（《灵枢·官针篇》）
脉之所居深不见者，刺之微内针而久留之，以致其空脉气也。（刺深脉者，亦必微内其针，盖恐太过，反伤正气，故
但久留而引致之，使其空中之脉气上行也。）脉浅者勿刺，按绝其脉乃刺之，无令精出，独出其邪气耳。（脉浅者最易泄
气，故必先按绝其脉而后入针，则精气无所伤，独取其邪矣。）所谓三刺则谷气出者，（自此至下文谷气，皆释终始篇之
义。详见后十六。）先浅刺绝皮，以出阳邪；（绝，透也。浅刺皮腠，故出阳邪。）再刺则阴邪出者，少益深，绝皮致肌肉，
未入分肉间也；（绝皮及肌，邪气稍深，故曰阴邪。大肉深处，各有分理，是谓分肉间也。）已入分肉之间，则谷气出。（谷
气即正气，亦曰神气。出，至也。《终始篇》曰∶所谓谷气至者，已补而实，已泻而虚，故以知谷气至也。）故刺法曰∶
始刺浅之，以逐邪气而来血气；后刺深之，以致阴气之邪；最后刺极深之，以下谷气。此之谓也。（凡刺之浅深，其法有
三∶先刺绝皮，取卫中之阳邪也；再刺稍深，取营中之阴邪也；三刺最深，及于分肉之间，则谷气始下。下，言见也。
按终始篇之义，与此互有发明。）故用针者，不知年之所加，气之盛衰，虚实之所起，不可以为工也。（年之所加，如天
元纪、至真要等论是也。气之盛衰，如八正神明论、阴阳系日月等篇是也。知天地之气候，则人有五虚五实，皆可因而
知矣。此数句又见六节藏象论，详运气类第一。）
凡刺有五，以应五脏。一曰半刺，半刺者，浅内而疾发针，无针伤肉，如拔毛状，以取皮气，此肺之应也。（此即前
章毛刺之义，浅入而疾发，故可取皮分以应肺。）二曰豹文刺，豹文刺者，左右前后针之，中脉为故，以取经络之血者，
此心之应也。（豹文者，言其多也，主取血脉，所以应心。）三曰关刺，关刺者，直刺左右，尽筋上，以取筋痹，慎无出
血，此肝之应也。或曰渊刺，一曰岂刺。（关，关节也。左右，四肢也。尽筋，即关节之处也。慎无出血，血以养筋也。
肝主筋，刺筋所以应肝，渊刺、岂刺，皆古名也。）四曰合谷刺，合谷刺者，左右鸡足，针于分肉之间，以取肌痹，此脾
之应也。（合谷刺者，言三四攒合，如鸡足也。邪在肉间，其气广大，非合刺不可。脾主肌肉，故取肌痹者，所以应脾。）
五曰输刺，输刺者，直入直出，深内之至骨，以取骨痹，此肾之应也。（输刺义见前章。肾主骨，刺深至骨，所以应肾。）
(From *Ling Shu: Guan Zhen* [Spiritual Pivot: Official Needles])
For vessels located deeply and not visible to the naked eye, insert the needle slightly and retain it for a long time to guide the Qi of the empty vessel. (When needling deep vessels, one must also insert the needle slightly, fearing that excessive depth might damage the healthy Qi; therefore, one merely retains the needle for a long time to guide the Qi of the superficial vessel upward.) For superficial vessels, do not needle directly; press to obstruct the vessel first, then needle, so as not to lose the Essence, but only to expel the pathogenic factor. (Superficial vessels are most prone to leaking Qi; thus, one must first press to obstruct the vessel before inserting the needle, ensuring the Healthy Qi is not injured and only the pathogenic factor is targeted.) The principle of "three needles" resulting in the arrival of Gu Qi (Qi derived from grain/nourishing Qi) is explained as follows: (From this point to the mention of Gu Qi below, this interprets the meaning of the *Zhong Shi* chapter. See Chapter 16 later for details.) First, needle shallowly to penetrate the skin to expel Yang pathogens; ("Jue" means to penetrate. Shallow needling of the skin and interstices expels Yang pathogens.) Second, needle slightly deeper to expel Yin pathogens, penetrating the skin to reach the muscle layer, but not yet entering the space between muscles; (Penetrating skin and muscle indicates the pathogen is slightly deeper, hence called Yin pathogen. The deep spaces of large muscles have their own textures, known as the space between muscles.) Third, when entering the space between muscles, the Gu Qi arrives. (Gu Qi is the Healthy Qi, also called Shen Qi. "Chu" here means "arrival." The *Zhong Shi* chapter states: "What is meant by the arrival of Gu Qi is that after tonification, it becomes solid; after sedation, it becomes deficient." Thus, we know the Gu Qi has arrived.) Therefore, the needling method states: Start with shallow needling to drive out pathogenic factors and attract blood and Qi; proceed to deeper needling to draw out Yin-pathogenic factors; finally, needle extremely deeply to cause the Gu Qi to descend. This is what is meant. (Regarding the depth of