How Acupuncture Was Discovered

Just how did the Taoist magicians figure out Acupuncture?  I mean, I can't imagine that someone volunteered to have hundreds of needles stuck in them.  I have to imagine that the technique was discovered entirely by accident.

Tzun-Tse:  "Guni-now! ¹  I stepped on a nail."

Sang Chen: "Does it hurt much?"

Tzun-Tse: "Well, actually, it doesn't, but all of a sudden, my craving to smoke opium has vanished."

Sang Chen: "Cool!  Here, stand still a second."

Tzun-Tse: "Sure.  YEEOWWW!  What did you poke my ear with that needle!"

Sang Chen: "Well, I was wondering if it would cure your halitosis, Tzun..."

¹ Apparently, "guni-now chi bi lai" is particularly offensive Chinese vulgarity.  To date, no native Chinese speaker has translated it for me.