Qualitative research refers to a generic name of research methods corresponding to the quantitative research.It is different from quantitative research not only in methods

properties of the collected data

but also and particularly in philosophy

ideology and epistemology.In the present paper

the authors make a brief introduction about the background and methodology of qualitative research

and forecast the future possible tendency of the combined clinical trails of acu-moxibustion.Hopefully

it may provide a possible model for acupuncture clinical research methods and make the acupuncture researchers understand the qualitative research methods in clinical practice so as to promote the further development of acupuncture clinical trails

improve the level of acupuncture theory and provide substantial acupuncture clinical evidence.