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When the universe first opened, the dark and light separated; the clear qi ascended to form Heaven, and the turbid qi descended to form Earth. The harmonious qi gave birth to humans, who are the most precious among all things. Humans invariably inherit the measure of Yin and Yang, becoming the spiritual essence of Heaven and Earth.

The human head is round like the vault of Heaven, and the feet are square like the Earth. The five Zang organs correspond to the Five Great Mountains (Wuyue), and the nine orifices correspond to the Nine Provinces (Jiuzhou). The four limbs correspond to the Four Seasons, and the six Fu organs correspond to the Six Pitch-pipes (Liulü). Vision is akin to the Sun and Moon, respiration like wind and clouds. The flow of Qi and Blood resembles rivers and lakes, while hair and nails resemble vegetation. Although the physical body is inherited from parents, its overall form takes imagery from Qian and Kun (Heaven and Earth). Life is so precious; how can destiny be treated lightly? Therefore, in the way of establishing oneself, helping others comes first; in the suitability for preserving longevity, treating disease is essential.

Herbs possess the power to dispel pathogens. Acupuncture and moxibustion clarify the Shu (Transport) and Mu (Alarm) points of Yin and Yang meridians, exhaust the profound mysteries of meridian circulation, distinguish the origins of acupoints, serve as the balance for Zang and Fu organs, and act as the vital passages of meridians. Now, we collect their essences and remove the superfluous. These are experiences witnessed with our own eyes and verified by our own hands with miraculous effects. Books record disease sources to know treatments, and diagrams of the human body prevent discrepancies. We also compile the pediatric Mingtang charts and arrange them subsequently, hoping that both young and old may walk on the path of peace, allowing both Huaxia (Chinese) and Yidi (barbarians) to return to the realm of longevity.

The *Mingtang Jing* of Qibo states: "Eight cun make one chi, and eight fen make one cun." Because people vary in height and build, acupoint location may be inaccurate. The *Mingtang Jing* of Bian Que from the Qin Dynasty states: "Take the middle finger of the left hand for men and the right hand for women; if one segment equals one cun." This is because some people have long bodies and short hands, or short bodies and long hands, leading to inaccurate acupoint location. The *Mingtang Jing* of Sun Simiao from the Tang Dynasty states: "Take the transverse crease of the first joint of the thumb of the left hand for male patients and the right hand for female patients as one cun," relying on mental deliberation, where skill varies by person, and errors may occur. Currently, we adopt the method of taking the distance between the two transverse creases of the second joint of the middle finger of the left hand for men and the right hand for women as one cun. From now on, follow this method when applying moxibustion to people.

Whenever performing acupuncture or moxibustion, the body must be kept straight, and the four limbs should not be curled. When seated, avoid leaning forward or backward; when standing, avoid tilting. If the acupoint is not positioned correctly during moxibustion, it yields no benefit but merely burns healthy flesh, causing unnecessary pain. For diseases, treat the upper part first, then the lower part; treat fewer areas first, then more areas.

When applying fire for moxibustion, the red glow under the base of the moxa cone should be three fen wide. If not three fen, the acupoint will not be centered, and it will not align with the meridians. This is due to the Ying (Nutritive) and Wei (Defensive) ...

Since ancient times, using fire for moxibustion has prohibited eight types of wood fire, which must be avoided. The eight woods are: Pine wood fire is difficult to cure and increases illness; Cypress wood fire damages the spirit and causes excessive sweating; Bamboo wood fire injures ... Wei Meridian ...

There is a fire pearl shining on the sun; catching it with mugwort produces fire. This kind of fire is excellent for moxibustion. Ordinary people find it difficult to prepare. Secondly, there is sunlight shining on the sun; guiding it with mugwort ... prohibition. (Better) Various tribes know the prohibitions of these eight wood fires. They strike Peng stone with Bing iron to generate fire, guide it with mugwort, and then apply moxibustion.

Whenever performing moxibustion, if heavy fog rises, snow and wind descend rapidly, or there is heavy rain, intense heat, thunder, lightning, or rainbows, pause temporarily. Wait until the weather clears and brightens before applying fire again. During moxibustion, do not perform it when overly full or extremely hungry. Avoid alcohol, raw, cold, or hard foods. Also prohibit thinking, worrying, sorrow, anger, cursing, sighing, and any other inauspicious matters.

Whenever moxibusting the head and four limbs, do not apply too much. This is because the human body has 365 collaterals, all converging at the head, which is the meeting place of all Yang meridians. If moxibusted too much ... Fire Qi ...

Whenever moxibusting the hairline, if the patient's hairline is neat, follow the description in the Mingtang to easily locate acupoints. If the patient previously suffered from a disease and subsequently lost all hair ... three cun ...

Whenever applying moxibustion to treat diseases, regardless of the seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter), although the number of moxa cones is sufficient, if a sore develops and suppurates (pus forms and breaks), the disease will heal. If a sore does not develop and suppurate ... disease ... spontaneous ...