exterior, pertain to yang, while zang-fu organs are inside the body are yin.
 Viewing the body surface and the four extremities alone, the back pertains to yang, while the chest and
abdomen pertains to yin, the portion above the waist pertain to yang and below pertains to yin, the
lateral aspects of the four extremities pertains to yang and the medial aspects to yin. The channel
running along the lateral aspect of the extremity pertain to yang, while those along the medial aspect
pertain yin.

And when speaking ZANG-FU alone, the fu organs with main function of transmitting and digesting food
pertain to yang, while the zang organs with their main function of storing vital essence and vital energy
pertain to yin.

The interdepending relation of the yin and yang means that each of the two aspects is the condition for
the other’s existence and neither of them can exist in isolation. For instance without daytime there would
be no night, without excitation there would be no inhabitation .Hence it can be seen that yin and yang
are at once in opposition and interdependence, they rely on each other for existence, co-existing in a
single entity. The movement and change of the ting are due not only to the opposition and conflict
between yin and yang but also to their relationship of the interdependence and mutual support.

2. The inter-consuming-supporting and inter-transforming relation of yin and yang.

Consuming implies losing or weakening, supporting implies gaining or strengthening.

For instance consuming of yin leads to gaining of yang, while consuming of yang results in gaining of
yin. On other hands gaining of yin leads to consuming of yang, and gaining of yang results in consuming
of yin.

The functional activities of human body requires a certain amount of nutrient substances resulting in
process of consuming of yin and gaining of yang. Whereas the formation and storing of nutrient
substances depends upon the functional activities and weakens the functional energy to certain degree,
causing a process of gaining of yin and consuming a yang. But such mutual consuming –supporting
does not result a relative balance, while under abnormal conditions preponderance (dominance) or
discomfiture (awkwardness ) of yin or yang occurs.

In the inter-consuming and inter-supporting process, when there is any sign of losing the relative
balance of yin and yang and failing to resume the balance, there results a preponderance or
discomfiture of either yin or yang. This is causative factor of the occurrence of disease. In other words
preponderance of harmful yin will consume yang, and discomfiture of yang will lead to preponderance of
yin, either of