九针论/Jiu Zhen Lun

(On the Nine Kinds of Needle)

黄帝曰:余闻九针于夫子，众多博大矣，余犹不能寤，敢问九针焉生?何因而有名?岐伯曰:九针者，天地之大[大:《甲乙》卷五第二无此字]数也，始于一而终于九。故曰:一以法天，二以法地，三以法人，四以法时，五以法音，六以法律，七以法星，八以法风，九以法野。

Yellow Emperor said:"I am told that the learning of the nine kinds of needles are abundant, profound and extensive, but I don't understand how the nine kinds of needles are produced, and why do they have different names?" Qibo said:"The nine in the needle is a number in heaven and earth, it commences in one and terminals in nine. The first kind of needle is following the example of heaven, the second kind of neeale is following the example of earth, the third kind of needle is following the example of man, the fourth kind of needle is following the example of the four seasons, the fifth kind of needle is following the example of the five tones, the six kind of needle is following the example of the six laws of the music, the seventh kind of needle is following the example of the seven stars, the eighth kind of needle is following the example of the winds from the eight directions, the ninth kind of needle is following the example of the nine divisions of prefecture."

黄帝曰:以针应九之数奈何?岐伯曰:夫圣人之起天地之数也，一而九之，故以立九野，九而九之，九九八十一，以起黄钟数焉，以针应数也。

Yellow Emperor asked:"How to analogize the needle with the nine numbers?" Qibo said:"The numbers established by the sages are to express the changes of heaven and earth and the Yin and Yang, it takes one to nine as the fundamental numbers, and after this, the nine prefectures are established. Nine times nine is eighty one and the number of Huang Zhong (bell determining the middle note of music) of eighty one fen (8.1 inches) is set up. When one analogizes with the number, there occurs the names of the nine kinds of needle.

一者天也，天者阳也，五脏之应天者肺，肺者五脏六腑之盖也，皮[皮:《素问・欬论》“皮”下并有“毛”字]者肺之合也，人之阳也。故为之治[治:《甲乙》卷五第二“治”下有“鏡”字]针，必以大其头而锐其末，令无得深入而阳气出。

The first kind of needle is analogizing the heaven and heaven belongs to Yang. In the five solid organs of the human body, the lung corresponds to heaven. The lung is in the highest position, it is the canopy of the five solid organs and the six hollow organs, and the skin and the fine hair which belong to the surface of the body correspond to the lung. In order to treat the disease of the skin and the fine hair, the sagital needle is made, its head is large and its tip is sharp, so that is can not be pricked deeply to excrete the Yang energy.

二者地[地也:《甲乙》卷五第二“地也”下有“地者土也”四字]也，人之所以应土者肉也。故为之治[治:《甲乙》卷五第二“治”下有“员”字]针，必苚其身而员其末，令无得伤肉分[肉分:《圣济总录》卷一百九十二“肉”下无“分”字]，伤则气得竭。

The second kind of needle is analogizing the earth in human body, earth corresponds to the muscle. In order to treat the disease of the muscle, the ovoid-tip needle is made, the body of the needle is straight and its tip is round, so that it can avoid to injure the muscle; if the muscle is hurt, the energy will become debilitative.