Library

Yellow Emperor asked: When a person suddenly loses their voice due to sudden worry and anger, which qi fails to circulate? Master Shao replied: The pharynx (Yanhou) is the pathway for water and food; the larynx (Houlong) is where qi ascends and descends; the epiglottis (Huiyan) is the gate of sound. The lips and mouth are the fans of sound; the tongue is the mechanism of sound; the uvula (Xuanyongchui) is the lock of sound; the nasopharynx (Hangsang) is where divided qi escapes; the transverse bone (Henggu) is controlled by divine qi and primarily governs the movement of the tongue. Therefore, when a person’s nostrils leak mucus that cannot be retained, it is because the nasopharynx is not closed, leading to a loss of divided qi function. If the epiglottis is small and thin, qi emission is rapid, opening and closing are flexible, and air exits easily; if the epiglottis is large and thick, opening and closing are difficult, air exit is slow, hence speech becomes heavy or slurred. What is called "stuttering" (Chi) occurs because speech is reversed, causing repetition. Sudden aphonia occurs when cold qi lodges in the epiglottis, preventing it from opening; even if it opens, it cannot descend to its mechanical fan, so the opening and closing are dysfunctional, resulting in loss of voice. The Foot-Shaoyin meridian ascends to connect with the root of the tongue, links with the transverse bone, and terminates at the epiglottis. Needling the blood vessels in these two areas to bleed allows turbid qi to dissipate. The vessels of the epiglottis ascend to link with the Ren Mai; needling Tian Tu (CV22) restores epiglottic function.

For sudden aphonia with stiff qi, needle Futu (LI18) and the root of the tongue to bleed.
For aphonia and inability to speak, needle Naohu (DU17). For sudden aphonia and inability to speak with throat pain, needle Fengfu (DU16). For flaccid tongue, aphonia, and inability to speak, needle Yinmen (EX-HN14). For throat pain, aphonia, and inability to speak, Tian Tu (CV22) is the primary point. For sudden aphonia with qi obstruction, throat bi, swollen throat, difficulty breathing, and inability to swallow food or drink, Tianding (SI11) is the primary point. For frequent vomiting after eating/drinking and inability to speak, Tonggu (ST35) is the primary point. For aphonia and inability to speak, Qimen (LR14) is the primary point. For sudden aphonia and inability to speak, Zhigou (SJ6) is the primary point. For aphonia and inability to speak, Hegu (LI4), Yongquan (KI1), and Yangjiao (GB35) are the primary points.

