行针之士。要辨浮沉。脉明虚实。针别浅深。经脉络脉之别。巨刺缪刺之分。经络闭塞
。须
络流注。各应其时。先脉诀病。次穴蠲 。左手掐穴。右手置针。刺荣无伤卫。刺卫无伤荣
。气悍则针小而入浅。气涩则针大而入深。气滑出疾。气涩出迟。深则欲留。浅则欲疾。候
其气至。必辨于针。徐而疾者实。实而迟者虚。虚则实之。满则泄之。菀陈则除之。邪胜则
虚之。刺虚者须其实。刺实者须其虚。经气已至。慎守勿失。谨守其法。勿更变也。贼邪新
客。未有定处。推之则前。引之则止。其来不可逢。其往不可追。损其有余。补其不足。先
去血脉。而后调之。无问其病。以平为期。若有若无。若得若失。五脏以定。九候以备。诊
脉病明。行针病愈。众脉不见。众凶不闻。外内相得。无以形先。可玩往来。乃施于人。手
动若务。针耀而匀。伏如横弩。起如发机。见其鸟鸟。见其稷稷。从见其飞。不知其谁。静
意是义。观适之变。是谓冥冥。莫知其形。如临深渊。手如握虎。如待所贵。不知日暮。其
气已至。适而自护。五虚勿近。五实不远。扪而循之。切而散之。推而按之。弹而怒之。爪
而下之。通而取之。阴募在腹。阳俞在背。藏病取原。府病取合。藏俞治脏病。府募治腑病
。出入导气。补泻同精。善行水者。不能注水。善穿水者。不能凿冻。权衡以平。气口成寸
。以决死生。饮食入胃。游溢精气。上输于脾。脾气散精。上归于肺。通调水道。下输膀胱
。食气入胃。散精于肝。淫气于筋。食气入胃。浊气归心。淫精于肺。五劳五痹。九气七情
。六淫六腑。九窍九州。四气三因。伤风伤寒。杂病奇病。妇人小儿。盛则泻之。虚则补之
。不盛不虚。以经取之。
上铜人指要赋。多取内经词语。末后权衡以平。文不相属。
行针施术的医生，必须辨别脉象的浮与沉。通过脉象明确病证的虚与实，从而决定针刺的浅与深。要区分经脉与络脉的不同，以及巨刺法与缪刺法的区别。当经络闭塞时，需要疏通络脉的气血流注。
针刺应顺应气血流注的时间规律。先依据《脉诀》判断疾病，再选取穴位以祛除病痛。左手掐按穴位定位，右手放置针具进针。刺入荣分（血）时不要伤及卫分（气），刺入卫分时不要伤及荣分。
如果患者经气悍急，则选用细小的针具并浅刺；如果患者经气涩滞，则选用粗大的针具并深刺。如果经气滑利，出针要快；如果经气涩滞，出针要慢。深刺应当留针，浅刺则应快速出针。等待经气到来时，必须仔细辨别针下的感觉。
脉象徐缓而疾速变化的是实证，脉象实而迟滞的是虚证。虚证要用补法，实证要用泻法。瘀血陈积的要清除它，邪气盛实的要削弱它。针刺虚证要使正气充实，针刺实证要使邪气消退。经气已经到来，要谨慎坚守，不要失误。严格遵守针刺法则，不要随意更改。
对于刚侵入体内的贼邪之气，还没有固定的位置，推按它会向前移动，牵引它会停止不动。这种邪气来的时候不可迎而夺之，去的时候不可追而逐之。要损害有余的邪气，补充不足的正气。先去除血脉中的瘀滞，然后再调理气血。不论是什么病，都以阴阳平衡为最终目的。
针刺的感觉若有若无，似得气又似未得气。五脏的功能得以安定，三部九候的诊察得以完备。诊断脉象和病情明确后，施行针刺可使疾病痊愈。面对众多复杂的脉象，不被凶险的征象所迷惑。内外相合，不单纯以形体表象为先，可以玩味气机的往来变化，然后施治于人。
操作时要专心致志，针具要光亮且动作均匀。持针静止时像拉满的横弩一样稳固，起针时像触发机关一样迅速。观察气至的变化，如同看见鸟群飞翔、禾苗生长，跟随其动态，却不知其具体形态。静心体会其中的义理，观察气机适应的变化，这就是所谓的“冥冥”之境，微妙到看不见具体的形状。
操作时要像面临深渊一样小心谨慎，手像握着老虎一样坚定有力，像对待尊贵客人一样恭敬，忘记时间的流逝。当经气已经到来，要适当自我保护（指医者自身精神集中并妥善护持针感）。遇到五虚证不要轻易针刺，遇到五实证不要远离（即要及时治疗）。
针刺前可扪摸循按穴位，切压散结，推按疏导，弹击使血管怒张，指甲切下定位，通调后经气取之。阴经的募穴在腹部，阳经的俞穴在背部。脏病取原穴，腑病取合穴。脏的俞穴治疗脏病，腑的募穴治疗腑病。出入导气，补泻手法精妙。
善于治水的人，不能强行注水；善于凿冰的人，不能强行凿冻（比喻治病需顺应自然规律）。用权衡来保持平衡，通过寸口脉象来判断死生预后。
饮食进入胃中，游溢精气，向上输送给脾。脾气散布精微物质，向上归于肺。肺通调水道，向下输送到膀胱。食物之气进入胃，精微散布于肝，滋养筋脉。食物之气进入胃，浊气归于心，精微上输于肺。
无论是五劳、五痹，还是九气、七情，或是六淫、六腑、九窍、九州，以及四气、三因，导致的伤风、伤寒、杂病、奇病，以及妇人和小儿的疾病，原则都是：盛则泻之，虚则补之，不盛不虚则以本经取之。
以上是《铜人指要赋》，其中大量引用了《内经》的词句。最后几句关于权衡和平气的论述，与前文语境似乎不相连属。
Physicians performing acupuncture must distinguish between floating and sinking pulses. By clarifying the deficiency and excess through pulse diagnosis, one can determine whether to needle superficially or deeply. One must differentiate between meridians (Jingluo) and collateral vessels (Luomai), as well as between Great Puncture (Juci) and Counter Puncture (Mouci). When meridians are obstructed, it is necessary to unblock the flow of Qi and Blood in the collaterals.
