<i>Treatise on Acupuncture</i> (<i>Hari kikigaki</i>) 針聞書はりききがき

Description

Acupuncture and moxibustion therapies were introduced to Japan from China during ancient times. Up to medieval times, the medical treatments offered and practiced in Japan were based on therapies introduced from China. Acupuncture and moxibustion were among such therapies. “Hari-kikigaki” introduces acupuncture therapy based on the view that diseases are caused by various parasitic “insects” in the internal organs. It became the basis for several other medical textbooks written during the Edo period (1603–1868). According to the book’s postscript, the author is Ibaraki Nisuke Motoyuki (Gengyō), a resident of Settsu province (present-day Ibaraki, Osaka). It was completed on October 11th in the 11th year of the Eiroku era (1568, during the Warring States period). On September 26th of the same year, Oda Nobunaga led his army into Kyoto together with Ashikaga Yoshiaki. Shortly after, Oda Nobunaga began attacking and conquering the warlords in neighboring provinces, including Settsu. This means that the Hari-kikigaki was written amid the turmoil of warfare. The text of the Hari-kikigaki comprises of four parts. In the first part, the author describes the basic techniques of acupuncture and ways to judge the positive and negative signs of symptoms and post-treatment progress. The second part comprises of 15 illustrations of the human body with acupressure points for specific diseases, and three anatomical charts with Taoist sacred animals such as the white tiger. Locations of acupressure points and their efficacy are also described. The third part includes 63 charts of “hara no mushi” (parasitic insects) with their characteristics and ways to eliminate them. The images of the parasitic insects are very humorous. They are imaginary products created by combining small animals, insects, reptiles, and fish. The fourth part comprises of 14 anatomical charts of internal organs. These charts reflect the influence of Taoism and Esoteric Buddhism. The Hari-kikigaki is a very valuable material since it includes not only the medical knowledge and therapies back then, but also the people’s views of the human body, life, diseases, and ethical values.