（《灵枢·官针篇》）
凡刺有九，以应九变。一曰输刺，输刺者，刺诸经荥输脏 也。（诸经荥输，凡井荥经合之类皆 也。脏 ，背间
之
脏腑 也。本经输、 、俞三字皆通用。）二曰远道刺，远道刺者，病在上，取之下，刺腑 也。（腑 ，谓足太阳膀胱
经、足阳明胃经、足少阳胆经。十二经中，惟此三经最远，可以因下取上，故曰远道刺。）三曰经刺，经刺者，刺大经之
结络经分也。（刺结络者，因其结聚而直取之，所谓解结也。）四曰络刺，络刺者，刺小络之血脉也。（《调经论》曰∶病
在血，调之络。《经脉篇》曰∶诸刺络脉者，必刺其结上，甚血者虽无结，急取之以泻其邪而出其血，留之发为痹也。）
五曰分刺，分刺者，刺分肉之间也。（刺分肉者，泄肌肉之邪也。）六曰大泻刺，大泻刺者，刺大脓以铍针也。（治痈疡也。）
七曰毛刺，毛刺者，刺浮痹皮肤也。（其治在浅也。）八曰巨刺，巨刺者，左取右，右取左。（邪客于经而有移易者，以巨
刺治之。详见后三十。）九曰 刺， 刺者，刺燔针则取痹也。（谓烧针而刺也，即后世火针之属，取寒痹者用之，以上
谓之九变。 音翠。燔音凡。）
凡刺有十二节，以应十二经。一曰偶刺，偶刺者，以手直心若背，直痛所，一刺前，一刺后，以治心痹，刺此者旁
针之也。（偶，两也。前后各一，故曰偶刺。直，当也。以手直心若背，谓前心后心，当其痛所，各用一针治之。然须斜
针以刺其旁，恐中心则死也。）二曰报刺，报刺者，刺痛无常处也，上下行者，直内无拔针，以左手随病所按之，乃出针
复刺之也。（报刺，重刺也。痛无常处，则或上或下，随病所在，即直内其针，留而勿拔，乃以左手按之，再得痛处，乃
出前针而复刺之也。）三曰恢刺，恢刺者，刺旁之，举之前后，恢筋急以治筋痹也。（恢，恢廓也。筋急者，不刺筋而刺
其旁，必数举其针或前或后以恢其气，则筋痹可舒也。）四曰齐刺，齐刺者，直入一，旁入二，以治寒气小深者；或曰三
刺，三刺者，治痹气小深者也。（齐者，三针齐用也，故又曰三刺。以一针直入其中，二针夹入其旁，治寒痹稍深之法也。）
五曰扬刺，扬刺者，正内一，旁内四，而浮之，以治寒气之博大者也。（扬，散也。中外共五针而用在浮泛，故能祛散博
大之寒气。）六曰直针刺，直针刺者，引皮乃刺之，以治寒气之浅者也。（直者，直入无避也。引起其皮而刺之，则所用
不深，故但治寒气之浅者。）七曰输刺，输刺者，直入直出，稀发针而深之，以治气盛而热者也。（输，委输也，言能输
泻其邪，非上文荥输之谓。直入直出，用其锐也。稀发针，留之久也。久而且深，故可以去盛热之气。）八曰短刺，短刺
者，刺骨痹，稍摇而深之，致针骨所，以上下摩骨也。（短者，入之渐也。故稍摇而深，致针骨所，以摩骨痹。摩，迫切
也。）九曰浮刺，浮刺者，旁入而浮之，以治肌急而寒者也。（浮，轻浮也。旁入其针而浮举之，故可治肌肤之寒。此与
上文毛刺义大同。）十曰阴刺，阴刺者，左右率刺之，以治寒厥，中寒厥，足踝后少阴也。（阴刺者，刺阴寒也。率，统
也。言治寒厥者，于足踝后少阴经左右皆刺之。）十一曰旁针刺，旁针刺者，直刺旁刺各一，以治留痹久居者也。（旁针
刺者，一正一旁也。正者刺其经，旁者刺其络，故可以刺久居之留痹。）十二曰赞刺，赞刺者，直入直出，数发针而浅之
出血，是谓治痈肿也。（赞，助也。数发针而浅之，以后助前，故可使之出血而治痈肿。）
(From *Lingshu: Guanzhen* [Spiritual Pivot: Official Needles])
There are nine types of acupuncture techniques, corresponding to the nine variations of disease. The first is called *Shu Ci* (Acupuncture at Shu Points), which involves needling the Ying-Spring and Shu-Stream points of various meridians as well as the Back-Shu points of the zang organs. (The Ying-Spring and Shu-Stream points of various meridians include those such as Jing-River, Ying-Spring, Jing-Meeting, and He-Sea points. The Back-Shu points refer to the zang organ shu points located on the back along the spine. In this context, the characters "Shu" [Transport], "Shu" [Acupoint], and "Yu" [Transfer] are used interchangeably.) The second is called *Yuan Dao Ci* (Distant Point Acupuncture), where the disease is located in the upper part of the body, but points in the lower part are selected, specifically needling the foot yang meridians. (The foot yang meridians refer to