Chapter 1 Jiu Zhen Shi Er Yuan

Cha pter 1 Jiu Zh en Shi Er Yua n (I) Yellow Emperor said to Qibo: “I love all the people, and I want to maintain all the officials, so, I levy duties from them. I have compassion for the people when they can not die a natural death. What is more, they fall ill constantly. I want to treat them with a fine needle inserting into the skin instead of giving them any medicine or applying any stone needle for to dredge the channel, adjust the energy and blood, promote the circulation of the blood, causing the agreeable and adverse conditions of the channels and the coming and going of the energy and blood be complementary with each other. I hope to have a standing order of acupuncture so that it may be handed sown to the later generations. Therefore it is necessary to draw up a statue for acupuncture, to facilitate its application and made it unlikely to be forgotten, so that the acupuncture method may not be obliterated and lost. In the statue, it should regulate the depth criterion of the forwardness and the backwardness of the fine needle, distinguish the acupoints of the solid organs and the hollow organs with analytic paragraphs and chapters and stipulate the length of the different kinds of needle. In a word, to comply a classic of acupuncture, and I hope to hear from you the substantial contents of it.” Qibo said: “I like to tell you the essentials commencing from the first kind of needle to the ninth kind of needle according to the order systematically. Concerning the essentials of acupuncture, it is easy to be talked about, but it is difficult to attain the standard of being exquisite. A physician adheres to the bodily position rigidly and prick the focus, but a superior physician treats according to the various expressions of the patient which shows the

patient’s state of mind. A physician of lower level is like the one who is standing outside of the door, he can not even perceive what the disease is, how could he know the source of the disease? The skill in pricking is in the application of the swift and slow pricking and pulling of the needle. A physician of lower level can only adhere to the acupoints on the joints of the limbs rigidly, but a superior physician can observe the flexible change of the channel’s energy, and the flexible change can by no means divorce from the acupoint. The reason contained in acupuncture are rather subtle. When the evil energy is overabundant, one must not make a head-on invigoration, when the evil energy is debilitative, one must not purge pursuantly. When one knows the principle of the functional activities of vital energy change, he will not make even a tiny mistake, when he knows not the principle, it is like the arrow fastened on the bow string which can not be shot out. Thus, one must handle the mechanism of the agreeable and adverse, coming and going, abundant and debilitative of the channels and the energies, then, can a curative effect be expected. A physician of lower level is ignorant about these things, and it is only a superior physician knows the subtle device. As to the agreeable and adverse condition: when the healthy energy is moving away, it is the adverse condition, when the healthy energy is retaliating, it is the agreeable condition, when one understands the principle of the agreeable and adverse conditions, he will be able to prick daringly and straightforwardly without consulting others. When the patient’s healthy energy is already in debility, but, on the contrary, the purge therapy is applied, how can the patient separate himself from becoming even more asthenic? When the evil energy is already abundant, but, on the contrary, the invigorating therapy is applied, how can the patient be separated from becoming even more sthenic? One must purge when facing the evil

energy, and invigorate when the healthy has move away. If one can think over and analyse the patient’s condition before applying invigorating or purging, the pricking will fit the principle of acupuncture.” “In pricking, when the healthy energy is a sthenic, apply the invigorating therapy, when the evil energy is sthenic, apply the purging therapy, when there is stagnated blood, apply the blood-letting therapy, when the evil energy is overwhelming, apply the purgative therapy. Generally speaking, when applying the needle in invigoration, it should be slow in inserting and quick in drawing, and press the needle hole hastily after drawing; in purging, it should be quick in inserting and slow in drawing without pressing the needle hole. In invigorating and purging, the patient seems to feel it yet seems to feel nothing; one should inspect the advance and the lagging behind of the energy arrival to ascertain whether the needle should be retained or be pulled out immediately. In short, whatever the invigorating or purging therapy is used, it must cause the patient to feel something obtained when in invigorating and to feel something being lost when in purging. The nine kinds of needles are different in functions, one can realize the invigorating or purging with different techniques. In purging, one should hold the needle tight and then insert, when the patient has got the acupuncture feeling, wave the needle and enlarge the needle hole, and then pull out the needle with twist so that the evil energy can be excreted along with the pulling out of the needle. If the needle hole is pressed right after the pulling of the needle, it will cause the evil energy to retain inside, the stagnated blood will not be dispersed, and the evil energy will not be excreted. In invigorating, the pricking can be carried out at any time, the pricking should be like wittingly yet unwittingly, the insertion is like advancing yet stopping, and the feeling of the patient is

