凡刺胸腹者，必避五脏。中心者远死，其动为噫；中肝者五日死，其动为语；中脾者十
日死
，其动为吞；中肾者六日死，其动为嚏；中肺者三日死，其动为咳；中胆者一日半死，其动
为呕；中鬲者皆为伤中，其病虽愈，不过一岁必死。刺避五藏者，知逆从也。所谓从者，
鬲与脾肾之处，不知者反之。刺跗上中大脉，血出不止死；刺面上中溜脉，不幸为盲；刺头
中脑户入脑立死；刺舌下中大脉太过，血出不止为喑；刺足下布络中脉，血不出为肿；刺
（委中穴）中大脉令人仆脱色；刺气冲中脉，血不出为肿，鼠仆刺脊间，中髓为伛；刺乳上中
乳房为肿根蚀；刺缺盆中内陷气泄，令人喘咳逆；刺手鱼腹中陷为肿。无刺大醉，令人气乱
；无刺大怒，令人气逆。无刺大劳人，无刺新饱人，无刺大渴人。病有胁下道二，二岁不已
，名曰息积。此不妨于食，不可灸刺。毋损不足者，身赢瘦，毋用 石也。刺阴股中大脉，
血出不止死；刺客主人内陷中脉，为内漏为聋；刺膝膑出液为跛；刺臂太阴脉出血多立死；
刺足少阴脉重虚，出血为舌难以言；刺膺中陷中肺为喘逆仰息。刺跗中内陷气归之不得屈伸
；刺阴股下三寸内陷，令人遗溺；刺腋下胁间内陷令人咳；刺小腹中膀胱溺出，令人小腹满
；刺 肠内陷为肿；刺匡上陷骨中脉为漏为盲；刺关节中液出不得屈伸。无刺 之热，无
刺浑浑之脉，无刺洒洒之汗，无刺病与脉相逆者。窥门而刺之者死于家中，入门而刺之者死
于堂上。新内勿刺，已刺勿内；已醉勿刺，已刺勿醉；新怒勿刺，已刺勿怒；新劳勿刺，已
刺勿劳；已饱勿刺，已刺勿饱；已饥勿刺，已刺勿饥；已渴勿刺，已刺勿渴。乘车来者卧而
休之
，如食顷乃刺之；出行来者坐而休之，如行十里顷乃刺之；大惊大恐，必定其气乃刺之。
凡是针刺胸腹部时，必须避开五脏。刺中心脏的，距离死亡较远，其症状表现为嗳气；刺中肝脏的，五日后死亡，其症状表现为多言；刺中脾脏的，十日后死亡，其症状表现为吞咽动作频繁；刺中肾脏的，六日后死亡，其症状表现为打喷嚏；刺中肺脏的，三日后死亡，其症状表现为咳嗽；刺中胆腑的，一日半后死亡，其症状表现为呕吐；刺中膈膜的，都会损伤中气，即使病症暂时痊愈，不超过一年也必然死亡。针刺时要避开五脏，关键在于懂得逆从的道理。所谓“从”，是指膈膜以及脾、肾所在的部位（此处指相对安全的浅刺或特定角度），不懂的人则会相反操作。
针刺足背上方如果刺中大血管，导致出血不止会致死；针刺面部如果刺中流注的脉络，不幸会导致失明；针刺头部如果刺中脑户穴并深入脑部，立即致死；针刺舌下如果刺中大血管且放血过多，出血不止会导致失音；针刺足底分布的络脉如果刺中血脉而血液排不出，会导致肿胀；针刺委中穴如果刺中大血管，使人昏倒面色苍白；针刺气冲穴如果刺中血管而血液排不出，会导致肿胀；鼠蹊部针刺脊柱间，如果刺中脊髓会导致驼背；针刺乳房上方刺中乳房组织，会导致根部化脓溃烂；针刺缺盆穴如果进针过深导致气泄，使人气喘咳嗽气逆；针刺手鱼际部位如果进针过深，会导致肿胀。
不要在大醉状态下针刺，这会使人气机紊乱；不要在盛怒状态下针刺，这会使人气机逆乱。不要对过度劳累的人针刺，不要对新近饱食的人针刺，不要对极度口渴的人针刺。疾病如果在胁下积聚成块，经过两年不愈，称为息积。这种病不影响饮食，不可用灸法或针刺治疗。不要损伤正气不足的人，对于身体消瘦虚弱的人，不要使用砭石疗法。
针刺大腿内侧如果刺中大血管，出血不止会致死；针刺客主人穴如果进针过深刺中脉络，会导致耳内漏脓甚至耳聋；针刺膝盖骨周围如果流出关节液，会导致跛行；针刺手太阴肺经穴位如果出血过多，立即致死；针刺足少阴肾经穴位如果造成重虚状态，出血会导致舌头僵硬难以言语；针刺胸部深处如果刺中肺脏，会导致气喘逆乱仰面呼吸。针刺足踝处如果进针过深导致气陷，使腿部无法屈伸；针刺大腿下方三寸处如果进针过深，会导致遗尿；针刺腋下胁间如果进针过深，会导致咳嗽；针刺小腹部如果刺中膀胱导致尿液流出，会导致小腹胀满；针刺肠道如果进针过深，会导致肿胀；针刺眼眶上方刺中骨骼间的脉络，会导致眼漏甚至失明；针刺关节如果导致关节液流出，会使关节无法屈伸。
不要在患者发高热时针刺，不要在脉象混乱无序时针刺，不要在患者战栗出汗时针刺，不要在病情与脉象相逆时针刺。从门缝里窥探着下针（意指诊断不明、手法轻率）的人，会死在家中；大摇大摆进门就下针（意指鲁莽行事）的人，会死在厅堂上。刚行房事的人不要针刺，已经针刺过的不要行房事；已经喝醉的人不要针刺，已经针刺过的不要喝酒；刚刚发怒的人不要针刺，已经针刺过的不要发怒；刚刚劳累的人不要针刺，已经针刺过的不要劳累；已经吃饱的人不要针刺，已经针刺过的不要进食；刚刚饥饿的人不要针刺，已经针刺过的不要保持饥饿；已经口渴的人不要针刺，已经针刺过的不要保持口渴。乘车来就诊的人，应让他躺下休息，大约一顿饭的时间后再进行针刺；步行来就诊的人，应让他坐下休息，大约行走十里路所需的时间后再进行针刺；受到大惊大恐刺激的人，必须待其气机安定后再进行针刺。
When needling the chest and abdomen, one must avoid the five Zang organs. A puncture of the heart results in death after a longer interval, with belching as the symptom; a puncture of the liver results in death in five days, with excessive talking as the symptom; a puncture of the spleen results in death in ten days, with frequent swallowing as the symptom; a puncture of the kidneys results in death in six days, with sneezing as the symptom; a puncture of the lungs results in death in three days, with coughing as the symptom; a puncture of the Gallbladder results in death in half a day, with vomiting as the symptom; a puncture of the diaphragm causes injury to the Middle Jiao (central Qi); even if the illness appears to heal, death will occur within a year. Avoiding the five Zang organs requires understanding the principles of following (concordance) and opposing (discordance). "Following" refers to the areas of the diaphragm and the locations of the spleen and kidneys (implying safer approaches or specific angles), whereas those who do not understand act contrary to this. Needling the large vessels on the dorsum pedis with unceasing bleeding leads to death; needling flowing vessels on the face may unfortunately cause blindness; needling the Naohu (GV17) point on the head penetrating into the brain causes immediate death; needling the large vessels under the tongue with excessive bleeding leading to unceasing hemorrhage causes aphonia; needling the collateral vessels distributed on the sole without