平按∶此篇自篇首至末，见《灵枢》卷二第七《官针》篇，又见《甲乙经》卷五第二。
凡刺有五，以应五脏。一曰半刺，半刺者，浅内而疾发针，令针伤多，如拔发爪，以取
皮气，此肺之应。（凡刺不减一分，今言半刺，当是半分，故以拔发爪，欲令浅刺，多则恐伤气
也。平按∶毋令针伤多《灵枢》、《甲乙》作无针伤肉。发爪《灵枢》作毛状，取上无以字。《甲
乙》爪作状。）二曰豹文刺，豹文刺者，刺左右前后针之，中脉为故，以取经络之血者，此心之
应也。（左右前后针 ，状若豹文，故曰豹文刺也。中经及络，以出血也。平按∶《灵枢》、《甲
乙》左右上无刺字。）三曰关刺，关刺者，直刺左右，尽筋上，以取筋痹，慎无出血，此肝之应
也，或曰开刺，一曰岂刺。（刺关身之左右，尽至筋上，以去筋痹，故曰关刺，或曰开刺也。平
按∶开刺《灵枢》作渊刺，《甲乙》同，惟或曰渊刺又曰岂刺八字，在四曰合刺之下。）四曰合刺，
合刺者，左右鸡足，针于分肉之间，以取肌痹，此脾之应也。（刺身左右分肉之间， 如鸡足之
迹，以合分肉间之气，故曰合刺也。平按∶合刺《灵枢》、《甲乙》作合谷刺。）五曰输刺，输刺
者，直入直出，深内之至骨，以取骨痹，此肾之应也。（根据于输穴，深内至骨，以去骨痹，故曰
输刺也。平按∶输刺《甲乙》作 刺。）
平按：本篇从开头到结尾，见于《灵枢》卷二第七篇《官针》，又见于《甲乙经》卷五第二篇。
凡是针刺有五种方法，用来对应五脏。第一种叫半刺。所谓半刺，就是浅进针并快速出针，使针刺损伤较少（注：原文“令针伤多”据杨上善注文及《灵枢》、《甲乙经》校勘，意为避免深刺伤肉，此处依文意理解为浅刺以取皮气，不伤深层），如同拔除头发或指甲那样轻微，用以获取皮部之气，这是与肺相应的刺法。（凡是不减一分的深刺，现在说半刺，应当是半分深度，所以用拔发爪来比喻，想要让针刺很浅，如果太深恐怕会伤及正气。平按：《灵枢》和《甲乙经》中作“毋令针伤肉”。《灵枢》中“发爪”作“毛状”，“取”字上无“上”字。《甲乙经》中“爪”作“状”。）第二种叫豹文刺。所谓豹文刺，就是在病变部位的左右前后进行多点针刺，以刺中血脉为度，用以抽取经络中的瘀血，这是与心相应的刺法。（在左右前后针刺，形状像豹子的花纹，所以叫豹文刺。刺中经脉和络脉，以放出血液。平按：《灵枢》和《甲乙经》中“左右”二字上没有“刺”字。）第三种叫关刺。所谓关刺，就是直刺关节的左右两侧，直达肌腱附着处，用以治疗筋痹，务必不要出血，这是与肝相应的刺法，也有人称之为开刺，还有一种说法叫岂刺。（刺入身体关节的左右两侧，尽至肌腱之上，以去除筋痹，所以叫关刺，也有人叫开刺。平按：《灵枢》中“开刺”作“渊刺”，《甲乙经》相同，只是其中“或曰渊刺又曰岂刺”这八个字，位于第四种“合刺”之下。）第四种叫合刺。所谓合刺，就是在病变部位左右呈鸡足状分布进针，刺入分肉之间，用以治疗肌痹，这是与脾相应的刺法。（刺入身体左右分肉之间，像鸡足的足迹一样，以合聚分肉间的气机，所以叫合刺。平按：《灵枢》和《甲乙经》中“合刺”作“合谷刺”。）第五种叫输刺。所谓输刺，就是直入直出，深进针直至骨部，用以治疗骨痹，这是与肾相应的刺法。（根据输穴，深进针至骨部，以去除骨痹，所以叫输刺。平按：《甲乙经》中“输刺”作“内刺”。）
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".)