like a mosquito bite on the skin. When the needle has been inserted in \to the skin, stop and linger inside to wait for the desired acupuncture feeling, when it arrives, pull out the needle swiftly like an arrow getting off from the bow string; pull out the needle with the right hand and press to close the needle hole with the left hand quickly, in this way, the channel energy can be retained inside, and when the needle hole is closed, the middle warmer energy can be substantialized. If there is bleeding under the skin, it must not be left alone, but should eliminate it promptly. In holding the needle, it is valuable to keep a resolute mind, aiming at the acupoint accurately and prick promptly, the needle should not be slanting to the right or to the left, the acupuncturist should concentrate his mind at the needle point, take good notice of the patient, inspect his channel and take care of keeping away from it, in this way, the inserting will be of no danger. Just before pricking, watch the location between the patient’s nose, eyes and brows with a concentrated mind without any negligence, so that the prognosis of the disease can be estimated. The so called ‘inspect the channel’ is to watch the channel by the side of the acupoint which is quite full when watching. And quite substantial when pressing.” Cha pter 1 Jiu Zh en Shi Er Yua n (II) “In the nine kinds of needle, each of them has the different shape. The first kind is called the sagital needle of which the length is 1.6 inches; the second kind is called the ovoid-tip needle of which the length is 1.6 inches; the third kind is called the blunt-tip needle of which the length is 3.5 inches, the fourth kind is called the ensiform needle of which the length is 1.6 inches; the fifth kind is called the sword-shaped needle of which is 4 inches in length

and 0.25 inches in width; the sixth kind is called the round-sharp needle of which the length is 1.6 inches; the seventh kind is called the filiform needle of which the length is 3.6 inches; the eighth kind is called the long needle of which the length is 7inches; the ninth kind is called the large needle of which the length is 4 inches. The sagital needle is large and sharp which is used in shallow pricking for to excrete the heat of the skin; the point of the ovoid-tip needle is like an egg, it is used to rub between the muscles which not only do no harm to the muscles, but also can disperse the evil energy of the muscles; the point of the blunt-tip needle is somewhat round like glutinous millet, it is used to press the channel for inducing the healthy energy and excreting the evil energy; the ensiform needle has blades on its three sides for treating the protracted and refractory diseases; the point of the sword-shaped needle is sharp like the point of a sword which is used to prick the carbuncle and discharge the pus; the point of the round-sharp needle is long and sharp like hair, the body of the needle is somewhat thick which can be used to treat the bisyndrome; the point of the filiform needle is like the proboscis of a mosquito, when the needle is inserted slowly into the skin and retains inside, it can repose one’s mind, it can be used to treat the cold-type arthralgia also; the point of the long needle is sharp and the body of the needle is rather long which can be used to treat the protracted bi-syndrome; the point of the large needle is like the bamboo stubble and is somewhat round which can be used to excrete the accumulated water which accumulated in the joint. These are the conditions of the nine kinds of needle.” “As to the channel-energy of human body, the evil energy of Yang is usually on the upper part of the body, the drossy energy usually stays in the middle and the cold-

wetness remains in the lower part, thus, the pricking position must not be the same. Such as, when pricking the bone cavity in the cave in of the head, it will cause the evil energy of Yang to come out; when pricking the Yangming channel, it will cause the drossy energy to come out, when the disease is in the superficies and the pricking is too deep, it will cause the evil energy to go inside and aggravate the disease. Since the skin, muscle, tendon and channel are all having their own positions, the diseases are all having their points for residing, and the conditions of diseases are different, the pricking must be cautious. One must not invigorate the sthenic disease and must not purge the asthenic disease, as any measure of injuring the deficiency or profit the surplus will aggravate the pain of the patient, and causes the disease becoming even more severe. When pricking the acupoints of the five solid organs of the patient whose refined energy is debilitative, it may cause the death of the patient, when pricking the acupoints of the three Yang’s channel, it may cause the patient to become cowardly; when the Yin channel is injured, the patient may contract the jue-syndrome, when the Yang channel is injured, the patient may contract mania. In pricking, one must wait for the patient to get the acupuncture feeling, if the feeling is not felt after pricking, it must be kept waiting until it comes, disregard of the times of the patient’s respiration; when the acupuncture feeling is felt, the needle can be pulled out and no more pricking is necessary. The nine kinds of needle have different functions and they are different in shapes, in acupuncture, the kind of needle have different functions and they are different in shapes, in acupuncture, the kind of needle should be selected according to the different conditions of the disease respectively. The most important thing in acupuncture is to get the acupuncture feeling, when it appears, the curative effect will appear in the wake of it, and the curative effect is so reliable as the

blue sky appearing when the clouds are blown away by the wind. These are the principles of acupuncture.” Yellow Emperor said: “I hope to hear the exits of the channel-energy of the viscera.” Qibo said: “In each channel of the five solid organs, there are the five acupoints of Jing, Xing, Shu, Jing and He, they are altogether twenty five acupoints; in each channel of the six hollow organs, there are six acupoints of Jing, Xing, Shu, Yuan, Jing and He, they are altogether thirty six acupoints. In each of the twelve channels of the viscera, there is a collateral branch, together with each collateral branch on the Ren, Du and spleen channels, they are fifteen collateral branches. The energies of the twentyseven channels (of twelve channels and fifteen collateral branches) circulate around the whole body, going out and coming in between the upper and the lower extremities. The channel-energy turns from weak to strong gradually and finally enters into the He point, which is the so called ‘the energy initiates from the Jing point, flows to the Xing point, pours into the Shu point, passes through the Jing point, and enters into the He point’. The twenty-seven energies flow and pour into the five acupoints unceasingly day and night. There are three hundred and sixty five acupoints where the joints of the human body connect, they are all the locations where the energy and blood going out and coming in and the places where the channel-energy permeate the joints, they are not the bone joints. When one knows the essentials, it can be concluded by a single sentence, if knows not, it will be slack and irrelevant.” In the course of pricking, one must inspect the patient’s complexion and the eyes’ expression to survey the dispersion and the restoration of the patient’s blood and energy, differentiate the strong or weak physique of the

