《孫真人備急千金要方》Vol. 89

When practicing acupuncture, one must first be familiar with the acupuncture points and understand how to tonify deficiency and drain excess. The technique should soften what is hardened and ease what is tense. Acupuncture must follow the patterns of Qi and blood as they circulate; it must not go against their natural course.

The practitioner must be fully focused, with the mind and spirit fixed on the art of needling. The mouth should be held with the care of one keeping a cord between the lips, while the gaze turns inward to attend to changes in Qi and blood. They must not be allowed to flow chaotically. When the needle enters one fen, attend to the Qi of Heaven and Earth. At two fen, attend to the in-and-out movement of the breath and to the Qi that rises and falls, and of Water and Fire. At three fen, attend to whether the Qi of the four seasons, the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), and the five zang and six fu organs moves smoothly or against its proper course.

When needling the skin and body’s interstices—the skin’s texture and the spaces beneath it—do not injure the muscles. When needling the muscles, do not injure the sinews and vessels. When needling the sinews and vessels, do not injure the bone marrow. When needling the bone marrow, do not injure the meridians throughout the body.

The East corresponds to the wood of jia and yi, and is associated with the liver, gallbladder, sinews and membranes, and Hun. The South corresponds to the fire of bing and ding, and is associated with the heart, small intestine, blood vessels, and Shen (spirit). The West corresponds to the metal of geng and xin, and is associated with the lungs, large intestine, skin and body hair, and Po. The North corresponds to the water of ren and gui, and is associated with the kidneys, bladder, bone marrow, Jing (essence), and will. The Center corresponds to the earth of wu and ji, and is associated with the spleen, stomach, muscles, intention, and intellect.

If needling injures the sinews and membranes, a person may become startled and disoriented, with an abnormal gaze, as though the Hun had been lost. If it injures the blood vessels, the person may become agitated and confused, as though Shen had been lost. If it injures the skin and body hair, Qi may surge upward in counterflow, as though the Po had been lost. If it injures the bone marrow, the person may groan, as though the will had been lost. If it injures the muscles, the limbs may lose their freedom of movement, as though the intellect had been lost. These are the “Five Disruptions” caused by needling. A further error can bring mortal danger.

The saying “A needle can kill the living, but cannot raise the dead” means that a foolish person who needles recklessly may cause a living person to die; the art of needling, however, cannot bring the dead back to life.

One must also examine the patient’s condition. If a patient is already as good as dead, no further treatment should be given. If a state is already like a country on the verge of collapse, one should not make plans for it. Even a sage of great wisdom and extraordinary powers cannot revive the dead or save a fallen state. Thus the old saying goes: “Do not enter a dangerous state; do not dwell in a state of disorder.” Fools who covet profit and cannot distinguish order from chaos, or survival from collapse, endanger themselves and bring ruin upon their families, until all are lost. The fall of a state and the ruin of a home are also matters a physician must clearly understand.

In all methods of needling, tonification and draining should come first. The breath must accord with them, like the course of rivers…

There are established rules for calibrating measures such as the sheng and dou, and for determining the directions of latitude and longitude; Yin and Yang must not be confused. Zhen represents Yang Qi, which begins to rise at the hour of Yin (Yin corresponds to the east). Dui represents Yin Qi, which ends on a Wu day (Wu corresponds to Earth). Kan represents the Qi of the Great Mystery: on the day of the winter solstice, at midnight, the first Yang line is born. Li represents the essence of the sun and symbolizes the Middle Daughter.

To tonify Qi, work southward from the Mao position. If Earth Qi is deficient, work from the Earth Gate side up to the Xun position. To drain Qi, work northward from the You position; the Heaven Gate is at the Qian position. Insert the needle in the direction of the sunlight, from the Yin position toward the Wu position. Withdraw it in the direction of the moonlight, from the Shen position toward the Wu position, since Wu is where the sun and moon shine. Reflecting in this way on the Qi of the Five Phases, using it to harmonize nutritive Qi and defensive Qi, and thereby to nourish the body—this is a treasure one carries at all times.

