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Ping An (Commentary on Textual Variants): This section, from the beginning to the end, is found in *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot), Volume 2, Chapter 7 "Guan Zhen" (Official Needling), and also in *Jia Yi Jing* (The Classically Confirmed Canon of Acupuncture and Moxibustion), Volume 5, Chapter 2.

There are five types of needling methods, corresponding to the Five Zang Organs (Zang-Fu organs). The first is called Ban Ci (Half-Needling). Ban Ci involves shallow insertion and rapid withdrawal of the needle, causing minimal tissue damage, akin to plucking a hair or nail, to extract Qi from the skin level; this corresponds to the Lung. (Note: While the text says "let the needle cause much injury," Yang Shangshan's commentary and textual variants suggest it means avoiding deep injury to flesh; thus, it implies shallow needling to avoid damaging Zheng Qi. Ping An: *Ling Shu* and *Jia Yi Jing* read "do not let the needle injure the flesh." *Ling Shu* reads "mao zhuang" instead of "fa zhua"; *Jia Yi Jing* reads "zhuang" instead of "zhua".) The second is called Bao Wen Ci (Leopard-Spot Needling). Bao Wen Needling involves inserting needles at multiple points around the left, right, front, and back of the lesion, targeting the vessels to drain blood from the meridians; this corresponds to the Heart. (The pattern of needling resembles leopard spots, hence the name. It targets Jing and Luo vessels to release blood. Ping An: *Ling Shu* and *Jia Yi Jing* do not have the character "Ci" after "Zuo You".) The third is called Guan Ci (Joint Needling). Guan Needling involves direct insertion into the left and right sides of a joint, reaching the tendon attachment, to treat Jin Bi (Tension Bi Syndrome); care must be taken not to cause bleeding. This corresponds to the Liver. It is alternatively known as Kai Ci (Opening Needling) or Qi Ci. (Inserting into the left and right sides of the body's joints, reaching the tendons, to dispel Jin Bi, hence named Guan Needling, or Kai Needling. Ping An: *Ling Shu* reads "Yuan Ci" instead of "Kai Ci"; *Jia Yi Jing* is the same. The phrase "or said Yuan Ci, also said Qi Ci" appears under the fourth method, He Ci, in some versions.) The fourth is called He Ci (Combined Needling). He Needling involves inserting needles in a chicken-foot distribution on the left and right sides, between the muscle compartments, to treat Ji Bi (Muscle Bi Syndrome); this corresponds to the Spleen. (Inserting into the space between muscles on the left and right, resembling the tracks of a chicken's foot, to combine the Qi in the intermuscular spaces, hence named He Needling. Ping An: *Ling Shu* and *Jia Yi Jing* read "He Gu Ci" instead of "He Ci".) The fifth is called Shu Ci (Acupoint/Transport Needling). Shu Needling involves direct insertion and withdrawal, penetrating deeply to the bone, to treat Gu Bi (Bone Bi Syndrome); this corresponds to the Kidney. (Based on Shu points, inserting deeply to the bone to dispel Gu Bi, hence named Shu Needling. Ping An: *Jia Yi Jing* reads "Nei Ci" instead of "Shu Ci".)