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Chapter 50 Discourse on the essentials of Piercing 50-273-2 Huang Di asked: “I should like to hear about the essentials of piercing.” Qi Bo responded: “The diseases include [those] at the surface and [others] in the depth; piercing includes shallow [piercing] and deep [piercing]. always go to the respective structures;1 never go too far on this way.2 If one goes to far on this [way], then [this results in] internal harm; if one does not reach it, then [this] generates external congestion. once there is a congestion, then evil will follow there.3 When [the proper measure of] shallow or deep [piercing] is not achieved, contrary [to one’s intentions] this will cause severe injury and excites the five depots internally. This will generate a serious disease subsequently.4 1 Gao shishi: “各至其理 is: always reach the line structures (文理) of the skin, the flesh, the vessels, the sinews, and the bones.”Cheng shide et al.: “理refers to the flesh section.” 2 Wang Bing: “‘Way’ refers to the passage ways of the qi.” Zhang Jiebin: “If one should [apply a] shallow [piercing] but does not do so, or if one should [apply a] deep [piercing] but fails to do so, that is alway 過其道.”Zhang yizhi et al.: “理and 道have corresponding meanings. In Meng zi 孟子, Gao zi 告子it is stated: 理義之悅我心. The commentary states: 理者, 得道之理, ‘li is to grasp the structures of the Way.’ ” 3 Wang Bing: “‘If one moves beyond [the necessary], then [this results in] internal harm’ because [one had pierced] too deep. ‘If one stays short [of the necessary], then [this] generates external congestion’ because one has unreasonably enriched the qi of another section. When the qi is enriched so that external congestion results, evil qi will move to the depleted [region].”Zhang Jiebin: “If one [pierces] too deep, then this harms the qi in the interior. If [the piercing] is erroneously shallow, then this brings the qi to the outside. Hence, congestion-swelling results and the evil, contrary [to one’s intentions] moves there.”Zhang Zhicong: “In case of 壅the blood and the qi do not move.” Cheng shide et al.: “壅is 阻塞, ‘blockage.’ ” 4 Wang Bing: “賊is to say: 私害, ‘self-inflicted harm.’ 動is to say: 動亂, ‘to disturb.’ ‘external blockage’ and ‘internal harm’ are the consequences of a ‘severe disease.’ Hence, [the text] states: ‘later generates a severe disease.’ ” Cheng shide et al.: “動is 傷, ‘to harm.’ ” 900/69 points out the rhyme structure of these 16 characters. 734 Huang Di nei jing su wen 50-273-5 Hence, it is said: among the diseases are those in the finest body hair and interstice structures, those in the skin, those in the muscles and flesh, those in the vessels, those in the sinews, those in the bones and those in the marrow.5 Hence, when piercing the finest body hair and the interstice structures, do not harm the skin. When the skin is harmed, then internally this excites the lung. When the lung is excited, then [that person] will suffer from warmth-malaria in autumn. He shivers from cold in a su-manner.6 50-273-8 When piercing the skin, do not harm the flesh. When the flesh is harmed, then this excites the spleen internally. 5 Wang Bing: “long body hair is called 毫. The line structures (文理) of the skin are called 腠理. Both can be seen on the skin.”Zhang Zhicong: “‘To pierce the finest hair and the interstice structures’ is the most shallow piercing.” 6 The Jia yi jing has 淅淅, that is the soughing sound of the wind. Both the su-su of the Su wen and the xi-xi of the Jia yi jing may be attempts at imitating the sounds voiced when a person feels bitter cold. for this interpretation see also Gao Jiwu/42. However, the appearance of 泝然in Su wen 56 suggests another interpretation.Thus, Zhang Zhicong reads 泝 as 溯, “to move against the stream”, which is the original meaning of that term: “To move upwards against the stream is called 泝. 泝泝然 is: the qi moves upwards against [its normal course] and one feels cold.”This view is also supported by 2167/49. 965/39 sees no connection between a countermovement of qi (as implied by an interpretation of 泝泝as 溯) and a feeling of cold: “The two characters 泝泝 are corrupted versions of 淅淅.” 969/63 agrees. 915/58: “泝泝然 is identical with 肅肅然, ‘pulling together’ / ‘stern’ . Zhuang zi 莊子, ‘Tian zi cai’ 天 子才has: 至陰肅肅. Cheng Xuan-ying 成玄英commented: ‘肅肅is the cold of yin qi.’ ” 2165/40: “The 淅淅of Ling shu...

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