When using the lance-shaped needle to treat illness, the aim is to remove the disease quickly. First apply the tonifying method: insert the needle five fen and retain it for ten breaths; then insert it one cun and retain it for twenty breaths. The specific breathing technique should be learned from a teacher. For acute conditions, needle deeply and retain the needle for a long time; for chronic conditions, needle shallowly and withdraw it quickly. When needling a swollen area, you may let out a little blood. If the affected area is smooth and slippery, withdraw the needle quickly, having inserted it shallowly and retained it for a long time. If the area is rough and obstructed, locate the affected vessel and retain the needle longer in the direction of Qi’s flow; then withdraw it quickly and press the needle hole to prevent bleeding. Do not use a large needle on people with weak constitutions. When Qi is insufficient, treat it with medicine.

The other three kinds of needling are chiefly used to pierce hard abscesses, nodules, and polyps, though they can also be used to treat illness. Fire needling also uses a lance-shaped needle: dip the needle in oil and heat it until it is fiercely hot. If it is not hot enough, it may harm the patient instead. Treat once every other day. After three treatments, a large discharge of pus is a favorable sign. Fire needling must not be used on the six points along the line of Juque, Taicang, and the upper and lower Guan. For a large abdominal mass, insert the needle, pause briefly, and gently rotate it; this is preferable.

Before every needling, examine the pulse. Needle only when the pulse is calm and even; if it is abnormal, do not needle hastily. If fever and chills appear the night after needling, this indicates that the needle has reached the pathogenic factor; there is no need to be surprised.

Principles of Moxibustion, Chapter Six

Every point on the body is connected with the organs, the movement of nutritive and defensive Qi, and the flow of the blood vessels. Qi and blood circulate between the body’s surface and interior, each with its own areas of responsibility. In an emergency, examine the situation carefully before administering treatment. People differ in age, from young to old; in stature, from tall to short; and in skin, which may be thick or thin. Consider and assess each of these differences carefully, and choose the method according to the circumstances.

Acupoint locations should not be determined by a single rule, or mistakes are likely. In the traditional method, one chi is divided into eight cun. Measurements can also be taken using the patient’s own hand: for men, use the left hand; for women, the right. The length of the first section of the middle finger counts as one cun. Since fingers vary in length, the width across the first section of the thumb can also be used as one cun. The method should be chosen flexibly and with care. “One fu” means the width of four fingers held together. The practitioner should also examine the lines of the muscles, the gaps between joints, and any hollows, and press on the area by hand. The correct location is the one the patient finds comfortable and suitable. Only careful, patient searching can locate it precisely.

The scripture’s phrase “three cun across” means three moxibustion points arranged horizontally, with one cun between each pair. Each point occupies three tenths of a cun in width, so the three together amount to one cun. The Yellow Emperor says that if a moxa cone is less than three tenths of a cun, it merely injures the body for no purpose; the cone should be made as large as possible. But for patients who are frail or young, the cone should be smaller, with its size carefully adjusted to their condition.

Whenever the points for moxibustion are determined, the body should be held straight and the limbs extended evenly, without leaning. If the point is misplaced during moxibustion, the treatment brings no benefit and only burns healthy flesh for nothing. If the point is located while sitting, perform moxibustion while sitting; if it is located while lying down, perform it while lying down; if it is located while standing, perform it while standing. Using a different posture from the one used to locate the point can also cause it to be misplaced.

The scripture’s term “number of cones” refers to how many moxa cones are used at each point. For a robust adult with a deep-rooted illness, the number may be doubled from what medical formularies prescribe. For the elderly, the young, or the frail, it may be halved. In Bian Que’s method of moxibustion, some points receive five hundred or a thousand cones, but the number should always be adjusted flexibly to the patient’s condition at the time. The Basic Canon of the Mingtang mostly records needling to a depth of six fen and moxibustion with three cones, without further explanation. Cao’s method of moxibustion uses one hundred or fifty cones in some cases, and formularies such as the Xiaopin contain similar instructions. In practice, the number of cones must still be determined by the severity of the illness; fixed rules should not be followed rigidly.

For newborns more than seven days old and under one year of age, use no more than seven cones at each point, with each cone about the size of a sparrow’s dropping.

