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How did Huangdi, Shennong, and Fu Xi contribute to Chinese medical traditions?

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Moxibustion — traditional Chinese medicine In moxibustion, or moxa treatment, small cones of an herb (typically *Artemisia moxa*) are burned on top of needles placed in designated points of the body, generally the same points as those used in acupuncture.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the three legendary emperors—Fu Xi, Shennong, and Huangdi—are revered as foundational figures whose contributions shaped the system's theoretical and practical framework.1

Fu Xi: Known as the founder of the Chinese people, he introduced the bagua (eight trigrams). This symbolic system, which represents the complementary forces of yin and yang, serves as the philosophical and diagnostic basis for understanding health and balancing the body.12
Shennong: Often called the father of Chinese medicine, he is credited with testing various plants to determine their medicinal or poisonous properties. He is traditionally associated with the Shennong bencaojing, an early classic of materia medica that categorized substances based on their therapeutic effects.13
Huangdi: The Yellow Emperor is central to the theoretical concepts of traditional Chinese medicine. He is traditionally linked to the Huangdi neijing, which emphasizes preventive medicine and the balance of bodily elements. Additionally, he is credited with the invention of the nine needles used in acupuncture.14