Exploration of GAO Shu-zhong's academic thought of acupuncture and moxibustion

Abstract

This paper summarizes professor GAO Shu-zhong's academic thought of acupuncture and moxibustion. Professor GAO studies classic literature and clarifies the authentic Chinese medicine from the origin. He provides the unique understandings on the theories, e.g "four passes", gaohuang, the flowing rule of nutrient and defensive qi, lung governing management and regulation and moxibustion for sinking of qi. By analyzing the differences in diagnosis and treatment between acupuncture and herbal medication therapies and exploring the syndrome/pattern differentiation, he advocates the rules of disorder differentiation and treatment in clinical practice of acupuncture and moxibustion, creates GAO 's three-promotion theory and summarizes the characteristic diagnostic methods. He proposes novel statement, perfects theoretic system and creates GAO's extra points. He puts forward that the human acupoint system should be reconstructed to compose of two systems, i.e. meridian acupoints and collateral acupoints systems. Professor GAO pays the attention to acupuncture techniques, proposes a trinity needling technique, "pulse diagnosis, acupoint detection and qi differentiation under needle", and applies different needling techniques in treatment accordingly. He thinks highly of moxibustion, especially umbilicus moxibustion therapy, which has been used widely in practice. Besides, professor GAO provides the comprehensive methods flexibly, with acupuncture, moxibustion and herbal medication in combination.