Moxibustion is usually performed first on the Yang side and then on the Yin side: begin at the head and work gradually down the left side, then begin again at the head and work down the right side. Treat the upper part before the lower part as well. In general, moxibustion should begin after noon. The scripture holds that at this time Yin Qi has not yet arrived, so moxibustion is more likely to take effect. In the morning before noon, the body’s Grain Qi is insufficient, making dizziness more likely; acupuncture and moxibustion should therefore be avoided, or used with caution. This is the general principle, but in emergencies there is no need to be bound by these usual rules.

The body above the waist belongs to the upper region, and the body below the waist to the lower region. The body’s surface belongs to Yang and governs nourishment; its interior belongs to Yin and governs protection. The Qi of the internal organs circulates through the body along what are called the channels and collaterals. Thus, after the age of forty, men’s Qi tends to weaken first below the waist, while women’s Qi tends to weaken first around the breasts. Men therefore often show signs of aging first in the lower region, and women in the upper region. The intensity of moxibustion should also be kept within bounds and adjusted according to changes in the illness. In general, ailments on the body’s surface call for lighter, less thorough moxibustion, while internal ailments call for heavier, more thorough treatment. Other cases should be handled according to circumstances.

The head is the foremost part of the body and the seat of its vital spirit. Breath, Jing, and awareness, together with the 365 channels and collaterals, converge upward in the head; it is also where all the Yang channels meet. Disorders of the head must therefore be treated with care: moxibustion should be applied at the correct points, never indiscriminately. Excessive moxibustion can harm the spirit. If Yang essence is depleted too severely, the Yin soul may also suddenly scatter. For this reason, it is best not to exceed one hundred moxibustion cones on the head. A “cone” is a unit for measuring the dose of moxibustion, usually referring to one burning of a cone of moxa wool.

The back is like the body’s crossbeam. All five internal organs are connected to it, and it is where the Bladder channel meets and Yin and Yang interact. Changes between cold and heat can readily bring on illness there. Excessive or overly intense moxibustion on the back can seriously harm the body.

The arms, legs, hands, and feet are like the branches of the body. Their vital spirit is connected to the five internal organs and six bowels, and moves with the blood vessels, enabling a person to reach for things near and far and to walk safely in dangerous places. The channels in the limbs lie relatively close to the surface, so moxibustion there should be limited. Too much can impede the passage of vital spirit through the body and obstruct Jing and Qi, leaving a person numb and unresponsive, or even unable to lift an arm. Moxibustion on the limbs should therefore not be too intense or too thorough.

The organs in the abdomen are easily affected by food and drink, and excessive indulgence in eating can cause illness. Disorders caused by wind and cold congealing, or by food stagnating and failing to digest, are also suited to more intense moxibustion. Points such as Dazhu, Jizhong, Shenshu, Pangguangshu, and Baliao may be treated with up to two hundred cones. Points along the Pericardium channel and the Hand and Foot Taiyin channels may be treated with sixty or seventy cones. Zusanli, Taixi, Taichong, Yinlingquan, Yanglingquan, and the upper and lower Lian points may be treated with up to one hundred cones. Abdominal points such as Shangwan, Zhongwan, Taicang, and Guanyuan may also be treated with up to one hundred cones. In severe cases, treatment may be divided into three sessions to help bring about recovery.

For illnesses that are deeply lodged, congealed, or cold, no treatment is more suitable than moxibustion, which should be more intense and thorough. To treat disturbances of Yin and Yang caused by pathogenic wind, when the patient has a fever and a forceful, large pulse, use a pointed needle; treat again every other day. For ailments such as pathogenic wind or “ghost injection”—pain that people in ancient times believed was caused by an evil spirit’s intrusion—use a fine needle at the painful area if the Qi there is weak. Choose the appropriate method according to the severity of the illness. Treat surface ailments with acupuncture and internal ailments with medicine, adjusting the treatment to the season and the patient’s condition.

When applying moxibustion, adjust the number and intensity of treatments according to the illness, weighing each case carefully. Only by following the principles of nature can treatment remain safe and effective over time and avoid unexpected changes in the illness. These guidelines are only an outline. They should not be passed on casually to those without expertise, and should be kept confidential with due care.

