TCM & WM: The History

China's contact with other foreign countries at Qing Dynasty enabled acupuncture and herbal medicine to be exported to other countries. Traditional Chinese medicinde has been known to Western doctors since the Jesuits first went to China in the 17th century, and was used extensively by physicians in this country in the early part of the 19th century.

In the sixth century A.D., Acupuncture was introduced to both Japan and Korea. With the cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, Acupuncture was disseminated to South East Asia and the continent of India. In the fourteenth century, Chinese Acupuncturist Zou Yin, went to Viet Nam to treat diseases for the Vietnamese nobles. Also in the 14th century, due to reports from Marco Polo, that acupuncture became known in Europe, although it had no influence on medicine. It was only through the trade missions of England, Holland and France in East Asia in the 17th century that acupuncture finally came to Europe.

The first publications appeared in Europe at this time as well. A jesuit priest brought acupuncture to Europe via France when he wrote "Les Secrets de la Medicine des Chinois," in 1671 and a German, Dr. E. Kampfer, introduced acupuncture to his country in 1683 with a book entitled The Medicine of China, which was published in France. Thereafter, a number of studies in acupuncture appeared. Acupuncture was applied in Europe for the first time. In the 17th and 18th centuries, acupuncture was applied in some cases, but usually only among royalty. The first edition of the Lancet in 1823 carried a detailed report of the use of acupuncture in rheumatism, extolling the virtues of this technique. The author, John Elliotson, was a consultant physician at St Thomas's Hospital in central London.

By the 1900s, Chinese medicine had already spread to Japan and other nearby countries as well as Arabian and European countries who traded with China. It was in the 1950s in Europe and the USA when acupuncture re-emerged in the West. The 4th International Acupuncture Congress in Paris caused a sensation. Doctors throughout Europe became interested in this form of therapy and the first medical acupuncture organizations came into being. The German Acupuncture Society was established in 1951.

Chinese immigrants had been practicing TCM in the United States since the mid-19th century, but its existence was unknown to most Americans before 1971. That year, New York Times reporter James Reston, who was in China covering former President Nixon's trip, had to have an emergency appendix operation. After the operation he received acupuncture for pain, and his stories about this experience with TCM fascinated the public. Since then, TCM has gone on to become a mainstream alternative medicine practiced all over the world.

In Britain over the last thirty years acupuncture has taken root and in the last 20 years it has been flourishing alongside other alternative and complimentary medicines. In 1996 The Acupuncture Society was recognized by the London Local Authorities under the London Local Authorities Act 1991. Acupuncture has grown as a self regulatory profession independent of the orthodox medical profession yet it has earned a reputation as an effective therapy in its own right.

Traditional Chinese Medicinde is today a recognized therapeutic method in the West, which is being readily researched and developed. In many countries it is a recognized addition to wes tern orthodox medicine