There exists 5 types of needling responding to the 5 organs:
1 - Ban Ci (semi-puncture)
_ Needle superficially and withdraw rapidly without injuring the flesh, recalling pulling out of a hair.
_ This process expels perverse energy localized in the skin. It responds to the lung.
2 - Bao Wen Ci (needling recalling the image of spots on the skin of the leopard):
_ Needling done indifferently at the left or right, in front or behind, but falling right on the blood capillaries to make the jingluo b l e e d .
_ This process responds to the heart.
3 - guan Ci (joint needling):
_ Needling performed to the left or right, in front of or behind the joint, particularly at the level of the tendons, to treat jin Bi (pains of the muscles; myalgias)
_ The method of bleeding is strictly contra-indicated here because this process responds to the liver.
4 - hegu Ci (needlings recalling the image of the angle where hegu- LI 4 occurs):
_ 3 or 4 needles oriented toward the point of impact evoking the image of the claw of a chicken. This type of needling must touch the
“spaces of distribution of flesh” (Xi and Gu: small valleys and valleys).
_ This process treats Gu Bi (pains of the flesh; dermalgias).
It responds to the spleen.
5 - shu Ci (needling the shu points):
_ Vertical needling to the bone and also vertical removal of the needle to treat Gu Bi (pains of the bones; ostealgias).
_ This process responds to the kidney.
EXPLANATIONS AND COMMENTARIES
I - Zhang Shi explains: 215.
1 - This paragraph defines the energy of the 5 organs.
At the exterior, it unites with the skin, flesh, muscles and bones; in the interior, it controls the internal parts of the body. For this reason, one needles the places called “he”
(reunion) located at the exterior in order to respond to the 5 organs.
2 - The blood makes up part of the “shen qi” (mental energy) group. This why the shen of the 5 organs circulates in the blood vessels to respond to the transformations of the 5 movements.
3 - The energy of the 5 organs unites at the exterior, at the level of the skin, flesh, muscles and bones in order to respond to the 4 seasons.”
II - Ma Shi explains:
1 - Ban Ci or “semi-puncture”:
_ Superficial needling with immediate removal of the needle is not a perfect method, hence the name “semi-puncture”.
_ Deep needling risks injuring the flesh. This is why it must be superficial, as if one has extracted a hair. The goal of this needling is to only touch the energy of the cutaneous zone.
_ As the skin unites with the energy of the lung, cutaneous needling (semi-puncture) responds to the lung organ.
2 - Bao Wen Ci or “Leopard Needling”:
_ Numerous needlings done to the right and left, in front and behind. It is a matter of lightly touching the blood capillaries to make the jingluo bleed.
_ As the energy of the heart controls the blood, this process responds to the heart organ.
3 - guan Ci or “Articular Needling”:
_ Vertical and bilateral needling of the 4 limbs done especially at the level of the tendons and muscles, without bleeding, to treat jin Bi (myalgias, tendinitis).
_ As the energy of the liver controls the muscles and tendons, this process responds to the liver organ.
4 - he Ci or “reunion Needling”:
_ To the left as to the right, needling made up of several needles directed so as to form a claw of a chicken, to a depth not going past the “spaces of distribution of flesh”.
_ As the energy of the spleen controls the dermis (flesh), this process responds to the spleen organ.
5 - shu Ci or “shu Needling”:
_ Vertical and deep needling right to the bone to treat Gu Bi (ostealgias).
_ As the kidney energy controls the bones, this process responds to the kidney organ.
III - N.V.N.:
The 5 types of needling cited in this paragraph concern the disturbances of the 5 organs at the level of the exterior, that is to say at the level of the:
_ skin (responding to the lung)
_ little blood capillaries (responding to the heart) 216.
_ muscles and tendons (responding to the liver) _ flesh (responding to the spleen)
_ bones (responding to the kidney).
1 - First type of needling: Ban Ci.
_ Needling only the epidermis, therefore not touching the dermis, hence “semi-puncture”.
_ Superficial implantation and immediate removal of the needle like plucking out a hair.
_ Technique of expulsion of perverse energy at the skin to treat cutaneous pain.
_ Technique provoking reactive phenomena of the lung energy because the lung organ controls the pilocutaneous system.
2 - Second type of needling: Bao Wen Ci
_ Needling evoking the image of the spots of the leopard’s skin.
_ Numerous punctures at the sites of appearance of little blood capillaries, hence the name “leopard needling”.
_ Technique of bleeding to evacuate blood stasis in order to ventilate the jingluo.
_ Technique provoking reactive phenomena of the energy of the heart because the heart organ controls the vascular system.
3 - Third type of needling: guan Ci
_ Needling close to the joint at the level of the muscles and tendons, hence the name
“articular needling”.
_ Needling without bleeding.
_ Specific technique in the treatment of jin Bi (myalgias and tendinitis).
_ Technique provoking reactive phenomena of the energy of the liver, because the liver organ controls the musculo-tendinous system.
4 - Fourth type of needling: hegu Ci
_ “hegu Ci” does not designate the needling technique of the point hegu-LI 4.
_ After having implanted the needle to a determined depth, lift it up slightly and place the needle into the dermis. With 3 needles, form the ideogram “ “ (fish) evoking the claw of a chicken.
_ Specific technique for treatment of Bi of the flesh (dermalgias).
_ Technique provoking reactive phenomena of the energy of the spleen, because the spleen organ controls the system of connective tissue (flesh).
5 - Fifth type of needling: shu Ci
_ “shu” implies the sense of harmonious movements of aeration and circulation. All needlings are of the “shu” type. here, the needling must be deep in order to disperse the perverse energy localized at the level of the articulation.
_ Rapid movements of advance and retreat transmitted to the needle.
_ Deep needling right to the bone to treat Gu Bi (ostealgias).
_ Technique provoking reactive phenomena of the energy of the kidney, because the kidney organ controls the osteo-medullary system.
• In conclusion, Chapter 7 of the Lingshu concerns the daily practice of acupuncture.
Failure to appreciate acupuncture techniques and imperfect manipulation of the needles are the principal causes of therapeutic failure.
217.