素问·刺法论 Treatise on Needling Methods

Huangdi asked: "When ascent and descent fail to advance, and the intersection of qi undergoes change, sudden stagnation results — this I already understand. But how can living beings be saved in advance, so that this may be averted?" Qibo bowed his head twice and replied: "How illuminating is this question! I have heard you speak of the celestial origin with such clarity that now we must fully investigate the methods of needling, so as to break up stagnation and support the movement, to tonify what is weak and preserve what is genuine, to drain what is in excess, and thereby remove this affliction." Huangdi said: "I wish to hear it in full." Qibo said: "When ascent fails to advance, great calamity follows. When wood wishes to ascend but Celestial Pillar obstructs and suppresses it, wood's stagnation, when it is about to break forth, must also await its proper time; one should needle the Well point of the Foot Jueyin channel. When fire wishes to ascend but Celestial Canopy obstructs and suppresses it, fire's stagnation, when about to break forth, must likewise await its time; for both sovereign fire and ministerial fire, needle the Spring point of the Pericardium channel. When earth wishes to ascend but Celestial Thoroughfare obstructs and suppresses it, earth's stagnation, when about to break forth, must likewise await its time; one should needle the Stream point of the Foot Taiyin channel. When metal wishes to ascend but Celestial Efflorescence obstructs and suppresses it, metal's stagnation, when about to break forth, must likewise await its time; one should needle the River point of the Hand Taiyin channel. When water wishes to ascend but Celestial Inner obstructs and suppresses it, water's stagnation, when about to break forth, must likewise await its time; one should needle the Sea point of the Foot Shaoyin channel."

Huangdi said: "Regarding ascent failing to advance, one can prepare in advance; I wish to hear about descent, so that it too may be guarded against beforehand." Qibo said: "Having understood ascent, one must also comprehend descent. The way of ascent and descent can both be treated in advance. When wood wishes to descend but Earthly Xiao obstructs and suppresses it, descent fails to enter; when suppression causes stagnation to break forth, dispersal allows it to regain its position. When descent causes stagnation to break forth suddenly, it is like the pattern of Celestial Idleness awaiting its time. When descent fails to go down, the stagnation may become acute; in descending, one may break what it overcomes. One should needle the Well point of the Hand Taiyin channel, and the Sea point of the Hand Yangming channel. When fire wishes to descend but Earthly Mystery obstructs and suppresses it, descent fails to enter; when suppression causes stagnation to break forth, dispersal will resolve it. One should break what it overcomes, so as to disperse its stagnation; needle the Well point of the Foot Shaoyin channel, and the Sea point of the Foot Taiyang channel. When earth wishes to descend but Earthly Verdant obstructs and suppresses it, descent fails to go down; when suppression causes stagnation to break forth, dispersal allows it to enter. One should break what overcomes it, so as to disperse its stagnation; needle the Well point of the Foot Jueyin channel, and the Sea point of the Foot Shaoyang channel. When metal wishes to descend but Earthly Vermilion obstructs and suppresses it, descent fails to go down; when the dispersal of suppressed stagnation breaks forth, dispersal allows it to enter. One should break what overcomes it, so as to disperse its stagnation; needle the Well point of the Pericardium channel, and the Sea point of the Hand Shaoyang channel. When water wishes to descend but Earthly Mound obstructs and suppresses it, descent fails to go down; when suppression causes stagnation to break forth, dispersal allows it to enter. One should break its earth phase, so as to disperse its stagnation; needle the Well point of the Foot Taiyin channel, and the Sea point of the Foot Yangming channel."

Huangdi said: "In the arrival of the five movements, there is precedence and sequence, ascent and descent, coming and going, and there is a phase that receives and suppresses another — may I hear of this?" Regarding the needling method, Qibo said: "One should select the source of transformation. Therefore, in cases of excess, select it to drain; in cases of insufficiency, supplement it. In excess, select it to drain, and next suppress its stagnation, selecting the source of transformation of that movement, so as to break the stagnant qi. In insufficiency, support and supplement it, so as to bolster the movement's qi and avoid vacuity evil. The methods of supplementing and selecting are set forth in the Secret Sayings."

