黄帝问曰∶愿闻刺要。岐伯对曰∶病有浮沉，刺有浅深，各至其理，无过其道，过之则
内伤，不及则生外壅，壅则邪从之。浅深不及，反为大贼，内伤五脏，后生大病。故曰，
病有在毫毛腠理者，有在皮肤者，有在肌肉者，有在脉者，有在筋者，有在骨者，有在髓者
。是故刺毫毛腠理无伤皮，皮伤则内动肺，肺动则秋病温疟，热厥，淅然寒栗。刺皮无伤肉
，肉伤则内动脾，脾动则七十二日四季之月，病腹胀烦满，不嗜食。刺肉无伤脉，脉伤则内
动心，心动则夏病心痛。刺脉无伤筋，筋伤则内动肝，肝动则春病热而筋弛。刺筋无伤骨，
骨伤则内动肾，肾动则冬病胀腰痛。刺骨无伤髓，髓伤则消泺 酸，体解酸然
不去矣。
神庭禁不可刺。上关禁不可刺深（深则令人耳无所闻）。颅息刺不可多出血。左角刺不
可久留，人迎刺过深杀人。云门刺不可深（深则使人逆息不能食）。脐中禁不可刺。伏兔禁不
可刺（本穴云刺入五分）。三阳络禁不可刺。复留刺无多见血。承筋禁不可刺。然谷刺无多见
血。乳中禁不可刺。鸠尾禁不可刺。
上刺禁。
头维禁不可灸。承光禁不可灸。脑户禁不可灸，风府禁不可灸。喑门禁不可灸（灸之令
人喑）。下关耳中有干糙，（一作 ）。禁不可灸。耳门耳中有脓，禁不可灸。人迎禁
不可灸。丝竹空禁不可灸（灸之不幸令人目小或盲）。承泣禁不可灸。脊中禁不可灸（灸之
使人偻）。白环俞禁不可灸。乳中禁不可灸。石门女子禁不可灸。气街禁不可灸（灸之不幸不得
息）。渊腋禁不可灸。（灸之不幸生肿蚀）。经渠禁不可灸（伤人神）。鸠尾禁不可灸。阴市禁不
可灸。阳关禁不可灸。天府禁不可灸。（使人逆息）。伏兔禁不可灸。地五会禁不可灸（使人瘦）
。脉禁不可灸。
上灸禁。
凡刺之道，必中气穴，无中肉节，中气穴则针游于巷，中肉节则皮肤痛。补泻反则病益
笃。中筋则筋缓，邪气不出，与真相搏，乱而不去，反还内着，用针不审，以顺为逆也。凡
刺之理，补泻无过其度。病与脉逆者，无刺。形肉已夺，是一夺也。大夺血之后，是二夺也
。大夺汗之后，是三夺也。大泄之后，是四夺也。新产及大下血，是五夺也。此皆不可泻也
。
曰∶针能杀生人，不能起死人乎？曰∶能杀生人不起死，生者是人之所受气谷，谷之
所注者胃也。胃者，水谷气血之海也。海之所行云雨者，天下也。胃之所出气血者，经隧
也。经隧者，五脏六腑之大络也。逆而夺之而已矣。迎之五里，中道而止，五至而已，五往
（一作注）而脏之气尽矣。故五五二十五而竭其俞矣。此所谓夺其天气。故曰窥门而刺之
者，死于家；入门而刺之者，死于堂。帝曰∶请传之后世，以为刺禁。
黄帝问道：我想听听针刺的要领。岐伯回答说：疾病有在表在里的区别，针刺就有浅刺和深刺的不同，必须各达到其应有的深度，不要超过限度。如果刺得过深，就会内伤脏腑；如果刺得不够深，就会产生外部的壅滞，壅滞则邪气乘虚而入。深浅不当，反而成为大的祸害，内伤五脏，随后引发大病。所以说，病有的在毫毛腠理（皮肤纹理及汗孔），有的在皮肤，有的在肌肉，有的在脉，有的在筋，有的在骨，有的在髓。因此，刺毫毛腠理时不要伤及皮肤，若伤及皮肤，就会内动肺气，肺气受损则在秋季发生温疟、热厥，并伴有战栗发冷的症状。刺皮肤时不要伤及肌肉，若伤及肌肉，就会内动脾气，脾气受损则在四季交替的七十二天内，出现腹胀、烦满、食欲不振的症状。刺肌肉时不要伤及血脉，若伤及血脉，就会内动心气，心气受损则在夏季发生心痛。刺血脉时不要伤及筋腱，若伤及筋腱，就会内动肝气，肝气受损则在春季发生发热且筋弛缓无力。刺筋腱时不要伤及骨骼，若伤及骨骼，就会内动肾气，肾气受损则在冬季发生腹胀和腰痛。刺骨骼时不要伤及骨髓，若伤及骨髓，就会出现腿胫酸软无力、身体懈怠沉重的症状。
神庭穴禁止针刺。上关穴禁止深刺（深刺会导致听力丧失）。颅息穴针刺不可使出血过多。左角穴针刺不可留针时间过长。人迎穴针刺过深会致人死亡。云门穴针刺不可过深（过深会导致气息逆乱、不能进食）。脐中穴禁止针刺。伏兔穴禁止针刺（本穴说明刺入五分）。三阳络穴禁止针刺。复溜穴针刺不可见血过多。承筋穴禁止针刺。然谷穴针刺不可见血过多。乳中穴禁止针刺。鸠尾穴禁止针刺。
以上是针刺禁忌。
头维穴禁止艾灸。承光穴禁止艾灸。脑户穴禁止艾灸，风府穴禁止艾灸。喑门穴禁止艾灸（艾灸会导致失音）。下关穴若耳中有干燥粗糙感，禁止艾灸。耳门穴若耳中有脓液，禁止艾灸。人迎穴禁止艾灸。丝竹空穴禁止艾灸（不幸艾灸可能导致眼睛变小或失明）。承泣穴禁止艾灸。脊中穴禁止艾灸（艾灸会导致驼背）。白环俞穴禁止艾灸。乳中穴禁止艾灸。石门穴对女子禁止艾灸。气街穴禁止艾灸（不幸艾灸可能导致呼吸急促或窒息）。渊腋穴禁止艾灸（不幸艾灸可能导致生疮溃烂）。经渠穴禁止艾灸（损伤神气）。鸠尾穴禁止艾灸。阴市穴禁止艾灸。阳关穴禁止艾灸。天府穴禁止艾灸（导致气息逆乱）。伏兔穴禁止艾灸。地五会穴禁止艾灸（导致消瘦）。脉禁穴禁止艾灸。
以上是艾灸禁忌。
大凡针刺的道理，必须准确刺中腧穴，不要刺中肉节。刺中腧穴则针感如游走在巷道中般顺畅，刺中肉节则会引起皮肤疼痛。补法和泻法用反了，病情就会加重。刺中筋腱则导致筋弛缓，邪气无法排出，与正气相互搏结，混乱而不离去，反而向内附着。使用针法如果不审慎，就是把顺治变成了逆治。大凡针刺的原理，补泻不能超过限度。病症与脉象相逆的，不要针刺。形体肌肉已经极度衰败的，这是一夺（第一次夺气）。大量失血之后的，是二夺。大量出汗之后的，是三夺。剧烈泄泻之后的，是四夺。刚分娩后及大量下血的，是五夺。这些情况都不可用泻法。
