Reading the Classics Through the Sinews: James Woodward at the UK Chinese Medicine Conference 2026

James Woodward, CCA tutor and researcher, led two seminars at this year's BAcC Annual Conference, sharing the insights from six years of research into the Chinese medicine classics. Drawing on his work translating and illustrating classical texts, James explored what the ancient sources truly reveal about the sinews, channel pathways, and the treatment of pain, bringing together classical theory, Japanese acupuncture techniques, and his own clinical experience. Below, James reflects on the experience of presenting his research to a packed room of delegates.

Six years of research, illustrations and translations of the Chinese medicine classics led to moment when I had the honour to share my passion to delegates at The UK Chinese Medicine Conference 2026. My goal was to present my thought process and what the classics really say about the sinews. The Chinese during the Han dynasty described internal fascia, mo yuan, and exterior fascia, jin mo. Jin mo in modern Chinese means fascia, the channel pathways are a sophisticated guide for understanding how the body moves and how pain develops. The classics describes how to located pain, the origin of dysfunctions in the range of movement and advice on how to treat. I discussed some examples including pathway descriptions followed by relevant pathologies. This method has helped explain the Classical Chinese pathologies described in Ling Shu chapter 13. The illustrations helped the delegates visually understand what I was describing.

The classical needling technique of fan zhen (burning or fire needling) is very aggressive so I prefer to apply various moxibustion techniques or gentle needling techniques as an alternative. I describes the classical Japanese needling techniques from the Edo period developed by Kazuichi Sugiyama 1610-1694 who invented the original guide tube techniques. A gentle lift and thrust or warming techniques.

I did express that we all have methods that work well within our own clinic and not one method is better. I was teaching how to locate the origin of the pain by asking specific question on movement, the nature and level of pain, what makes it better or worse and finally by palpating the body. To do this an understanding of the channels pathways and anatomy is important.

Channel connections and interactions is something I have been interested in investigation throughout my research because the Ling Shu describes connections through pathways and pathologies throughout chapter 13. I presented examples of some of discoveries. For example yin and yang channels that share muscles, meetings of yang channels on the back, internal muscle-channel connection and why GB34 is the hui meeting point of the sinews. The shoulder has two major meeting areas, ST12 and the coricoid process.

The second seminar focused on shoulder pain and impaired range movement and techniques. The theme I found repeated throughout the classics is pathogenic cold harms the sinews and heat is the method of treatment (although with aggressive fire needling). Tui na massage techniques like mo fa (round rubbing), tui fa (pushing), zhen fa (vibrating) and many others all generate warmth gently soften the tension in the muscles and tendons. Moxibustion melts tension and needling can warm, softens and disperses qi and blood on the channel sinew depending on the technique and application. Chinetsukyu (heat perception moxibustion) and kyutoshin (needle head moxa). The chinetsukyu wide base penetrates into the muscle and tendons and is highly affective. Kyutoshin can penetrate deeper depending on needle depth and is perfect for bi syndrome.

The shoulder is a complicated joint and many have difficulty treating it when the issue is complex. Each slide, with the help of my illustrations, explained each movement with the muscles that engage with the movement and the muscles of shortened or stagnated inhibit the range of movement. My experience as a massage therapist started in 2008, acupuncture from 2017 and tui na 2019 combined with 6 years of research has helped me understand the body through palpation, pattern recognition and further training in Applied Channel Theory and Japanese acupuncture. Applied Channel Theory and Japanese acupuncture both rely on palpation to diagnose. This experience is the final key to understanding where to apply needle, moxibustion or tui na to help with pain relief. I discussed this with some new illustrations drawn ready for the conference seminar. When I palpate, I feel the texture and image what it looks like visually guiding to the ashi point and what technique is appropriate.

I have had incredible feedback and both seminars were well received, this an experience I will never forget. The room did not have enough chairs to fit everyone in, I did not realise this until the following the day! My focus was on my seminar, making each slide clear by building on the previous to layer the information like a thread and narrative. My research over the course five to six has been a journey that I am still walking this path of discovery as my research and writing continues.