Reference; https://mbp-japan.com/tokyo/seino-1987/column/5103332/
Modified and translated by CFJA
After the 1990s, as Chinese white-collar workers increased, thinner needles started being favoured. The number of Chinese medicine doctors performing acupuncture therapy using Japanese guide tubes started to increase. Also, disposable needles became the mainstream, as well as products packed together with guide tubes and needles were distributed. Due to these reasons, currently, many Chinese are utilizing guide tubes in their practice without any hesitation. Similar to the fact that many foreigners do not know that the origin of the cup noodle is Japan, it could be that many Chinese are not aware that the origin of the guide tube is Japan. Currently, China has publicly declared that “the origin of acumoxa therapy is China, and countries that are practicing acumoxa therapy developed it for China.” They are attempting to politically solve the problem of the delay in their development of study and techniques in acupuncture and moxibustion. From China’s argumentation, their stance can be described as such that “the Japanese invented the guide tube for China; hence, we will use it for now.” They are willing to accept and incorporate the Japanese acumoxa therapeutic techniques which were first invented in Japan.
However, we believe that almost none of the Chinese doctors using guide tubes with a true understanding of the kanshinho 管鍼法 (tube acupuncture technique) in Japan. This is because they are not educating techniques involving shinkan 針管 (guide tube) or oshide 押手 (supporting needle hand). Thus, although they may seem similar because of the use of a guide tube, they are completely different. This goes for all of the practitioners in the world who were only educated with TCM.
Around the time when Cheng Dan’an came to Japan, people were teaching 17 techniques, which is a condensation of Waichi Sugiyama’s 96 techniques along with other techniques in Japan that were combined and changed its name. Sorei Yanagiya passed away in February 1959 (the 34th year of the Showa period). Shinkyu no kagaku jitsugihen『鍼灸の科学 実技篇』(The Science of Acumoxa: Practical edition), published by Ishiyaku Publisher’s, Inc. on March 5th, just after the death of Sorei Yanagiya, was the textbook for the department of acupuncture and moxibustion at Meiji University of Integrative Medicine 現明治国際医療大学, formerly called Meiji University of Oriental Medicine 明治鍼灸大学 when Dr. Seino has attended as a student at that time. Even today, students are taught the same 17 techniques through the textbook called shinkyu jitsugi kisohen『鍼灸実技基礎編』(Acumoxa practical and foundational edition) created by the school board.
From the Japanese techniques, Cheng Dan’an omitted techniques that use the guide tube and even some techniques that do not require the guide tube and transmitted 8 techniques in China. Here are the 8 techniques:
① Simple insertion technique 単刺術 (Jp. tanshi jyutsu)
② Twisting technique 旋捻術 (Jp. sennen jyutsu)
③ Sparrow pecking technique 雀啄術 (Jp. jyakutaku jyutsu)
④ Roof leaking technique 屋漏術 (Jp. okuro jyutsu)
⑤ Retention needle technique 置針術 (Jp. chishin jyutsu)
⑥ Intermittent technique 間歇術 (Jp. kanketsu jyutsu)
⑦ Trembling technique 振顫術 (Jp. shinsen jyutsu)
⑧ Random needle technique 乱針術 (Jp. ranshin jyutsu)
Although these are focused on the acupuncture techniques practiced in Japan, 8 techniques are meant to support the 4 techniques that Cheng Dan’an has established:
1. Activation needle method 興奮針法
2. Suppression needle method 抑制針法
3. Reflection needle method 反射針法4. Induction needle method 誘導針法
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