问：针刺能杀死活人，难道不能让死人复活吗？答：针刺能杀死活人但不能让死人复活。活着的人是因为接受了水谷之气，而水谷注入的地方是胃。胃是水谷气血的海洋。海洋所化生的云雨遍布天下。胃所化生的气血通过经络隧道运行。经络隧道是五脏六腑的大络。如果逆着经络夺取正气罢了。迎香穴旁的五里穴，如果在途中停止，刺五次也就罢了；但如果连续刺五次（一作注），脏气就会耗尽。所以五五二十五次就会竭尽腧穴的气血。这就是所谓的剥夺人的先天元气。所以说，从门外窥视而刺入的，死在家里；进门深入而刺入的，死在大堂。黄帝说：请把这段内容传给后世，作为针刺的禁忌。
Yellow Emperor asked, saying: I wish to hear about the essentials of acupuncture. Qibo replied, saying: Diseases have superficial and deep locations; acupuncture has shallow and deep techniques. Each must reach its proper depth without exceeding the limit. Exceeding it causes internal injury; falling short causes external stagnation, through which pathogenic factors enter. Improper depth becomes a great harm, injuring the five Zang organs internally and subsequently generating severe diseases. Therefore it is said that diseases may be located in the hair follicles and interstices (pores and skin texture), in the skin, in the muscles, in the vessels, in the sinews, in the bones, or in the marrow. Thus, when needling the hair follicles and interstices, do not injure the skin; if the skin is injured, it moves the Lung Qi internally, leading to warm malaria, heat jue, and shivering chills in autumn. When needling the skin, do not injure the flesh; if the flesh is injured, it moves the Spleen Qi internally, leading to abdominal distension, fullness, irritability, and loss of appetite during the seventy-two days of the four seasons' transition months. When needling the flesh, do not injure the vessels; if the vessels are injured, it moves the Heart Qi internally, leading to heart pain in summer. When needling the vessels, do not injure the sinews; if the sinews are injured, it moves the Liver Qi internally, leading to heat and flaccid sinews in spring. When needling the sinews, do not injure the bones; if the bones are injured, it moves the Kidney Qi internally, leading to abdominal distension and lower back pain in winter. When needling the bones, do not injure the marrow; if the marrow is injured, it leads to soreness and weakness in the legs and thighs, and a feeling of bodily heaviness and lassitude that does not go away.