the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian, Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian, and Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian. Among the twelve primary meridians, only these three are the most distant, allowing for treating upper diseases by selecting lower points; hence it is called Distant Point Acupuncture.) The third is called *Jing Ci* (Meridian Acupuncture), which involves needling the collaterals and intermuscular spaces where qi and blood are knotted within large meridians. (Needling knotted collaterals means directly targeting them due to their aggregation, which is referred to as "untying the knot.") The fourth is called *Luo Ci* (Collateral Acupuncture), which involves needling the blood vessels in small collaterals. (*Tiao Jing Lun* [Treatise on Regulating the Channels] states: When the disease is in the blood, regulate the collaterals. *Jing Mai Pian* [Chapter on the Channels and Collaterals] states: Whenever needling collateral vessels, one must needle at the site of aggregation; if there is severe stasis even without visible aggregation, urgent needling should be performed to drain the pathogenic factor and release blood; otherwise, retention may lead to Bi syndrome [obstruction syndrome].) The fifth is called *Fen Ci* (Intermuscular Acupuncture), which involves needling between the muscles. (Needling between muscles aims to drain pathogens from the muscle tissue.) The sixth is called *Da Xie Ci* (Major Draining Acupuncture), which involves using a Pi needle [broad-bladed needle] to puncture large abscesses. (Used for treating carbuncles and sores.) The seventh is called *Mao Ci* (Hair-like Acupuncture), which involves superficial needling of the skin to treat floating Bi syndrome. (Its treatment area is superficial.) The eighth is called *Ju Ci* (Cross Needling), which involves treating the left side by needling the right, and the right side by needling the left. (When pathogenic factors invade the meridians and the condition shifts or migrates, Ju Ci is used for treatment. See Section 30 below for details.) The ninth is called *Fan Ci* (Burning Needle Acupuncture), which involves burning the needle before insertion to treat Bi syndrome. (This refers to heating the needle before needling, similar to modern fire needles, used for treating Cold-Bi syndrome. These above constitute the Nine Variations. "Fan" is pronounced like "fan".)
