Many scholars believe that acupuncture evolved out of the ancient Chinese practice of bloodletting and that it did not appear on the scene in its present form until after the first century A.D.  While the archeological evidence found in China supports this conclusion, it fails to acknowledge the influence of other neighboring cultures around China during the period in question.  Although the geographical barriers certainly created a natural isolation in ancient China, it is important to acknowledge that China is not an Island.  It is a fact of life that people move about and in so doing, exchange goods, services, technology and ideas, as well as cultural information.  In his book, Tao and Dharma, Robert Svoboda relates this story as evidence of the exchange of information between India and China prior to the first century A. D.

“An important historical event occurred sometime during the third and fourth century B. C. that clearly establishes that these two societies were indeed in communication with each other.  At that time, India already possessed a highly evolved literary society which had produced scores of texts on such topics as religion, astrology and medicine.  The preeminent Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita was already many hundred years old, while the landmark Huang-ti Nei-ching was only then being compiled in China.  During this period, reports started to circulate in China about Soma, the psychotropic plant…which played a central role in the Rig Veda, a scripture that appeared prior to 1000 B. C.  Soma was promoted in China as possessing power to bestow immortality, and the persistent and enticing reports eventually led Emperor Qin Shi (reigned 221 – 207 B. C.), the first Emperor of a unified China, to order the procurement of this wondrous plant.  Other evidence suggests that there had been contact between these two ancient Asian cultures before the 4th century B. C.  For example, there are some remarkable similarities between their ancient systems of astrology.”

Mr. Svoboda goes on to postulate that the texts on Ayurveda were spread throughout China not only with the arrival of the Buddhist monks during the first century A. D., but in fact, much earlier.  There is ample evidence that this was the case.  For example, the Chinese surgeon Hua Tuo (110 – 208 A. D.) is recorded as the first physician in China to use a decoction of hemp as surgical anesthesia.  Yet Ayurvedic medicine has a sophisticated history of surgery dating back as early as 600 B. C. to the Indian text Sushruta Samhita, where the use of hemp as surgical anesthesia was first recorded.  In his book, Mr. Svoboda goes on to point out countless similarities in medicine, religion, astrology, art and alchemy providing abundant evidence that the exchange of ideas between India and China was a constant occurrence starting as early as 400 B. C.

In his book, The Lost Secrets of Ayurvedic Acupuncture, Dr. Frank Ros provides evidence that one particular volume of an ancient Ayurvedic text known as Suchi Veda is translated as “the art of piercing with a needle” and deals entirely with acupuncture. Likewise, Dr. Ros goes on to point out that the terms “needling” and “burning” (moxibustion) were utilized by Charaka, the ancient Ayurvedic physician, not only with reference to surgery but also to non-surgical medical modalities.  Likewise, the ancient Ayurvedic text written by Charaka, Charaka Samhita outlines the location and medical use for Marma (vital points) many of which correspond exactly to traditional Chinese acupuncture points. This Ayurvedic text was written sometime around 1000 B. C.  There is evidence that this text was taken to China with the Buddhist monks in the first century A. D. or even earlier by other travelers. The carefully guarded Tibetan medical text, 4th Shastra, indeed explains that Tibet received knowledge of Acupuncture and herbal medicine from India.

If these influences from India did in fact occur, why have scholars largely ignored Ayurvedic literature in their search for the roots of acupuncture in China?  One possible explanation is that the ancient Ayurvedic texts refer to their use of acupuncture in the category of surgery and the acupuncture terminology is not distinct from surgical terminology.  In contrast, the Chinese texts separate the two modalities into two distinct arts with separate terminology.

Based on the above, there is evidence to suggest that acupuncture evolved both from the ancient Ayurvedic system of India and the extensive application and observation of the art by the medical experts in China during the first century A. D.  Also, archeological evidence suggests that prior to the first century A. D., the use of needles for bloodletting was widely practiced in China but acupuncture, as we know it, had not yet appeared on the scene.  Therefore, at some point during the first century A. D., there was a quantum leap in the use of needles from purely a means of bloodletting to the practice of acupuncture as a means of accessing and regulating the subtle energy of the body.  Unfortunately, historians have very little information which would explain how this quantum leap occurred.  This gap in the story only supports the theory that this leap in technology may have been sparked or facilitated by ideas coming from the outside.  Perhaps India and China were working along two parallel tracts which converged in China during the first century A. D.

There can be no argument that medicine in China, over the last 3000 years, has evolved through a rich exposure to countless influences, both from within and without.  I believe it is fair to say that any meaningful examination of the origins of acupuncture would be incomplete without a thorough discussion of the influences from India, Tibet and perhaps other neighboring populations.

References:
Robert Svoboda and Arnie Lade;   Tao and Dharma, Lotus Press, 1995
Dr. Frank Ros; The Lost Secrets of Ayurvedic Acupuncture, Lotus Press, 1994
D. C. Epler, Jr.; “Bloodletting in Early Chinese Medicine and its Relation to the Origin of Acupuncture”; Bulletin of the History of Medicine, 54; 1980, pp. 337 – 367

Thank you for visiting my blog. If you have questions about acupuncture and shiatsu, or if you have a specific health concern, please contact me at:

Bart Walton, L.Ac.
Licensed Acupuncture & Shiatsu
Portland, Oregon
503/939-5805

In Japan, it’s generally accepted that acupuncture and shiatsu share a synergistic relationship and the two are often combined in the same treatment. But in the west, shiatsu is relatively unknown and most people associate it with massage. Actually, shiatsu is a complete system of bodywork, based on the ancient principles of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine.

Sometime around 1000 A.D., the Chinese visited Japan and brought their medicine, including the practice of acupuncture. At that time, the traditional Japanese Anma massage was already well established as a safe and effective method of bodywork. Over the course of time, it was natural that these two systems would evolve together into a completely new form of therapy. The result of this meeting was shiatsu, which literally means, “finger pressure”.

Shiatsu consists of rhythmic, single point pressure applied with the hands and fingers, along the traditional “Qi” energy meridians of the body. Shiatsu is simple, safe, non-invasive and at the same time, very helpful in the treatment of many common disorders of our modern society.

Based on research in Japan, it has been documented that shiatsu helps to calm the sympathetic nervous system and improve the function of the muscles, nerves, blood vessels, lymph nodes, endocrine glands and internal organs. In addition, it has been shown that shiatsu assists the body in eliminating toxins and metabolic waste.

Our nervous system is designed to shift back and forth between sympathetic and parasympathetic functions, several times a day. Problems arise when we become stuck in one function for too long. In our modern society, the overwhelming tendency is to become stuck in the sympathetic function. Over time, this chronic over stimulation of the sympathetic nerves can lead to problems such as insomnia, hypertension, headaches, dizziness, muscular pain and stiffness, nausea, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome and other gastro-intestinal disorders. Because of its profound calming effect on the sympathetic nerves, shiatsu is particularly helpful in treating these kinds of disorders.

Shiatsu also has a profound cleansing effect, helping to flush toxins from the body. The deep pressure, applied along the trunk and limbs helps to loosen accumulated toxins and move them into the proper channels to be neutralized and eliminated.

In most of Asia, it’s widely recognized that the body, much like a car, needs routine maintenance for optimum health and longevity. The effects of daily wear, accumulated toxins and especially stress, weaken all the systems of the body and accelerate the aging process. Shiatsu helps to reverse this process by relaxing the peripheral nerves and muscles and helping the body release stress and accumulated toxins. After a treatment, we feel lightness in the limbs, renewed energy, and an overall sense of well-being. In addition, most people experience improved digestion and deeper sleep. This is why I recommend that my clients receive shiatsu on a regular basis.

Because the strong Japanese influence in Portland, we have access to authentic shiatsu combined with Japanese style acupuncture. And there are some excellent practitioners who offer shiatsu on a stand alone basis. If you like bodywork but have never experienced authentic shiatsu, you are in for a treat.

Thank you for visiting my blog. If you have questions about acupuncture and shiatsu, or if you have a specific health concern, please contact me at:

Bart Walton, L.Ac.
Licensed Acupuncture & Shiatsu
Portland, Oregon
503/939-5805