Yellow Emperor asked: When pathogenic qi invades the human body, why does it sometimes cause insomnia? Bo Gao replied: When five grains enter the stomach, their dregs, fluids, and Zong Qi (Gathering Qi) divide into three pathways. Thus, Zong Qi accumulates in the chest, emerges from the throat, penetrates the heart and lungs, and governs respiration. Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) ... [Note: Textual variant implies Wei Qi's vigorous part precedes] ... moves rapidly through the four limbs, muscles, and skin without resting. It travels in the Yang during the day and in the Yin at night. Upon entering Yin, it usually proceeds from the interspaces of the Foot-Shaoyin channel, circulating through the five zang and six fu organs. Now, if pathogenic qi lodges in the five zang organs, Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) circulates exclusively on the exterior, traveling in Yang, unable to enter Yin. Traveling in Yang causes Yang qi to become excessive, filling the Yang Qiao vessel; unable to enter Yin, Yin qi becomes deficient, thus causing the eyes to remain open (insomnia). Treatment involves tonifying deficiency, reducing excess, regulating emptiness and fullness, unblocking the pathways, and expelling pathogenic factors. Administer one dose of Banxia Tang (Pinellia Decoction); once Yin and Yang are unblocked, sleep will follow immediately. This resolves blockages, unblocks the meridians, and harmonizes Yin and Yang. The decoction is prepared as follows: Take eight sheng of flowing water from a distance of a thousand li, toss it ten thousand times, collect five sheng of the clear liquid, boil it using reed fire, add one sheng of Sorghum (Shumi) and five he of processed Pinellia (Zhi Banxia), simmer slowly until one and a half sheng remains, strain the dregs, and drink one small cup, three times daily, gradually increasing the dose until efficacy is achieved. For newly onset cases, sleep comes upon finishing the cup, and sweating cures it; for chronic cases, three doses suffice. Question: Why do people close their eyes and fail to see? Answer: When Wei Qi travels in Yin and cannot enter Yang, Yin qi becomes excessive, filling the Yin Qiao vessel; unable to enter Yang, Yang qi becomes deficient, thus causing the eyes to close. Question: Why do some people sleep excessively? Answer: Such individuals have large intestines and stomachs, and dry/stiff skin. Dryness prevents the separation of muscle intervals. Large intestines and stomachs cause qi to linger longer; dry skin and tight muscle intervals slow circulation. Wei Qi travels in Yang during the day and in Yin at night; thus, when Yang qi exhausts, one sleeps, and when Yin qi exhausts, one wakes. Therefore, large intestines and stomachs cause Wei Qi to linger; dry skin and tight muscle intervals slow circulation, keeping it in Yin for a long time. Its qi becomes impure (or clear), inducing drowsiness, hence excessive sleep. Conversely, those with small intestines and stomachs, smooth and relaxed skin, and loose muscle intervals allow Wei Qi to linger in Yang longer, hence less sleep. Question: What causes sudden excessive sleep not due to normal meridian pathology? Answer: Pathogenic qi stagnates in the Upper Jiao, blocking it. After eating or drinking soup, Wei Qi lingers in Yin and fails to circulate, causing sudden excessive sleep. Question: How to treat these pathogenic factors? Answer: First examine the zang and fu organs, correct minor deviations, then regulate qi: reduce excess, tonify deficiency. One must first understand the physical and qi state (comfort/discomfort) before selecting points. Question: Why do some people lie down but feel uneasy? Answer: Injury to the zang organs or emotional bias leads to restless sleep. Thus, this condition cannot be viewed in isolation. Question: Why can some people not lie supine? Answer: The Lung is the canopy of the zang organs. Excessive Lung qi enlarges the pulses; enlarged pulses prevent supine lying. Question: What is "Rouke" (muscle heaviness/numbness)? What disease is this? Answer: Deficiency of Ying Qi and Excess of Wei Qi. Ying Qi deficiency causes numbness (Bu Ren); Wei Qi deficiency causes immobility (Bu Yong). If both Ying and Wei are deficient, there is numbness and immobility, and the flesh becomes severely heavy. If the body and mind lose connection, death occurs within thirty days. Question: Regarding patients with rebellious qi who cannot lie down and have sounds, those who cannot lie down but have no sounds, those whose daily activities are normal but have respiratory sounds, those who can lie down and walk but wheeze, those who cannot lie down or walk but wheeze, and those who cannot lie down and wheeze when lying down—which zang organ is responsible? Answer: Inability to lie down with respiratory sounds indicates reversal of Yangming Qi. The Foot-Yangming channels normally descend; now they reverse and ascend, causing respiratory sounds. Yangming is the Stomach meridian; the Stomach is the sea of the six fu organs, and its qi also descends. Reversal of Yangming qi prevents it from following its proper path, causing inability to lie down. The *Xia Jing* states: "If the Stomach is disharmonious, sleep is restless," referring to this. Those whose daily activities are normal but have respiratory sounds suffer from reversal of the Lung's collateral vessels, which fail to follow the main meridians up and down, lingering in the collaterals. This is a mild collateral disease, hence normal activity but noisy breathing. Inability to lie down with wheezing upon lying down is caused by Water Qi lodging. Water Qi follows fluid flow; the Kidney is the Water Organ, governing fluids, and controls sleep and wheezing. Fear-induced insomnia accompanied by fluctuating water qi is wandering qi of the five zang organs; Sanjiao Jiao (SP6) is indicated. Insomnia is treated by Fuxi (BL81). Body swelling with skin hypersensitivity preventing clothing contact,