There are twelve categories of acupuncture techniques, corresponding to the twelve primary meridians. The first is called *Ou Ci* (Paired Acupuncture), where one places hands straight against the chest or back, aligns with the painful spot, inserts one needle anteriorly and one posteriorly to treat Heart Bi syndrome; this technique requires oblique insertion. ("Ou" means pair. One anterior and one posterior needle make it "paired." "Zhi" means aligned. Placing hands straight against the chest or back refers to the anterior heart region and posterior back region, aligning with the pain site, using one needle each. However, oblique needling into the sides is required to avoid direct penetration of the heart, which could be fatal.) The second is called *Bao Ci* (Repeating Acupuncture), used when stabbing pain has no fixed location and moves up and down; the needle is inserted directly and not withdrawn immediately, while the left hand presses along the moving pain site, then the needle is withdrawn and re-inserted. (Bao Ci means repeated needling. Since the pain location is variable, moving up or down, the needle is inserted directly according to the current pain site, retained without withdrawal, pressed by the left hand, and once the pain site is identified again, the previous needle is withdrawn and new needling is performed.) The third is called *Hui Ci* (Expanding Acupuncture), which involves needling beside the tendon, lifting and manipulating the needle anteriorly and posteriorly to expand and relieve tight tendons to treat Tendon-Bi syndrome. ("Hui" means expand. For tight tendons, one does not needle the tendon itself but the area beside it, repeatedly lifting and manipulating the needle anteriorly and posteriorly to restore qi flow, thereby relieving Tendon-Bi.) The fourth is called *Qi Ci* (Triple Acupuncture), involving one vertical insertion and two lateral insertions to treat shallow yet deep-penetrating cold pathogens; alternatively called San Ci (Three Needles), also for treating shallow yet deep-penetrating Bi qi. ("Qi" means three needles used together, hence also called San Ci. One needle is inserted vertically into the center, and two needles are inserted laterally alongside, a method for treating slightly deeper Cold-Bi.) The fifth is called *Yang Ci* (Scattering Acupuncture), involving one central insertion and four lateral insertions, all superficial, to treat widespread cold pathogens. ("Yang" means scatter. Five needles are used superficially across the center and periphery, thus capable of dispersing widespread cold pathogens.) The sixth is called *Zhi Zhen Ci* (Direct Skin-Pulling Acupuncture), where the skin is pulled taut before needling to treat superficial cold pathogens. ("Zhi" means direct entry without avoidance. Pulling the skin taut before needling ensures shallow depth, suitable only for superficial cold pathogens.) The seventh is called *Shu Ci* (Transport Acupuncture), characterized by direct insertion and withdrawal, sparse needle usage, and deep penetration to treat conditions with excess qi and heat. ("Shu" means transport/conveyance, indicating the ability to drain pathogens, distinct from the Ying-Spring and Shu-Stream points mentioned earlier. Direct insertion and withdrawal utilize the needle's sharpness. Sparse needling implies long retention time. Long and deep retention allows for dispelling excessive heat.) The eighth is called *Duan Ci* (Short Acupuncture), used for Bone-Bi, involving slight rocking of the needle during deep insertion until reaching the bone, followed by rubbing against the bone. ("Duan" implies gradual entry. Thus, slight rocking during deep insertion reaches the bone to rub against Bone-Bi. "Mo" means close contact/rubbing.) The ninth is called *Fu Ci* (Floating Acupuncture), involving lateral insertion with superficial lifting to treat muscle tension accompanied by cold. ("Fu" means light/floating. Inserting laterally and lifting lightly treats cold in the muscle and skin. This shares significant similarity with Mao Ci mentioned earlier.) The tenth is called *Yin Ci* (Yin Acupuncture), involving simultaneous needling on both left and right sides to treat Cold-Jue syndrome, specifically targeting the Shaoyin meridian behind the ankle. (Yin Ci refers to needling Yin-cold syndromes. "Shuai" means collectively. It means that for treating Cold-Jue, needling is performed bilaterally on the Shaoyin meridian behind the ankle.) The eleventh is called *Pang Zhen Ci* (Side-Needle Acupuncture), involving one vertical needle and one lateral needle to treat chronic, lingering Bi syndrome. (Pang Zhen Ci involves one straight and one oblique needle. The straight needle targets the meridian, and the oblique needle targets the collateral, making it effective for chronic, lingering Bi.) The twelfth is called *Zan Ci* (Assisting Acupuncture), characterized by direct insertion and withdrawal, frequent needle pricks, and superficial bleeding, known as treatment for carbuncles and swellings. ("Zan" means assist. Frequent superficial needling assists the previous pricks, facilitating bleeding to treat carbuncles and swellings.)