黄帝问曰∶天复地载，万物悉备，莫贵于人，人以天地之气生，四时之法成，君王众庶，尽欲全角，形
之疾病，莫知其情，留淫日深，着于骨髓，心私虑之。余欲针除其疾病，为之奈何？岐伯对曰∶夫盐之味咸者，
其气令器津泄；弦绝者，其音嘶败；木敷者，
其叶发；病深者，其声哕。人有此三者，是谓坏府，毒药无治，短针无取，此皆绝皮伤肉，血气争黑。帝曰∶
余念其痛，心为之乱惑反甚，其病不可更代，百姓闻之，以为残贼，为之奈何？岐伯曰∶夫人生于地，悬命于
天，天地合气，命之曰人。人能应四
时者，天地为之父母；知万物者，谓之天子。天有阴阳，人有十二节；天有寒暑，人有虚实。能经天地阴阳
之化者，不失四时；知十二节之理者，圣智不能欺也；能存八动之变，五胜更立；能达虚实之数者，独出独入，
吟至微，秋毫在目。帝曰∶人生有形，不离阴阳，天地合气，别为九野，分为四时，月有小大，日有短长，
万物并至，不可胜量，虚实 吟，敢问其方？岐伯曰∶木得金而伐，火得水而灭，土得木而达，金得火而缺，
水得土而绝，万物尽然，不可胜竭。故针有悬布天下者五，黔首共余食，莫知之也。一
曰治神，二曰知养身，三曰知毒药为真，四曰制砭石小大，五曰知腑脏血气之诊。五法俱立，各有
所先。今末世之刺也，虚者实之，满者泄之，此皆众工所共知也。若夫法天则地，随应而动，和之者若响，随
之者若影，道无鬼神，独来独往。帝曰∶愿闻其道。岐伯曰∶凡刺之真，必先治神，五脏已定，九候已备，
后乃存针，众脉不见，众凶弗闻，外内相得，无以形先，可玩往来，乃施于人。人有虚实，五虚勿近，五实
勿远，至其当发，间不容 。手动若务，针耀而匀，静意视义，观适之变，是谓冥冥，莫知其
形，见其乌乌，见其稷稷，从见其飞，不知其谁，伏如横弩，起如发机。帝曰∶何如而虚？何如而实？岐伯曰∶
刺实者须其虚，刺虚者须其实，经气已至，慎守勿失，深浅在志，远近若一，如临深渊，手如握虎，神无营于
众物。
黄帝问道：天覆盖于上，地承载于下，万物齐备，没有比人更宝贵的了。人依靠天地之气而生存，遵循四时规律而成长。无论是君王还是百姓，都想要保全形体、避免疾病，但人们对自己的身体疾病往往不了解其情状，导致病邪留滞浸淫日益加深，甚至附着于骨髓之中，这让我内心私下感到忧虑。我想用针刺来去除他们的疾病，该怎么做呢？
岐伯回答说：盐的味道之所以咸，是因为它能使容器渗出津液；琴弦如果断了，发出的声音就会嘶哑破败；树木如果枯朽腐烂，叶子就会脱落；病情深重的患者，会出现呃逆（打嗝）的症状。人有这三种表现，就称为脏腑败坏，此时用毒药无法治疗，用短针也无法取效，这是因为病邪已经损伤了皮肤肌肉，导致血气运行紊乱、色泽暗黑。
黄帝说：我怜悯病人的痛苦，心里因此感到混乱迷惑，甚至比病人还难受。这种病不能随意更换治疗方法，百姓听到后，认为医生是残暴有害的，对此该怎么办呢？
岐伯说：人产生于大地，生命悬系于上天，天地阴阳二气相合，才形成了人。人能顺应四时变化，天地就是他的父母；能通晓万物规律的人，被称为天子。天有阴阳，人有十二经脉（对应十二月）；天有寒暑变化，人有虚实证候。能够掌握天地阴阳变化规律的人，不会违背四时节气；懂得十二经脉道理的人，即使是圣智之人也不能欺骗他；能够洞察八动（八方之风或动态）的变化和五行相胜更替规律的人，能够独自出入于大道之中，吟咏探究至精微之处，如同观察秋毫之末一样清晰可见。
黄帝说：人生而有形，离不开阴阳。天地合气，划分为九野，分为四季，月亮有大小圆缺，太阳有长短昼夜，万物同时存在，数量不可胜数，虚实变化及细微征象，请问有什么方法呢？
岐伯说：金属遇到金则被砍伐，火遇到水则熄灭，土遇到木则通达（疏松），金遇到火则缺损，水遇到土则断绝（阻隔）。万物都是如此，不可穷尽。所以针刺之道可以悬挂于天下示人的原则有五条，百姓共同享用衣食，却不知道这其中的奥妙。第一是调治神志，第二是懂得养生，第三是懂得药物性味的真谛，第四是掌握砭石的大小规格，第五是懂得脏腑气血的诊断。这五种方法确立之后，各有侧重点。如今末世医生的针刺，虚证用补法使其充实，实证用泻法使其泄出，这些都是普通工匠所共知的。至于那些效法天地自然规律，随应而动，调和病患就像回声一样迅速响应，追随病机就像影子一样不离不弃的境界，其中没有鬼神参与，是医者独自往来于大道之中。
黄帝说：我希望听听这个道。
岐伯说：凡是针刺的真谛，必须先调治神志。在五脏状况确定、三部九候脉象准备周全之后，然后才考虑进针。对于众多的脉象不见异常，众多的凶险征兆不闻于耳，内外相应，不被外形所先入为主地束缚，可以熟练地把握经气往来，然后施针于人。人有虚实之分，五虚证不要靠近（指不可误补或需慎治），五实证不要远离（指不可误泻或需急治），到了应当发针的时候，时机不容延误。手操作要专注，针具要光亮且均匀，静心观察义理，观察得气的变化，这叫做“冥冥”之中，看不见具体形状，只见气聚如乌鸦聚集，气盛如禾苗茂盛，跟随气的流动像看飞鸟一样，不知其来源是谁。静止时像拉满的横弩，起针时像触动弓弩的发机。
黄帝说：怎样算是虚？怎样算是实？
岐伯说：刺实证必须等待其气虚（邪去正安），刺虚证必须等待其气实（正气来复）。经气已经到来，谨慎守护不要失误，深浅在于心志，远近感觉如一，如同面临深渊般小心，手像握住老虎般稳健，精神不要被众多事物所扰乱。
Huangdi asked: Heaven covers above, Earth supports below, all things are complete, and nothing is more precious than humans. Humans are born from the Qi of Heaven and Earth, and their formation follows the laws of the Four Seasons. Whether kings or commoners, everyone desires to preserve their form and avoid disease. However, people often do not understand the nature of diseases affecting their bodies, allowing pathogenic factors to linger and deepen over time, eventually attaching to the bone marrow. This causes me private concern. I wish to use acupuncture to eliminate these diseases; how should I proceed?
