English names for acupuncture points

Abstract

The increasing discussion over recent years about how Chinese medical terms should be translated into English only rarely touches on the names of acupuncture points. While largely standardized alphanumeric codes used in the literature are undoubtedly the most efficient for students striving to master acupuncture, English translations of the point names are nevertheless useful for students wishing to gain a deeper knowledge of the acupuncture tradition. This paper explains the utility of English acupuncture names, describes their semantic features, and discusses the problems of their translation.