Acupuncture-moxibustion therapy (zhēn jiǔ liáo fǎ 针灸疗法) which mainly consists of both acupuncture (zhēn jiǔ 针灸) and moxibustion (ài jiǔ 艾灸) is an unique approach to medical care in China and is also an indispensable component of Chinese medicine (zhōng yī 中医). The acupuncture treatment is the insertion of different fine needles on the body's surface according to a certain point (xué wèi 穴位), to stimulate certain parts of the body and use various methods to evoke the channels (jīng luò 经络) as well as the vital energy (qì 气) of human body, in order to adjust physiological functioning of the body so to cure diseases. Moxibustion is the burning of moxa (ài 艾) on or near a person's skin as a counterirritant. For a long time, acupuncture and moxibustion treatment are often combined together in clinical practice application, therefore we collectively referred to them as Acupuncture-moxibustion therapy.

Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese method of treating disease or relieving pain by inserting one or more metal needles (zhēn 针) at a certain point or certain points of the human body. The earliest written record that is available about acupuncture is Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine (orYellow Emperor's Inner Canon  huáng dì nèi jīng 黄帝内经), which suggests acupuncture originated in China and would explain why it is most commonly associated with traditional Chinese medicine.

Acupuncture Needles
According to ancient Chinese medical records and archaeological findings, the primitive Chinese people used bianshi (stone pierces biān shí 砭石), the earliest acupuncture instrument, to treat diseases. Afterward, with the further development of the society, bone needles and bamboo needles replaced stone ones. Then the development and improvement of metal casting techniques brought about metal medical needles, such as bronze, iron, gold and silver ones. Ancient Chinese doctors used nine kinds of needles: the arrowhead needle (chán zhēn 镵针) for superficial pricking, the round needle (yuán zhēn 员针) for massaging, the blunt needle (dī zhēn 鍉针) for knocking or pressing, the three edged needle (sān léng zhēn 三棱针) for puncturing a vein, the sword-like needle (pí zhēn 铍针) for draining abscesses, the sharp round needle (yuán lì zhēn 员利针) for rapid pricking, the filiform needle (háo zhēn 毫针), the long needle (cháng zhēn 长针) for thick muscles and the large needle (dà zhēn 大针) for puncturing painful joints. At present, stainless needles are widely used.

Acupuncture Therapy
An acupuncturist (针灸医生 zhēn jiǔ yī shēng) usually pays due attention to the basic techniques including the way the needle is inserted rapidly or slowly, the depth of insertion, the length of time the needle should be left in the body, and the number of needles required to the treatment.

Moxibustion
According to Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine, "the coldness hidden in the body would bring illness which could be expelled through moxibustion". Moxibustion, another effective therapy, was discovered by ancient people when they sat down around a fire. They found that the heat not only kept them warm but also relieved physical pains. Then they started to use moxa leaves for the same purpose. Today, in the treatment moxa leaves are ignited over certain points on the skin's surface.

The efficacy
Dredging the meridian (jīng luò 经络); Regulating Yin (yīn 阴) and Yang (yáng 阳); Strengthening the body resistance and eliminating pathogenic factors

Advantages
Acupuncture and moxibustion have many advantages. First, they are applicable in various kinds of diseases and suit therapeutic needs in internal medicine (nèi kē 内科), surgery (wài kē 外科), gynecology (fù kē 妇科), as well as in preventive medicine (yù fáng yī xué 预防医学). Second, they produce prompt and appreciable cures: increase resistance to disease by providing simulation at certain points, and stop pain. Third, they are easily practiced and mastered. Furthermore, they produce on or slight side effects, are generally safe, and can be applied together with other therapies.

For more than 2000 years, Acupuncture-moxibustion therapy has been popular in China and has been rapidly spread and wide accepted in many areas all over the world. Acupuncture and moxibustion play an important role not only in advancing Chinese medical science, but also in promoting medical and health science of the whole world.

中国针灸
      针灸疗法是我国独有的医疗方法，是中医学的重要组成部分，主要由针刺和艾灸两部分组成。针刺就是采用不同的针具，按一定穴位刺入患者体内，刺激人体的一定 部位，运用各种方法激发经气，以调整人体功能，治疗疾病。艾灸是采用艾绒等各种药物以烧灼，熏熨体表的一定部位，也是通过经络的作用取得治疗效果的。长期 以来，针刺和艾灸在临床上常结合应用，故合称针灸。针灸医学最早见于二千年多前的《黄帝内经》一书，书中记载针灸起源于中国，并阐述了针灸与传统中医的关 系。
针刺法
      针刺法是一种通过用一根或多根针刺入身体特定穴位，来达到治疗疾病和减缓疼痛功效的中国古代特有的疗法。
针灸针
      根据古书记载和考古发现，针刺的原始工具是石针，称为砭石。然而，随着社会的进步发展，石针逐渐被骨针和竹针取代。后来，冶金的发展带来了金、银、铜、铁 等金属制针灸针。中国古代医生使用“九针”进行针灸治疗。九针，即镵针、员针、鍉针、锋针、铍针、员利针、毫针、长针和大针。而现在，钢针被普遍应用在针灸中。

针灸治疗
      在针灸治疗中，针灸师通过控制针刺的轻重缓急、入针深浅、省针时间和所需针数来进行治疗。
艾灸
      另外一种有效的治疗方法艾灸，相传是在古人围火而坐时发现的，他们发现热量不仅可以保暖还能减缓身体上的疼痛。于是，人们便开始把燃烧着的艾绒按一定穴位熏灼皮肤，利用热的刺激来治疗疾病。
针灸的作用
      1 疏通经络 2 调和阴阳 3 扶正祛邪
针灸疗法优点
      第一，有广泛的适应症。第二，治疗疾病的效果比较迅速和显著，特别是具有良好的兴奋身体机能，提高抗病能力和镇静、镇痛等作用；第三，操作方法简便易行；第四，没有或极少副作用，基本安全可靠，又可以协同其他疗法进行综合治疗。
      两千多年来，针灸一直在中国流行并且逐渐闻名于世界。千百年来，针灸疗法对保卫健康，繁衍民族，有过卓越的贡献，直到现在，仍然担当着这个任务，为广大群众所信仰。针灸目前已经传播到世界上众多国家和地区，为保障全人类的生命健康发挥了积极的作用。