黄帝问曰∶愿闻刺要。岐伯对曰∶病有浮沉，刺有浅深，各至其理，无过其道，过之则
内伤，不及则生外壅，壅则邪从之。浅深不及，反为大贼，内伤五脏，后生大病。故曰，
病有在毫毛腠理者，有在皮肤者，有在肌肉者，有在脉者，有在筋者，有在骨者，有在髓者
。是故刺毫毛腠理无伤皮，皮伤则内动肺，肺动则秋病温疟，热厥，淅然寒栗。刺皮无伤肉
，肉伤则内动脾，脾动则七十二日四季之月，病腹胀烦满，不嗜食。刺肉无伤脉，脉伤则内
动心，心动则夏病心痛。刺脉无伤筋，筋伤则内动肝，肝动则春病热而筋弛。刺筋无伤骨，
骨伤则内动肾，肾动则冬病胀腰痛。刺骨无伤髓，髓伤则消泺 酸，体解酸然
不去矣。
神庭禁不可刺。上关禁不可刺深（深则令人耳无所闻）。颅息刺不可多出血。左角刺不
可久留，人迎刺过深杀人。云门刺不可深（深则使人逆息不能食）。脐中禁不可刺。伏兔禁不
可刺（本穴云刺入五分）。三阳络禁不可刺。复留刺无多见血。承筋禁不可刺。然谷刺无多见
血。乳中禁不可刺。鸠尾禁不可刺。
上刺禁。
头维禁不可灸。承光禁不可灸。脑户禁不可灸，风府禁不可灸。喑门禁不可灸（灸之令
人喑）。下关耳中有干糙，（一作 ）。禁不可灸。耳门耳中有脓，禁不可灸。人迎禁
不可灸。丝竹空禁不可灸（灸之不幸令人目小或盲）。承泣禁不可灸。脊中禁不可灸（灸之
使人偻）。白环俞禁不可灸。乳中禁不可灸。石门女子禁不可灸。气街禁不可灸（灸之不幸不得
息）。渊腋禁不可灸。（灸之不幸生肿蚀）。经渠禁不可灸（伤人神）。鸠尾禁不可灸。阴市禁不
可灸。阳关禁不可灸。天府禁不可灸。（使人逆息）。伏兔禁不可灸。地五会禁不可灸（使人瘦）
。脉禁不可灸。
上灸禁。
凡刺之道，必中气穴，无中肉节，中气穴则针游于巷，中肉节则皮肤痛。补泻反则病益
笃。中筋则筋缓，邪气不出，与真相搏，乱而不去，反还内着，用针不审，以顺为逆也。凡
刺之理，补泻无过其度。病与脉逆者，无刺。形肉已夺，是一夺也。大夺血之后，是二夺也
。大夺汗之后，是三夺也。大泄之后，是四夺也。新产及大下血，是五夺也。此皆不可泻也
。
曰∶针能杀生人，不能起死人乎？曰∶能杀生人不起死，生者是人之所受气谷，谷之
所注者胃也。胃者，水谷气血之海也。海之所行云雨者，天下也。胃之所出气血者，经隧
也。经隧者，五脏六腑之大络也。逆而夺之而已矣。迎之五里，中道而止，五至而已，五往
（一作注）而脏之气尽矣。故五五二十五而竭其俞矣。此所谓夺其天气。故曰窥门而刺之
者，死于家；入门而刺之者，死于堂。帝曰∶请传之后世，以为刺禁。
Yellow Emperor asked, saying: I wish to hear about the essentials of acupuncture. Qibo replied, saying: Diseases have superficial and deep locations; acupuncture has shallow and deep techniques. Each must reach its proper depth without exceeding the limit. Exceeding it causes internal injury; falling short causes external stagnation, through which pathogenic factors enter. Improper depth becomes a great harm, injuring the five Zang organs internally and subsequently generating severe diseases. Therefore it is said that diseases may be located in the hair follicles and interstices (pores and skin texture), in the skin, in the muscles, in the vessels, in the sinews, in the bones, or in the marrow. Thus, when needling the hair follicles and interstices, do not injure the skin; if the skin is injured, it moves the Lung Qi internally, leading to warm malaria, heat jue, and shivering chills in autumn. When needling the skin, do not injure the flesh; if the flesh is injured, it moves the Spleen Qi internally, leading to abdominal distension, fullness, irritability, and loss of appetite during the seventy-two days of the four seasons' transition months. When needling the flesh, do not injure the vessels; if the vessels are injured, it moves the Heart Qi internally, leading to heart pain in summer. When needling the vessels, do not injure the sinews; if the sinews are injured, it moves the Liver Qi internally, leading to heat and flaccid sinews in spring. When needling the sinews, do not injure the bones; if the bones are injured, it moves the Kidney Qi internally, leading to abdominal distension and lower back pain in winter. When needling the bones, do not injure the marrow; if the marrow is injured, it leads to soreness and weakness in the legs and thighs, and a feeling of bodily heaviness and lassitude that does not go away.