Huangdi asked: "Regarding the needling of ascent and descent, I now know the essentials. I wish to hear about when the governor of heaven fails to shift into its proper position, causing the governance of transformation to lose its normal rule, so that the transformations of the myriad things may all go awry. Since this becomes disease among the people, may it be prevented in advance? Wishing to aid all living beings, I wish to hear your explanation." Qibo bowed his head twice and said: "How thorough is this question! You speak of the utmost principle; your sagely thoughts are compassionate, wishing to aid all living beings. I shall therefore set forth this Way in full, so as to expound its subtleties. When Taiyang reasserts its spread, then Jueyin fails to shift into position; when it fails to shift into position, qi becomes blocked above — one should drain the Spring point of the Foot Jueyin channel. When Jueyin reasserts its spread, then Shaoyin fails to shift into position; when it fails to shift into position, qi becomes blocked above — one should needle the Spring point of the Pericardium channel. When Shaoyin reasserts its spread, then Taiyin fails to shift into position; when it fails to shift into position, qi lingers above — one should needle the Spring point of the Foot Taiyin channel. When Taiyin reasserts its spread, then Shaoyang fails to shift into position; when it fails to shift into position, qi is blocked and does not flow through — one should needle the Spring point of the Hand Shaoyang channel. When Shaoyang reasserts its spread, then Yangming fails to shift into position; when it fails to shift into position, qi does not flow through above — one should needle the Spring point of the Hand Taiyin channel. When Yangming reasserts its spread, then Taiyang fails to shift into position; when it fails to shift into position, its qi becomes blocked once more — one should needle the Spring point of the Foot Shaoyin channel."

Huangdi said: "Regarding the qi failing to shift into position and advance, I now understand the essentials for freeing it. I wish to hear about the qi failing to retreat — wishing to break its excess and prevent transgression, can this be made clear?" Qibo said: "When qi passes its due measure and has surplus, it acts again to spread its governance — this is called 'not passing beyond its position.' It causes the earthly qi to be unable to transform in succession, and the new governor of heaven cannot yet shift into position; therefore the old qi again spreads its transforming mandate as before. In years of Si and Hai, the celestial number has a surplus, so Jueyin does not retreat from its position; wind moves above, and wood's transformation spreads over heaven — one should needle the Sea point of the Foot Jueyin channel. In years of Zi and Wu, the celestial number has a surplus, so Shaoyin does not retreat from its position; heat moves above, and fire's surplus transformation spreads over heaven — one should needle the Sea point of the Hand Jueyin channel. In years of Chou and Wei, the celestial number has a surplus, so Taiyin does not retreat from its position; dampness moves above, and rain's transformation spreads over heaven — one should needle the Sea point of the Foot Taiyin channel. In years of Yin and Shen, the celestial number has a surplus, so Shaoyang does not retreat from its position; heat moves above, and fire's transformation spreads over heaven — one should needle the Sea point of the Hand Shaoyang channel. In years of Mao and You, the celestial number has a surplus, so Yangming does not retreat from its position; metal moves above, and dryness's transformation spreads over heaven — one should needle the Sea point of the Hand Taiyin channel. In years of Chen and Xu, the celestial number has a surplus, so Taiyang does not retreat from its position; cold moves above, and the frigid transformation of water spreads over heaven — one should needle the Sea point of the Foot Shaoyin channel. Thus when the qi of heaven and earth is contrary, it transforms into disease among the people; by needling according to this method, the affliction may be settled in advance."

Huangdi asked: "When the hard and soft stems lose their hold on their positions, does this make the qi of the celestial movement entirely vacuous? And when this becomes disease among the people, can it be settled?" Qibo said: "How profound is this question! To clarify its deep meaning: when heaven and earth shift out of turn, in three years this transforms into pestilence. This is what is meant by 'the root can be seen, and there must be a door of escape.'"

