横寸∶膺部、腹部并用乳间横折作八寸。腹部应有横寸,悉根据上法。
直寸∶中行心蔽骨下至脐共折作八寸。人若无心蔽骨者,取歧骨下至脐心,共折九寸取
脐中至毛际横骨,折作五寸。
天突至膻中为准,折作六寸八分,下行一寸六分,为中庭。上取天突,下至中庭,共折
作八寸四分。
并用同身寸取之。
臣瑾曰∶夫针灸有劫病之功者,在于手法而已。倘穴不得其真,功罔奏矣;穴得真矣,
补泻不得其道,亦徒然矣。
宏纲先生有曰∶世俗所谓补泻之法,补者,以大指向外;泻者,以大指向内,此谬之甚
世医之所谓泻,针法之所谓补也;其补者,针法之所谓泻也。孰不知补泻之法,体之左,有
左补泻之法;右,有右补泻之法,随气血所行而治之。不合其理,孰为其治?又曰∶《素问
》内言针而不灸,灸而不针。庸医针而复灸,灸而复针。后之医者不明轩歧之道,针而复灸
,灸而复针者有之。孰不知书中所言某穴在某处,或针几分,灸几壮。此言若用针,当用几
分;若用灸,当灸几壮。谓其穴灸者不可复针,针者不可复灸。今之医者,凡灸必先灸三壮
,乃用针,复灸数壮谓之透,火艾之说是,不识书中之意,不明轩歧之旨,深可慨也。传曰
∶愚而好自用,良有以也。昔宏纲先生亦常言,惟腹上用针,随灸数壮,以固其穴亦可,他
处忌之,不可以一例用之。此医家权变之说也,不可不知。
横寸:胸部和腹部均取两乳之间横向折量作为八寸。腹部应当有横寸的度量,全部依据上述方法。
直寸:身体正中线从心口剑突下至肚脐共折量为八寸。如果人没有心口剑突,则取歧骨(胸剑联合)下至肚脐中心,共折量为九寸。取肚脐中至耻骨联合上缘(毛际横骨),折量为五寸。
从天突穴到膻中穴,折量为六寸八分;向下行一寸六分,定为中庭穴。向上取天突穴,向下至中庭穴,共折量为八寸四分。
以上度量均采用同身寸法进行测量。
臣刘瑾说:针灸之所以有祛除疾病的功效,关键在于手法。如果穴位找得不准确,功效就无法显现;即使穴位找得准确,如果补泻手法不得其道,也是徒劳无功。
宏纲先生说:世俗所谓的补泻方法,认为补法是拇指向外推,泻法是拇指向内推,这是非常荒谬的。世医所说的泻法,其实是针法中的补法;他们所说的补法,其实是针法中的泻法。谁不知道补泻之法,左侧有左侧的补泻法,右侧有右侧的补泻法,应随着气血运行的规律来治疗。如果不合乎道理,谁能治好病呢?又说:《素问》书中记载有的只言针刺而不言艾灸,有的只言艾灸而不言针刺。庸医往往既用针又用灸,先灸后针或先针后灸交替使用。后来的医生不明白黄帝岐伯的医学道理,出现既用针又用灸、交替使用的情况。谁不知道书中说的某个穴位在某个位置,或者针刺几分,或者艾灸几壮。这句话的意思是,如果用针,应该刺几分;如果用灸,应该灸几壮。意思是说,这个穴位如果是用来灸的,就不可以再针刺;如果是用来针刺的,就不可以再艾灸。现在的医生,凡是艾灸必定先灸三壮,然后再用针,之后再灸几壮,称之为“透”,这种说法虽然符合火艾的操作习惯,但不理解书中的本意,不明白黄帝岐伯的宗旨,实在令人感慨。古书说:“愚昧的人喜欢自以为是”,确实是有原因的。过去宏纲先生也常说,只有在腹部使用针刺时,可以随灸几壮以巩固穴位效果,其他部位忌讳这样做,不能一概而论。这是医家灵活变通的说法,不可不知道。
Horizontal Cun: For the chest (Ying) and abdomen (Fu), the horizontal distance between the nipples is measured as eight cun. The abdomen should have horizontal measurements, all based on the above method.
Vertical Cun: From below the xiphoid process (Xinbi Gu) to the umbilicus along the midline is measured as eight cun. If a person lacks a xiphoid process, the distance from the sternal angle (Qigu) to the center of the umbilicus is measured as nine cun. From the center of the umbilicus to the pubic symphysis (Maoji Henggu) is measured as five cun.
From Tiantu (CV22) to Danzhong (CV17) is measured as six cun and eight fen; moving down one cun and six fen defines Zhongting (CV16). From Tiantu (CV22) upwards to Zhongting (CV16), the total measurement is eight cun and four fen.
All these measurements are taken using the "same-body inch" (Tongshen Cun) method.
Minister Liu Jin stated: The efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion in removing disease lies solely in the manipulation techniques. If the acupoints are not located accurately, no therapeutic effect will be achieved; even if the acupoints are accurate, if the tonification and sedation methods are not applied correctly, it will also be futile.
Master Honggang said: The so-called tonification and sedation methods commonly known among the secular world, where tonification is defined by pushing the thumb outward and sedation by pushing the thumb inward, is extremely erroneous. What the general physicians call sedation is actually the tonification method in needle technique; what they call tonification is actually the sedation method in needle technique. Who does not know that for the left side of the body, there are left-side tonification and sedation methods, and for the right side, there are right-side methods, which should be treated according to the flow of Qi and Blood? If it does not conform to reason, who can cure the disease? Furthermore, it is stated in *Suwen* that some passages mention needling without moxibustion, and others mention moxibustion without needling. Quack doctors often combine both, alternating between needles and moxa. Later physicians, failing to understand the teachings of Huangdi and Qibo, resort to combining needles and moxa indiscriminately. Who does not realize that when the text states an acupoint is at a certain location, or specifies needling depth in fen or moxa moxibustion in zhuang, it implies conditional usage: if needling is used, apply the specified fen; if moxibustion is used, apply the specified zhuang. It means that if an acupoint is indicated for moxibustion, it should not be needled; if indicated for needling, it should not be moxibusted. However, current physicians, whenever performing moxibustion, invariably burn three zhuang first, then use needles, and then burn several more zhuang, calling this "penetration." While this practice aligns with the nature of mugwort fire, it fails to grasp the original intent of the texts and the profound principles of Huangdi and Qibo, which is deeply lamentable. As the saying goes, "The foolish love to act on their own presumptions," which is indeed justified. In the past, Master Honggang also often stated that only on the abdomen, when using needles, may one follow with a few zhuang of moxibustion to secure the acupoint; this is contraindicated elsewhere and cannot be applied uniformly. This represents the flexible adaptation of medical practitioners, a knowledge that must not be ignored.