Qibo replied: The reason salt tastes salty is that its property causes moisture to exude from vessels; when a string breaks, its sound becomes hoarse and ruined; when wood rots, its leaves fall off; when a disease is deep-seated, the patient exhibits hiccups (Yue). If a person presents with these three signs, it is called "failure of the Zang-Fu organs." At this stage, medicinal drugs cannot cure it, and short needles are ineffective. This indicates that the skin and flesh have been damaged, and the Blood and Qi are chaotic and darkened.
Huangdi said: I pity the pain of the patients, and my mind becomes confused and disturbed, even more so than theirs. This disease cannot be treated arbitrarily, and if the people hear of such failures, they will consider the physicians cruel and harmful. What should be done?
Qibo said: Humans originate from the Earth, and their life is suspended from Heaven. When the Qi of Heaven and Earth combines, it is called "Human." Those who can align with the Four Seasons regard Heaven and Earth as their parents; those who understand the laws of all things are called "Son of Heaven" (Emperor). Heaven has Yin and Yang, and humans have twelve meridians (corresponding to the twelve months); Heaven has cold and heat, and humans have deficiency and excess patterns. One who can master the transformation of Heaven and Earth's Yin and Yang will not deviate from the Four Seasons; one who understands the principles of the twelve meridians cannot be deceived by even the wisest sages; one who can perceive the changes of the Eight Movements and the mutual overcoming of the Five Elements can enter and exit the Dao independently, chanting and exploring the subtlest details, seeing them as clearly as an autumn down.
Huangdi said: Humans have form, which does not depart from Yin and Yang. Heaven and Earth combine their Qi, dividing into Nine Regions and four seasons. The moon has waxing and waning, and the days have long and short lengths. All things arrive together, in numbers too great to count. Regarding the subtle manifestations of deficiency and excess, may I ask for the method?
Qibo said: Wood is felled by Metal, Fire is extinguished by Water, Earth is loosened by Wood, Metal is diminished by Fire, and Water is blocked by Earth. This applies to all things and cannot be exhausted. Therefore, there are five principles of acupuncture that can be displayed to the world, yet the common people share food and clothing without knowing them. First is regulating Shen (Spirit); second is knowing how to nourish the body; third is understanding the true nature of medicinal drugs; fourth is mastering the size and shape of bi-shi (stone needles); fifth is diagnosing the Zang-Fu organs and the state of Blood and Qi. Once these five methods are established, each has its priority. In modern times, practitioners treat deficiency by tonifying to make it full, and treat excess by draining to empty it. These are known to all ordinary craftsmen. However, regarding the principle of modeling after Heaven and Earth, responding dynamically, harmonizing with the patient like an echo, and following the pathology like a shadow—there are no ghosts or spirits involved; it is a solitary journey through the Dao.
Huangdi said: I wish to hear about this Dao.
Qibo said: The essence of acupuncture requires first regulating the Shen. After the condition of the five Zang organs is determined and the nine pulse positions are prepared, only then should one contemplate the needle insertion. When the myriad pulses show no abnormality and no ominous signs are heard, and internal and external factors are in harmony, without being misled by superficial forms, one can skillfully manipulate the flow of Qi and then apply treatment to the patient. Humans present with deficiency or excess patterns; one should not approach the "Five Deficiencies" lightly, nor stay away from the "Five Excesses." When the moment for needling arrives, there is no room for delay. Hand movements must be focused, needles bright and uniform. Calmly observe the meaning, watch for changes in Deqi (arrival of Qi). This is called "Mingming" (obscure/subtle), where the form is unknown. One sees Qi gathering like crows, Qi surging like grain, following its flight like birds, unaware of its source. Stillness resembles a drawn crossbow; action resembles releasing the trigger.
Huangdi asked: How does one identify deficiency? How does one identify excess?
Qibo said: To treat excess, wait until the pathogenic Qi subsides (becomes deficient); to treat deficiency, wait until the Healthy Qi returns (becomes sufficient). Once the Jing-Qi (Meridian Qi) has arrived, guard it carefully and do not lose it. Depth is determined by intention, and distance feels uniform. Proceed with caution as if facing an abyss, holding the hand steady as if grasping a tiger, and let the Shen not be distracted by external objects.