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Sixty-seven textbooks in the Republic of China have been collected and divided into three stages according to their editing modes, named the early stage (1912-1927), the middle stage (1928-1939) and the late stage (1940-1949). The traditional teaching material of acupuncture was predominated at the early stage in the textbook compilation; meanwhile the editing mode was simple, and the content of it focuses on meridians, collaterals and acupoints and the modern scientific theories have been preliminarily introduced. The textbooks at the middle stage were edited as two modes, "western medicine+acupuncture" and "general introduction→meridian points→manipulation (techniques of acupuncture and moxibustion)→treatment". The knowledge in anatomy, physiology and pathology of western medicine has been involved in content, giving the great consideration to the clinical practicability. However, a part of textbooks still followed the traditional theory of acupuncture at the middle stage. At the late stage, the textbooks were edited align with "acupuncture science, moxibustion science, meridian point science and treatment science"; or in supplementation of the "diagnosis" on the base of "general introduction→ meridian points→techniques of acupuncture→treatment", or edited as "general introduction→points→treatment". The compilation of the textbooks at this stage not only followed but also improved the integration of western and Chinese medicine as that at the middle stage, which turned to be more scientific. Additionally, in the teaching content, the acupoint was much more considerable as compared with pulse and the section of diagnosis has been involved. As a result, a framework of acupuncture discipline has been established preliminarily by taking acupuncture technique, moxibustion technique, acupoints and treatment as the core. The development of the editing mode and content of textbooks played a great impact on the unified compilation of the acupuncture textbooks after the foundation of China.

The authors collected 25 Japanese acupuncture-moxibustion works of Chinese translation version in modern times (1912-1960) and investigated them from 3 aspects, named the study on the mechanisms of acupuncture and moxibustion, the explanation of basic theory and clinical treatment with acupuncture and moxibustion. Generally speaking, Japanese acupuncture-moxibustion works of Chinese translation version explained the mechanisms of acupuncture and moxibustion in terms of the theory of western medicine rather than traditional one. It proposed the study on the phenomenon of meridian and collateral, which absorbed the anatomic knowledge of western medicine in the discussion on meridians, collaterals and acupoints; introduced diagnostic methods and techniques of acupuncture and moxibustion and adopted the classification of western medicine system and the diseases in western medicine to discuss the treatment with acupuncture and moxibustion. All of these reflect the academic characteristics of acupuncture and moxibustion in Japan at those times and the position of Chinese scholars, by which the Japanese medical works were introduced for the academic innovation.

The materials of 48 acupuncture schools in the Republic of China were collected. Their features were analyzed in terms of school running, students enrolling, curriculum setting and course contents, etc. The acupuncture schools at that time were established by private organizations, and opened up correspondence education. These schools mainly relied on advertisements to enroll students, and partially got government supports. The students were on different levels. They emphasized systematic acupuncture curriculum and clinical practice. Most schools absorbed western contents into courses, while few schools taught traditional acupuncture theories. The education model of acupuncture school during the Republic of China was continued after the foundation of the nation, especially laying the foundation for the establishment of department of acupuncture.

There are two clues in academic inheritance of acupuncture, including theoretical inheritance and empirical inheritance. Up to now, the mainstream of acupuncture theory has not been in conformity with empirical clinic, and could not explain new clinical techniques. The existing acupuncture theories are in need of strict re-examination, and new academic achievements shall be carefully absorbed. The literature review, concepts research and academic history study are considered as key pathways of acupuncture theory research.

Acupuncture scientization was a consensus of most of acupuncture scholars who had long-term perspectives in the 20th century, among them Ms. ZHULian was the important one. Ms. ZHU Lian built a systemic new acupuncture" academic structure in practice and theory aspects. At the same time, as the main architect of Institute of Acupuncture-moxibustion of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ms. ZHU Lian was the first one who began to carry out the acupuncture clinical trail and laboratory experiment in modern way, which meant "acupuncture therapy" was transformed into "acupuncture science" by Ms. ZHULian's endeavor.

The acupuncture medical literature during the Republic of China is divided into four categories, including theoretical literature, acupuncture channels and acupoints drawing literature, translations, and teaching materials and medical cases. It is found that the theoretical literature focuses on inheriting the traditional theories as well as combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine. The drawings are becoming more and more precise, and in these drawing works anatomy begins to appear at that time. Translations are the achievements of communication between TCM and Western medicine, which promote the scientization of acupuncture greatly. Teaching materials are also influenced by Western medicine, presenting a rough frame of modern acupuncture disciplinary system. As important clinic data, medical cases have great clinical value. Overall, acupuncture medical literature during the Republic of China is widely published, which is influenced greatly by the Western medicine and presents a significant tendency of scientization.