Oldest known steel acupuncture needles discovered in disgraced emperor’s tomb

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Ancient Chinese medical texts like the Huangdi Neijing suggest acupuncture was first developed at least 2,500 years ago. Those tools would not become perfected until blacksmiths discovered advanced crafting techniques like steelmaking around 400 BCE. Now, recent archeological work at the famous tomb of Liu He—better known as the Marquis of Haihun—has yielded what researchers believe are the oldest known steel acupuncture needles. While they aren’t the tool’s earliest examples, the relics represent an important transitional moment in traditional Chinese medicine.

The Marquis of Haihun’s tomb has offered archeologists invaluable information about life during the Western Han dynasty (202 BCE-9CE) since its discovery in 2011 in eastern China’s Jiangxi province. Previous finds include a unique bronze distillation cauldron, approximately 6,000 lacquered armor scales, as well as the oldest documented Chinese painting of Confucius.

According to China’s Global Times, however, some of the latest excavated artifacts aren’t related to drinking, combat, or philosophy. Instead, a tiny jade tube stored inside a gilded lacquered box placed near Liu He’s remains contain a set of corroded and fragmented steel needles. Archeologists later identified at least five loose segments inside the vial, as well as additional pieces now embedded in the container. Only a single shard was able to be fully extracted, but a nearby wooden label confirmed the original set was at one time “Nine Needles Complete.”

“This definitively identifies them as one type of the ‘Nine Needles’ described in ancient medical texts,” said Peking University doctoral researcher Wang Chuning.

Chinese artisans in earlier eras crafted acupuncture needles from a variety of metals, each with their own drawbacks. Gold and silver tools were often too soft to properly utilize, while iron needles rusted easily and risked infection. Steel offered an ideal alternative. The alloy was strong enough to retain its shape over repeated use, as well as remain in the skin for longer periods of time. But manufacturing steel is a more complicated process, and requires a more advanced understanding of metallurgy.

Starting in the Han Dynasty, Chinese steelmaking often involved “frying,” a technique that relied on melting together cast iron and wrought iron. This allowed crafters to create items like the Marquis of Haihun’s steel needles, whose 0.3–0.5 millimeter diameters are comparable to today’s acupuncture needles.

Gu Man, director of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, explained that the existence of these needles represent the oldest physical evidence of steel medical needles in ancient China. They also prove that advancing “frying” methods were already adopted by physicians at least as early as the Western Han dynasty.

“This breakthrough in material science directly fueled the evolution of acupuncture tools and the progress of medical practice itself,” added Gu.