On the basis of systematicly reviewing the developmental history of acupuncture and moxibustion and profoundly understanding its academic connotations

the authors of the present article make a summary and analysis on the key factors influencing the development of acupuncturology. These key factors are 1) the emergence of "microacupuncture needle regulating-Qi" and the establishement of their corresponding theory system

2) a large number of practitioners who inherited the learnings of acupuncturology generations by generations

and abundant medical classical works which recorded the valuable academic thoughts and clinical experience of the predecesors

3) the application of acupuncture charts and manikins

and 4) modernizing changes of acupuncture learnings after introduction of western medicine to China. Just under the influence of these key factors

the acupuncture medicine separates itself from the level of the simple experience medicine

and has formed a set of special theory system and developed into a mature subject.