Draft:He Puren

He Puren (1926-2015), Chief Physician of Acupuncture Center, Professor, learned from famous doctor Niu Zehua, had been practicing medicine for more than 70 years. He was the first, second and third batches of the national instructor of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The hospital established the "He Puren Inheritance Studio." The Ministry of Culture rated Professor He as the representative successor of national intangible cultural heritage acupuncture project in 2007. In January 2009, he was awarded the title of "Capital Renowned Physicians" by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Health, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Personnel and Beijing Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. After that, he was granted the honorary title of "National TCM Great Master" by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Health, and State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Sticking to the principle of "diseases caused mostly by stagnation of the circulation of vital energy, whichshould be treated with the 'Santong Method,'" Professor He constructed the theory of pathogenesis on acupuncture and moxibustion in TCM and the world-renowned theory of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment -"He's Santong Needling Method." On the basis of his intensive study of acupuncture and moxibustion classics and his life-long clinical practice, he delved into, summarized and innovated the acupuncture and moxibustion pricking methods and theories and gradually formed his own theory system, the "Santong Method." The "Santong Method" is representative and original in the academic system of acupuncture and moxibustion in clinical medicine in China as it upgrades the traditional therapy. It is thus of great significance.

Santong Needling Method is the acupuncture therapeutic system founded by Professor He Puren, a National TCM Great Master in the Acupuncture Center of our hospital, which contains the pathogenesis theory of "most diseases are caused by stagnation of qi" and the therapeutic principle of "three acupuncture techniques". In Professor He Puren's opinion, stagnation of qi is the common pathogenesis for all kinds of diseases, so after summarizing the nine-needle therapy of ancient times, he divides the acupuncture techniques into three types: Weitong (normal needling), Wentong (fire needling) and Qiangtong (bloodletting). Weitong therapyuses filiform needles, which can regulate the meridians and viscera, and is the foundation of all needling methods. It has two meanings. The first one is that the filiform needle was called micro-needle or small needle in ancient times.The second is that meridians identification, acupoints selection, needles and techniques are all very subtle knowledge, and all of them will affect the curative effect. So the ancients would say, a few words can make clear the key point of filiform needle, but the actual operation is difficult to grasp. If you want to better understand, you can only keep learning. Wentong therapy includes fire needling and moxibustion. It is to strengthen human body's yang qi, arouse healthy qi, adjust viscera function and stimulate meridians qi with warm and hot power, its outstanding advantage lies in the ability that arouses human body itself to cure a disease. The Qiangtong therapy refers to blood-letting therapy. It forces blood to flow out, regulates qi and blood and dredges the meridian passage. Its prominent advantages lie in removing blood stasis, detoxification and discharging fire. It can cure diseases by removing pathogenic factors. On the basis of learning ancient medical skills and learning from others, Professor He Puren led an academic team to introduce bloodletting therapy and fire needle therapy in clinical practice on the basis of using the filiform needle method since the 1960s. After years of practice and summary, the theory of Santong Needling Method was fully formed in the 1980s. It is constantly improved up to now. He published 17 monographs and more than 100 papers, making a historic contribution to the rejuvenation, theoretical promotion, innovative application and wide spread of fire needle therapy. The significance of the theory of Santong Needling Method lies in the fact that for the first time, the fire needle therapy and bleeding therapy are promoted to the same position as the filiform needle therapy, and these three therapies have irreplaceable advantages and can complement each other. The organic combination of Weitong therapy, Wentong therapy and Qiangtong therapy and their indications further expand the clinical application scope of acupuncture and improve its clinical efficacy, which is a great contribution to the theory and practice of acupuncture.