patient, listen to the volume of the voice to infer the healthy energy, evil energy, asthenia and sthenia of the patient, insert the needle with the right hand and guard the needle with the left hand, when getting the acupuncture feeling after the pricking, the needle should be pulled out. Before pricking, one must observe and know whether the channel-energy is harmonious or not. If one invigorates the Yang energy outside of the patient whose visceral energy is already severed inside and who is of Yin-deficiency, his Yang energy will be even more abundant and his Yin energy will become even more debilitative, in this condition, it is called the double exhaustion, and the patient with double exhaustion will die, when he dies, he appears to be calm, this is because the physician runs against the channel-energy to become debilitative and exhausting. If one invigorates the internal Yin energy of the patient whose visceral energy is debilitative outside and who is of Yang-deficiency, the Yin energy will become even more abundant and the Yang energy becomes even more debilitative to cause cold extremities, it is called the adverse jue-syndrome, the patient with adverse jue-syndrome will die, and when he dies, he appears to be irritable. This is because the physician pricks the tips of the patient’s four limbs causing the exhaustion of the Yang energy.” Cha pter 1 Jiu Zh en Shi Er Yua n (III) The fundamentals of the pricking are: when the needle has already reached the focus, but not being pulled out, it will injure the energy; when the needle fails to reach the focus, the evil energy will be detained inside. When the energy is injured, the disease will be aggravated and the patient will become debilitative, when the evil energy is

detained, the patient will apt to contract carbuncle and ulceration.” Outside of the five solid organs, there are the six hollow organs, outside of the six hollow organs, there are the twelve source points, the twelve source points issued from the four large joints of the limbs and the source points of the four large joints are mainly the locations for to treat the infections of the five viscera, thus, when the fiveviscera is ill, the twelve source points should be pricked. The twelve source points are the points where the channel-energy of the three hundred and sixty five acupoints assemble, when the five viscera have disease, it will reflect on the twelve source points, and each of the source points belongs to a certain viscus. When one understands the attribute of the source point and perceive its response, be can comprehend the disease condition of the viscus.” The lung and heart situate above the diaphragm in the position of Yang. The lung is a Yin viscus situates in Yang position, and it is Shaoyin in Yang, its source points are the left and right Taiyuan points (LU.9). The heart is a Yang viscus situates in the Yang position, it is Yang in Yang, its source points are the left and right Daling points (PC. 7). The liver, spleen and kidney situate below the diaphragm, they situate in the position of Yin. The liver is a Yang viscus situates in the position of Yin, it is Shaoyang in Yin, its source points are the left and right Taichong points (LR. 3); the spleen is a Yin viscus situates in the position of Yin, its source points are the left and right Taibai points (SP. 3); the kidney is a Yin viscus situates in the position of Yin, it is Taiyin in Yin, its source points are the left and right Taixi points (KI. 3). The source point of the diaphragm is the single Jiuwei point (RN. 15), which belongs to the Ren channel. The source point of the area

below the heart and above the diaphragm is the single Qihai point (RN. 6), which belongs to the Ren channel. The twelve source points above are the crucial locations for the energies of viscera, channels and collaterals to pour in and communicate with, so, through treating the points, the diseases of the five solid organs and the six hollow organs can be cured.” When the patient has abdominal distention, prick the three Yang Channels of foot; when the patient has diarrhea, prick the three Yin Channels of foot.” When the five-viscera contracts the disease, it is like a sting on the muscle, a stain on the thing, a tie on a piece of string or a stretch of silt on the river. Although the sting has remained for many days, it can still be removed, although the stain has existed for a long time, it can still be washed away, although the knot has been tied for a long time, it can still be untied, although the river has been silted up for a long time, the silt can still be cleared away. Some people think that a protracted disease can not be cured by acupuncture, the opinion is not right. A physician who is good at acupuncture can cure the disease, even it is a protracted disease, just like pulling a sting, removing a stain. Untie a knot or clear away the silt in the river flow. Those who think a protracted disease can not be cured by acupuncture is that they do not have the acupuncture technique.” When pricking the fever, the hand should be like dipping in the boiling soup, the needle should be lifted up instantly after pricking; when pricking the cold, the pricking should be like one reluctant to leave home before traveling. When there is heat phenomenon of Yang evil in Yin, the Zusanli point (ST. 36) should be pricked, when pricking, one must concentrate his mind to prick the acupoint accurately, when the evil energy has retreated, the pricking should be

stopped, if the evil energy does not retreat, it should be pricked again. When the disease is on the upper part of the body pertaining to the internal solid organ, prick the Yinlingquan point (SP. 9), when the disease is on the upper part of the body pertaining to the external hollow organ, prick the Yanglingquan (GB. 34).