典藏书目

In the *Suwen* (Basic Questions), Qibo stated: When pathogenic factors invade the human body, they must first enter the skin and hair (mao pi). If they remain without departing, they enter the sun collateral vessels (sun luo); if they still remain without departing, they enter the main meridians (jing mai), internally connecting to the five zang organs, and externally dispersing into the stomach and intestines. At this point, both yin and yang qi are affected by pathogens, leading to injury of the five zang organs. This is the sequence by which pathogens enter from the skin and hair into the five zang organs. Since the pathogens have entered the meridians, treatment should target the meridians. However, if pathogens only lodge in the skin, hair, and sun collaterals, remaining without departing, causing blockage and obstruction, preventing them from entering the main meridians, but overflowing into the large collaterals (da luo), thereby generating strange diseases.

The essence and qi of the five zang and six fu organs flow out along the pulse channels and enter via the meridians, cycling endlessly like a ring without beginning or end. If this movement exceeds its normal limits, it will damage the pulses and meridians, transforming into abnormal diseases.

Qibo said: Whenever one intends to treat wind disorders, fire moxibustion should be used. The nature of wind is light and floating; its color may be red or white, and cases with much itching indicate wind-heat. The nature of cold is heavy and sinking; its color may be green or black, and cases with much pain indicate cold. The nature of dampness is withered and moist; its color is bright yellow, and cases with much stasis and bi-syndrome indicate dampness. These three pathogens share the same origin but differ in manifestation.

For wind pathogens, it is appropriate to use a method increasing from few to many moxa cones. "Many" refers to starting with 3, 5, or 7 cones, then increasing to 35, 50, or 70 cones; this is called "increasing from few to many." For cold-damp pathogens, it is appropriate to use a method decreasing from many to few, starting with high numbers (such as 75, 130, etc., noting textual ambiguity) and reducing to hundreds (e.g., 700, 500, 300); this is called "decreasing from many to few."

When moxibusting for wind, one must not exceed 100 cones in a single session. If moxibustion is not performed, herbal steam fomentation can be used instead. When moxibusting for cold-damp, one must not exceed 1,000 cones in a single session. If moxibustion is not performed, herbal steam fumigation can be used instead. Because wind is light and floating, it is easy to disperse, so the number of cones should increase from few to many. Because cold is heavy and sinking, it is difficult to eliminate, so the number of cones should decrease from many to few.

Discussion on the quantity of moxibustion for diseases of the hands, feet, abdomen, and back, and the eight methods of obtaining fire from wood for tonification and sedation.

Yang Cao, in his phonetic glosses, stated: The internal meridians of the hands and feet correspond to the qi of the five zang organs. The external meridians of the hands and feet correspond to the qi of the six fu organs. The four limbs are the branches and trunk of the body; their qi connects to the circulation of the five zang and six fu organs. Moxibustion for disease should not be excessive in a single session. One should follow the numerical standards of the meridians. If too many cones are used at once, the blood vessels below the fire may become depleted, and the fire qi cannot travel far along the meridians. Therefore, it is said that 3, 5, or 7 cones are used. The classics state: "Continue adding moxibustion until the disease is cured." The external parts of the hands and feet are all yang meridians; moxibustion should not exceed two cones. The abdomen is where water and grain accumulate and where wind-cold condenses; moxibustion here should be abundant. The spine is the beam of the body, harmonizing with the Taiyang meridian. When yin and yang movements are abnormal and cold qi causes disease, the back is thick and dense; moxibustion here should be plentiful. This is where meridians enter, exit, come, and go. Thus, moxibustion can guide fire qi. All moxibustion involves tonification and sedation: Tonification does not involve blowing the fire; the moxa cone must extinguish itself. Sedation involves rapidly blowing the fire and transferring the moxa heat until the cone is completely burnt out. The base of the moxa cone should be 3 fen wide and 3 fen long. If smaller than this, it will not cover the acupoint, fail to reach the meridian, prevent the fire qi from circulating, and thus fail to remove the disease.

Moxibustion should avoid using fire from pine, cypress, mulberry, jujube, bamboo, persimmon, maple, and elm woods. Using these fires for moxibustion harms the patient's muscles, sinews, vessels, and bone marrow. Instead, one can use a Yang Sui (bronze mirror for focusing sunlight) or a fire pearl to obtain fire from the sun. If there is no sunlight, one can drill huai wood to start a fire and extend it with chrysanthemum stems; or use Nao Shi (ammonium chloride mineral) steamed with mugwort to obtain fire for moxibustion, which is highly effective. If these are unavailable, wrap the moxa stem with oil-soaked cloth and ignite it separately to draw fire. This removes disease without harming the person. Sinews and bones are prone to injury; if the root of the pain and the sore do not ulcerate, the disease cannot be eradicated.