Huangdi Neijing is referred to as Neijing for short, and Su Wen and Lingshu are its two parts. His book was written about 500 years from the Warring States to the Western Han Dynasty. From the content point of view, this book is a collection of medical experiences from the Warring States to Qin and Han Dynasties, which is equivalent to a collection of various theories of traditional Chinese medicine or a collection of papers with a long time span.
Huangdi Neijing is the earliest classic to record the theory of acupuncture and moxibustion meridians, and the acupuncture content recorded in it should reflect the level of acupuncture practice and theoretical development from the Warring States to the Western Han Dynasty. During the Warring States period, a hundred schools of thought contended and a hundred schools of thought contended, which had a great influence on the formation of acupuncture theory. In addition, during the Western Han Dynasty, ancient naive materialism thought such as Yin-Yang theory and "correspondence between man and nature" gradually matured and penetrated into the formation of meridian theory, which influenced the number of meridians and guided the construction of meridian theory. These factors have left an obvious historical mark on the contents of acupuncture recorded in Lingshu and Suwen.
There are only thirteen prescriptions used to treat diseases in Neijing, and most of them are treated by acupuncture. Not only that, most of the pages of Neijing, especially Lingshu, are used to expound the contents of meridians, acupoints, acupuncture and acupuncture treatment. At the beginning of the first article "Nine Needles and Twelve Origins" in Lingshu, the meaning of "establishing the needle sutra first" was clearly defined, and "On Bao Quanming" also emphasized that "the past should not be forgotten, and the teacher of the future should establish the needle sutra first". It can be inferred that this is a glorious history in the history of acupuncture development, which shows that acupuncture medicine once occupied a very prominent position in medical activities before Qin and Han Dynasties.
Generally speaking, the contents of acupuncture in Neijing can be summarized as follows:
(1) The meridian theory is comprehensively expounded in Neijing. According to its records, the twelve meridians's qi and blood are interlinked, connecting the bones of the limbs and the orifices of the body, making the human body form an organic whole. At the same time, it expounds the macro thought of "correspondence between man and nature", which embodies a higher level of holistic view of the unity of human body and nature. In addition, Lingshu's naming of meridians, meridians and veins in the meridian system combines the three elements of hands, feet, yin and yang, and viscera, and expounds the circulation distribution law, circulation order and exterior-interior relationship of the twelve meridians, circulation distribution of the twelve meridians, meridians, meridians and skin, and many other things about "root knot", "specimen", "qi street" and "four seas".
(2) Neijing has also contributed to the development of acupoint theory, which is reflected in the increase in the number of acupoints, with about 160 acupoint names. In addition, two important acupoint theories, namely, specific acupoint theory and bone measurement theory, are expounded. The definitions of five Shu points, original point, collateral point, back Shu point, Mu point and Xiahe point and the corresponding specific points are recorded respectively. Lingshu Bone Degree records the measurement of bone degree of various parts of human body, which is the earliest existing monograph, and the commonly used bone degree measurement methods in later generations are developed, modified and supplemented on this basis.
(3) Neijing also systematically discusses the theory and treatment of acupuncture, which is more detailed than moxibustion. Its contents are discussed from the aspects of acupuncture principles and methods, acupoint matching methods, acupuncture tools, preparation before acupuncture, needle insertion, needle retention, needle withdrawal to acupuncture direction, depth, reinforcing and reducing, taboos and matters needing attention, which has become a clinical guide for later physicians. The types of diseases treated by acupuncture and moxibustion have also involved more than 30 diseases such as cold-heat syndrome, heat syndrome, malaria, arthralgia syndrome, flaccidity syndrome, abdominal distension and diarrhea.
It can be seen that Neijing is not only the earliest classic that laid the theoretical foundation of traditional Chinese medicine, but also the symbol of the formation of acupuncture theory. It comprehensively and systematically summarized the medical experience of acupuncture from Warring States to Qin and Han Dynasties, which laid a solid foundation for the development of acupuncture theory and practice in later generations. These theoretical principles and methods still guide people's acupuncture and moxibustion medical practice, and are constantly verified and developed in practice, showing its strong vitality.