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Ping An: This section, from the beginning to the end of the chapter, is found in *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot), Volume 7, Chapter 45, titled "Wai Chuai" (Extrapolating from the Outside), and also appears in *Jia Yi Jing* (The Classic of Jia Yi), Volume 5, Section 7.

Huang Di said: I have heard of the Nine Needles (*Jiu Zhen*) comprising nine sections; I personally received their regulations and roughly grasped their meaning. (By "nine sections," it refers to the chapter on "Nine Needles" being treated as a separate section, not that the entire work consists of only nine sections. "Tiao" refers to unifying towards a single destination. "Yao Dao" refers to the profound mystery of being integrated into one.) The principle of the Nine Needles, when minimized, has no internal limit (If the principle of the needles could be minimized to having an interior, then the interior would be small, but the needle principle itself is not small. Thus, knowing the needle principle as small means it is minimized to its extreme); when maximized, it has no external boundary (If the principle of the needles could be maximized to having an exterior, then the exterior would be large, but the needle principle itself is not large. Thus, knowing the needle principle as large means it is maximized to its extreme); so profound that it cannot be considered low (If there were something deeper than the profundity of the needle principle, then the needle principle would not be the deepest. Thus, knowing the needle principle as profound means it is deep to its ultimate depth); so high that it cannot be covered (If there were something higher than the height of the needle principle, then the needle principle would have a cover. Thus, knowing the needle principle as high means it is high to its ultimate height. Ping An: *Jia Yi Jing* lacks the two sentences "shen bu ke wei xia"). Elusive and infinite, flowing and overflowing without limit, I know that it aligns with the changes of Heavenly Dao, human affairs, and the four seasons (Exploring it further reveals more subtlety, hence it cannot be fully explored; probing it reveals greater ingenuity, hence it has no limit. Since the changes of Heavenly Dao, human affairs, and the four seasons are thus, I know that the needle principle is identical to them). However, I wish to hear how the minute details like hairs can be integrated and bound into a single unity? (I know that the principles of needles and Dao seem to change in myriad ways, yet I wish to examine them as minutely as a hair or grain, and integrate them as if all mysteries were one. Examining minutely brings clarity through divine guidance; integrating mysteries into one achieves the completeness of all things. Ping An: In *Ling Shu*, the character "wen" is missing after "yuan", and "za" is written as a variant character. In *Jia Yi Jing*, the character "ran" is missing before "yu", and the five characters "wen za zhi hao mao" are missing after "yuan"; "shu" is written as "qiu".)

Qi Bo replied: How clear your question is! This applies not only to acupuncture but also to governing a state. (Integrating the minute into the human way, using it for acupuncture therapy can extend life; using it to preserve the state can prolong the dynasty. Only a Great Sage's wisdom could ask such a question. Ping An: *Ling Shu* adds the character "dao" after "zhen". *Jia Yi Jing* omits this passage.)

Huang Di said: I have heard that the principle of needles is not about state affairs. (The needle principle aims to remove disease and preserve oneself, whereas state affairs prioritize others over oneself. Preserving oneself and benefiting others are different; I fear that the needle principle may not be the key to governing a state. Ping An: *Ling Shu* adds the character "yuan" after "yu". *Jia Yi Jing* omits this passage.)

Qi Bo said: One who governs a state relies solely on Dao. Without Dao, how can the small and the large, the deep and the shallow, be mixed and merged into one? (Governing a state is to pacify the people. Acupuncture is to preserve the self. Neither pacifying people nor preserving the self can succeed without Dao; thus, understanding both makes them seamlessly one. Understanding the Dao of both allows both body and state to be governed well. Accumulating the small creates the large, so the small and large cannot differ; enhancing the shallow leads to the deep, so the deep and shallow cannot be distinct. Acupuncture corresponds to the small and shallow; governing the state corresponds to the large and deep. To understand and merge them is to grasp the essence of both acupuncture and state governance. Ping An: *Jia Yi Jing* omits the four characters "fu zhi guo zhe"; "za" is written as "li".)

Huang Di said: I wish to hear this in full detail.

Qi Bo said: Like the sun and the moon, water and mirrors, drums and echoes. (The following sets up six metaphors—sun/moon, water/mirror, drum/echo—to exhaustively explain the subtle way of preserving the self and pacifying the people.) The brightness of the sun and moon does not fail to reveal its illumination; the clarity of water and mirrors does not fail to reflect the shape; the response of drums and echoes does not lag behind the sound; when governance is proper, movement elicits harmony, fully grasping the true situation. (Acupuncture and medicine possess Dao, thus they are integrated and applied skillfully; governing the state possesses Dao, thus policies are uniform and governance succeeds. Therefore, acupuncture and medicine rectify the body, which is the "internal"; using them to pacify the people is the "external". The internal is metaphorically like the sun, moon, water, mirror, drum, and echo; the external is metaphorically like light/shadow, image, and sound. Acupuncture preserves the body and harmonizes nature, which is De (Virtue/Moral Power); managing objects and pacifying the people is Ren (Benevolence). Thus, governing the body and the state, moving and responding in harmony, fully harmonizing with the condition of all living beings, is the ultimate True Dao. "Not lagging behind" means occurring simultaneously. Ping An: "Zhang" is written as "ying" in *Ling Shu*; based on the commentary, it should also be "ying". "Zhi ze yao dong ying he" is written as "yao dong ze ying he" in *Ling Shu*. From Huang Di saying "yuan zu wen zhi" to "jin de qi qing", *Jia Yi Jing* omits this section.)

Huang Di said: It is truly perplexing! Such bright illumination cannot be obscured. That which cannot be obscured is because it does not lose Yin and Yang. (Observing the internal and external through Yin and Yang, therefore the brightness cannot be obscured. Ping An: *Ling Shu* writes "zhao zhao" as "zhao zhao".) Observing them together, verifying by palpation, seeing and obtaining [the truth], just like clear water and bright mirrors, not losing the shape of the object. (Observing the internal and external together, taking verification through intent/pulse, thus seeing and obtaining; seeing clearly, like the brightness of water and mirrors, not failing to match. If the five tones are not manifest, and the five colors are not clear, the five Zang organs are turbulent and agitated, (The five tones and five colors are the external; the five Zang organs are the internal. Because the spirit/nature of the five Zang organs is turbulent and agitated, the tones and colors do not manifest clearly.) In such cases, the internal and external affect each other, like a drum responding to a drumstick, an echo responding to a sound, and a shadow resembling a form. (These three metaphors are used to enlighten understanding of things. "Xi" means following/accompanying. Drum, sound, and form are internal/close; drumstick, shadow, and echo are external/distant. Ping An: *Ling Shu* adds the character "zhi" after "gu". From Huang Di saying "jiong hu zai" to "si xing ye", *Jia Yi Jing* omits this section.)

Therefore, observing from afar to extrapolate the internal, and observing closely to extrapolate the external, (What is observed from afar is external, sensing the internal; what is observed closely is internal, responding to the external; hence it is called "Chuai" (extrapolate/measure). Chuai means to measure/judge.) This is called the ultimate of Yin and Yang, the canopy of Heaven and Earth. Please allow me to store it in the Ling Lan Chamber, and dare not let it leak out."