Against the background of an international circulation of knowledge and techniques, acupuncture has become increasingly emblematic of what is understood to comprise Traditional Chinese Medicine. Acupuncture has been practiced widely outside of East and South Asia since the beginning of the nineteenth century and is now a recognized and popular practice in many countries. As a living technology, it varies greatly from country to country, according to the specific historical, political, and economic circumstances of each. It has also changed substantially over time about the influence of biomedical science, the availability of new technologies, and the demands for standardization.