Never apply moxibustion to someone whose pulse is weak and faint, as this may damage the blood vessels and burn the sinews and bones. Do not apply it after sweating; doing so goes against reason. Nor should it be used when the pulse is floating and the fever is severe.

Moxibustion on the head, face, eyes, and throat should generally be limited to avoid harm. The arms and limbs can receive somewhat more, but not excessively. The chest, back, and abdomen are especially suitable for thorough warming. The waist and spine should receive less, with a lighter application. In general, make adjustments according to the particular circumstances and changes in the illness; there is no single fixed standard.

For warm diseases, moxibustion may be applied where the pathogenic factor is located, with as many as one hundred cones or as few as ninety. Points such as Dazhu and Weiguan may receive fifty cones; the palms and areas associated with the Hand and Foot Taiyang channels may also receive fifty. Zhonghei, Quchi, and Taichong may receive one hundred cones. In each case, divide the treatment into three sessions; only then may recovery be possible. Here, a “cone” is a unit for counting moxibustion applications, usually referring to one burning of a moxa cone.

For severe Five Taxations (various disorders caused by overexertion), when all nine pulse regions are abnormal, or when illness is caused by toxic Qi, use no more than fifty cones, preferably divided into three sessions. If the pathogenic factor has entered the internal organs and causes pain in the heart and abdomen, one hundred cones may be used. For sudden acute illness, or when the patient is thought to be troubled by ghosts, apply more to the head, face, and limbs and less to the abdomen and back. Do not exceed fifty cones at the more heavily treated sites; at the less heavily treated sites, use at least three, five, seven, or nine cones.

For a crooked mouth and eyes caused by Yin-Yang imbalance and an invasion of Wind, use no more than thirty cones, repeating the treatment every three days. Repeat it three times for mild cases and nine times for severe ones. In this kind of illness, Wind enters the body subtly, so it should be warmed and nourished with a slow flame and dispelled gradually. If the treatment is rushed, the pathogenic factor may penetrate deeper and develop into a stubborn illness that is difficult to cure. Moxibustion should therefore use a gentle flame.

For various conditions of weakness, as well as stagnation and impaired movement of food and drink, apply more moxibustion to the abdomen and back, but do not exceed one hundred cones. Sudden stroke, infection with seasonal epidemic illness, and other acute conditions should all be treated promptly with moxibustion; do not endure them without treatment or let the illness drag on. If treatment is given at the right time, the patient may come through unharmed. Otherwise, the longer it is delayed, the harder the illness is often to cure. This point should be kept in mind.

When traveling or serving as an official in the regions of Wu and Shu, one should keep two or three moxibustion sores on the body. Do not let them heal completely at once; this makes it harder for miasmal illness, warm malaria, and toxic influences to harm the body. For this reason, people in Wu and Shu often use moxibustion. The scripture ends this passage with the words “Ashi…,” but the original text is incomplete.

If someone has pain, have them press above the painful area. If the pain is internal, press the corresponding location. There is no need to adhere to fixed acupuncture points. Wherever pressing brings relief, or produces pain, that place is called an “ashi point.” Treating these places with acupuncture or moxibustion often works, which is why they are called “ashi points.”

The Imperial Physician’s Guidelines and Taboos for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Chapter Seven

The text says: Before performing acupuncture or moxibustion, first learn what is favorable or taboo for the patient in the current year, as well as the location of the “human spirit.” Treatment may proceed if it does not conflict with these taboos. The relevant information is listed below.

Taboos are determined by the Five Phases associated with one’s birth year and one’s current age in years. For a person of Wood destiny whose current year is Wood, acupuncture and blue medicines are unsuitable. For a person of Fire destiny whose current year is Fire, inducing perspiration and red medicines are unsuitable. For a person of Earth destiny whose current year is Earth, inducing vomiting and yellow medicines are unsuitable. For a person of Metal destiny whose current year is Metal, moxibustion and white medicines are unsuitable. For a person of Water destiny whose current year is Water, purgation and black medicines are unsuitable. If a physician treats someone without understanding these methods, the patient may be put in grave danger. If this coincides with an adverse convergence of the person’s birth-year influences, the outcome may even be fatal.

