梅万方教授
英国伦敦中医学院院长暨英国中医管理委员会主席
第五届天津国际中医药学术研讨会暨第九届针灸国际学术交流会，天津 2006
一、 现代针灸的历史
1、发展纪事
自1949年新中国成立后，中国进入到了现代社会。政府采取了一系列措施发展中医事业，全国各地相继成立了针灸的研究、医疗、教学机构。从此以后，传统针灸学的教材《针灸学》列入了中医院校学生的必修课。以经络学说为核心的古代（传统）针灸学得到了蓬勃发展。通过一个世纪发展的近代（新式）针灸学也渗透到了针灸学之中。最明显的例证就是在传统针灸学的教材中增加了穴位的解剖学内容。特别是经络、穴位被赋予了神经学的意义，使中西医结合研究针灸的势头越来越强，从而为针灸学现代化提供了必要的思想基础和学术基础。
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Published in the Journal of Acupuncture in Medicine, 2000
History and Background
The needle is the most important tool for an acupuncturist. If we look back through history, the earliest acupuncture needle was made in bone called the ‘Bian’ about 5000 years ago. Since then they were made with gold, silver and more recently, stainless steel.
European Jesuits wrote a number of books on Chinese medicine and even the publication in France of Soulie de Morant’s work on acupuncture did not popularise [his Eastern art of healing until Nixon’s visit to China in 1972. James Reston published a special report on acupuncture anaesthesia following his own experience in a Chinese hospital during the Nixon visit Subsequently global interest in this ‘magic’ needle exploded, along with this exposure professional demand for the needle increased rapidly in the West. Acupuncture needles were traditionally handcrafted to perfection, demand meant a mass production method had to be devised. In February 1972 AcuMedic first imported into UK silver and gold handled, stainless steel filiform needles in both coil and spiral format. These needles were reused many times using the sterilising process of either an autoclave or glass bead.