The origins of moxibustion, a traditional Chinese therapy involving the application of therapeutic heat via the combustion of dried mugwort (moxa) on precise body points, most likely date back to the Shang dynasty, also called the Yin dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE). Oracle-bone inscriptions known as Jiagu Wen (甲骨文) engraved on turtle plastrons and animal scapulae indicate that the ancient Chinese already used localised heat methods for healing purposes. Although these artefacts are primarily linked to divination practices, certain expressions and references clearly evoke treatments intended to relieve pain and various ailments, reflecting an empirical proto-medicine in which fire – the symbol of yang in yin-yang theory – played a central role in ancient Chinese culture.
Moreover, these inscriptions suggest that moxibustion was practised before the emergence of acupuncture as a formalised system. The texts reveal preliminary knowledge of energy pathways, later called meridians, long before their systematic codification in the medical texts of the Qin and Han dynasties. This hypothesis is strengthened by the fact that moxibustion, mentioned in the Mawangdui manuscripts, appears to have played a key role in identifying therapeutic points that would later become central to acupuncture.
Explanation:
- The Jiagu Wen mention heat applications to relieve pain, resembling moxibustion. These references predate the first clear descriptions of acupuncture (which uses needles), suggesting that moxibustion may be an older practice.
- The Mawangdui manuscripts (Qin–Han) describe meridians and specific points for moxibustion but do not explicitly mention needles, indicating that moxibustion may have helped conceptualise the meridians before acupuncture fully integrated them.
- Researchers such as Harper (1998) and Unschuld (1985) argue that moxibustion, being a simpler technique (just heat application), probably preceded acupuncture, which required more sophisticated tools (metal needles) and a more advanced theory of qi and meridians.
More elaborate documentation emerged several centuries later, following the 1973 archaeological excavation at Mawangdui (Hunan province). These silk and bamboo manuscripts, dating from the Qin (221–206 BCE) and Han (206 BCE–220 CE) dynasties, provide a detailed panorama of moxibustion at that time, marking a turning point in the history of Chinese medicine. Among the discoveries from tomb no. 3 – which contained the remains of Li Xi, a man in his thirties who died around 168 BCE and son of Chancellor Li Cang (Marquis of Dai) – three major treatises stand out for their focus on this practice:
- The Canon of Moxibustion of the Eleven Yin and Yang Meridians (version A) (Yinyang shiyimai jiujing – jiaben), which describes the body’s meridians and application points to correct energetic imbalances.
- The Canon of Moxibustion of the Eleven Vessels of the Foot and Forearm, focusing on specific anatomical areas and complementing the meridian approach.
- Prescriptions for 52 Ailments (Wushier Bingfang), a pioneering compendium that actually lists 103 pathologies (despite the title) and offers 283 varied therapeutic formulas – including herbal remedies, incantations and rituals – and details eight specific moxibustion protocols.
Preserved in anaerobic conditions thanks to layers of white clay and charcoal, these manuscripts demonstrate remarkable sophistication: they distinguish various types of moxibustion (direct with scarring, direct without scarring, indirect using ginger or garlic, etc.), precise indications based on acupuncture points and meridians, as well as post-treatment follow-up instructions, including hygiene advice and expected reactions.
Study of these texts has shown that moxibustion potentially played a central role in the emergence of the meridian concept, predating full acupuncture, and that it was integrated with other modalities such as daoyin exercises (precursors of qigong), shamanic spells and massage, forming a holistic health system.
For example, they list up to 81 conditions treatable by moxibustion, ranging from joint pain to internal disorders, and emphasise its use to harmonise qi and stimulate meridian transmission.
A few centuries later, during the Later Han dynasty and beyond, the practice evolved further. The semi-legendary physician Bian Que (5th century BCE) is often credited as the first great moxibustion specialist, stating in his Bian Que Neijing that it surpassed acupuncture by adding new energy to the body to treat both excess and deficiency. Then, Huangfu Mi (215–282 CE), under the Jin dynasty, compiled the Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing), a foundational work that consolidated accumulated knowledge, structured the links between acupuncture and moxibustion, and laid the groundwork for future generations by integrating Taoist cosmological and philosophical theories.
This evolution continued through the Song dynasty (with artistic depictions such as Li Tang’s painting) and the Qing dynasty, where Zhang Youheng published in 1869 the Chuanwu lingji lu, an illustrated colour treatise detailing specific applications for various disorders. Moxibustion also spread to Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Mongolia with local adaptations, and reached the West in the 16th century via Portuguese missionaries, who called it “botão de fogo” (fire button), before its popularisation in Europe by Hermann Buschoff in 1674.
Today, moxibustion remains an essential component of traditional Chinese medicine, recognised for its effects on pain, immunity and circulation, with modern studies exploring its mechanisms such as thermal stimulation and anti-inflammatory effects.
These ancient roots, anchored in the Mawangdui discoveries, illustrate how a primitive practice evolved into a refined therapeutic system that influences medicine worldwide.
Références :
- Harper, D. (1998). Early Chinese Medical Literature: The Mawangdui Medical Manuscripts. Kegan Paul International.
- Unschuld, P. U. (1985). Medicine in China: A History of Ideas. University of California Press (éditions ultérieures disponibles).
- Huang, C., & Liang, Z. (2017). Moxibustion in Early Chinese Medicine and Its Relation to the Origin of Meridians: A Study on the Unearthed Literatures. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
- Wikipédia sur Moxibustion et Mawangdui (2025), articles PMC et Semantic Scholar sur l'histoire de la moxibustion.
https://shs.cairn.info/revue-anthropologie-des-connaissances-2012-3-page-549?lang=fr
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5337347/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9491495/
https://www.heraldopenaccess.us/openaccess/origin-of-chinese-medicine-acupuncture-moxibustion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mawangdui
https://archive.org/details/early-chinese-medical-literature-mawangdui-manuscripts-donald-harper
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1155/2017/8242136
https://www.medsci.org/v08p0s26.htm