needling, there are three methods: first, needle through the skin to take Yang pathogens in the Wei [Defensive] level; second, needle slightly deeper to take Yin pathogens in the Ying [Nutritive] level; third, needle deepest, reaching the space between muscles, where the Gu Qi begins to appear. "Xia" means to appear. According to the meaning of the *Zhong Shi* chapter, this mutually illuminates the text.) Therefore, a practitioner who does not understand the influence of the annual climate, the waxing and waning of Qi, and the origins of deficiency and excess cannot be considered a skilled physician. ("Nian zhi suo jia" refers to discussions like those in the *Tian Yuan Ji Da Lun* and *Zhi Yao Yao Da Lun*. The waxing and waning of Qi refers to chapters like *Ba Zheng Shen Ming Lun* and *Yin Yang Xi Ri Yue*. By knowing the climate of heaven and earth, one can deduce the five deficiencies and five excesses of humans. These sentences also appear in the *Liu Jie Zang Xiang Lun*; see Category 1 on Yun Qi [Climate and Qi] for details.)
There are five types of needling, corresponding to the Five Zang Organs. The first is Ban Ci [Half-Needling]. Ban Ci involves shallow insertion and rapid withdrawal without injuring the muscle, resembling the pulling of hair, to obtain Qi from the skin level; this corresponds to the Lung. (This is the meaning of Mao Ci [Hair-Needling] from the previous chapter; shallow insertion and rapid withdrawal allow obtaining Qi from the skin level to correspond to the Lung.) The second is Bao Wen Ci [Leopard-Spot Needling]. Bao Wen Ci involves needling at multiple points on the left, right, front, and back, targeting the vessels, to remove blood from the meridians; this corresponds to the Heart. ("Bao Wen" describes the multiplicity of spots; it primarily targets blood vessels, thus corresponding to the Heart.) The third is Guan Ci [Joint-Needling]. Guan Ci involves direct vertical insertion at the left and right sides of the joint, at the extremity of the tendons, to treat Jin Bi [Tendon Bi-syndrome]; care must be taken to avoid bleeding; this corresponds to the Liver. It is also called Yuan Ci or Qi Ci. ("Guan" refers to joints. "Left and right" refers to the four limbs. "Jin jin" refers to the site where tendons attach at the joint. Avoid bleeding because blood nourishes tendons. The Liver governs tendons; needling tendons corresponds to the Liver. Yuan Ci and Qi Ci are ancient names.) The fourth is He Gu Ci [Valley-Convergence Needling]. He Gu Ci involves inserting needles in a chicken-foot pattern among the muscle layers to treat Ji Bi [Muscle Bi-syndrome]; this corresponds to the Spleen. (He Gu Ci refers to three or four needles converging, resembling a chicken foot. Pathogens in the flesh have a broad scope, requiring convergence needling. The Spleen governs muscles; treating Muscle Bi corresponds to the Spleen.) The fifth is Shu Ci [Transport-Needling]. Shu Ci involves straight insertion and withdrawal, deep enough to reach the bone, to treat Gu Bi [Bone Bi-syndrome]; this corresponds to the Kidney. (The meaning of Shu Ci is seen in the previous chapter. The Kidney governs bones; deep needling to the bone corresponds to the Kidney.)