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Chapter 26 Discourse on the eight Cardinal [Turning Points] and on spirit Brilliance1 26-164-1 Huang Di asked: “ ‘The application of the needle, it must be based on laws and rules.’2 now, what are the laws and what are the rules?” Qi Bo responded: “[In piercing one should take] heaven as law and the earth as rule. Combine them with ‘the luminaries of heaven.’”3 [Huang] Di: “I should like to hear of this comprehensively.” Qi Bo: “all laws of piercing require an observation of the qi of sun and moon and stars, and of the eight cardinal [turning points] of the four seasons.4 1 140/27: “This treatise discusses piercing, but [its contents] have nothing to do with piercing. Because the Needle Classic was lost, the prescription masters of the Qin and Han took advantage of this void and inserted their compilations. However, they had no knowledge of the art and as a result their language is empty and wrong at many places.” 2 The following appears to be a comment on a discourse recorded more succinctly in Ling shu 73; most of the following quotes refer to the text in Ling shu 73-452-5 ff. Wang Bing: “服 is 事, ‘matter,’ ‘affair,’ ‘business.’ 法 is 象, ‘to imitate.’ 則 is 準, ‘standard ’; it is 約, ‘agreement,’ ‘treaty.’ ” 3 Wang Bing: “This is to say: one acts in conformity with the gradual movement of sun, moon, and stars.” Zhang Jiebin: “The brilliance of heaven appears in sun and moon. They are called the ‘luminaries of heaven.’ ” Zhang Zhicong: “one conforms with the cold and summerheat of heaven, with the cold and warmth of the sun, with the fullness and depletion of the moon, and with the movements of the stars.” 4 Wang Bing: “四時八正 is to say: the regular qi of the four seasons and the winds of the eight seasonal junctures arrive to assemble at [the changing residences of] Tai yi. one carefully examines where the qi is situated and pierces this [location].” Ma shi: “八正 is ‘the regular qi of the eight seasonal junctures.’ The beginnings of the four seasons, the two equinoxes, and the two solstices are called ‘the eight cardinal [turning points].’ ” 434 Huang Di nei jing su wen When the qi is determined, one [can] pierce the [patient].5 Hence, when heaven is warm and when the sun is bright, then the blood in man is rich in fluid,6 and the guard qi is at the surface. {Hence, the blood can be drained easily and the qi can be made to move on easily.} When heaven is cold and when the sun is hidden, then the blood in man congeals so that [its flow] is impeded,7 and the guard qi is in the depth. 26-164-6 at the time of beginning crescent moon, blood and qi originate as essence,8 and the guard qi begins to move. 5 yang shangshan: “as for 定, when one examines and recognizes the regular qi of heaven and earth, this is called 定, ‘to determine.’ Cheng shide et al.: “定 is 定位, ‘to determine a location.’ In contrast,Wang Bing: “氣定乃刺之 is to say: When the wind qi of the eight seasonal junctures is calm and fixed, then one can pierce the conduit vessels and regulate depletion and repletion. Hence the Li ji 曆忌 states: ‘five days before and after the eight seasonal junctures one must not pierce or cauterize. [otherwise ] misfortune [results].’ This is to say, the qi is not yet fixed. Hence one must not cauterize or pierce.” 6 Zhang Jiebin: “淖 is 濡潤, ‘rich.’ When the sky is warm and the sun shines, the yang abounds and the yin is weak. The blood and the qi in man correspond to this. Hence the blood is imbued with liquid and is drained easily. The guard qi is at the surface and moves easily.When the sky is cold and the sun is hidden, the yang is weak and the yin abounds. Hence man’s blood congeals and the guard qi is in the depth. When [the blood] is congealed, it is difficult to drain it. When [the guard qi] is in the depth, it has difficulties to move.” Zhongyi yanjiuyuan...: “淖 has the meaning of 滑 潤, ‘smooth.’ ” yu Chang: “淖液 stands for 潮汐, ‘morning tides and evening tides.’ ” Mori: “淖液 stands for 淖澤, in the sense of 滋潤, ‘rich.’ yang shangshan interprets 液 as 津液; that is wrong.” 7 Wang Bing: “泣 is to say: like snow in water.” 238/401/ “泣 is 冱, ‘congealed.’ ” Mori: “The Tai su has 涘泣 instead of 凝泣, in the sense of 澀, ‘rough.’ ” 8...

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