A supplementary method for calculating monthly and daily taboos, including the Heavenly Doctor and Blood Taboo

The table below lists the earthly branches corresponding to each month of the lunar calendar, from the first through the twelfth month:

There is another reading of the original text for “Monthly Sha.” The accompanying note gives: “Chou, Xu, Wei, Chen, Chou, Xu, Wei, Chen, Chou, Xu, Wei, Chen.”

Summoning a doctor to treat illness on a Heavenly Doctor day is auspicious. Days marked by Monthly Punishment or Six Harms are inauspicious.

Method for Calculating the Heavenly Doctor by Current Year in Years

To find the Heavenly Doctor from the earthly branch corresponding to the patient’s current age in years: Zi corresponds to Mao; Chou to Xu; Yin to Zi; Mao to Wei; Chen to You; Si to Hai; Wu to Chen; Wei to Yin; Shen to Si; You to Wu; Xu to Chou; and Hai to Shen.

Method for Calculating the Yearly Heavenly Doctor

Usually, place the “Courier” (one of the Twelve Spirits) at the position of the Grand Year. The place occupied by Taiyi is the Heavenly Doctor.

Method for Determining the Heavenly Doctor for Each Month

In yang months (odd-numbered months), use “Great Auspiciousness”; in yin months (even-numbered months), use “Lesser Auspiciousness.” Place this on the month’s earthly branch. After making the calculation, the position of Gongcao is called the “Ghost Path,” and the position of Chuansong is called the “Heavenly Doctor.”

Method for Determining Where to Avoid Illness

Place “Lesser Auspiciousness” on the month’s earthly branch. After making the calculation, the position of Dengming is the “Heavenly Doctor”; one may go there to avoid illness.

Method for Determining How to Treat Illness

Place the month general—the earthly branch assigned to the month—on the hour, then place the “Heavenly Doctor” on the position corresponding to the patient’s age. It is said that treatment performed in this way can bring recovery.

Method for Summoning a Ritual Master

The positions of Wei, Mao, Si, Hai, and You are where ghosts and spirits reside. Summoning a ritual master at these positions is inauspicious.

Method for Determining the Spirit of the Person’s Year

This passage describes the belief that the “spirit of the person’s year” moves through different parts of the body as a person ages. The nine parts, in sequence, are the navel, heart, elbow, throat, mouth, head, spine, knee, and foot. Ages one through nine correspond to these parts in order. From age ten onward, the sequence starts again at the navel and repeats in the same order.

Each year, the spirit moves to the next body part, completing a cycle every nine years. Acupuncture should therefore avoid the part occupied by the spirit in that year. The age chart in the original has missing and jumbled characters, so it cannot be reliably reconstructed item by item. The account above has been organized according to the nine body parts listed at the beginning and the explanation that “the spirit moves through the nine parts, shifting one part each year and repeating the cycle.”

Method for Determining Where the Spirits of the Person’s Body Are in the Twelve Branches

This passage lists the correspondences between twelve body parts and the earthly branches: Chen corresponds to the heart, Mao to the throat, Yin to the head, Chou to the eyebrows (the Qianjin Yifang gives “shoulders”), Zi to the back, Hai to the waist, Xu to the abdomen, You to the nape, Shen to the feet, Wei to the knees, Wu to the genital area, and Si to the thighs.

The numbers one through twelve at the end indicate the order of the twelve correspondences. The original gives no further explanation of which specific dates the numbers refer to or how they are used.

Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four;

Twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four, thirty-five, thirty-six;

Thirty-seven, thirty-eight, thirty-nine, forty, forty-one, forty-two, forty-three, forty-four, forty-five, forty-six, forty-seven, forty-eight;

Forty-nine, fifty, fifty-one, fifty-two, fifty-three, fifty-four, fifty-five, fifty-six, fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty;

Sixty-one, sixty-two, sixty-three, sixty-four, sixty-five, sixty-six, sixty-seven, sixty-eight, sixty-nine, seventy, seventy-one, seventy-two;

Seventy-three, seventy-four, seventy-five, seventy-six, seventy-seven, seventy-eight, seventy-nine, eighty, eighty-one, eighty-two, eighty-three, eighty-four;

Eighty-five, eighty-six, eighty-seven, eighty-eight, eighty-nine, ninety, ninety-one, ninety-two, ninety-three, ninety-four, ninety-five, ninety-six.

