Ancient but Still Alive
The Inner Classic of the Yellow Emperor is the Source of all Chinese Medical Theory. Complied by unknown authors between 300 and 100 B.C., it is the oldest of the Chinese medical texts. Acupuncture was introduced to Korea and Japan during the period 420-589 A.D. The first book about acupuncture, translated into Dutch and Latin, appeared in the West during the 15th Century.
Europeans, most notably the French, have been involved in acupuncture therapy for the last 300 years.
Acupuncture has been known in the United States for hundreds of years as well. Benjamin Franklin, during his career as Ambassador to France in 1781, received acupuncture treatments and even did experiments with it. After Nixon visited China in 1972, widespread interest in this healing art was revived in the United States.