Suppose in a Jiazi year the hard and soft stems lose their hold: the hard has not attained correctness, the soft stands alone and is deficient, the sequence of the seasons fails to give its mandate, and the pitch-pipes and tones fail to correspond. If this continues for three years, it transforms into a great pestilence. Examine carefully whether it is slight or severe, observe whether it is shallow or deep; when it is about to arrive, one may needle. In needling, first tonify the Kidney Shu point; then after three days, one may needle the Stream point of the Foot Taiyin channel. There is also the case where the lower position of Jimao fails to arrive, and Jiazi stands alone; after three years this becomes earth pestilence. The method of tonifying and draining is exactly the same as for Jiazi. After the needling is finished, one must not travel at night or go on long journeys; keep clean for seven days, in purity and abstinence. For anyone who has long-standing kidney disease, at the hour of Yin, facing south, purify the spirit without letting it be disturbed, hold the breath without breathing seven times, stretching the neck to swallow the qi and guide it downward as though swallowing something very hard; after doing this seven times, take in the saliva beneath the tongue repeatedly, without limit.

Suppose in a Bingyin year the hard and soft lose their hold: above, the hard stem loses its hold; below, the soft cannot govern alone. The water movement in the middle is not in excess, so one cannot hold to the fixed rule to determine it. Its spread over heaven has a surplus, yet it loses the correct hold above; heaven and earth fail to unite, and the pitch-pipes and tones differ. Thus the celestial movement loses its sequence, and after three years this transforms into pestilence. Examine carefully whether it is slight or severe; the discrepancy has degrees, great or small. If it comes slowly, it arrives after three years; if it comes severely, it arrives within the first three years. One should first tonify the Heart Shu point; then after five days, one may needle the Sea point of the kidney. There is also the case of the lower earthly Jiazi position, where Xinsi, the soft, fails to attach to the hard; this is likewise called 'losing the hold.' Then the earthly movement is entirely vacuous, and after three years this transforms into water pestilence. The needling method is entirely the same as above. After the needling is finished, take care against great joy or excessive desire and emotion within; if this is not guarded against, the qi will disperse again. Keep quiet for seven days; when the heart is to be made replete, let there be little contemplation.

Suppose in a Gengchen year the hard and soft lose their hold: the upper position loses its hold, and the lower position has no union. Since Yi and Geng govern the metal movement, they do not summon each other; its spread over heaven has not yet retreated, while the central movement's dominance arrives — upper and lower cross one another in disorder. This is called 'losing the hold.' The pitch-pipes Guxian and Linzhong, and the note Shang, fail to correspond. Thus the celestial movement's transformation changes, and in three years this transforms into a great pestilence. Examine carefully the celestial number; the discrepancy is slight or severe — if slight, it is slight and arrives in three years; if severe, it is severe and arrives in three years. One should first tonify the Liver Shu point; then after three days, one may needle the River point of the lung. After needling, keep the spirit quiet for seven days; take care not to become greatly angry, for anger will surely cause the genuine qi to retreat and disperse. There is also the case of the lower earthly Jiazi position, where Yiwei loses its hold: then Yi, the soft stem, fails, and Geng above governs alone. This too is called 'losing the hold'; then it stands alone in governance. In three years this transforms into pestilence, called metal pestilence, and its arrival awaits its proper time. By examining the gradations of the earthly numbers, and likewise inferring whether it is slight or severe, one may know whether it will be slow or swift. In all positions where Yi and Geng lose their hold, the needling method is the same; when the liver is to be calmed, one must avoid anger.

Suppose in a Renwu year the hard and soft lose their hold: above, Ren has not shifted into position; below, Ding stands alone. Although this is a yang year, the deficiency is not uniform. Upper and lower lose their hold, and their mutual summoning has its season; the discrepancy, slight or severe, each has its own number. The two Jue pitches among the pitch-pipes lose harmony; there are days when the notes coincide, and whether slight or severe becomes apparent — in three years, a great pestilence. One should needle the Spleen Shu point; then after three days, one may needle the Well point of the liver. After needling, keep the spirit quiet for seven days; do not become greatly drunk or indulge in song and pleasure, for this will cause the qi to disperse again. Also do not eat to excess, and do not eat raw foods. When one wishes the spleen to become replete, let the qi not stagnate from overeating; do not sit for long periods; do not eat overly sour foods, nor any raw foods — sweet and bland foods are suitable. There is also the case of the earthly Jiazi position, where Dingyou loses its hold on its position and has not obtained central governance; then the qi does not occupy its proper position, and below it does not unite with Ren in reverent accord. This too is called 'losing the hold,' not 'united in virtue.' Thus the soft fails to attach to the hard, and the earthly movement fails to unite; in three years this transforms into pestilence. Its needling method is entirely the same as that for wood pestilence.