The dates on which the human spirits reside are listed above in twelve groups. According to this account, the corresponding body parts should not be treated with acupuncture or moxibustion, and should also be protected from injury; they must be treated with care.

Daily Prohibited Areas

First day: big toe; second day: outer ankle; third day: inner thigh; fourth day: lower back; fifth day: mouth, tongue, throat, and uvula (commonly called the “little tongue”); sixth day: little toe (the Waitai Miyao says the little finger); seventh day: inner ankle; eighth day: wrist; ninth day: buttocks; tenth day: back and lower back.

Eleventh day: bridge of the nose (the Qianjin Yifang also includes the eyebrows); twelfth day: hairline; thirteenth day: teeth; fourteenth day: upper abdomen; fifteenth day: the whole body; sixteenth day: chest and breasts; seventeenth day: Qichong (near the groin; the Qianjin Yifang also includes the flanks); eighteenth day: inside the abdomen; nineteenth day: instep; twentieth day: below the knees; twenty-first day: little finger; twenty-second day: Futu (the muscles at the front of the thigh); twenty-third day: Ganshu (a back acupoint associated with the liver); twenty-fourth day: the Hand Yangming channel and both flanks; twenty-fifth day: the Foot Yangming channel; twenty-sixth day: hands and feet; twenty-seventh day: knees; twenty-eighth day: genital area.

On the twenty-ninth day: the knees, calves, and temples.

On the thirtieth day: from the Guanyuan point downward to the soles of the feet (Waitai Mijue reads “the tops of the feet”).

Parts of the Body Governed by the Human Spirit on the Ten Heavenly Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches

On Jia days: the head; on Yi days: the neck; on Bing days: the shoulders and arms; on Ding days: the chest and flanks;

on Wu days: the abdomen; on Ji days: the back; on Geng days: the knees; on Xin days: the spleen;

on Ren days: the kidneys; on Gui days: the feet.

There is another account:

On Jia and Yi days, the head is to be avoided during the Yin hour; on Bing and Ding days, the ears are to be avoided during the Chen hour;

on Wu and Ji days, the hair is to be avoided during the Wu hour; on Geng and Xin days, the part to be avoided during the Shen hour is missing from the original;

on Ren and Gui days, the feet are to be avoided during the You hour.

On Zi days, avoid the eyes; on Chou days, the ears; on Yin days, the mouth (Waitai Mijue reads “the chest and face”);

on Mao days, the nose (Waitai Mijue reads “the spleen”); on Chen days, the waist;

on Si days, the hands (Waitai Mijue reads “the head and mouth”); on Wu days, the heart;

on Wei days, the feet (Waitai Mijue reads “the soles of both feet”); on Shen days, the head (Waitai Mijue reads “both shoulders”);

on You days, the back (Waitai Mijue reads “the shins,” meaning the lower legs); on Xu days, the neck (Waitai Mijue reads “the throat”);

on Hai days, the crown of the head (Waitai Mijue reads “the arms and shins”).

There are also parts of the body to avoid on the twelve Jianchu calendar days and at their corresponding hours:

On Jian days, avoid the head during the Shen hour (Waitai Mijue reads “the feet”); on Chu days, avoid the knees during the You hour (Waitai Mijue reads “the thighs”);

on Man days, avoid the abdomen during the Xu hour; on Ping days, avoid the waist and back during the Hai hour;

on Ding days, avoid the heart during the Zi hour; on Zhi days, avoid the hands during the Chou hour;

on Po days, avoid the mouth during the Yin hour; on Wei days, avoid the nose during the Mao hour;

on Cheng days, avoid the lips during the Chen hour; on Shou days, avoid the feet during the Si hour (Waitai Mijue reads “the head”);

on Kai days, avoid the ears during the Wu hour; on Bi days, avoid the eyes during the Wei hour.

The corresponding parts of the body must not be touched on these days and at these hours, or the consequences may be fatal.