allowing blood to exit causes swelling; needling the Weizhong (BL40) point and hitting a large vessel causes the person to collapse with pallor; needling the Qichong (ST30) point and hitting a vessel without blood exiting causes swelling; needling between the vertebrae near the groin and hitting the spinal marrow causes kyphosis; needling above the nipple into the breast tissue causes root abscessation and erosion; needling into the Quepen (LI12) point too deeply causing Qi leakage leads to asthma, cough, and rebellious Qi; needling into the Yuji (LU10) area on the hand too deeply causes swelling. Do not needle someone who is heavily intoxicated, as this disrupts Qi dynamics; do not needle someone who is extremely angry, as this causes Qi rebellion. Do not needle someone who is severely fatigued, someone who has just eaten a full meal, or someone who is excessively thirsty. Accumulations under the costal region persisting for two years are named Xiji (Breath Accumulation). This condition does not affect appetite and should not be treated with moxibustion or acupuncture. Do not injure those with deficiency; for those who are emaciated and weak, do not use Bian stones (lithotherapy). Needling large vessels in the medial thigh with unceasing bleeding leads to death; needling the Kerenzhuren (GB7) point too deeply into the vessel causes internal leakage and deafness; needling around the patella causing effusion leads to claudication; needling the Taiyin channel of the Hand with excessive bleeding leads to immediate death; needling the Shaoyin channel of the Foot causing severe deficiency and bleeding leads to tongue stiffness and difficulty speaking; needling deep into the Yingzhong (chest) and injuring the lung causes asthmatic breathing and dyspnea requiring an upright posture. Needling the ankle too deeply causing Qi sinking prevents flexion and extension; needling three cun below the medial thigh too deeply causes urinary incontinence; needling into the axilla and intercostal space too deeply causes cough; needling the lower abdomen and puncturing the bladder causing urine leakage leads to abdominal distension; needling into the intestines too deeply causes swelling; needling above the orbital rim into the bone and vessels causes lacrimal fistula or blindness; needling into joints causing effusion prevents flexion and extension. Do not needle when the patient has high fever; do not needle when the pulse is chaotic; do not needle when the patient is shivering and sweating; do not needle when the disease pattern contradicts the pulse. One who needles through a crack in the door (acting with caution but lack of insight) dies at home; one who enters the hall and needles recklessly dies in the hall. Do not needle immediately after sexual intercourse, and do not engage in intercourse after needling; do not needle after intoxication, and do not drink after needling; do not needle after anger, and do not become angry after needling; do not needle after fatigue, and do not exert oneself after needling; do not needle after a full meal, and do not eat after needling; do not needle when hungry, and do not remain hungry after needling; do not needle when thirsty, and do not remain thirsty after needling. Those who arrive by carriage should lie down and rest for about the duration of a meal before needling; those who arrive on foot should sit and rest for about the time it takes to walk ten li before needling; for those suffering from great fright or terror, wait until their Qi is stabilized before needling.