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[Diagram of Total Acupoints on the Human Body in Supine Position] \pG-G1.bmp\r
[Diagram of Total Acupoints on the Human Body in Prone Position] \pG-G2.bmp\r

The *Suwen* (Basic Questions) consists of twelve volumes and is widely known as a book of dialogues between the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) and Qibo. However, upon examining its purport, it seems unlikely that these were words spoken at one time, nor was it written by a single hand. Liu Xiang pointed out that it was authored by various princes of the State of Han; Cheng Zi believed it originated from the late Warring States period. Its general situation is similar to how the *Liji* (Book of Rites) was compiled by Han Confucians but transmitted alongside the words of Confucius and Zisi. Chapters such as *Linglan Midian Lun* (Treatise on the Secret Canon of Spiritual Warehouses), *Wuchang Zhengda Lun* (Treatise on the Upright and Righteousness of Five Constants), and *Liuyuan Zhengji Daliun* (Great Treatise on the Correct Ordinances of the Six Origins) all serve to elucidate the principles of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Huangfu Mi's *Jiayi Jing* (Classic of Convergence and Separation) and Yang Shangshan's *Taisu* (Supreme Primordial) are also based on this text, differing only slightly in details. The guidelines and methods of medicine do not exceed this book. Yet, according to the *Yiwen Zhi* (Bibliographic Treatise) of the *Han Shu* (Book of Han), there are eighteen volumes of *Neijing* (Inner Canon) and the name Bian Que. Bai Shi stated: There were three schools of *Neijing*, and the volume count of *Suwen* was forced to match the number in the *Han Zhi*, with annotations added. Furthermore, the *Yinyang Dalun* (Grand Treatise on Yin and Yang) was falsely attributed to being hidden by Master Zhang Gong to supplement lost content; his intention was diligent. Alas, red and black ink (annotations and original text) are confused, good and bad materials are mixed, exegesis is pedantic and loose, and citations are sometimes inappropriate. It was not until the Song Dynasty, when Lin Yi, Gao Ruonuo, and others corrected erroneous texts and supplemented missing meanings, that merit was achieved in preserving these classics.

The *Nanjing* (Classic of Difficult Issues) consists of thirteen volumes. Qin Yueren (Bian Que) expounded upon the *Huangdi Neijing*, using a question-and-answer format to instruct learners. The canonical quotes cited therein are mostly not from the original texts of *Lingshu* or *Suwen*, likely because ancient books existed but have since been lost. During the Sui Dynasty, an annotated version by Lü Bowang did not survive. In the Song Dynasty, Wang Weiyi collected theories from five schools, but strengths and flaws were intermingled; only Yu Shi's commentary was roughly satisfactory. Ji Qiqing's annotation was slightly more rigorous, including refutations against Yang Xuancuo, Lü Guang, and Wang Zongzheng. Zhou Zhongli made revisions, but textual research remained unclear. Li Ziye provided sentence-by-sentence explanations but offered little enlightenment. In recent times, Zhang Jiegu added herbal prescriptions after the annotations, which deviates significantly from the canonical meaning. Wang Shaoqing elaborated on these theories, titling it *Chongxuan*, yet this was insufficient to uncover the profound insights of predecessors. Hua Borin selected strengths and discarded weaknesses, synthesizing his own views to create the *Nanjing Benyi* (Original Meaning of the Classic of Difficult Issues).

The *Ziwu Jing* (Meridian Clock Classic) is one volume discussing the essentials of acupuncture and moxibustion, composed into rhymed verses. Later generations attributed it to Bian Que.

The *Tongren Zhenjiu Tu* (Bronze Man Acupuncture and Moxibustion Diagrams) comprises three volumes. Emperor Renzong of Song ordered Wang Weide to examine and arrange acupuncture methods, casting bronze models as standards. These depicted the twelve meridians of the zang-fu organs, with acupoint intersections noted on the sides, names engraved, diagrams drawn, and therapeutic indications listed. Woodblocks were carved for dissemination. Xia Song wrote the preface. However, the acupoints listed are rather complex compared to the *Ben Shu* (Root Acupoints) and *Gu Kong* (Bone Cavity) chapters of the *Lingshu*.

The *Mingtang Zhenjiu Tu* (Hall of Light Acupuncture and Moxibustion Diagrams) comprises three volumes, titled: "Yellow Emperor Discusses Human Acupoints and Contraindications for Burning and Moxibustion." The term "Mingtang" refers to Lei Gong asking questions and the Yellow Emperor teaching him; this is also a later pseudonymous work.

The *Cuzhen Tu* (True Preservation Diagram) is one volume. Chao Gongwu attributed its compilation to Yang Jie. During the Chongning era, a criminal named Yu was executed in Sizhou. The prefect, Li Yixing, sent doctors and painters to observe the dissection of membranes and extraction of the gao-huang area, depicting every detail meticulously. Yang Jie verified this against ancient texts and found no discrepancies. This far surpassed the *Ouxifan Wazang Tu* (Ouxifan Five Viscera Diagram) and was truly beneficial to physicians. During the Wang Mang era, Wang Sunqing, a partisan of Zhai Yi, was captured. Imperial physicians and skilled butchers dissected him, measured the viscera, used bamboo tubes to trace meridians, and understood their origins and endings, claiming this could cure diseases. This reflects a similar intent.

The *Gaohuang Jiufa* (Moxibustion Methods for Gaohuang) consists of two volumes, compiled by Zhuang Chuo (courtesy name Jiyu) of Qingyuan.

