横寸∶膺部、腹部并用乳间横折作八寸。腹部应有横寸,悉根据上法。
直寸∶中行心蔽骨下至脐共折作八寸。人若无心蔽骨者,取歧骨下至脐心,共折九寸取
脐中至毛际横骨,折作五寸。
天突至膻中为准,折作六寸八分,下行一寸六分,为中庭。上取天突,下至中庭,共折
作八寸四分。
并用同身寸取之。
臣瑾曰∶夫针灸有劫病之功者,在于手法而已。倘穴不得其真,功罔奏矣;穴得真矣,
补泻不得其道,亦徒然矣。
宏纲先生有曰∶世俗所谓补泻之法,补者,以大指向外;泻者,以大指向内,此谬之甚
世医之所谓泻,针法之所谓补也;其补者,针法之所谓泻也。孰不知补泻之法,体之左,有
左补泻之法;右,有右补泻之法,随气血所行而治之。不合其理,孰为其治?又曰∶《素问
》内言针而不灸,灸而不针。庸医针而复灸,灸而复针。后之医者不明轩歧之道,针而复灸
,灸而复针者有之。孰不知书中所言某穴在某处,或针几分,灸几壮。此言若用针,当用几
分;若用灸,当灸几壮。谓其穴灸者不可复针,针者不可复灸。今之医者,凡灸必先灸三壮
,乃用针,复灸数壮谓之透,火艾之说是,不识书中之意,不明轩歧之旨,深可慨也。传曰
∶愚而好自用,良有以也。昔宏纲先生亦常言,惟腹上用针,随灸数壮,以固其穴亦可,他
处忌之,不可以一例用之。此医家权变之说也,不可不知。
Horizontal Cun: For the chest (Ying) and abdomen (Fu), the horizontal distance between the nipples is measured as eight cun. The abdomen should have horizontal measurements, all based on the above method.
Vertical Cun: From below the xiphoid process (Xinbi Gu) to the umbilicus along the midline is measured as eight cun. If a person lacks a xiphoid process, the distance from the sternal angle (Qigu) to the center of the umbilicus is measured as nine cun. From the center of the umbilicus to the pubic symphysis (Maoji Henggu) is measured as five cun.
From Tiantu (CV22) to Danzhong (CV17) is measured as six cun and eight fen; moving down one cun and six fen defines Zhongting (CV16). From Tiantu (CV22) upwards to Zhongting (CV16), the total measurement is eight cun and four fen.
All these measurements are taken using the "same-body inch" (Tongshen Cun) method.
Minister Liu Jin stated: The efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion in removing disease lies solely in the manipulation techniques. If the acupoints are not located accurately, no therapeutic effect will be achieved; even if the acupoints are accurate, if the tonification and sedation methods are not applied correctly, it will also be futile.
Master Honggang said: The so-called tonification and sedation methods commonly known among the secular world, where tonification is defined by pushing the thumb outward and sedation by pushing the thumb inward, is extremely erroneous. What the general physicians call sedation is actually the tonification method in needle technique; what they call tonification is actually the sedation method in needle technique. Who does not know that for the left side of the body, there are left-side tonification and sedation methods, and for the right side, there are right-side methods, which should be treated according to the flow of Qi and Blood? If it does not conform to reason, who can cure the disease? Furthermore, it is stated in *Suwen* that some passages mention needling without moxibustion, and others mention moxibustion without needling. Quack doctors often combine both, alternating between needles and moxa. Later physicians, failing to understand the teachings of Huangdi and Qibo, resort to combining needles and moxa indiscriminately. Who does not realize that when the text states an acupoint is at a certain location, or specifies needling depth in fen or moxa moxibustion in zhuang, it implies conditional usage: if needling is used, apply the specified fen; if moxibustion is used, apply the specified zhuang. It means that if an acupoint is indicated for moxibustion, it should not be needled; if indicated for needling, it should not be moxibusted. However, current physicians, whenever performing moxibustion, invariably burn three zhuang first, then use needles, and then burn several more zhuang, calling this "penetration." While this practice aligns with the nature of mugwort fire, it fails to grasp the original intent of the texts and the profound principles of Huangdi and Qibo, which is deeply lamentable. As the saying goes, "The foolish love to act on their own presumptions," which is indeed justified. In the past, Master Honggang also often stated that only on the abdomen, when using needles, may one follow with a few zhuang of moxibustion to secure the acupoint; this is contraindicated elsewhere and cannot be applied uniformly. This represents the flexible adaptation of medical practitioners, a knowledge that must not be ignored.