It is difficult to say where exactly cupping originated. Cupping therapy has a history that dates back millennia. Even though cupping is primarily associated with Chinese medicine, there is evidence that shows that the ancient Egyptians documented cupping in 1500 BC. Two great Egyptian sources that illustrate cupping as treatment for medical conditions are
the Ebers Papyrus—one of the oldest medical textbooks in the world
Cupping illustrations on the Temple of Kom Ombo near Luxor
In Chinese medicine, cupping therapy can be traced back to the Eastern Jin Dynasty in the Zhou Hou Jiu Zu Fang (A Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies) by the famous herbalist, Ge Hong (283-343 AD). Ge Hong popularized the saying with “acupuncture and cupping combined, more than half of the ills can be cured.”