Suppose in a Wushen year the hard and soft lose their hold: although Wu and Gui govern the fire movement, in a yang year it is not in excess. Above, it loses its hardness; the soft earth governs alone, and its qi is not correct — hence evil comes to intrude. Their positions shift out of turn, with discrepancies shallow or deep. When the pestilence is about to arrive and the union is about to occur, the pitch-pipes first coincide. Thus the celestial movement loses its timing, and within three years, fire pestilence arrives. One should needle the Lung Shu point. After needling, keep the spirit quiet for seven days; do not indulge in great grief or sorrow, for grief and sorrow will stir the lung, causing the genuine qi to disperse again. For one who wishes to make the lung replete, the essential point lies in resting the breath. There is also the case of the earthly Jiazi position, where Guihai loses its hold: then the soft loses its hold on position, and above loses its hardness; this too is called Wu and Gui failing to unite in virtue. Then the movement and the earth are both vacuous, and after three years this transforms into pestilence, called fire pestilence.

Therefore, in establishing the five earthly years to clarify the loss of hold, and in needling according to this method — thus 'epidemic' and 'pestilence' are but names for the loss of hold of the hard and soft above and below, and in the end they belong to a single body. Thus the methods of needling epidemics number only five; they gather together the losses of hold in all the positions, and so are governed and unified under the five phases alone.

Huangdi said: "I have heard that when the five epidemics arrive, they all spread by contagion, without regard to old or young, the symptoms of the disease being similar. If treatment is not given, how can one avoid being infected by transmission?" Qibo said: "One who is not infected is one in whom the correct qi is preserved within, so that evil cannot intrude. To avoid the toxic qi: it comes from the Celestial Female portal, and may likewise be sent back out through that same path. When qi issues forth from the brain, evil cannot intrude. When qi issues forth from the brain — before entering the room, first visualize the heart as bright as the sun. When about to enter a room where pestilence is present, first visualize green qi issuing from the liver, moving leftward to the east, transforming into forest and trees. Next visualize white qi issuing from the lung, moving rightward to the west, transforming into halberds and armor. Next visualize red qi issuing from the heart, moving south and upward, transforming into blazing flame. Next visualize black qi issuing from the kidney, moving north and downward, transforming into water. Next visualize yellow qi issuing from the spleen, abiding in the center, transforming into earth. When this protection of the body by the five qi is complete, visualize above the head a radiance like the resplendent brilliance of the Northern Dipper; only then may one enter the room of pestilence."

There is another method: on the day of the spring equinox, before the sun rises, induce vomiting. There is yet another method: after the day of Rain Water, bathe three times and use medicine to induce sweating. There is yet another method, the recipe for the Small Golden Elixir: cinnabar, two liang; realgar ground in water, one liang; orpiment in leaf form, one liang; purple gold, half a liang. Combine all together in a sealed vessel; seal it well on the outside, dig one foot into the earth and tamp the ground firm to set it in. Do not use a furnace, nor need any preparation of medicine beforehand — use twenty catties of fire to calcine it for seven full days; then wait seven days for it to cool before retrieving it. The next day, take the vessel out, bury the medicine in the earth for seven days, then take it out and grind it, following the sun's course, for three days. Refine it with white sand honey into pills the size of firmiana seeds. Each day, facing east, inhale one mouthful of the sun's radiant qi, then swallow one pill with ice water, taking it down together with the qi. Taking ten pills, one will not be affected by pestilence.

