Huangdi asked: I have heard that there are 365 Qixue (KI13) points, corresponding to the days of a year. I do not know their locations and wish to hear about them in detail. Qibo bowed twice and replied: What a profound question! If not for a sage emperor, who could fully comprehend this principle? Please allow me to elaborate on their locations. The Emperor, holding his hands respectfully and stepping back, said: Master, your explanation enlightens me. Though my eyes have not seen the locations, nor my ears heard the numbers, my vision has become clear, and my hearing sharp. Qibo said: This is what is meant by "a sage is easy to speak to, and a good horse is easy to ride."
The Emperor said: I am not a sage who is easy to speak to. It is said that true numbers open the mind. What I am inquiring about are the true numbers, to dispel confusion and resolve doubts, which is not yet sufficient for discussion. However, I wish to hear the master elaborate fully on their locations, so that I may understand their meaning. I will store this knowledge in a golden cabinet and dare not reveal it again. Qibo bowed twice and stood up, saying: I will explain. When the back and heart are connected and in pain, the points to treat are Tiantu (CV22) and the tenth vertebra, as well as the upper and lower regions. The upper region refers to the stomach cavity; the lower region refers to Guanyuan (CV4). The back and chest are connected by the yin-yang meridians on the left and right. The symptoms include pain and obstruction in the front and back, chest and hypochondriac pain, difficulty breathing, inability to lie down, shortness of breath, and one-sided pain. The pulse is full and rises diagonally from the coccyx, connecting to the chest, ribs, and heart, passing through the diaphragm, ascending to the shoulders and adding Tiantu (CV22), then descending diagonally to the shoulders and intersecting below the tenth vertebra. There are 50 acupoints for the zang organs, 72 for the fu organs, 59 for heat, and 57 for water. On the head, there are five rows corresponding to the Five Phases, totaling 25 points. On the sides of the spine, there are five points on each side, making ten points. Dazhui (GV14) has one point on each side, totaling two points. The pupils have Fubai (GB10), two points. The hip joints have two points, Dubi (ST35), two points. The ears have two points for hearing, the eyebrows have two points, Wangu (GB12), two points. The top of the head has one point, the occipital bone has two points, Shangguan (GB3), two points, Daying (ST5), two points, Xiaguan (ST7), two points, Tianzhu (BL10), two points, Juxu Shanglian (LI8) , four points. The mandibular angle has two points, Tiantu (CV22) has one point, Tianfu (LU3), two points, Tianyou (TE16), two points, Futu (LI18), two points, Tianchuang (SI16), two points, the shoulder joints , two points, Guanyuan (CV4), one point, Weiyang (BL39), two points, Jianzhen (SI9), two points. The mute gate has one point, the navel has one point, the chest has twelve points, Beishu , two points, Yingshu has twelve points, the flesh has two points, above the ankles there are two horizontal points, the yin-yang qiao has four points. The water points are located in various divisions, the heat points are in Qixue (KI13), the cold and heat points are in the two hip joints, two points. The great prohibition has twenty-five points, located five inches below Tianfu (LU3). In total, there are 365 points, which are the pathways for acupuncture.
The Emperor said: I now know the locations of Qixue (KI13) and the pathways for acupuncture. I wish to hear about the tertiary collateral vessels and valleys. Do they also correspond to something? Qibo said: The tertiary collateral vessels have 365 acupoints, also corresponding to the days of a year. They are used to expel strange pathogens and regulate the nutritive and defensive qi. When the nutritive and defensive qi stagnate, the defensive qi disperses and the nutritive qi overflows, leading to exhaustion of qi and stagnation of blood. Externally, this manifests as fever, internally as shortness of breath. Swift drainage is necessary to regulate the nutritive and defensive qi. When symptoms appear, drain without hesitation, regardless of the meeting points. The Emperor said: Excellent.I wish to hear about the meeting of valleys. Qibo said: The large gatherings of flesh are called valleys, the small gatherings are called streams. Between the divisions of flesh, the meeting of valleys and streams is where the nutritive and defensive qi flow, and where the great qi gathers. When pathogens overflow and qi stagnates, the meridians heat up and the flesh deteriorates. If the nutritive and defensive qi do not flow, pus will form, internally consuming the bone marrow and externally breaking the large joints. If it remains in the joints, it will lead to decay. Accumulated cold lingers, and the nutritive and defensive qi do not reside there, causing the flesh to contract and the tendons to shrink, preventing the elbows from extending. Internally, this results in bone impediment, externally in numbness. This is called insufficiency, as the Great Cold (24th solar term) lingers in the valleys and streams. The valleys and streams have 365 acupoints, also corresponding to the days of a year. For minor obstructions that spread and follow the meridians, fine needles can be used, following the same principles.
The Emperor then dismissed his attendants, stood up, and bowed twice, saying: "Today, you have enlightened me and dispelled my doubts. I will store this knowledge in a golden cabinet and dare not bring it out again. It shall be kept in the Chamber of Golden Orchids, labeled as the location of Qixue (KI13)." Qibo said: "The tertiary collateral vessels, which branch off from the main meridians, have 365 vessels in total. When the blood is abundant and needs to be purged, these vessels also connect to the collaterals, transmitting to the twelve collateral vessels. It is not only the fourteen collateral vessels; internally, ten vessels are responsible for purging within the body."