East Asian neighbours readjusting acupuncture points

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East Asian neighbours readjusting acupuncture points

 

Mon Jan 10, 5:08 AM ET

 

TOKYO (AFP) - Japan, China and South Korea (news - web

sites) plan to standardise " acupuncture points " which

have subtly shifted through their separate practices

in the 2,000-year old Chinese-born therapy.

 

In a project organised by the World Health

Organisation (WHO) since last March, the three East

Asian nations have found differences in the locations

of 92 of the 361 basic acupuncture points, the Asahi

Shimbun said Monday.

 

In October, experts from the three countries agreed to

standardise the locations of 77 points with the 15

others to be dealt with by the middle of this year,

the influential Japanese newspaper said.

 

The WHO is expected to formally determine the basic

acupuncture points in 2006 to help disseminate

Oriental medicine which has been gaining recognition

in the West since the late 1990s, the daily said.

 

Acupuncture points are said to be located throughout

the body along channels, or " meridians, " through which

vital energy circulates to bodily organs.

 

Illness is attributed to interruption of the energy,

known as qi, and it is treated by inserting needles

into certain acupuncture spots, burning herbs over

them or applying pressures on them.

 

There are 365 traditionally known acupuncture points

and the WHO has recognised 361 of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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