Acupuncture has been used in China for more than 3,000 years. Although the clinical application of acupuncture is very popular, its mechanisms of action are still unclear. Beginning in the middle of the 20th century, a boost of research on acupuncture emerged in China, and I was one of the researchers involved in this episode. With the help of modern neuroscience, the mechanisms of acupuncture for pain management have been unraveled at least partly. This article describes my decision as a young medical graduate to devote my life to research on acupuncture and pain medicine; it has since been my life's journey-one full of challenges and happiness, pitfalls and achievements.