Shenting (GV24) is forbidden for needling. Shangguan (ST3) is forbidden for deep needling (deep needling causes hearing loss). Luanxi (TE18) should not be needled to cause excessive bleeding. Zuojiao (EX-HN6) should not retain the needle for long. Renying (ST9) needled too deeply can kill. Yunmen (LU2) should not be needled deeply (deep needling causes reverse flow of Qi and inability to eat). Qizhong (CV12) is forbidden for needling. Futu (ST32) is forbidden for needling (this point indicates insertion of 5 fen). Sanyangluo (TE7) is forbidden for needling. Fuliu (KI7) should not show excessive bleeding. Chengjin (BL57) is forbidden for needling. RanGu (KI2) should not show excessive bleeding. Ruzhong (CV13) is forbidden for needling. Jiutui (CV15) is forbidden for needling.
The above are contraindications for needling.
Touwei (ST8) is forbidden for moxibustion. Chengguang (GB7) is forbidden for moxibustion. Naohu (GV17) is forbidden for moxibustion, Fengfu (GV16) is forbidden for moxibustion. Yanmen (DU19) is forbidden for moxibustion (moxibustion causes aphonia). Xiaguan (ST7) with dry roughness in the ear is forbidden for moxibustion. Ermen (TE21) with pus in the ear is forbidden for moxibustion. Renying (ST9) is forbidden for moxibustion. Sizhukong (TE23) is forbidden for moxibustion (unfortunately, moxibustion may cause eyes to become small or blind). Chengqi (ST1) is forbidden for moxibustion. Jizhong (GV11) is forbidden for moxibustion (moxibustion causes kyphosis). Baihuanshu (BL80) is forbidden for moxibustion. Ruzhong (CV13) is forbidden for moxibustion. Shimen (CV5) is forbidden for moxibustion in women. Qijie (ST30) is forbidden for moxibustion (unfortunately, moxibustion may cause suffocation). Yuanye (SI9) is forbidden for moxibustion (unfortunately, moxibustion may cause swelling and ulceration). Jingqu (LU8) is forbidden for moxibustion (injures Shen). Jiutui (CV15) is forbidden for moxibustion. Yinshi (ST33) is forbidden for moxibustion. Yangguan (BL23) is forbidden for moxibustion. Tianfu (LU3) is forbidden for moxibustion (causes reverse flow of Qi). Futu (ST32) is forbidden for moxibustion. Diwuhui (ST41) is forbidden for moxibustion (causes emaciation). Maijin (PC4) is forbidden for moxibustion.
The above are contraindications for moxibustion.
In general, the principle of needling requires hitting the acupoint accurately, not the muscle joints. Hitting the acupoint allows the needle sensation to flow freely like in an alley; hitting the muscle joint causes skin pain. If tonification and sedation are reversed, the disease worsens. Needling into the sinews causes flaccidity, preventing the expulsion of pathogenic factors, which then contend with healthy Qi, causing chaos and remaining inside, attaching themselves. Inaccurate use of needles turns compliance into rebellion. The principles of needling require that tonification and sedation do not exceed appropriate limits. If the disease contradicts the pulse, do not needle. If the form and flesh are already exhausted, this is the first depletion. After massive blood loss, this is the second depletion. After massive sweating, this is the third depletion. After severe diarrhea, this is the fourth depletion. After new childbirth and massive uterine bleeding, this is the fifth depletion. These conditions are all unsuitable for sedation techniques.
It was asked: Can needling kill living people but cannot revive the dead? It was answered: Needling can kill living people but cannot revive the dead. Living people receive Qi from grain and water, which enters the Stomach. The Stomach is the sea of grain, water, Qi, and Blood. Just as the sea generates clouds and rain over the world, the Stomach generates Qi and Blood which travel through the meridians and collaterals. The meridians and collaterals are the major network of the five Zang and six Fu organs. One merely reverses and deprives them. At Wuli (LI4 vicinity/TE2 area context implies specific dangerous points like Wuli LI21 or similar critical junctions often cited in classics, here likely referring to a critical point where Qi is easily depleted), stopping midway after five insertions is acceptable; but five successive withdrawals/strokes exhaust the Qi of the Zang organs. Thus, twenty-five insertions exhaust the Shu points. This is called depriving one's heavenly Qi. Therefore it is said: He who pierces from outside the door dies at home; he who pierces entering the hall dies in the hall. The Yellow Emperor said: Please transmit this to posterity as the contraindications for needling.