问曰∶何为虚按?
答曰∶虚者，多用按搓。按者，有分寸，三十岁人满按，四十岁留二分，五十岁人
或四十、五十岁人虚者，不用按满，满则使邪在内，正气出，令人魂命不在身。男子少按，
按多血出；女子多按，按多补阴也。
问曰∶何为实按?
答曰∶使气已了，方可用按，为实按。又曰∶针紧，用搓、捻、拈、循即松，不按使邪
气不出。针松，用循，多按，多买至气微，加战，方可不逆阴阳也。
问曰∶何为虚弹?
答曰∶虚者，不用弹。实者，要取血用弹。弹则伤血气、五脏、荣卫也。
问曰∶何为实弹?
答曰∶气已至不行，方可用弹，气即行。
问曰∶取血，弹如何?
又答曰∶不敢。气行，补三次、七次，弹七次，按七次，又弹七次，出血有准也。
问曰∶如何虚撞?
答曰∶气血行了，复用，要热，将针伸提三分出，加重搓数次，阳出热微汗自来。虚用
搓，不用刮，不泻不退，可为良医也。
问曰∶何为实撞?
答曰∶在内紧涩痛者，使金针不能动，用搜十次，弹七次，泻三次，刮数十次，其针自松也。
Question: What is "Xu An" (Pressing for Deficiency)?
Answer: For deficiency patterns, pressing and rubbing are frequently used. "An" (Pressing) has specific proportions: for a thirty-year-old, press fully; for a forty-year-old, retain for two-thirds of the standard duration; for fifty-year-olds, or those aged forty to fifty with deficiency patterns, do not press fully. Pressing fully causes pathogenic factors to remain inside while healthy Qi escapes, leading to the soul losing its residence in the body. Men should use less pressing, as excessive pressing leads to bleeding; women should use more pressing, as it tonifies Yin blood.
Question: What is "Shi An" (Pressing for Excess)?
Answer: Only after the Qi sensation has completed its course can pressing be applied, which is called "Shi An." It is also said: If the needle feels tight, apply rubbing, twirling, lifting, and stroking to loosen it; without pressing, pathogenic Qi cannot exit. If the needle feels loose, apply stroking, press frequently, and repeat until the Qi sensation becomes faint and tremors occur; this ensures harmony with Yin and Yang.
Question: What is "Xu Tan" (Tapping for Deficiency)?
Answer: For deficiency patterns, tapping is not used. For excess patterns, if bloodletting is required, tapping is used. Tapping damages Blood, Qi, the Zang-Fu organs, and Ying-Wei (Nutritive and Defensive Qi).
Question: What is "Shi Tan" (Tapping for Excess)?
Answer: When Qi has arrived but fails to circulate, tapping may be employed to promote Qi movement.
Question: How is tapping applied for bloodletting?
Answer: One dares not attempt it lightly. After Qi circulation is established, perform tonification three or seven times, tap seven times, press seven times, and tap seven times again; this ensures accurate bloodletting volume.
Question: How is "Xu Zhuang" (Colliding/Thrusting for Deficiency) applied?
Answer: After Qi and Blood have circulated, apply it again to generate heat. Extend and lift the needle by three fen, rub heavily several times. As Yang Qi exits, slight sweating will naturally occur. For deficiency, only rubbing is used, not scraping; neither purging nor retreating is needed, which characterizes a skilled physician.
Question: What is "Shi Zhuang" (Colliding/Thrusting for Excess)?
Answer: If there is tightness,涩 (astringency/stiffness), and pain inside, preventing the gold needle from moving, apply searching ten times, tapping seven times, purging three times, and scraping dozens of times; the needle will naturally become loose.
Question: What is "Xu Nian" (Twirling for Deficiency)?
Answer: Deficiency requires tonification, excess requires purging. Apply stroking ten times; if Qi does not arrive and the area feels tight and stiff, then apply rubbing and twirling five to seven times. If Qi still does not arrive, death is inevitable.
Question: What is "Shi Nian" (Twirling for Excess)?
Answer: Excess patterns do not require twirling. If twirling is applied, Qi becomes too vigorous, damaging Ying-Wei (Nutritive and Defensive Qi).