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The pharynx (throat) is the pathway for water and food. The larynx (windpipe) is the passage through which Qi ascends and descends. (Humans have two throat structures: one soft and one hard. The soft one is located posteriorly and is called the pharynx; the hard one is located anteriorly and is called the larynx. The larynx governs Heavenly Qi, and the pharynx governs Earthly Qi.) The epiglottis is the gate of voice production. (In the throat, there is a membrane that surrounds and closes off, connecting superiorly to the uvula. It prevents the airway during respiration from becoming chaotic by covering and shielding it, hence named "epiglottis" (meeting and covering). Because it can open and close, allowing sound to emerge, it is called the "gate".) The lips are the fan of voice. (When the lips open, the sound projects, hence called the "fan".) The tongue is the mechanism of voice. (When the tongue moves, sound is produced, hence called the "mechanism".) The uvula is the hinge of voice. (This refers to the hanging and drooping part, commonly known as the little tongue. It is located at the critical point of the airway and serves as an important junction in the throat, hence called the "hinge".) The nasopharynx (hangsang) is the place where Qi is distributed and discharged. (The nasopharynx is located in the neck, above the pharynx and posterior to the uvula, visible when the mouth is opened. There are orifices anterior to the palate, through which breath connects to the nose, making it the site for the discharge of distributed Qi.) The hyoid bone (transverse bone) is governed by Shen-Qi and primarily controls the movement of the tongue. (The hyoid bone is the cartilage above the larynx. It connects inferiorly to the Heart and Lungs, thus being governed by Shen-Qi. It connects superiorly to the root of the tongue, thus controlling the initiation of tongue movement.) Therefore, if a person suffers from nasal leakage of mucus that cannot be controlled, it is because the nasopharyngeal orifice is not opening, indicating a failure of the distribution of Qi. (Nasal leakage refers to the flow of mucus from the nose. If the orifice of the nasopharynx does not open, clear Qi cannot circulate; if clear Qi does not circulate, turbid fluids accumulate and flow downward. This is due to the dysfunction of Qi distribution.) Consequently, if the epiglottis is small and thin, sound emission is rapid ("ji" means fast). Its 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, resulting in dysarthria or slurred speech ("zhongyan" refers to speech impediment or slowness). When a person suddenly loses their voice, it is because Cold pathogen has invaded the epiglottis, causing it to fail to move or, if moved, to fail to descend properly, leading to dysfunction in opening and closing. ("Bu zhi" means failing to achieve normal function.) Thus, there is no voice. (When Cold invades the epiglottis, the airway becomes obstructed; it cannot project sound high nor suppress it low, and both opening and closing are impaired, resulting in sudden aphonia. ○ Below describes the acupuncture methods.) The Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian ascends to tie with the root of the tongue, connects with the hyoid bone, and terminates at the epiglottis. Puncture the blood vessels on both sides. (Puncture the Taixi [KI3] acupoint on both feet.) The turbid Qi will dissipate. ("Bi" means to open or dissipate. ○ From the meaning of this section, it can be seen that aphonia gradually caused by deficiency consumption also belongs to the Kidney Meridian pathology, and the treatment should follow the same method.) The vessels of the epiglottis connect superiorly to the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel). Needling Tianchu [RN22] restores the function of the epiglottis. (Tianchu is the meeting point of the Yin Linking Vessel and the Ren Mai; needling this point treats sudden aphonia.)