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Ping An: This chapter is found in the first middle section of Volume 7 of *Jia Yi Jing* (The Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

Question: What is meant by "do not exhaust Yin in autumn and winter, and do not exhaust Yang in spring and summer"? Answer: "Do not exhaust Yang" means that during spring and summer, one should not repeatedly deplete deficient Yang; if deficient Yang is depleted, it leads to mania. "Do not exhaust Yin" means that during autumn and winter, one should not repeatedly deplete deficient Yin; if deficient Yin is depleted, it leads to death. ("Shuo" [number/frequency] is pronounced as "shuo". Spring and summer are times when Yang Qi dominates, while autumn and winter are times when Yin Qi dominates. During these periods when Yin or Yang dominates, practitioners of acupuncture must not repeatedly deplete deficient Yang. Repeatedly depleting deficient Yang causes extreme Yang to trigger mania; repeatedly depleting deficient Yin causes extreme Yin to lead to death. Ping An: In *Jia Yi Jing*, "deficient Yang, deficient Yang" is written as "deficient Yangming, Yangming deficiency," and "deficient Yin, deficient Yin" is written as "deficient Taiyin, Taiyin deficiency.")

Ping An: From the beginning to the end of this chapter, it appears in Chapter 28, Volume 8 of *Su Wen* (Basic Questions), titled "Tong Ping Xu Shi Lun" (Discussion on Uniformly Evaluating Deficiency and Excess). Additionally, the preceding paragraph of this chapter is found in the first middle section of Volume 7 of *Jia Yi Jing*, and the following paragraph is found in the ninth section of Volume 11 of *Jia Yi Jing*.

Question: Why is it that in late spring, one treats the collaterals and meridians; in late summer, one treats the Jing-Shu points (Five Shu points); in late autumn, one treats the Six Fu Organs; but in winter, when the interstices are closed, medication is used more frequently while needles and stone lancets are used less? The statement about using fewer needles and stone lancets does not refer to carbuncles and sores (abscesses). Carbuncles and sores cannot wait for a specific time. (In late spring, summer, and autumn, it is appropriate to perform acupuncture. If carbuncles and sores reach their peak in winter, needles and stone lancets can be used. However, other conditions such as cold pathogens should not be treated with them, which aligns with the seasons. In spring, Yang Qi resides in the skin, so the Luo-Collaterals are selected. In summer, Yang Qi resides in the Five Shu points of the Twelve Meridians, so the Shu points are selected. In autumn, Yang Qi resides in the various Shu points of the Six Fu Organs, so they are selected. In winter, Yang Qi resides in the bone marrow, the interstices are closed, and the blood vessels are coagulated and stagnant, making acupuncture and bian-shi (stone lancet) therapy inadvisable; instead, herbal decoctions should be consumed. Carbuncles and sores are heat diseases, thus needles and stone lancets can be applied. Because carbuncles and sores are acute conditions, treatment with needles and stone lancets must not be delayed even for an instant. Ping An: In *Su Wen* and *Jia Yi Jing*, "ji" [extreme/peak] is written as "qi" [urgent]. In *Su Wen*, the word "bi sai" [closed] is repeated after itself, and "chu" [place/situation] is written as "ye" [particle]. "Xu shi" [wait for time] is written as "qing shi hui" [momentary return] in *Su Wen*.) If a carbuncle causes insensibility, lack of pain response, irregular onset and cessation, one should puncture three points beside the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin, and two points each from the Ying Mai (related to the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming). (Some cases arise from carbuncles where there is no pain or awareness, the location is uncertain, pressing yields no reaction, appearing present at times and absent at others. This is caused by Lung Qi. One may select the Shu point on the Hand-Taiyin Meridian that governs this condition and puncture it three times laterally, as well as the Shu point on the Ying Mai/Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming that governs this condition, selecting two points. Ping An: In *Su Wen* and *Jia Yi Jing*, "yin yong bu zhi bu zhi" [due to carbuncle, unknown, not reaching] is written as "yong bu zhi suo zhi" [carbuncle, unknown, what is known], and "ying luo" is written as "ying mai" [ribbon vessel]; according to the commentary, it should be written as "ying mai". In *Su Wen*, the character "xue" [point] follows "san" [three].)