Reference; https://mbp-japan.com/tokyo/seino-1987/column/5110174
Modified and translated by CFJA
In “What is Eastern Medicine? 11”, we introduced three terms to express the sensations felt during the practice of acupuncture therapy: shinshoku 鍼触, shinmyo 鍼妙, and shinkyo 鍼響.
1) Shinshoku 鍼触 (surface acupuncture sensation): A subtle sensation only perceived by the practitioner when the needle tip touches the skin before the needle enters the body.
2) Shinmyo 鍼妙 (mysterious acupuncture sensation): A sensation only perceived by the practitioner when the needle enters the body.
3) Shinkyo 鍼響 (vibrational acupuncture sensation): A sensation perceived by the practitioner when the needle enters the muscles and the patient feels a vibration.
Dr. Seino created the term shinshoku 鍼触, since no term as such existed.
Similarly, in “What is Eastern Medicine? 12”, we introduced three terms to express the sensations felt during the practice of moxibustion therapy: kyumyo灸妙, kyuon灸温, and kyutsu灸痛.
1) Kyumyo 灸妙 (mysterious moxibustion sensation): A heat sensation perceived to the degree of skin reddening but moxa is removed before the patient feels the warmth as the moxa heat approaches closer.
2) Kyuon 灸温 (warm moxibustion sensation): A heat sensation perceived to the degree of skin reddening after moxa is removed when the patient feels the warmth as the moxa heat approaches closer.
3) Kyutsu 灸痛 (pricking moxibustion sensation): A heat sensation perceived to the degree of the patient feeling warmth as pain when moxa heat approaches closer.
Dr. Seino created all of the three terms above. The creation of the terms has made it so much easier to explain the moxibustion techniques in detail.
Dr. Seino devised a clinically relevant classification for moxibustion theraputic techniques. This has already been used in the seminars held by Dr. Seino and since it has enabled detailed communication of treatment methods, this has led to standardization of techniques. Also, pictograms for documenting in patient records have also been developed. Visualization facilitates rapid transmission of information.
Further elaboration on this matter is beyond the scope of this blog, so details will be provided in official institutional publications.
For now, this is the end of the discussions on acumoxa therapy in Japan and China.
(To be continued)
References:
(1) Zhang Jianbin, “Inquiries with Professor Zhang Jianbin of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Influence of Cheng Dan’an and Cheng Jiang Schools on Contemporary Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion,” Clinical Traditional Chinese Medicine, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 136-147, Oriental Academic Publishing, Issue 142.
(2) Xiang Ping and Xia Youbing (Eds.), Cheng Dan’an, Collection of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Experiences, Shanghai Science and Technology Publishing House, October 2004.
(3) Yanagita Sorei, Science of Acupuncture, Practical Techniques, Medical, Dental, Pharmaceutical Publishing Co., Ltd., March 1959.
(4) Huang Longxiang (Ed.), Illustrated History of Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Vol. 2, Translated by Ryuu Okada, Kenji Kobayashi, and Masami Sago, Science Publishing Company, October 2014.
*In the text, the term “針” and “鍼” are being used differently. 針 is an orthographic character (正字) and 鍼 is an alternative character (異体字).
In China, 針is the only character used.
In Japan, 鍼 is used as well.
鍼 is made from the characters 金 and 咸. The character ‘咸’ means ‘important thing’. The character ‘金’ means ‘metal’ or ‘money’, which is also considered an important thing. Therefore, it can be presumed that many medical practitioners and intellectuals liked using the character 鍼 because they thought that it had the meaning of an important tool (needle) and therapeutic method (medical technique) in preceding a medical practice.
Dr. Seino uses 針 as something that represents a tool (needle). Thus, filiform needle毫針 is not written as 毫鍼.
In contrast, 鍼 is used upon an introduction of a technique. Thus, acupuncture technique 鍼術 is not written as 針術.
However, 針師 (acupuncturist) is written as such because of how it was written in the literature at that time. Since Japan has imitated the medical system from China, the character 針is being used, but as it moves closer to the modern period, it will be written as 鍼医 (acupuncture doctor).
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