Reference; https://mbp-japan.com/tokyo/seino-1987/column/5101351/
Modified and translated by CFJA
The acupuncture technique, unshin 運鍼 (nenun 捻運) introduced by Cheng Dan’an is a method that aggressively moves the needle after inserting (shinshin 刺入 in Japan or shinshin 進針 in Chinese) a thick needle into the body and retain the needle. The objective is to stimulate until the patient feels de qi. Even now and then, this is the main method, and there is an enormous number of practitioners who think that this is the most effective method in acupuncture therapy. Although they have been successfully passing down Cheng Dan’an’s method, due to their lack of awareness of other methods, the effect of acupuncture therapy in China is limited. Dr. Seino personally believes that the effect of acupuncture therapy in China is less than 20%, supposing that the effect of acupuncture therapy is 100%. The action of inserting a needle into the body is dangerous. Therefore, practitioners must pay close attention to the practice of acupuncture therapy in order to establish it as a formal medical practice. From the moment that the needle – in other words, a foreign object – touches the patient’s skin, practitioners must deeply understand and fully be aware that changes will occur in both the practitioner and the patient.
Dr. Seino believes that there are three steps/types of sensations that must be felt upon practicing the acupuncture technique: shinshoku 鍼触 (surface acupuncture sensation), shinmyo 鍼妙 (mysterious acupuncture sensation), shinkyo 鍼響 (vibrational acupuncture sensation).
Shinshoku 鍼触 (surface acupuncture sensation) is a sensation that is felt by the practitioner when the needle tip is placed on the surface of the skin and until the moment of senpi.
Shinmyo 鍼妙 (mysterious acupuncture sensation) is a sensation that is felt by the practitioner after the needle is inserted into the surface of the skin using seppi or senpi, or until the moment before the practitioner feels shinkyo.
Shinkyo 鍼響 (de qi) (vibrational acupuncture sensation) is a sensation that is felt by the patient when the needle is inserted.
Shinmyo 鍼妙 is very important in Japan but this concept does not exist in China.
Dr. Seino coined the term shinshoku because no term that describes such a unique sensation existed. In Japan, there is an acupuncture technique called sesshokushin 接触鍼 which works on the surface of the skin. In addition, there is a method called shonishin/shonibari 小児鍼. This acupuncture therapy is targeted for children and this is a method that mainly stimulates the surface of the skin. Towards such sensations that practitioners feel, Dr. Seino named it shinshoku.
In Japan, the sensation of shinmyo is very much appreciated. In reality, there are varieties of sensations that practitioners feel when the needle enters the body. Practitioners rely on and follow this sensation when practicing acupuncture technique and more than 90% of illnesses can be treated merely from shinshoku and shinmyo. The practitioner can also feel shinkyo.
In Japan, the method involves the practitioner feeling the sensation of the needle inserted into the body. In China, it is said that de qi is felt for the first time when the patient feels the vibrating sensation, and the treatment begins from here. However, in Japan, this is regarded as near the end of the treatment. This difference is directly shown as the difference in the treatment effect.
Dr. Seino sees that the treatment effect of acupuncture therapy in china is only 10% of what is in Japan. He believes that the reason why some say that “current acupuncture therapy education in China cannot produce good effects” lies in the basic principles of acupuncture therapy.
Next>