Volume 7, Number 2 | Summer 2012

Medical History in Japan
Historical Significance of the Standardization of AcupointLocations”, the Second Japanese Acupoint Committee (6)“Detailed Guide to the Location of Acupoints” from thecalssics to the WHO standardization”, pp411-422, Tokyo,
Ishiyaku Publishing, June 2009 (partially revised)

The oldest extant text with acupoint charts currently
known is the Yellow Emperor's Toad Prohibitions forMoxibustion & Cauterization Huáng Dì Xiā Má Jing
(Figure 7) and based on the works listed in theRecord of the Bibliographic Catalogs of the Sui

Makoto Mayanagi
Graduate School of Humanities
Ibaraki University

dynasty it seems likely that the roots have been
established in the 3rd century. Not surprisingly,
similar to the "Ming Tang”, these have been
scattered and lost in China and have been preserved(continued from KAIM Joural vol.6 no.1, no.2, no.3,no.4 and vol.7 no.1)

and

5. Acupoint charts up to the Tang period and changes
in acupoints
Since acupoints are located on the body surface theirvisualization through illustrations has undoubtedly

handeddown

onlyinJapan.

Theoldmanuscripts were discovered during the late Edo
period by Mototsugu Taki of the Shogunate MedicalSchool. Figure 7 shows a replica of the Shogunate
Medical School's copy and names of acupoints alongstarted from an early point in time. Therefore, thethe hairline or Renying (ST9) can be seen. Moreover,"Ming Tong Illustrations" have probably been drawn

it includes a description that like the imaginary toadaround the creation of the original "Ming Tong Jing".

and rabbit on the moon moxibustion treatment ofBecause no directly derived drawings exist, there aresome acupoints should be avoided in correlation withno concrete clues, but it can be imagined based on

the waxing and waning of the moon.

acupoint illustrations up to the Tang period.

Figure 7 Huáng Dì Xiā Má Jing

24

Figure 8 Ishinpo

The Journal of Kampo, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine (KAIM)

Volume 7, Number 2 | Summer 2012

In the Heian period Yasunori Tamba compiled theregulated by the oriental zodiac signs characteristic

text "Ishinpo" based mainly on works from before theof the birth year, seasons, months and days, while at

Sui and Tang periods and presented this to thethe end there is a transcription of the year 861. Thus,emperor in 984. In the 22nd volume are illustrations

this book shows clearly that during the Tang period

for each of the 10 months of pregnancy, for each anprior the year 861 textbooks about moxibustion haveillustration of a naked pregnant woman, fetus,

already been published in Xi'an. At the same time

viscera and bowels, meridians and acupoints. All of

this is also the oldest extant medical book publishing

which are derived from the Chang Jing. Among theserecord.

the contents related to the correlation between fetal
development

andviscera-bowels-meridiansoriginates and has been transmitted from the "TaiChan Jing" (text on fetuses and birth), placing its
origin extremely far into the past. The date ofcreation of the Chang Jing quoted in the Ishinpo is
not clear, but considering the 5th century appears tobe acceptable and most likely. Figure 8 shows a
reproduction of the "National Treasure Seikido
Library [12], but the book of the Seikido library is anassociated book that has diverged from the Nakarai's
national treasure book during the Edo period, so thatit cannot definitely be concluded, that the red lines
indicating meridians are actually derived from the"Chang Jing".
A text with acupoint charts of the Tang period wasunearthed in Dunhuang. Figure 9 shows the Stein
Text No. 6168 from The British Library in London

Figure 9 Stein Text No. 6168 (London, The BritishandLibrary)iscalledthe"Illustrated

Moxibustion

Technique" of the "Moxibustion Scripture". Like theXia Ma Jing no meridians are drawn and only points

On the other hand, paying attention to the hair style

not used today like "Shou Suikong" or " Wuzhou"

shown in Figures 7-9 reveals that although only

have been marked. Also, the Pelliot text No. 2675

Figure 8 shows a woman, all are very much alike.

[13], which is in the possession of the La

The drawing style of the bodies too is strikingly

Bibliothèque nationale de France, mentions at thesimilar. This shows, that until the Tang period thebeginning a "First Volume of the New Adorned

acupoint charts adopted a standardized style. What

Scripture of Moxibustion for Acute conditions". Inis more, in Pelliot's text No. 2675 there is a large

other words, this texts was a reproduction of the one

inscription of "Ming Tang" above the body, revealing

volume work " Xinxiu Beiji Jiujing" published by thethat acupoint illustrations have been called "Ming

Li family living a business area in the eastern

Tang". If that is so, the "Ming Tang Tu" prepared inmarket of the capital (today called Xi'an). On thethe third century too was drawn in this style andbackside of the paper the second half of this booklater presumably followed until the Tang period.

describes the location of the "human-spirit" elements

Yet, changes occurred in the acupoints. The points"

correlated to the suitability for treatment as

Shou Suikong" or " Wuzhou 2 shown in Figure 9 are

The Journal of Kampo, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine (KAIM)

25

Volume 7, Number 2 | Summer 2012

not found in the "Ming Tang", and in Pelliot's text No.
2675 the point GB21 jianjing (肩井) is called bo jing(膊井), the point TE20 jiaosun (角孫) is recored as yin
hui (陰会), the point GV23 shengting (神庭) is calledzhu shen (住神) and the point between the eyebrowsEX-2 yin tang is called guang ming. During the time
following the "Ming Tang" too different names foracupoints and new acupoints appeared and different
schools and theories using those names continued tobe established.

26

The Journal of Kampo, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine (KAIM)