The therapeutic effect advantages of combined use of acupuncture and herbs have been affirmed by past Chinese medicine practitioners. Acupuncture

which belongs to external treatment

mainly treats channels and collaterals; decoction mainly treats Zang-fu viscera

which belongs to internal treatment. The authors discuss from 3aspects: historical inheritance

therapeutic advantages and clinical use of acupuncture combined with herbs. The authors think that the advantages of acupuncture combined with herbs are embodied in treating both channel-collaterals and Zang-fu viscera

effect-enhancing and toxicity-reducing

indication extended and the course of treatment shorten.The authors put forward that acupuncture combined with herbs should differentiate external-internal and deficiencyexcess syndromes and know the disease causes

pathogenesis and location.