Prohibitions for the Twelve Double Hours

During the Zi hour, avoid the ankles; during the Chou hour, the head; during the Yin hour, the eyes;

during the Mao hour, the face and ears (Waitai Mijue reads “the neck”); during the Chen hour, the neck and mouth (Waitai Mijue reads “the face”);

during the Si hour, the shoulders (Waitai Mijue reads “the chest”); during the Wu hour, the chest and flanks; during the Wei hour, the abdomen;

during the Shen hour, the heart; during the You hour, the back and shoulder blades;

during the Xu hour, the waist and genitals; during the Hai hour, the thighs.

There is another account: on the Beginning of Spring and Spring Equinox, avoid the spleen; on the Beginning of Summer and Summer Solstice, avoid the lungs.

“Human spirit” here refers to a traditional notion used in choosing auspicious days and in medical prohibitions: on certain days or at certain hours, particular parts of the body should not be needled or treated. Waitai is an abbreviation for Waitai Mijue; the variant readings listed here record different accounts in another medical text. The final sentence of the original is incomplete.

Avoid treating liver disease on the day of the Beginning of Autumn or the Autumn Equinox, and avoid treating heart disease on the day of the Beginning of Winter or the Winter Solstice. At each seasonal transition, there are eighteen days when Kidney is in its ruling period. These are all unsuitable times for treating illness; doing so was considered inauspicious.

When each of the Five Viscera is in its ruling period, it is considered unsuitable to treat diseases of the corresponding organ, or to perform acupuncture and moxibustion on its related channels. Doing so was regarded as inauspicious.

Also:

Avoid treating illness on the Chou day in the first lunar month, the Xu day in the second, the Wei day in the third, and the Chen day in the fourth; the Chou day in the fifth month, the Xu day in the sixth, the Wei day in the seventh, and the Chen day in the eighth; and the Chou day in the ninth month, the Xu day in the tenth, the Wei day in the eleventh, and the Chen day in the twelfth.

Also:

In spring, avoid treating illness at the left flank; in autumn, at the right flank; in summer, at the navel; and in winter, at the lower back. Treatment at these locations during these seasons was considered inauspicious.

Also:

Treating illness on the sixth, fifteenth, eighteenth, twenty-second, or twenty-fourth day of the month, or on the last day of a short lunar month, may cause the illness to linger.

On the Wu-Wu and Jia-Wu days, it is especially taboo to prick the skin and draw blood, take medicine, or perform acupuncture and moxibustion; all were considered inauspicious. The Qianjin Yifang says that such treatment can make the illness persist into the following month.

Acupuncture and moxibustion are taboo on the Jia-Chen, Geng-Yin, Yi-Mao, Bing-Chen, and Xin-Si days.

Men should avoid acupuncture and moxibustion on the Ren-Chen, Jia-Chen, Ji-Si, Bing-Wu, and Ding-Wei days.

Women should avoid acupuncture and moxibustion on the Jia-Yin, Yi-Mao, Yi-You, Yi-Si, and Ding-Si days.

Acupuncture and moxibustion are taboo on the Jia-Zi, Ren-Zi, Jia-Wu, Bing-Chen, Ding-Si, Xin-Mao, Gui-Mao, and Yi-Hai days. The Waitai Miyao explains that the Jia-Zi day is when the Son of Heaven assembles; the Ren-Zi day, when the princes assemble; the Jia-Wu day, when the heir apparent assembles; the Ding-Si day, when the princes and nobles assemble; the Bing-Chen day, when the feudal lords assemble; the Xin-Mao day, when the high officials assemble; the Gui-Mao day, when the great officers assemble; and the Yi-Hai day, when the common people assemble. Acupuncture and moxibustion are unsuitable on all these days.

Also:

Men should avoid days named “Remove,” and women should avoid days named “Break.” Men should avoid Wu days, and women should avoid Si days.

The five Chen days, five You days, and five Wei days are all considered inauspicious, as are the days immediately before and after each of the twenty-four solar terms. Here, “five Chen, five You, and five Wei” refers to the relevant days bearing the Chen, You, and Wei earthly branches in the sexagenary cycle.

Sun Simiao says: These taboos are scattered across different texts and are difficult to look up, so he gathered them together for convenient reference, sparing readers the trouble of searching through many books.