It originated in China several thousands of years ago, spreading from there throughout the Far East, before moving to the West. It appears to have arrived in Europe for the first time in about the 17th century. The first recorded case of acupuncture in England seems to be in 1827, when the writer describes acupuncture as “using a hair pin”. Acupuncture made its way to the United States from both Europe and the Orient.
Its history in China is very complex. It appears as a fully fledged discipline in written texts about the second century BC, and must have been in existence well before the written records existed, probably as early as 1000 BC. There are even suggestions that stone needles were used, placing its origin far back in Neolithic times.
Acupuncture has a history of continuous use from then to the present day, passing from country to country, from East to West, and in some cases also back again, in its travels. It has criss-crossed the globe mush as the meridians of energy with which it works criss-cross the human body. It is the only system of medicine still in use today which has such a long and continuous history, and has traveled so far. It is truly tested by time.
From Chapter 3 in The Simple Guide to Five Element Acupuncture by Nora Franglen