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Carbuncles (Ding Chuang) arising on the face and around the mouth must be treated with moxibustion at Hegu LI4, after which the carbuncle head will fall off. If they arise on the hand, Moxibustion is applied to Quchi LI11. If they arise on the back, points such as Jianjing GB21, Zusanli ST36, Weizhong BL40, and Zulinqi GB41 should be selected.

Apply moxibustion for thirty-six breaths (xi). The depth of needle insertion or moxa cone placement must be determined according to the condition. Track the size of the nodule; do not allow the nodule to completely disappear before withdrawing the needle. Employ a lifting and thrusting technique of "three up, three down" before withdrawing the needle. Additionally, points such as Tianchi PC10, Zhangmen LR13, Zulinqi GB41, Zhigong SJ6, and Yangfu GB38 can be used, with up to one hundred moxa cones per point. Combine with Jianjing GB21 and Shousanli LI10. For Jianjing GB21, the number of moxa cones corresponds to the patient's age. For carbuncles and sores erupting on the back, Jianjing GB21 is the primary attacking point, combined with Weizhong BL40. Place a slice of garlic on the sore and apply moxibustion. If the patient feels no pain, continue until pain is felt; for this disease, more moxibustion is better. If the patient feels pain, continue until the pain ceases. Even if drowning victims have been dead for a night, careful palpation of the meridians and collaterals indicates that rescue is still possible. Immediately untie the victim's clothes and belts, and rapidly apply moxibustion to the umbilicus (Shenque CV8). If a person is bitten by a rabid dog, moxibustion must be applied immediately to the wound site. Similarly, for snake bites, apply three moxa cones to the bite site, place a garlic slice over the bite, and apply moxibustion through the garlic slice to ensure recovery.

When the pulse is faint and difficult to locate, or temporarily unfindable, select Fuliu KI7 from the Shaoyin meridian. This point is suitable for needling with a round-bladed needle (Yuanli Zhen). Insert the needle to the bone level, then advance it smoothly along the needle path. Wait for the return of yang qi and the reappearance of the pulse. Only when the yang pulse emerges is it safe to withdraw the needle.

Carbuncles and toxic sores are truly difficult to treat. The patient must straddle a bamboo horse. Measure the distance from the transverse crease of the palm to the Chize LU5 point using a thin bamboo strip. From this starting point, measure upwards along the arm to the tip of the middle finger, and cut the strip at this length. Place the ends of a bamboo pole on stools. The patient removes clothing and straddles the pole, with feet lightly touching the ground. Place the measured bamboo strip against the skin of the pole, extending vertically along the inner body to the end of the strip. The practitioner marks this spot with ink. This mark indicates the location for treatment, not necessarily the direct site of moxibustion. Measure the middle finger again: the distance between the two transverse creases of the middle phalanx constitutes one cun. Using the ink mark as the center, measure one cun to either side. These are the acupoints. Apply five to seven moxa cones to each point. Do not exceed this number. This method ensures cure in all cases.

Question: Why are Jingming BL1, Yingxiang LI20, Chengqi ST1, and Sizhukong TE23 prohibited for moxibustion? Answer: These four points are near the eyes, and the eyes fear fire; therefore, moxibustion is prohibited. By analogy, Jingming BL1 can actually be moxibusted; Wang Bing's commentary was erroneous.

Question: "Ying er duo zhi" (Meeting and draining) and "Sui er ji zhi" (Following and assisting) certainly refer to tonification and sedation methods. What is their meaning? Answer: "Ying" refers to meeting the qi when it is just arriving. For example, at Yin hour, qi flows to the Large Intestine; at Chen hour, qi flows to the Stomach. The Lung and Large Intestine are deficient at these times, so tonification and assistance should be applied. The rest follow this pattern.

Question: Regarding the saying that needles are inserted to a certain depth and retained for a certain number of breaths, what is your view? Answer: I believe one should not be bound by rigid rules initially. Muscles vary in depth, and diseases resolve at different speeds. One must act according to reality. To treat excess conditions, induce deficiency; to treat deficiency conditions, induce fullness.

