This is an analysis of the numerous studies done in acupuncture research - a single work which bridges the gap between the art of acupuncture and the science of how it works. Drawing on and citing studies carried out both in China and the West, the author establishes substantial theories on how acupuncture works and challenges Western assumptions on this branch of traditional Chinese medicine. He assists the reader to interpret modern research in terms of traditional concepts (meridians, channels and points).