Acupuncture should correspond to the timing of Qi and Blood flow. First, diagnose the disease according to Pulse Formulas (Maijue), then select acupoints to eliminate the pathology. The left hand presses the acupoint for positioning, while the right hand places the needle. When penetrating the Ying (Nutrient/Blood) level, do not injure the Wei (Defensive/Qi) level; when penetrating the Wei level, do not injure the Ying level. If the patient's Qi is vigorous and rapid, use a small needle and insert it shallowly. If the Qi is sluggish, use a large needle and insert it deeply. If the Qi is smooth, withdraw the needle quickly; if the Qi is sluggish, withdraw it slowly. For deep insertion, retain the needle; for shallow insertion, withdraw it rapidly. When waiting for the arrival of Qi, one must carefully discern the sensation at the needle. A pulse that is slow yet changes rapidly indicates Excess; a pulse that is full yet slow indicates Deficiency. Treat Deficiency with tonification, treat Fullness with sedation. Remove stagnation and old blood (Wanchen). Drain excessive pathogenic factors. When needling Deficiency, aim to achieve fullness (of Zheng Qi); when needling Excess, aim to achieve emptiness (of Xie Qi). Once the Jing Qi has arrived, guard it carefully and do not lose it. Strictly adhere to these methods without arbitrary changes.
For newly invaded pathogenic factors (Zei Xie) that have not settled in a fixed location, pushing them moves them forward, pulling them stops them. Their arrival cannot be met head-on, and their departure cannot be pursued. Reduce what is excessive, supplement what is deficient. First remove blood stasis from the vessels, then regulate the body. Regardless of the specific disease, the goal is balance (Ping). The sensation may seem present yet absent, obtained yet lost. The Five Zang organs become stable, and the Nine Palpations (Jiu Hou) become complete. With clear diagnosis of pulse and disease, acupuncture can cure the illness. Amidst numerous complex pulses, ignore ominous signs. Internal and external aspects must harmonize; do not rely solely on physical appearance. Observe the coming and going of Qi before applying treatment. Focus your mind on the task; the needle should be bright and movements even. Remain still like a drawn crossbow, but strike swiftly like releasing a trigger. Observe the subtle movements like flying birds or growing crops, following the flight without knowing the source. Calmly contemplate the meaning, observe the changes of adaptation. This is called "Ming Ming" (obscure/subtle), where the form is unknown. Approach with caution as if standing by a deep abyss; hold the needle firmly as if grasping a tiger; treat the moment with reverence as if awaiting a noble guest, forgetting the passing of time.
When Qi has arrived, maintain appropriate control and self-protection. Do not needle lightly in cases of Five Deficiencies; do not stay away from cases of Five Excesses. Palpate and follow the channels, press to disperse, push and press to guide, flick to distend vessels, use fingernails to mark the spot, unblock and extract. Yin Mu points are on the abdomen, Yang Shu points are on the back. For Zang diseases, select Yuan-Source points; for Fu diseases, select He-Sea points. Use Shu points of Zang to treat Zang diseases; use Mu points of Fu to treat Fu diseases. Guide Qi in and out; tonification and sedation require precision. Those skilled in managing water cannot force water to pour; those skilled in drilling ice cannot force frozen ground to break. Use balance as a standard; the Cun Kou pulse determines life and death.
Food enters the Stomach, its essence floats and overflows, moving upward to the Spleen. The Spleen scatters the essence, sending it upward to the Lung. The Lung regulates water passages, transmitting downward to the Bladder. Food Qi enters the Stomach, scattering essence to the Liver, nourishing the sinews. Food Qi enters the Stomach, turbid Qi returns to the Heart, and refined essence goes to the Lung. Whether dealing with Five Fatigues, Five Bi syndromes, Nine Qi disturbances, Seven Emotions, Six Exogenous Pathogens, Six Fu organs, Nine Orifices, Nine Provinces, Four Qi, or Three Causes; whether Wind-Cold, common cold, miscellaneous diseases, or strange diseases; whether in women or children—the principle remains: Sedate if Excessive, Tonify if Deficient. If neither excessive nor deficient, treat via the affected meridian itself.
This is the *Tongren Zhiyao Fu* (Ode to the Essentials of the Bronze Man). It heavily borrows terminology from the *Neijing*. The final section regarding "balance and peace" seems disconnected from the preceding text.