Medicines played an important role in the efforts of Chinese physicians to restore natural balance in their patients, but they were not the only means of treating disease. Chinese physicians believed that a kind of natural energy known as qi circulated through the body along a complex system of channels, or meridians. If a meridian became blocked or other problems occurred in the system, the flow of qi would be disrupted and imbalance would result. Acupuncturists used a variety of methods, most commonly very thin needles inserted at precise points in the patient’s body, to clear such blockages and restore the proper flow of qi. As you examine this image of an acupuncturist and his patient, consider your own reaction to acupuncture. Do you believe that it might be an effective method of treatment? Why or why not?

Questions to Consider