Digging up the history of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture has come a long way from its ancient origins. One of the earliest known texts related to the therapy is a pair of Silk Scrolls, uncovered from Han Tomb No. 3 in Changsha, China. This tomb was built in 168 BC, meaning the text is older than the first “official” classical work, the Nei Jing (Canon of Medicine). Unfortunately, the scrolls are severely damaged from age and tight folding, and many characters cannot be read as they are no longer used.
As an earlier work, its descriptions are simpler than those in the Lin Shu (Miraculous Pivot). The scrolls record 11 out of 12 channels, with the Pericardium Channel left out and only the Arm Shaoyin Channel connecting to its passageway. Some differences between these and modern acupuncture point maps is that the channels are not connected with each other, and there are fewer organ associations. These may therefore describe a different theory, or just a more primitive version of what we currently use. Points do not seem to be mentioned, however, and the information on the meridians is about how to use moxa “on the feet and hands” and “in accordance with Yin/Yang”. Other sections of these scrolls include information on therapeutic breathing techniques, exercises and prescriptions for 52 different illnesses.
Traditional Chinese Medicine has evolved dramatically over the years, from the first texts describing rudimentary understandings of its theory to ongoing clinical trials today. However, learning about its history is always interesting, and archaeological finds are helping to piece it together.
Sources: https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/aetr/1997/00000022/F0020003/art00003
https://www.jstor.org/stable/20776607?seq=1