The spread of Acupuncture as part of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture, a key component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has a long and fascinating history that spans thousands of years. Its use and popularity have evolved significantly over time, both in China and globally.
TCM in the form of Acupuncture goes back to the new Stone Age in China. That is 8000 to 3000 BC. The first comprehensive documentation of Acupuncture as an organised system of diagnosis and treatment appears in ‘The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine’ from the Han dynasty 206 bc-220 AD. This text established core concepts like Qi that remain central to Acupuncture theory today.
From its origins in China
Acupuncture gradually spread to neighboring countries: firstly,
- Japan
- Korea
- Then onto other Asian countries such as Vietnam, Sri Lanka and India.
Introduction to the West
In the west, Acupuncture first of all became known in Europe in
- Russia – which has a long tradition due, in part, to the long border between the USSR and China
- France in the 1500’s via Jesuits and travellers
- Germany
- England
- USA and Canada,
- At a similar time it arrived in Australia and New Zealand.
- It gradually spresad to other European countries such as Holland, Italy, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Spain and Ireland.
Ireland
TCM Acupuncture, meaning Acupuncture practises as part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, was first introduced to Ireland by Professor Thomas Shanahan in the early nineteen eighties, when he set up practices in both Dublin and Galway. Professor Shanahan then went on to set up the first college of TCM in Ireland, the ICTCM, in order to meet the demand for highly qualified TCM professionals both in Ireland and the UK. The ICTCM is now in its 43rd year of turning out highly trained Professional TCM Practitioners, fulfilling its mission to continue to enhance the reputation and spread of TCM globally.
Can I study Medical Qigong at the ICTCM in Dublin?
Professor Xia our Medical Qigong Master with students studying Medical Qigong at the ICTCM in Dublin.
When people contact us at the Irish College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Dublin they often ask, “Can I study Medical Qigong at your College”? The answer is Yes, provided you are already a fully trained fully qualified practitioner of Acupuncture TCM. Because the College is a Chinese Medical college, the type of Qigong we teach is specifically tailored for use in the TCM Clinic. We run a number of intensive programmes in Medical Qigong at post-graduate level.
Some people, when they join us on the Licentiate in TCM Acupuncture Training course, already know that they really want to study Medical Qigong. At least one of our current Teachers was not specifically interested in Acupuncture Medicine per se but studied with us in order to be able to gain the necessary Chinese medical knowledge to become a TCM practitioner and then learn Medical Qigong. He is now in full time TCM practice using Acupuncture, Medical Qigong and Chinese Herbal Medicine according to the needs and requirements of each individual client.
Many Acupuncture TCM students only become interested in Qigong and Medical Qigong as they progress in their Acupuncture training and hear from the College Director, Professor Tom Shanahan, about the wonderful effects of Medical Qigong. He tells students about his experiences in China studying this specialist branch of TCM treatment at one of the top Chinese Medical Universities in China with a leading Qigong Master.
A number of TCM practitioners have recently qualified with us in Medical Qigong at Certificate level and Diploma level and you can read about this on the PRTCM website.
If you are not yet a qualified practitioner of Acupuncture TCM but are keen to be qualified to study Medical Qigong in the future, there are still a few places left on this year’s Licentiate in TCM. We will soon be closing applications for this Acupuncture training programme.
It is often possible to begin some aspects of Qigong training, as an additional option, even during the First year of the Acupuncture Course (staff availability permitting).
If you are already a fully trained TCM Aupuncturist and wish to know about our next Medical Qigong start date please contact us.
If you are interested in our short one or two day introduction to Qigong for Health and Wellbeing, which we will be running in the Spring (if not earlier) please contact us – send us your name and email address, and your reasons for wishing to study Qigong and we will inform you when the next workshops in Qigong are being run.
As one of the main Qigong and Medical Qigong teachers at the College it is always a pleasure for me to inform people about the transformative benefits that can arise from practising Qigong and using Medical Qigong with clients.
