《金针赋》云∶病势既退，针气微松。病未退者，针气如根。推之不动，转之
不移。此为邪气吸拔其针，乃真气未至，不可出之。出之者，其病即复，再须补。当停以
待之，直候微松，方可出针豆许，摇而停之。补者吸之，去疾，其穴急扪，泻者呼之，
去徐，其穴不闭，欲令腠密，然后吸气。故曰∶下针贵迟，太急伤血；
出针贵缓，太急伤气。刘宗浓曰∶出针不可猛出，必须作三四次，徐徐转而出之则无血；若
猛出必见血也。
古云∶金针者，贵之也。金为五金之总名，钢铁金银皆是也。《本草》云∶马衔
铁无毒，可作针。以马属午，属火，火克金，解铁毒，故以作针。
煮针一法，《素问》原无，今世用之，欲温而泽也，是亦有益而不害，故从
之。危氏书用乌头、巴豆各一两，
硫黄、麻黄各五钱，木鳖子、乌梅各十个，同引入水，用砂锅内或罐煮一日，洗择之。再
用止痛药没药、乳香、当归、花蕊石各半两，又如前水煮一日，取出用皂角水洗，再于
犬肉内煮一日，仍用瓦屑打磨净。端直，松子油涂之。常近人气为妙。
经曰 针者，以麻油满盏，灯草令多如大指许。丛其灯火烧针头，频以麻油蘸其
针，烧令通经用，方有功。若不红者，反损于人，不能去病。烧时令针头低下，恐油热
伤手。先令他人烧针，医者临时用之，以免致手热，才觉针红，医者取针，先以
针安穴上，自然干，针之亦佳。凡行针点艾相似，以墨记之，使针时无差穴道，差
则无功。火针甚难，须有临阵之将心，方可行针。先以左下按定其穴，然后针之，切忌太
深，深则反伤经络；不可太浅，浅则治病无功，但消息取中也。凡大醉之后，不可用
针。不适浅深，有害无利。凡行火针，必先安慰病患，令勿惊动。较之火针及灸，灸则
直受艾灼烧，过痛则久也；火针虽则畏人，其针下疾，一针便去，不入也。凡下火针，
一针之后，疾速换去，不可久留，寻即以左手速按针孔上，则疼止；不按则疼甚。火针不宜
针香港脚，反加肿痛，不能行履。火针者，宜破痈疽发背。溃脓在内，外皮无头者，但按毒
上软处；以溃脓阔大者，按头尾及中，以点记，宜下三针，决破出脓。一针肿上，不可按
之，即以指从两旁捺之。令脓随手而出，或肿大脓多，针时须侧身回避，恐脓射出污
身。《针灸节要》谓∶火针之功用甚大，凡 瘕积块、瘫痪痈疽、坚瘤，并宜火针。
《金针赋》说：病势已经消退，针下的气机变得微松。如果病势未退，针感就像扎根一样，推它不动，转它不移。这是因为邪气吸拔着针，是真气尚未到达的表现，此时不可出针。如果此时出针，疾病就会复发，需要再次进行补法。应当停留等待，直到针感微微松动，才可以将针退出少许，摇动后停顿一下。补法要在患者吸气时出针，动作要快，出针后要迅速按压穴位；泻法要在患者呼气时出针，动作要慢，出针后不闭合穴口，目的是让腠理（皮肤纹理和毛孔）致密，然后才让患者吸气。所以说：下针贵在缓慢，太急促会损伤血液；出针贵在缓和，太急促会损伤正气。刘宗浓说：出针不可猛力拔出，必须分三四次，徐徐转动而出，这样就不会出血；如果猛力拔出必然见血。
古语说：金针，是尊贵的意思。金是五金的总称，钢铁、金银都属于此类。《本草》记载：马衔铁无毒，可以制作成针。因为马属午，五行属火，火能克金，从而解除铁的毒性，所以用马衔铁来制作针具。
煮针这一方法，《素问》中原本没有，现在世人使用它，是为了使针具温润润泽，这也是有益无害的，所以沿袭这种做法。危氏书中记载用乌头、巴豆各一两，硫黄、麻黄各五钱，木鳖子、乌梅各十个，一同放入水中，用砂锅或罐煮一天，取出清洗择选。再用止痛药没药、乳香、当归、花蕊石各半两，像前面那样水煮一天，取出后用皂角水清洗，再放入犬肉中煮一天，最后用瓦屑打磨干净。要求针体端直，涂上松子油。平时靠近人气保养为好。
经书说：烧针的方法，用麻油装满一盏，灯草多到大拇指粗细。聚集灯火烧针头，频繁用麻油蘸湿针头，烧到通红才能使用，否则不仅无功反而损害人体，不能去除疾病。烧的时候要让针头低下，防止热油烫伤手。先让别人烧针，医者临时取用，以免手部受热，刚觉得针红，医者就取针，先在穴位上安放好，自然干燥后施针也很好。凡施行火针要点艾相似，用墨汁做标记，使施针时不偏离穴位，偏离了就无效。火针很难掌握，必须有临阵作战的将军之心，才可以施行火针。先用左手按住固定穴位，然后施针，切忌太深，深了反而损伤经络；不可太浅，浅了治病无效，只要斟酌取其中度即可。凡是大醉之后，不可用针。深浅不当，只有害处没有好处。凡施行火针，必须先安慰病患，使其不要惊慌动乱。比较火针和艾灸，艾灸是直接接受艾火烧灼，过痛则持久；火针虽然让人畏惧，但针下疾速，一针即去，不留针。凡下火针，一针之后，疾速换掉，不可久留，随即用左手迅速按压针孔，疼痛就会停止；不按则疼痛剧烈。火针不宜治疗香港脚（足部疾患），反而会增加肿痛，导致无法行走。火针适宜用于破除痈疽发背。脓液在内部，外皮没有脓头的，只按毒肿上柔软的地方；对于溃脓范围阔大的，按头尾及中间，做点记号，适宜下三针，决破排出脓液。一针扎在肿上，不可按压，就用手指从两旁捺压，使脓液随手而出。如果肿大脓多，施针时必须侧身回避，恐怕脓液射出污染身体。《针灸节要》说：火针的功效很大，凡是癥积块、瘫痪、痈疽、坚瘤，都适宜用火针。
The *Jin Zhen Fu* (Golden Needle Ode) states: When the pathogenic trend has receded, the qi sensation around the needle becomes slightly loose. If the pathogenic trend has not receded, the qi sensation is like a root; pushing it does not move it, turning it does not shift it. This is because the pathogenic qi is sucking and pulling the needle, indicating that the healthy qi has not yet arrived, and the needle should not be withdrawn at this time. Withdrawing it now will cause the disease to recur, requiring re-application of the tonification method. One should wait and pause until the sensation becomes slightly loose, then withdraw the needle slightly, shake it, and pause. For tonification, withdraw the needle during the patient's inhalation, act quickly, and immediately press the acupoint upon removal. For sedation, withdraw the needle during exhalation, act slowly, leave the acupoint open without closing it, aiming to make the couli (skin pores and interstices) dense, and only then allow the patient to inhale. Therefore, it is said: Inserting the needle values slowness; being too urgent damages blood. Withdrawing the needle values gentleness; being too urgent damages qi. Liu Zongnong said: The needle must not be pulled out violently; it must be done in three or four stages, slowly rotated and withdrawn to avoid bleeding; if pulled out violently, bleeding will certainly occur.
Ancient sayings state: "Golden needle" implies nobility. "Jin" (Metal/Gold) is the general term for the five metals; steel, iron, gold, and silver all belong to this category. The *Bencao* records: Iron from horse bits is non-toxic and can be made into needles. Since horses correspond to Wu (noon) and the element Fire, and Fire overcomes Metal, this resolves the toxicity of iron, hence its use for making needles.
