典藏书目

When using mugwort leaves, one must select aged and stored ones, processing them until fine and soft, which is called "cooked mugwort" (Shu Ai). If raw mugwort is used for moxibustion or fire therapy, it will damage the muscles and meridians. Therefore, Mencius said: "For a disease of seven years, seek three-year-old mugwort." One should select clean leaves, pound them to remove dust and debris, place them in a stone mortar, and pound with a wooden pestle until cooked/soft. Sift out the dregs, take only the white parts, and pound again until soft and cotton-like. The prepared moxa cones, if dry, provide strong and effective heat during moxibustion.

For moxibustion, it is appropriate to use a Yang Sui (ancient solar fire mirror) or fire crystal to capture the true fire of the sun by focusing sunlight; alternatively, drilling locust wood to generate fire is also excellent. In urgent situations where these are unavailable, one may use the flame from dried hemp stems or candles to ignite the mugwort stem, which then lights the moxa cone. This method keeps the moxa sore moist, allowing it to heal without pain. Fires obtained from striking metal, hitting stones, drilling wood, or the "Eight Woods" should not be used. Shao Yong stated: "Fire has no fixed form; it takes form through objects." Fire from metal and stone is more intense than that from grass and trees, which is correct. The fires from the Eight Woods have specific drawbacks: Pine fire is difficult to cure diseases with; Cypress fire damages the spirit and causes excessive sweating; Mulberry fire damages muscles; Tzu tree fire damages Qi and vessels; Jujube fire causes internal blood depletion; Orange fire damages Ying and Wei (Nutritive and Defensive) meridians; Elm fire damages bones and causes loss of will; Bamboo fire damages tendons and harms the eyes.

For conditions such as phlegm-fire, bone-steaming consumption, tuberculosis (Lao Zhai), nocturnal emission, night sweats, and corpse-transmission diseases, it is suitable to moxibustate the Four Flowers acupoints and the Six Acupoints. Specifically: Gao Huang (BL43) bilateral, Shen Shu (BL23) bilateral, Fei Shu (BL13) bilateral, Zu San Li (ST36) bilateral, He Gu (LI4) bilateral, or Dan Zhong (CV17). As long as the acupoints are located accurately, there is no instance of ineffectiveness.

Cui treated bone-steaming consumption by applying this method immediately upon diagnosis, achieving universal efficacy. However, many physicians fail to locate the true acupoint positions, leading to errors. Herein is provided the accurate measurement method so that learners can understand at a glance without error.

First, take a thin string, approximately three to four chi long, impregnated with wax to prevent stretching or shrinking. Measure against the patient's sole, taking the left foot for males and the right foot for females. Start from the level of the big toe, along the center of the sole corresponding to the heel, extend backward along the calf紧贴 the flesh upwards to the middle horizontal crease of the knee bend, and cut the string. Then, have the patient untie their hair, parting it to both sides to fully expose the head seam. From the fontanelle (Baihui area), divide equally to the back of the head, and sit upright. Take one end of the previously cut string, align it with the Jiu Wei point (Xin Jian Lian He / xiphoid process), pull it upwards along the head seam to the back of the head, let it hang down紧贴 the flesh, and follow the spine downwards. Mark the point on the spine where the string ends with ink (this ink mark is not an acupoint). Alternatively, take a rice straw core. Have the patient close their mouth, place the straw horizontally across the mouth, extending to the corners of the lips. Lift the center of the straw to touch the root of the nose, forming a 'human' character shape. Cut the straw at the level of the two lip corners. Straighten the straw and place it horizontally on the previous ink mark on the spine. Measure from the center and mark both ends; these are the moxibustion points, named Huan Men (Gate of Illness) bilateral. Initially moxibustate 7 zhuang, accumulating up to 100 zhuang for excellent results. Initially, moxibustate only these two points.

Next, have the patient sit upright, slightly retracting the arms. Take a rope, wrap it around the neck forward, level with the Adam's apple (Jie Hou), and mark the Da Zhu (BL11) bone level with ink. Let the rope hang down doubly forward, cutting it at the level of the Jiu Wei point. Moxibustate the Jiu Wei point. Then flip the rope backward. Mark the point where the rope ends meet with ink (this is also not an acupoint). Take another rice straw core. Have the patient close their mouth, remaining still and without smiling. Measure horizontally across the two lip corners, cut the straw, and return to the ink mark on the back. Fold it in half and measure horizontally to mark both ends; these are the moxibustion points. Extend the straw vertically along the spine to mark upper and lower points; these are the moxibustion points, named Si Hua (Four Flowers). Initially moxibustate 7 zhuang, accumulating up to 100 zhuang until the sores heal. Repeat the previous method to moxibustate up to 100 zhuang, but for the two points on the spine, moxibustation must be minimal. Moxxibustate only 3-5 zhuang per session; excessive moxibustation may cause the person to hunch their back. When moxibustating these points, it is also advisable to moxibustate Zu San Li (ST36) to drain fire energy. For women who have bound their feet tightly, resulting in short stature, measuring the Huan Men points initially may be inaccurate. Instead, one may measure from the Jian Jing (GB21) point on the right shoulder紧贴 the flesh to the tip of the middle finger. However, it is better to simply moxibustate the Gao Huang (BL43) point, whose method is detailed later. Subsequently moxibustating the Si Hua points is also effective. I often see patients with early-stage illness who, when treated according to this method, achieve universal efficacy. Even for those with deep-rooted and entrenched diseases, following this method has led to complete recovery, let alone those in the early stages!