EXTRAORDINARY ACUPOINTS: ATLAS OF APPLICATIONS, POCKETBOOK, ENGLISH

This book was the first atlas on the applications of EA with fine illustrations and annotations. Although there are more than 2000 EA, a large part of them is hardly used. I studied a lot of ancient literatures and modern researches to screen those acupoints practically used in the clinic. This book covered not only 51 traditional extraordinary acupoints (TEA) but also 97 Master Tung Acupuncture (MTA) and 39 Pingheng Acupuncture (PHA) points, which are widely used.

In order to make this handbook as practical as possible, acupoints were selected based on the following criteria:

(1) Easily stimulated by acupuncture and moxibustion

(2) Recognized, i.e. recorded in classical literature or textbooks on acupuncture and moxibustion

(3) Modern acupoints applied extensively and repeatedly validated, e.g., MTA, PHA, Qian Zheng (Z10.28), etc.

(4) Acupoints frequently reported in researches e.g. PHA

As the book covered acupoints from different resources, a unique numbering system was created to facilitate clinical use, teaching, and research. The nomenclature is based on 1) the English translation of the Chinese name of each acupoint and 2) an alphanumeric code derived from the 12 zones of the body, including the finger, hand, forearm, upper arm, toe, foot, shank, thigh, ear, head, front of the body, and back of the body. Relevant background and theory behind the 12 zones were also clarified. 

Explanations of the indications were based on EA’s location and internal connections to Zang and Fu organs and various structures of the body e.g. brain, uterus, throat etc. Most of the explanations were enlightened by my research of Ling Shu (Spiritual Pivot) , MTA, neurology, and biomedicine. Actually, plenty of EA can be regarded as an extension of the standard acupoints. For instance, Zu Er Huo (Z6.1), including Huo Zhu and Huo Ying, are located in the region of Tai Chong - LR3 and their indications are closely related to Tai Chong - LR3, even though they vary from it. Moreover, in order to make EA acupoints easier to understand, I employed the Five Phases Theory, Three Materials Theory, and esp. the Extraordinary Connections between Zang and Fu Organs (臟腑別通) to organize the explanations.  

I hope this collection of extraordinary acupoints will be helpful to my colleagues and benefit many patients.