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Lord Di (Di Renjie) had a fondness for medicine and was particularly skilled in acupuncture. During the Xianqing era, while traveling to the capital on imperial summons, he saw a large sign by the road stating: "Whoever can cure this child shall be rewarded with one thousand bolts of silk." A wealthy family's son had a growth on the tip of his nose, resembling a stone the size of a fist, attached by a tendon-like root. He suffered severe pain and was in critical condition. Lord Di inserted an needle at the back of the patient's head, and the wart fell off immediately. The parents offered a cartload of fine silk as reward, but Lord Di ignored it and departed. (From *Ji Yi Ji*)

The Princess of Prince Li suffered from a throat abscess for several days. Swelling and pain were severe, preventing her from eating or drinking. When the summoned medical officials stated that incision with needles and knives was necessary to drain the pus, the princess cried and refused treatment due to fear of the instruments. Forced by pain, she could not even take in water or food. Suddenly, a folk physician proposed: "I do not use needles or knives; I will merely dip a brush tip in medicine and apply it to the abscess, which will burst instantly." The princess was delighted and ordered him to be summoned. After two applications, the sore ruptured, discharging over a cup of pus and blood, bringing immediate relief. Two days later, the wound healed. When ordered to provide the prescription, the physician explained that he simply tied a needle to the center of a brush and gently pricked the abscess to induce drainage, with no special formula involved. This illustrates the principle that "medicine lies in intent," relying on mental focus for efficacy. (From *Ming Yi Lu*)

In Linchuan, a man had a tumor growing between his cheeks, causing unbearable itching. Burning and moxibustion provided temporary relief, but the condition recurred, causing extreme suffering. A physician advised: "This is truly a 'louse tumor' and must be excised." The procedure involved wrapping oil paper around the top of the head, then using a bi stone (stone lancet) to pierce the tumor. Upon piercing, countless tiny lice emerged, followed by two large ones, one white and one black, each the size of a bean shell. They were hollow, contained no blood, and were unrelated to the cheek tissue. The area left no scar, except for a patch of pure white skin where the tumor had obstructed circulation. (From *Ding Zhi*)

Zhang Ji from Wuwei Jun was adept at acupuncture, having received secret instructions from an extraordinary person. He possessed the ability to visualize anatomical structures and meridians internally, making his technique flawless. During a famine and plague where cannibalism occurred, Zhang treated 170 patients; all cases treated with acupuncture showed immediate results. For instance, a pregnant woman whose abdomen deviated to the left after a fall was corrected by needling the fingers of the right hand. A chronic case of rectal prolapse was cured by needling the Baihui point (DU20) on the vertex. Cases of vomiting and inability to eat for days due to cold-induced regurgitation recovered immediately after needling the eye region. These methods were not recorded in ancient or modern formularies. Chen Yingzhong wrote a biography stating: "The Medicine King and Medicine Superior Bodhisattvas are excellent physicians of the world; they tasted hundreds of thousands of herbs and minerals, knowing their sour, salty, bland, sweet, and pungent flavors, thus attaining enlightenment through taste. This indicates that the practice of physicians distinguishing drug flavors today has ancient roots." (From *Shao Shi Wen Jian Lu*)