Holistic Health Blog | Insights on Acupuncture & Wellness in London

Theoretical and Clinical Insights into KAI, HE, and SHU of the Six Channels

The Six Channels theory of 开（kāi, opening）, 阖（hé, closing）, and 枢（shū, pivot）was first proposed in the Suwen ( Plain Questions ), YinYang Lihe Lun Pian (Discourse on Yin–Yang Separation and Union), and it constitutes an important component of the theoretical system of the Huangdi Neijing ( Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon ). This theory originates from the changes in the separation and union of the Yin–Yang Qi-numbers (气数) across the four seasons. Because the Qi-numbers of th

Phoebus Tian

19 hours ago11 min read

Reclaiming Shen: How Acupuncture Treats the Shen(Spirit)

The Role of Shen in Chinese Medicine Shen in Chinese medicine can be understood in both a broad and a narrow sense. In its broad sense, Shen refers to the outward manifestations of life activity, such as the brightness of the eyes and the complexion. In its narrow sense, Shen specifically denotes human mental awareness and cognitive activity. Within the grand theoretical system of Chinese medicine , mental and emotional health is not regarded as a psychological phenomenon is

Phoebus Tian

3 days ago12 min read

The Origins and Development of Pulse-Guided Acupuncture

The Nanjing and Its Foundational Role in Pulse Theory The Huangdi Bashiyi Nanjing (The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Eighty-One Difficult Issues), commonly known as the Nanjing, is regarded, together with the Huangdi Neijing, the Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases, and the Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica, as one of the four great classics of ancient Chinese medicine. The text contains only eighty-one “difficult issues”, yet its language is concise and its scope e

Phoebus Tian

3 days ago6 min read

The Essential Conflict Between Acupuncture and Dry Needling: A Case of Packaged Appropriation

Acupuncture’s Global Rise Traditional acupuncture has long since crossed national borders and become part of healthcare systems worldwide. Reports published by the World Health Organization show that Chinese medicine acupuncture has now spread to 183 countries and regions, and that more than 100 WHO Member States have explicitly recognised the use of acupuncture. Among these countries, at least 29 have enacted laws and regulations relating to acupuncture, and 18 have incorpor

Phoebus Tian

5 days ago11 min read

Holistic Anti-Ageing with Acupuncture

Reclaiming the Mirror: Why We’re Swapping the Quick Fix for a Slower Rhythm There is a particular kind of quiet anxiety that settles in when we first notice our reflection no longer quite matches how we feel inside. For many women, the modern beauty industry offers a singular, rather aggressive answer: freeze it, fill it until the story of our lives is effectively erased from our skin. While the immediate gratification of injectables is undeniable, a growing number of us are

Phoebus Tian

6 days ago5 min read

Acupuncture Effects and Neuroimmune Regulation

In traditional Chinese medicine , acupuncture stresses treating the root cause. The point is not to suppress a single symptom, but to bring the body back from imbalance to a stable state. Many modern studies have treated acupuncture as a straight line — acupoint → target organ — focusing either on local stimulation or on changes in one organ’s function. The problem is that this can miss the crucial middle step: how the nervous system processes and integrates acupuncture signa

Phoebus Tian

Jan 27 min read

Five Gates and Ten Transformations Acupuncture 五门十变

The Five Gates and Ten Transformations acupuncture secret art was transmitted by the Taiwanese acupuncture master Dr Zhou Zuoyu. Look at the diagram below: first, it is derived from transformations of the Twelve Channels Heavenly-Stems Song. For example, the first corresponds to the Gall Bladder channel; the root point of the Gall Bladder channel is GB41 Zulinqi; the following follow the same pattern. Another transformation is that Jia and Ji combine and transform into the at

Phoebus Tian

Dec 31, 202522 min read

The Alchemy of Acupuncture: Connecting Heaven and Man via the Moon Phase

There’s a quiet truth most acupuncturists notice long before they try to explain it: people don’t feel the same from week to week. Sleep shifts. Digestion turns fussy. Emotions rise and fall like weather. And somewhere behind the scenes, the Moon is doing what it has always done—pulling at tides, light, and, if you think in Chinese medicine’s language, the movement of Yin and Yang and the way fluids and Blood “gather” and “disperse” through the month. I don’t mean this in a m

Phoebus Tian

Dec 31, 20255 min read

2026 (Bing Wu): The Year of "Heavenly Penalty"

As we approach 2026, the Year of the Bing Wu (丙午) , or Fire Horse, the general consensus anticipates a year of unbridled heat. However, a deeper analysis of the Wu Yun Liu Qi (Five Movements and Six Qi) reveals a far more volatile picture. According to the Su Wen (Basic Questions), this is not merely a hot year; it is a year of "Heavenly Penalty" (天刑 Tian Xing ). It is a year defined by a violent clash between Fire and Water, placing the human body in a "pressure cooker" e

Phoebus Tian

Dec 30, 20254 min read

Understanding Acupuncture and Its Effects

Why Sham Acupuncture Is Tricky In drug research, a placebo is usually a sugar pill. It contains nothing active, so any improvement seen can be attributed to expectation or psychology. Acupuncture doesn’t work that way. Even when the needles are placed at non-acupuncture points or only just under the skin, the act of inserting a needle stimulates nerves, skin, and muscle receptors, and even areas of the brain. Sham acupuncture is not just a ritual; it creates a real physical r

Phoebus Tian

Sep 17, 20253 min read