Analysis of Professor Liu Zhibin’s Academic Experience in Acupuncture and Moxibustion

Abstract

Professor Liu Zhibin is the academic leader of acupuncture, moxibustion, and tuina of the Shaanxi school. He has been deeply engaged in the clinical practice, teaching, and scientific research of acupuncture, moxibustion, and tuina for over 40 years. His academic work is rooted in the classical theories of the jingjin (muscle region) and gudu (bone measurement) from the Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor, integrated with modern fascial anatomy and neuroscience, forming four core academic systems: “fascia-related theory,” “brain-gut co-regulation,” “olfactory-collateral brain resuscitation,” and “bone-point direct reaching.” Professor Liu has pioneered three original distinctive therapies: the bone-touching needling method, the scalp hairline micro-needle system, and the olfactory three-needle therapy. He has also established a point-selection system based on the principles of “taking pain as the acupoint,” “back-mu point pairing,” and “treating both root and branch.” Clinically, he has developed stratified pattern differentiation and treatment protocols combining acupuncture and tuina for neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease), spinal disorders (adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, sinew-related pain conditions), functional gastrointestinal disorders, and gynecological pain syndromes. A large number of animal experiments have elucidated the molecular mechanisms of acupuncture from perspectives such as ferroptosis, oxidative stress, the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, and the brain-gut axis. Professor Liu’s academic path of “honoring classics, integrating anatomy, emphasizing empirical evidence, and innovating methods” provides a replicable paradigm for modern acupuncture and moxibustion.