Question: How does Sun Simiao's view that moxibustion is "closing the door to drive away thieves" stand? Answer: In fire-sedation, blowing vigorously on the fire causes the fire qi and pathogenic qi to depart together. This aligns with the *Neijing* principle of "subtle and light" application. Sun's comment specifically emphasizes fire-needling. However, statements inevitably have flaws, hence it is said that formulating words is difficult.

Question: Does the Shen (Spirit) travel through the body year by year, and does the Kao Shen sit upon people daily? If a person dies, do these spirits die with them, or do they remain outside the body? Since no one can verify this, and spirits disperse, why rely on human attribution for such unpredictable spirits? The heart is the sovereign organ where spirit originates. Why not drive this spirit to keep the body safe from acupuncture violations? Answer: The concepts of Human Spirit and Kao Shen are theories of later practitioners and are not found in the *Suwen* or *Nanjing*. They are hardly credible.

Question: The great collateral of the Stomach is named Xuli. Its pulsation is visible through the clothing, representing the Zong Qi (Gathering Qi). It is not listed among tonification/sedation points. Is it abandoned because it is an eccentric point? Answer: Zong Qi expands and contracts. Needling Zusanli ST36 drains its qi, reducing excess Zong Qi; regulating Zusanli ST36 tonifies its qi, replenishing depleted Zong Qi. Thus, tonification and sedation do occur. It is simply excluded from the category of collaterals because it does not branch to other meridians. This explains why Fenglong ST40 is cited instead of Xuli.

Question: What is the essence of acupuncture discussed in the *Suwen* and *Nanjing*? Answer: The *Suwen* is broad and detailed; the *Nanjing* is precise and concise. Their principles are one. Mencius said, "Learn broadly and explain in detail, to return to a concise explanation." Both books are indispensable.

Question: Ancients applied tonification and sedation at the Jing-River-Shu-Source-He Five Shu points. Yet Jingming BL1 and Tongziliao GB1 treat eye pain; Tinggong SI19, Sizhukong TE23, and Tinghui GB2 treat deafness; Yingxiang LI20 treats... [text missing] ...is this the meaning of "therefore allowing it to escape"?

The *Supplement to Suwen Commentary* states: "Withdraw the needle as soon as the deqi sensation arrives." Now, when the needle enters the point, the pathogenic qi sucks and pulls; pushing does not advance it, pulling does not retreat it, rotating does not move it... [text missing] ...Meridians with little qi and blood are especially contraindicated. I once stated that the tonification chapter in the *Yiwen* (Lost Chapters) is a later forgery, and its commentary was written by a single hand. Thus, it is not merely that the commentary is incorrect.

Each of the twelve meridian acupoints has specific times of flow and decline. Tonifying and sedating according to time is correct. However, for diseases in various meridians, treating according to time can also cure the disease... [text missing] ...There are differences in depth. New diseases are superficial and may be cured with one needle; deep-seated chronic diseases require multiple needles. Like taking medicine, some recover in one or two doses, while others take forty or fifty doses, or even hundreds.

Question: Needles are extremely small; how can they drain excess and tonify deficiency? Answer: Consider a balloon. When empty, it is limp and cannot withstand kicking. When inflated... [text missing] ...this illustrates the meaning of sedation.

Question: How do the acupuncture methods of the *Suwen*, *Nanjing*, Changsha (Zhang Zhongjing), Dongyuan (Li Gao), Dou Feiqing, and Dou Guifang compare? Answer: The *Suwen* is like the Five Classics conveying the Dao; the *Nanjing* is like the *I Ching*... [text missing] ...free from bias and confusion. In summary, the *Suwen*, Changsha, and Dongyuan are like fine jade, while the two Dous are indeed jasper with flaws.

Question: The *Medical Classic Small Text* states: "Do not withdraw the needle forcefully. Withdraw it slowly in three or four turns to avoid bleeding. Forceful withdrawal causes bleeding." For sedation, forceful withdrawal is appropriate. For routine tonification and sedation, one must follow the *Medical Classic Small Text*.

Question: Books like *Tongren* and *Qianjin* list many empty points, whereas *Fourteen Meridians Explained* lists fewer, such as Fengshi GB31, Duyu BL46, Jinjin, and Yuye. They possess... [text missing] ...the orthodox Huangdi Neijing.