The Ultimate Secret Book of Acupuncture and Moxibustion: An Annotated Translation of Japanese Acupuncture Classic

The Shinkyu Gokuhi Sho is the first complete English translation of a Japanese acupuncture text, accompanied by the original illustrations and annotations by Hyungsuk Choi. Originally published in 1778 by the Japanese physician Kimura Taichu (木邨太仲), the book documents acupuncture techniques that trace back to Kim Duk-bang (金德邦). These techniques were preserved within the Tanaka Tomoyoshi (田中知新) family and later compiled and edited by Kimura into this seminal work.The Shinkyu Gokuhi Sho holds both historical and clinical significance, serving as a foundational text for Unkaishiryu techniques in acupuncture. It is an invaluable resource for researchers and practitioners in the field.The book's title has been interpreted in various ways. It was introduced to Europe in 1825 by Jean Baptiste Sarlandière under the French title Traité inédit de l’acupuncture et du Moxa chez les Japonais ("The Unpublished Teaching of Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion"). The Japanese title Shinkyu Gokuhi Sho translates to "The Ultimate Secret Book of Acupuncture and Moxibustion." In English, it has been referred to as "Absolute Secrets of Acupuncture and Moxibustion" in NAJOM (2001, vol. 8, No. 21) and as "Outline of the Deepest Secrets of Acupuncture and Moxibustion" in Wolfgang Michel’s article, "Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion in Europe from the 16th to 18th Centuries." Read more