Chinese Medicine has its roots in ancient history. The earliest artifacts yet discovered are stone age needles which have been unearthed in New Stone Age ruins. Inscriptions on bones and tortoise shells dating to the Shang Dynasty 3000 years ago bear the earliest written record of the pictograms for acupuncture and moxibustion. During the third and second centuries B.C., the "Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic" was compiled. This work laid the theoretical foundation of Chinese Medicine and has survived until the present day. The content of this classic includes physiology and pathology of the human body, principles of diagnosis and prevention and treatment of disease. The theories of Yin and Yang, the Five Phases, Solid and Hollow Organs, Energy Meridians, Qi and Blood, the Five Emotions and the Six Pathogens formed the basic knowledge of Chinese Medicine and acupuncture and moxibustion constituted the main forms of treatment.

The basic theories of Chinese Medicine and their origin in ancient Daoist philosophy views a person as an energy system composed of both mind and body. Daoist thought stresses fluctuation and explains all phenomena in terms of constant cycles and the rising and falling of the forces of nature. The cycles of Yin and Yang and the Five Phases depict such cycles.

The ancient Chinese described an essential life-force or vital-energy called Qi, which is present throughout the cosmos and in every living creature. This Qi can and must constantly move and change. Qi enters the body mainly in food and with the breath, after which it is extracted and circulated throughout the body along specific pathways call meridians. These meridians link the vital organs inside with the skin and muscles on the body surface, as well as form the channels of communication between the vital organs and accessory organs of the body.

As long as Qi flows freely throughout the meridians, health is maintained. Disruption of the flow of Qi through the meridians results in pain and illness. The use of acupuncture can correct such disruption by shunting Qi to those areas where it is deficient and draining it from areas where it is excess.

Recent western scientific experimentation confirmed the location of acupuncture meridians through the use of electromagnetic techniques. The points used in acupuncture have been observed to have a variety of unique bioelectric properties. The stimulation of these points was shown to cause definite physiological reactions in brain activity, blood chemistry, endocrine functions, blood pressure, heart rate and immune system response.