The method of boiling needles was originally absent in the *Suwen*. It is used by people today to make the needles warm and lustrous. As this is beneficial and harmless, it is adopted. Wei Shi's book prescribes using 1 liang each of Aconitum carmichaelii radix preparata (Fuzi, 附子) and Crotonis Fructus (Baidu, 巴豆), 5 qian each of Sulfur and Ephedrae Herba (Mahuang, 麻黄), and 10 each of Momordicae Semen (Mubiezi, 木鳖子) and Mume Fructus (Wumei, 乌梅). These are boiled together in water in a clay pot or jar for one day, then washed and selected. Then, use 0.5 liang each of Myrrha (Moyao, 没药), Boswelliae Resina (Ruxiang, 乳香), Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui, 当归), and Flower Rhodostemonis (Huaruishi, 花蕊石) as pain-relieving agents, and boil them in water again for one day as before. Take them out, wash with Gleditsia sinensis fructus water (Zaojiao, 皂角), then boil in dog meat for one day. Finally, polish clean with tile fragments. The needle should be straight, coated with Pine Kernel Oil (Songziren You, 松子油). It is excellent to keep it close to human warmth regularly.
The classics state: To burn the needle, fill a cup with Sesame Oil (Mazhi, 麻油), and use a rush light thick as a thumb. Gather the lamp fire to burn the needle tip, frequently dipping the needle in sesame oil, burning it until red-hot before use. Otherwise, it will harm people rather than benefit them and cannot remove disease. When burning, keep the needle tip lowered to prevent hot oil from scalding the hand. Let others burn the needle first, and the practitioner uses it temporarily to avoid heating their own hands. As soon as the needle feels red, the practitioner takes it, places it on the acupoint naturally, lets it dry, and then needling is also good. Performing fire needling is similar to point-moxibustion; mark with ink so there is no deviation from the acupoints during needling. Deviation results in no effect. Fire needling is very difficult; one must have the heart of a general facing battle to perform it. First, press and fix the acupoint with the left hand, then needle. Avoid being too deep, as this damages meridians and collaterals; avoid being too shallow, as this fails to treat the disease. Only by deliberating and taking the middle ground is it appropriate. After heavy drunkenness, needling should not be performed. Improper depth brings harm but no benefit. Before performing fire needling, one must comfort the patient to prevent fright and movement. Comparing fire needling and moxibustion: moxibustion directly receives mugwort burning, which causes prolonged pain if excessive; fire needling, though feared, is swift under the needle, removed after one insertion, and not retained. After inserting a fire needle, replace it quickly; do not retain it long. Immediately press the needle hole with the left hand to stop pain; if not pressed, pain will be severe. Fire needling is unsuitable for treating Hong Kong Foot (podagra/foot disorders), as it may worsen swelling and pain, preventing walking. Fire needling is suitable for breaking abscesses and back carbuncles. If pus is internal with no head on the outer skin, press only the soft area on the toxin. For large areas of pus, mark the head, tail, and center, and insert three needles to rupture and drain the pus. Do not press after inserting one needle into the swelling; instead, press from both sides with fingers to let the pus flow out with the hand. If swollen and full of pus, avoid standing directly in front when needling to prevent spray contamination. The *Zhen Jiu Jie Yao* states: The function of fire needling is great. For masses, paralysis, abscesses, and hard tumors, fire needling is suitable.