The *Qianjin Fang* (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) consists of thirty volumes, authored by Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty. It covers medicinal formulas, pulse diagnosis techniques, acupuncture points, contraindications, and even the essentials of daoyin (guiding and pulling) and health preservation. It is called "Thousand Gold" because human life is precious, worth more than a thousand gold. Critics argued that he lacked knowledge of shaoyang (cold damage) patterns.

The *Qianjin Yifang* (Supplemental Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) consists of thirty volumes. Sun Simiao gathered lost manuscripts to supplement his previous work. It begins with Pharmacological Records, followed by sections on women's diseases, cold damage, pediatrics, self-cultivation, grain avoidance, retirement, tonification, miscellaneous diseases, sores and abscesses, color and pulse diagnosis, acupuncture, and concludes with forbidden arts.

The *Waitai Miyao* (Essential Prescriptions from the Imperial Library) was authored by Wang Tao of the Tang Dynasty. Having served in the imperial library for twenty years and accessed thousands of ancient medical texts, he described various symptoms and appended formulas, talismanic spells, and moxibustion methods, totaling 1,104 categories. He served as governor of Fangling and later Daning Commandery during the Tianbao era, hence the title.

The *Jinlan Xunjing* (Golden Orchid Meridian Channel Classic) was authored by Hu Tai Bilie, Hanlin Academician of the Yuan Dynasty, and edited by his son Guangji. In the Gui Mao year of the Dade era, Sha Wenlong, a scholar from Yanling, Pingjiang Prefecture, wrote the preface. It first illustrates anterior and posterior diagrams of the viscera, then describes the pathways of the three yin and three yang meridians of the hands and feet, followed by the flow and distribution of the fourteen meridian channels, each with annotations and diagrams, spreading to the north. Since Dong Shi of Hengshan had it printed in Wumen, it became widely circulated.

The *Jisheng Baci* (Extracts for Saving Lives) consists of nineteen volumes. Volume one extracts the *Zhenjing Jiaoyao* (Essentials of the Needle Classic); volume two collects *Jiegu Yunqi Zhenfa* (Acupuncture Methods of Jiegu's Cloudly Divider) and *Dou Shi Liuzhu* (Dou's Flowing Distribution); volume three contains *Zhenjing Zhaoying* (Selected Heroes of the Needle Classic). It lists acupuncture methods first to emulate ancient systems. This was written by Du Sijing during the Yanyou era.

The *Zhenjing Zhinan* (Guide to the Needle Classic) was authored by Dou Hanqing of Gufei. It begins with the *Biaoyou Fu* (Rhapsody on Marking the Profound), followed by finger techniques for the Eight Confluent Points and the Yezhe Palace diagram. It aligns somewhat with the *Suwen*... [Text fragment implies comparison or continuation]. *Zhenjiu Zasuo* (Miscellaneous Sayings on Acupuncture and Moxibustion) was classified by Dou Guifang of Jian'an. It took content regarding the taboos of humans and spirits and the theory of separating true and evil from the *Qianjin Fang*, but failed to exhaustively explain acupuncture... [Text fragment implies incompleteness].

The *Zisheng Jing* (Scripture of Nourishing Life) was authored by Wang Zhizhong (courtesy name Shuya) of Dongjia. He selected 360 acupoints, categorizing them by back/front and head/extremities, associating points with diseases. It essentially integrated the *Tongren*, *Qianjin*, *Mingtang*, and *Waitai* texts into one.

The *Shisi Jing Fa Hui* (Elucidation of the Fourteen Meridians) consists of three volumes, authored by Hua Shou (courtesy name Borin) of Xuchang. He learned acupuncture techniques from Gao Dongyang of Dongping, mastering the essentials of opening/closing, flow/distribution, and intersections. Regarding the six vessels—Yin, Yang, Wei, Chong, Qiao, and Dai—they all have connections, but only the Du and Ren meridians envelop the back and abdomen respectively and have specific acupoints. When other meridians are full and overflow, these receive it, and they should be discussed alongside the twelve regular meridians. A comprehensive survey identified 657 deep acupoints, applying treatment to reveal the mysteries of medicine.

The *Shenyi Jing* (Divine Response Classic) consists of two volumes, authored by Chen Huisui of Honggang. He previously wrote the *Guang Ai Shu* (Book of Broad Love) in twelve volumes. Concerned it was too vast, he selected 119 acupoints, creating songs and diagrams, collecting essential points for treating diseases, and compiling them into one volume as a concise guide for students. It was collated by Liu Jin of Nanchang.

The *Zhenjiu Jiaoyao* (Essentials of Acupuncture and Moxibustion) in three volumes and *Zhuying* (Gathering Heroes) in four volumes were compiled by Mei Gugao Wu of Siming.

The *Zhenjiu Jieyao* (Swift Essentials of Acupuncture and Moxibustion) was collected by Xu Feng of Yanshan Tingrui.

The *Xuanji Miyao* (Mysterious Secrets of the Profound Mechanism) was a family collection by Yang Jishi of Sanqu Jizhou.

The *Xiao'er Anmo Jing* (Pediatric Massage Classic) was collected by the Chen clan of Siming.

Content related to acupuncture and moxibustion was extracted from *Gujin Yitong*, *Qiankun Shengyi*, *Yixue Rumen*, and *Yijing Guoxiao*, noting the authors' names... [Text fragment implies listing sources].

The *Zhenjiu Dacheng* (Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion) comprehensively collected the above works, categorized into one volume, divided into ten scrolls, and entrusted to Jin Xian of Jinyang for selection, collection, and correction.