How Was Acupuncture Discovered?

This is a question that I get at least once per week in my practice: How was acupuncture discovered, and by whom?

Well, the short answer is that nobody knows! The earliest texts we have are from the Mawangdui tombs. Fun facts: these texts include 11 rather than today's 12 regular acupuncture channels, and show a different interpretation of how the channels flow than the one most broadly used today. There is no indication within these written records and diagrams of where these concepts originated, but the development of the ideas within them clearly indicate that they significantly predate the 2,200 year old Mawangdui tomb.

So...How Was Acupuncture Discovered?!

We have only theories, but here are a few to consider:

The institutional Chinese theory is that it was happenstance. For example, someone was shot with an arrow in the leg (or some similar puncture injury), and noticed that their shoulder pain got better.
One theory historians have put forth is that acupuncture developed from an ancient shamanic practice of thrusting spears into the air to dispel evil spirits. This thinking was then turned inwardly to expel the evils within (duh duhn duuuuuhn!)
Lastly, there is the sage/wise person theory. This theory holds that introspective geniuses of the past were able to quiet their minds and open their awareness to the point of becoming aware of these subtle flows within the body, and developed ways to influence those flows towards health and healing.

So what do you think? How was acupuncture discovered and developed? We may never have historically verifiable information to settle the question, but it is fun to speculate on. The question of acupuncture's origin is a fascinating one, but I am most excited by exploring where it is today, and where it is going!