典藏书目

The 65th Difficulty discusses the He-Sea points, and the 73rd Difficulty discusses the Ying-Spring points. These points are located in the meridians, corresponding to the Five Phases of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Further divided into seven images to correspond with pulse diagnosis, it uniquely encompasses seven therapeutic methods, involving Yin-Yang pairing, Father-Son, Elder-Brother, Connecting Meridian, and Equal Meridian theories to explain image principles and trace origins.

Yin and Yang refer to Zi and Wu (sub-directions/time). The terms "Ying" (Spring) and "He" (Sea) referring to Water and Fire are named Yin and Yang. This applies to all twelve meridians; some diseases arise from contracting the Father Qi, while others from the Mother Qi.

Zi and Wu refer to Qian and Kun (the trigrams for Heaven and Earth). Qian and Kun encompass the Six Children trigrams, which attach to Qian and Kun. Thus, the 70th Difficulty states: "In spring and summer, one induces a Yin; in autumn and winter, one induces a Yang." This means in spring and summer, one punctures the Jing-River (Jing) and Ying-Spring points, and in autumn and winter, one punctures the Jing-Stream and He-Sea points. This is the meaning of inducing one Yin and one Yang respectively. It can also be said that Jing-River points are near Zi, and He-Sea points are near Wu. However, one should slightly drain the Jing-River points, heavily drain the Ying-Spring points, slightly tonify the Jing-Stream points, and heavily tonify the He-Sea points. Or if tonification and drainage are reversed, this follows the principle of "retain needle for cold, quick withdrawal for heat." Therefore, slight tonification and drainage are used to correspond with eating cool food in spring, cold in summer, warm in autumn, and hot in winter.

For example, Gallbladder disease manifests as cleanliness obsession, blue complexion, and irritability. The pulse is excess-large on superficial palpation and deficient-small on deep palpation. This indicates contracting Father Qi, which is Yang within Yang. One should drain Fire and tonify Water in the Gallbladder Meridian. If the pulse becomes deficient-small on superficial palpation and excess-large on deep palpation, this indicates contracting Mother Qi, which is Yang within Yin. One should drain Water and tonify Fire in the Gallbladder Meridian.

The 77th Difficulty states: "A superior physician treats disease before it arises. Seeing Liver disease, one knows it will transmit to the Spleen, thus first strengthening Spleen Qi so it does not receive the pathogenic factor from the Liver." For instance, seeing Liver disease and wishing to strengthen the Spleen, one first tonifies the "Earth" character point once in the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian, and tonifies the "Fire" character point once. Then, in the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian, one drains the "Wood" character point once, and drains the "Fire" character point once.

If Liver disease presents with chest fullness, dysuria, difficult urination, and tendon spasms, and Heart disease presents with vexation, heart pain, palm heat, and hiccups, one should puncture the "Wood" and "Fire" character points once each in the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian.

(The above four needle techniques—Son, Mother, Elder Brother, Younger Brother—are called the Four Needle Images.)

If the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian shows excess, accompanied by excess symptoms of the Gallbladder, this is termed the "Elder-Brother" relationship. One should drain the "Wood" and "Fire" character points once each in the Liver Meridian, and drain the "Wood" and "Fire" character points once each in the Gallbladder Meridian. These five methods constitute the Ren Yuan Method.