Acupuncture methods should be based upon the spirit"?

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It is said in Chapter 8, Original Spirit, Spiritual Pivot (Ling Shu): "All the
acupuncture methods should be based upon the spirit." It is said in Chapter
73, Separate Duties of Various Officials, Spiritual Pivot (Ling Shu): "The key
to acupuncture is the stress on the spirit." It is said in Chapter 1, Nine
Needles and Twelve Yuan-Primary Points, Spiritual Pivot (Ling Shu): "The
junior physician treats the disease according to the condition of the body,
while the senior physician treats the disease according to the condition of the
spirit." It is to distinguish the levels of the acupuncture techniques. All these
quotations show that the "spirit" is the most important in the acupuncture
therapy. What is the "spirit"? In the conflict between the Zheng (AntiPathogenic) Qi and Xie (Pathogenic) Qi, the "spirit" represents the Zheng
(Anti-Pathogenic) Qi. Therefore it is said in Chapter 3, expositions on Minute
Needles, Spiritual Pivot (Ling Shu): "The spirit refers to the Zheng (AntiPathogenic) Qi." The production of the spirit is based upon the blood and qi.
Therefore it is said in Chapter 26, On Eight Seasonal Dates and Divine
Brightness, Essential Questions (Su Wen): "The blood and qi, supporting the
spirit of the human beings, have to be nourished carefully." According to
these quotations, the ''spirit" is the essence of the blood and qi, and the
general reaction of the vital phenomena. It embodies the preponderance and
weakness of the functions of zang-fu organs and of qi and blood. It is said in
Chapter 54, Natural Life Span, Spiritual Pivot (Ling Shu): "One who loses his
spirit will die, while one who gains the spirit will live." The spirit, spreading all
over the body, possesses the higher functions of the spiritual activities.
Therefore, the spirit and qi are the most important in the inspection of the
patient when a physician is treating him. It is said in Ode of the Standard of
Mystery (Biao You Fu): "It is advisable to puncture a point when the original
spirit is facing. When the needle is inserted, it is advisable to make the
original spirit stable, so as to let qi flow along with it. It is not advisable to
puncture a point if the spirit is not facing, and it is advisable to manipulate
the needle if the spirit is stable. "It illustrates that it is advisable to observe
the spirit of the patient before the application of acupuncture. Only when the
spirit of the patient is concentrated, can it possible to insert the needle. Only
when the spirit is stable, can it possible to lead to the phenomenon of qi flow.
The spirit should follow the flow of qi. The manipulations of qi arrival and qi
flow should be done when "the spirit is facing" and "the spirit is stable". From
observation of the spirit, we can master the organic changes of the patient,
so as to determine the reinforcing or reducing method according to the
preponderance and weakness of qi and blood.
The functions of the acupuncture point are based upon the spirit and qi. It is
said in Chapter 1, Nine Needles and Twelve Yuan-Primary Points, Spiritual
Pivot (Ling Shu): "The so-called points are the places where the spirit and qi
go in and out." It is pointed out that the acupuncture points on the human
body are the places where the spirit and qi go in and out. Acupuncture is
such a therapy to apply reinforcing or reducing method on a certain point to
treat a disease, while the purpose of reinforcement and reducing is to
regulate and adjust the spirit and qi. Ma Xuantai annotated to Chapter 1,

Nine Needles and Twelve Yuan-Primary Points, Spiritual Pivot (Ling Shu): "A
physician who wants to manipulate the needle should consolidate the spirit,
while a physician who wants to consolidate the spirit should know where the
point is." It is described in Chapter 35, On Swelling Diseases, Spiritual Pivot
(Ling Shu): "If the reducing method is applied for the deficient and the
reinforcing method is applied for the excessive, the spirit will lose its house,
so that the Xie (Pathogenic) Qi is becoming victorious and the Zheng (AntiPathogenic) Qi is lost. It is the result due to wrong determination and
treatment, leading to death. If the reinforcing method is applied for the
deficient and the reducing method is applied for the excessive, the spirit will
go back to its house and meridians can be full. Those who can do in this way
are the good physicians." This quotation shows that if the reinforcing and
reducing methods are applied in wrong ways, i.e. to reinforce the excessive
or to reduce the deficient, it will lead to the separation of the spirit and qi
and the failure of the spirit to stay in its house, so as to cause the more
excessive Xie (Pathogenic) Qi that damages the Zheng (Anti-Pathogenic) Qi.
If the reinforcing and reducing methods are applied correctly, it can sedate
the excessive and reinforce the deficient, so as to enhance the vigor of the
spirit and to reach the goal to strengthen the Zheng (Anti-Pathogenic) Qi and
eliminate the Xie (Pathogenic) Qi.
TCMOO traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture training
Besides to inspect the spirit and to regulate the spirit, it is also stressed on
the concentration of the spirit of the physician. It is said in Chapter 1, Nine
Needles and Twelve Yuan-Primary Points. Spiritual Pivot (Ling Shu): "When a
physician is treating a patient, he should concentrate his spirit on the tip of
the needle and observe the patient carefully. He also should inspect the
course of the blood vessel and try to avoid it when he inserts the needle.
Thus no danger will occur." It is said in Chapter 25, On Loving natural Life
and Total Health, Essential Questions (Su Wen) to describe a physician in his
operation of acupuncture: "He should concentrate his spirit as if he is
standing at a bottomless chasm, he should be careful and firm as if he is
holding a tiger in his hands, and he should give his whole attention to the
acupuncture and not allow himself to be distracted." This quotation explains
that a physician should give his whole attention to the diagnosis and
treatment, so as to discover the minutest detail with a careful analysis, to
mind the changes of the patient's appearance, to inspect the deficiency or
excess of blood and qi flowing in the meridians, and to experience what kind
of needling sensation it is. So Guo Yuzeng, a famous physician in the East
Han Dynasty (25-220) said: "The spirit locates between the heart and hand."
From the above descriptions we can know that during the whole process of
acupuncture treatment, it is advisable to concentrate on the "spirit". It is
advisable for a physician to pay attention to the patient's spirit, and also to
concentrate his own spirit as well. It is said in Chapter 9, From Beginning to
End, Spiritual Pivot (Ling Shu): "It is advisable to concentrate his spirit in the
acupuncture treatment." It is said in Chapter 25, On Loving natural Life and

Total Health, Essential Questions (Su Wen): ''The true essence of

acupuncture is to treat the spirit first." These two quotations tell the same
sense of the spirit.
TCMOO traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture training