Celestial Lancets

Taylor & Francis

Celestial LancetsA History and Rationale of Acupuncture and Moxa\nAuthor(s): Gwei-Djen Lu, Joseph Needham\nFormat: Hardback\nPublisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd, United Kingdom\nImprint: Routledge\nISBN-13: 9781138137165, 978-1138137165\nSynopsis\nUsing 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. \n\nFor 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 techniq.