In ancient China, sicknesses were believed to be caused by angry gods or goddesses and evil spirits. To heal the people, shamans, witches, and faith healers called upon angry gods and offered thingsto them if the gods would heal the person. Healers were only effective if they could call on gods or spirits to help heal patients. Over the years these kinds of practices were not looked upon with favor. Hippocratic medicine took its place. Most witches, shamans, and faith healers were accused of black magic. Many were put to death. By the 16th Century spiritual medicine disappeared.

Chinese believed that channels in your body carried Qi, which is known as vital energy. Each separate organ represented a different channel that Qi, pronounced chEE, like in cheese, was transferred through. When there was not enough Qi flowing through a channel, they said that this channel was in a "disease of Bi", Bi meaning pain. If there was internal disease, say in the lungs, the "Qi flow" would be unnatural in the lungs channel. Acupuncture allowed them to concentrate on that one area of sickness. The points in which the acupuncture took place were very specific and aimed for an area that would have the most influence on your Qi. Chinese people treated pain, or Bi, with acupuncture. If they concentrated on certain areas of the channel, they could fix the flow of Qi.