Xue Lingong
Chief Physician
Beijing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Medicine,
BA, 1969
Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Clinical Acupuncture Department, MA,
1980
Director of the Soft Tissue Meridian Research Center
With more than 30 years of
experience in the clinical practice, research, and teaching of Acupuncture, he
has devoted his career to the comprehensive study and research of Soft Tissue
Meridian (Jingjin) Theory. He established the Soft Tissue Meridian Research
Center and has worked to systematize Soft Tissue Meridian theory and promote it
as a branch of acupuncture and moxibustion studies.
Soft Tissue injuries are a
common clinical problem, especially for the middle-aged and elderly. Many
chronic and obstinate pains are the result of cumulative soft tissue injuries. Some
internal medicine ailments are influenced by or aggravated by soft tissue
injuries.
Soft Tissue Meridian Theory
transcends the traditional external agent theory of rheumatism (bi) : “wind,
cold, and dampness cause rheumatism”. Based on an alternative reading of the
Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic, he has argued that a more accurate explanation
for the true cause of rheumatism considers all varieties of etiological
factors. Repeated injury and repair leads to scarring or the creation of “pathological
collaterals” (henglui) which mechanically block the meridian, impede the flow
of blood and qi, and cause the exudation of “phlegm” producing pain. The key to
treatment is node relaxation needle technique, which removes the “pathological
collateral” block. As the inner Canon explains : “When one meridian is replete
above, depleted below, and not open, it is because a pathological collateral is
fixed upon it. Inspect it and remove it. This is called node relaxation.”
The needle used for node severance is the long needle, the eighth of the classic nine needles. “the long needle has a thin body and sharp blade. It can reach the deep pathogens and blockages.” Based on descriptions for the Inner Canon and the Jiayi Acupuncture Classic, and the study of actual archaeological objects from the Western Han, he has developed the “long round needle”, a combination of the long needle and the round needle. Using needling technique described in the Divine Pivot, the organic cause of obstinate and chronic rheumatoid pain is removed by relaxing or cutting the “pathological collateral”.
The function of the soft tissue meridian is to “bind the bones and facilitate the joints”. From the perspective of modern anatomy and physiology, the 12 soft tissue meridians are 12 lines of movement that describe the relationship between the muscles, tendons, and attached structures. The attached structures and the points of attachment for the muscles and tendons are common sites of stress and injury caused by non-physiological activity. In particular, it is the protective attached structures, such as bursa, tendon sheaths, fat pads, sesamoid bones and the points of nerve entrance and exit into the muscle tissue, etc. that are first affected by non-physiological stress. Based on his own clinical experience, he has identified over 200 commonly seen soft tissue node sites (or sites of collateral development) and developed new methods for soft tissue injury diagnosis.
Using the “long round needle technique”, he has developed new treatments for dozens of different obstinate rheumatoid pains. For middle aged and elderly patients who suffer from “bone spurs” “prolapsed intervertebral disc”, “vertebral canal stenosis”, “arthritis” etc., this treatment ca often save them the pain of complicated and unnecessary surgery. Furthermore, stubborn headaches, chest pains, stomach and abdominal pains, menstrual irregularities, and sexual dysfunction, etc. can often find relief with this treatment.
Research Projects :
1. Study of Electric Hot Needle Treatment of Superficial Malignant Cancer
2. Study of Acupuncture Treatment of Benign Nodular Goiter (Awarded 3rd prize
from the Chinese Academy of TCM)
3. National Science and Technology Summit Agenda, “Meridian Research” Project
collaborator.
Publications :
As Chief Editor (with forwards by former Minister of Health, Cui Yueli, and
painter, Huang Jun) ;
Chinese Medical
Qiqong
A WHO Recommended Acupuncture Clinical Guide to 43 Diseases
One Hundred Practical Questions About Acupuncture and Moxibustion
As assistant Editor :
The Essence of Modern
Clinical Acupuncture
Collection of Chinese Medicine Graduation Dissertations
Chinese Acupuncture Therapy
Acupuncture Effective Points Diagrams
Beijing Quality Control Standards for Chinese Medicine Disease Treatment
WHO International Standardization Plan for Chinese Acupuncture Terms
New Edition of the General Acupuncture and Moxibustion Dictionary
Essays :
On the Interpretation
and Use of Soft Tissue Meridian Theory
The Long Needle
One Hundred Soft Tissue Meridian Case Treated with Long Round Needle
Comments on Huan Tiao, GB30
Videos :
Saved by the Gold Needle