Traditional Chinese medicine     1     (practise) for around 3,000 years in the Far East, but is relatively recent in the West. People are becoming increasingly worried about the side effects of drugs, and are turning to treatments such as yoga and acupuncture (针灸)     2     (add) to, or sometimes even replace, Western medicine.

An event in my life changed my attitude towards acupuncture. After suffering from insomnia (失眠) for several months, I     3     (feel) mentally and physically exhausted, nearing my breaking point. A trip     4     my doctor and nightly beer and whisky failed to bring any     5     (relieve) from my condition. A friend suggested that I visit an acupuncturist. With a fear of needles, I was reluctant to take his advice,     6     by this time I was so tired that I was ready to try almost anything.

After another nearly     7     (sleep) night, I turned up in the local alternative health centre and met the only acupuncturist in my area. By taking my pulse, looking at my tongue and asking some questions about my diet and lifestyle, he correctly concluded that I was worn out. I found this     8     (extreme) impressive and amazing since he hadn’t asked me     9     I had come to see him. He then inserted a fine needle in my right foot, and I fell asleep immediately. The whole experience was like a miracle never     10     (imagine) in my wildest dreams!

Acupuncture(针灸),       1     ancient Chinese medical practice, has been the treatment for     2     (count) patients for thousands of years. Before modern medicine came to life, ancient Chinese used stone tools     3     (relieve) pain. As time went by, this practice developed a comprehensive medical system and shaped the root of acupuncture.

Acupuncture is a treatment that aims to promote the body’s self-regulating functions. Its principles are in line    4     the philosophical concepts of traditional Chinese medicine,     5     emphasize integrated treatment, and balance of bodily functions.

Practices can vary in forms. Needle insertion (插入), the most common method,     6     (carry) out by inserting hair-thin needles into specific points on the body that channel vital energy (the qi). Practitioners lift and spin needles to unblock the flow of energy; restore yin and yang balance; and stimulate the body’s inborn potential to heal     7     (it).

Looking beyond China, acupuncture has become a global treatment. Over the years, acupuncture    8     (see) many advancements in scientific research and modern medicine. It is now a mainstream alternative and treatment for    9     (variety) of diseases. According to a 2019 WHO report, acupuncture is used in 113 of its 120 member countries,     10     (illustrate) its widespread recognition and application.

Acupuncture (针灸), a traditional Chinese medical practice,     1     (be) the remedy for       2    (count) patients since ancient times. Before modern medicine came to life, ancient Chinese used stone tools to relieve pain. Over time, this primitive practice gradually evolved     3     a comprehensive and profound medical system and shaped the root of acupuncture.

    4    (aim) at promoting the body’s self-regulating functions, acupuncture emphasizes all-inclusive treatment, balance of bodily functions and overall physiological well-being,     5     therapeutic principles are in line with the philosophical concepts of traditional Chinese medicine.

Practices can vary in forms, including needle insertion, cupping and scraping. Needle insertion,     6     most common method,     7     (carry) out by inserting hair-thin needles into meridians, with specific points on the body that channel vital energy (the qi). Practitioners lift, twirl and rotate needles to unblock the flow of energy and stimulate the body’s innate potential to heal     8     (it).

Looking beyond China, acupuncture has become a global therapy. According to a 2019 WHO report, acupuncture is used in 113 of its 120 member countries,     9     (illustrate) its widespread recognition and application.

With a rich history and deep cultural significance, acupuncture has seen many     10     (advance) in scientific research and modern medicine, which is now an embodiment of profound cultural heritage and a historic path to healing.

At the Nobel Prize Lecture on 7 December, 2015,     1     84-year-old Chinese woman walked slowly on to the stage. The woman was Tu Youyou,     2     research led to the discovery of artemisinin, which has saved hundreds of thousands of lives, and     3     (lead) to improved health for millions of people. Thanks to her discovery of artemisinin, malaria patients all over the world now have had a greatly    4     (increase) chance of survival.

Using needles to help life’s energy flow

For thousands of years, the Chinese have relieved pain and cured disease through acupuncture (针灸).     1     (evolve) from the discovery that using stone needles to prick specific points on the surface of the body could relieve pain and symptoms, acupuncture has become     2     integral part of traditional Chinese medicine, in line with the philosophy that promotes the harmonious coexistence of humans with nature.

According to Records of the Grand Historian,     3     (write) by Sima Qian about 2,100 years ago, Bian Que, a highly skilled     4     (physical) during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), was famous for having saved a prince from “death” by using needles to stimulate the Baihui acupoint on the head of the unconscious man.

According to TCM (中医), there are a dozen meridians (经脉) in the human body,     5     the qi, or life energy, circulates to nourish the organs. Cold, infections or diseases can result in blocking of the energy, and so stimulating the acupoints can unblock stagnant (不流动的) qi, restore normal circulation and improve health. Today, acupuncture is still     6     (wide) used in China.

In 2010, UNESCO inscribed acupuncture and moxibustion of TCM on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Yet, the practice is not just cultural and historical,     7     a medical technique widely used and researched today.

For years,     8     the clear therapeutic effects of acupuncture in treating many diseases, there were few convincing studies that explained how acupoint stimulation worked, or what meridians were anatomically speaking, so the technique always seemed somewhat    9     (mystery).

However, as scientific research of acupuncture     10     (grow) in recent years, producing good quality results, the technique is gaining traction around the world.

For thousands of years, an ancient Chinese medical practice, acupuncture(针灸),     1     (be) the treatment for countless patients. Before modern medicine came to life, ancient Chinese had used stone tools     2     (reduce) pain. Over time, this practice has developed into a comprehensive and profound medical system.

Acupuncture,     3     is aimed to promote the body’s self-regulating functions, is an efficient treatment. The principles are in line with many philosophical     4     (concept) of traditional Chinese medicine, which emphasizes the balance of bodily functions and overall well-being. Practices can vary in forms, including needle insertion, cupping and scraping (刮痧). Needle insertion,     5     most common method ever practiced, is carried out by inserting hair-thin needles into specific point s on the body to unblock the flow     6     energy and stimulate the body’s potential to heal     7     (it).

    8     (current), acupuncture sees many advancements in scientific research and modern medicine. It is now a mainstream alternative treatment specifically     9     (design) for use in all sorts of diseases. According to a WHO report, acupuncture is wildly applied all over the world. As an ancient Chinese medical practice with a rich and     10     (significance) history, acupuncture is a vivid show of profound cultural heritage.