Shenting (GV24) is forbidden for needling. Shangguan (ST3) is forbidden for deep needling (deep needling causes hearing loss). Luanxi (TE18) should not be needled to cause excessive bleeding. Zuojiao (EX-HN6) should not retain the needle for long. Renying (ST9) needled too deeply can kill. Yunmen (LU2) should not be needled deeply (deep needling causes reverse flow of Qi and inability to eat). Qizhong (CV12) is forbidden for needling. Futu (ST32) is forbidden for needling (this point indicates insertion of 5 fen). Sanyangluo (TE7) is forbidden for needling. Fuliu (KI7) should not show excessive bleeding. Chengjin (BL57) is forbidden for needling. RanGu (KI2) should not show excessive bleeding. Ruzhong (CV13) is forbidden for needling. Jiutui (CV15) is forbidden for needling.
The above are contraindications for needling.
Touwei (ST8) is forbidden for moxibustion. Chengguang (GB7) is forbidden for moxibustion. Naohu (GV17) is forbidden for moxibustion, Fengfu (GV16) is forbidden for moxibustion. Yanmen (DU19) is forbidden for moxibustion (moxibustion causes aphonia). Xiaguan (ST7) with dry roughness in the ear is forbidden for moxibustion. Ermen (TE21) with pus in the ear is forbidden for moxibustion. Renying (ST9) is forbidden for moxibustion. Sizhukong (TE23) is forbidden for moxibustion (unfortunately, moxibustion may cause eyes to become small or blind). Chengqi (ST1) is forbidden for moxibustion. Jizhong (GV11) is forbidden for moxibustion (moxibustion causes kyphosis). Baihuanshu (BL80) is forbidden for moxibustion. Ruzhong (CV13) is forbidden for moxibustion. Shimen (CV5) is forbidden for moxibustion in women. Qijie (ST30) is forbidden for moxibustion (unfortunately, moxibustion may cause suffocation). Yuanye (SI9) is forbidden for moxibustion (unfortunately, moxibustion may cause swelling and ulceration). Jingqu (LU8) is forbidden for moxibustion (injures Shen). Jiutui (CV15) is forbidden for moxibustion. Yinshi (ST33) is forbidden for moxibustion. Yangguan (BL23) is forbidden for moxibustion. Tianfu (LU3) is forbidden for moxibustion (causes reverse flow of Qi). Futu (ST32) is forbidden for moxibustion. Diwuhui (ST41) is forbidden for moxibustion (causes emaciation). Maijin (PC4) is forbidden for moxibustion.
The above are contraindications for moxibustion.
In general, the principle of needling requires hitting the acupoint accurately, not the muscle joints. Hitting the acupoint allows the needle sensation to flow freely like in an alley; hitting the muscle joint causes skin pain. If tonification and sedation are reversed, the disease worsens. Needling into the sinews causes flaccidity, preventing the expulsion of pathogenic factors, which then contend with healthy Qi, causing chaos and remaining inside, attaching themselves. Inaccurate use of needles turns compliance into rebellion. The principles of needling require that tonification and sedation do not exceed appropriate limits. If the disease contradicts the pulse, do not needle. If the form and flesh are already exhausted, this is the first depletion. After massive blood loss, this is the second depletion. After massive sweating, this is the third depletion. After severe diarrhea, this is the fourth depletion. After new childbirth and massive uterine bleeding, this is the fifth depletion. These conditions are all unsuitable for sedation techniques.
It was asked: Can needling kill living people but cannot revive the dead? It was answered: Needling can kill living people but cannot revive the dead. Living people receive Qi from grain and water, which enters the Stomach. The Stomach is the sea of grain, water, Qi, and Blood. Just as the sea generates clouds and rain over the world, the Stomach generates Qi and Blood which travel through the meridians and collaterals. The meridians and collaterals are the major network of the five Zang and six Fu organs. One merely reverses and deprives them. At Wuli (LI4 vicinity/TE2 area context implies specific dangerous points like Wuli LI21 or similar critical junctions often cited in classics, here likely referring to a critical point where Qi is easily depleted), stopping midway after five insertions is acceptable; but five successive withdrawals/strokes exhaust the Qi of the Zang organs. Thus, twenty-five insertions exhaust the Shu points. This is called depriving one's heavenly Qi. Therefore it is said: He who pierces from outside the door dies at home; he who pierces entering the hall dies in the hall. The Yellow Emperor said: Please transmit this to posterity as the contraindications for needling.