Huangdi asked: "When a person is vacuous, the spirit wanders and loses its hold on its position, allowing ghosts and spirits to intrude from outside, which leads to premature death. How may one preserve the genuine qi? I wish to hear the needling method." Qibo bowed his head twice and said: "How illuminating is this question! When it is said that the spirit shifts and loses its hold, although the person remains in his body, this alone does not cause death; but if evil then intrudes, it causes life to be cut short. For instance, when Jueyin loses its hold, heaven becomes vacuous; if a person's liver qi is also vacuous, and he is affected by heaven's doubled vacuity, then the ethereal soul wanders above, and evil intrudes upon the great qi of Jueyin. If the body is still warm, one may still needle him: needle the Source point of the Foot Shaoyang channel, then needle the Liver Shu point. If a person's heart is vacuous with disease, and he further encounters the loss of hold of the sovereign and ministerial fires governing heaven, so that he is affected by a triple vacuity, and encounters an insufficiency of fire, then the Black Corpse Ghost assails him, causing sudden death. One may needle the Source point of the Hand Shaoyang channel, then needle the Heart Shu point. If a person has spleen disease, and further encounters the loss of hold of Taiyin governing heaven, so that he is affected by a triple vacuity, and encounters an insufficiency of earth, then the Green Corpse Ghost assails the person, causing sudden death. One may needle the Source point of the Foot Yangming channel, then needle the Spleen Shu point. If a person has lung disease, and encounters the loss of hold of Yangming governing heaven, so that he is affected by a triple vacuity, and encounters an insufficiency of metal, then the Red Corpse Ghost intrudes upon the person, causing sudden death. One may needle the Source point of the Hand Yangming channel, then needle the Lung Shu point. If a person has kidney disease, and further encounters the loss of hold of Taiyang governing heaven, so that he is affected by a triple vacuity, and further encounters a year of insufficient water movement, then the Yellow Corpse Ghost intrudes upon and assails the person's correct qi, drawing out his spirit and souls, resulting in sudden death. One may needle the Source point of the Foot Taiyang channel, and needle the Shu point of the Foot Shaoyang channel."

Huangdi asked: "Regarding the mutual employment of the twelve viscera, when the spirit loses its position, causing the brilliance of the spirit to be incomplete, and there is fear that evil will intrude and offend — this may be treated by needling. I wish to hear its essentials." Qibo bowed his head twice and said: "How thorough is this — you ask of the ultimate principle, the true ancestral Way. Were it not for a sagely sovereign, who could fathom this source? This is what is called 'qi and spirit uniting with the Way, in accord and correspondence with high heaven.' The heart is the official of the sovereign and ruler; spirit and brightness issue from it. One may needle the Source point of the Hand Shaoyin channel. The lung is the official of the chancellor and mentor; regulation and moderation issue from it. One may needle the Source point of the Hand Taiyin channel. The liver is the official of the general; planning and deliberation issue from it. One may needle the Source point of the Foot Jueyin channel. The gallbladder is the official of impartial justice; decision and judgment issue from it. One may needle the Source point of the Foot Shaoyang channel. The chest center is the official of minister and envoy; joy and pleasure issue from it. One may needle the Spring point of the Pericardium channel. The spleen is the official of remonstrance and counsel; comprehensive knowledge issues from it. One may needle the Source point of the spleen. The stomach is the official of the granaries and storehouses; the five flavors issue from it. One may needle the Source point of the stomach. The large intestine is the official of transmission and conduction; transformation and change issue from it. One may needle the Source point of the large intestine. The small intestine is the official of reception and containment; the transformation of substances issues from it. One may needle the Source point of the small intestine. The kidney is the official of vigor and strength; skill and ability issue from it. Needle the Source point of the kidney. The triple burner is the official of waterways and channels; the passage of water issues from it. Needle the Source point of the triple burner. The bladder is the official of the regional capital; fluids and humors are stored in it, and through the transformation of qi they can be discharged. Needle the Source point of the bladder. In all, these twelve officials must not lose their mutual accord. Therefore the needling method carries the intent of preserving the spirit whole and nurturing what is genuine; there is also, within the method, the Way of cultivating what is genuine — this is not merely the treatment of disease, but essentially the cultivation and harmonizing of the spirit. The Way values constant preservation: to tonify the spirit and secure the root, so that essence and qi do not disperse, and the spirit's guard is not divided. Thus, when the spirit maintains its guard and does not depart, one likewise preserves what is genuine in its entirety. If a person's spirit fails to maintain its guard, he cannot attain the utmost genuineness. The essential point of the utmost genuineness lies in the celestial mystery: when the spirit guards the celestial breath, it returns once more into the original source — this is called 'returning to the ancestral root.'"