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Huangdi said: I have heard from you about the nine needles, which are numerous and vast. Yet, I still cannot fully comprehend them. May I ask how the nine needles came into being and why they are named as such? Qibo replied: The nine needles correspond to the great numbers of heaven and earth, starting from one and ending at nine. Thus, it is said: the first corresponds to heaven, the second to earth, the third to man, the fourth to time, the fifth to sound, the sixth to law, the seventh to stars, the eighth to wind, and the ninth to the wilderness.

Huangdi asked: How do the needles correspond to the number nine? Qibo answered: The sages established the numbers of heaven and earth, from one to nine, thus creating the nine regions. Nine times nine equals eighty-one, which gives rise to the Yellow Bell number, and thus the needles correspond to these numbers.

• The first corresponds to heaven, which is yang. The organ that corresponds to heaven is the lung, which is the cover of the five zang and six fu organs. The skin is associated with the lung and represents the yang of the human body. Therefore, the needle used for treatment must have a large head and a sharp tip, so that it does not penetrate deeply and allows yang qi to exit.
• The second corresponds to earth, and what corresponds to earth in humans is the flesh. Therefore, the needle used for treatment must have a cylindrical body and a rounded tip, so as not to injure the flesh and cause the qi to deplete.
• The third corresponds to man, and what forms life in humans is the blood vessels. Therefore, the needle used for treatment must have a large body and a rounded tip, allowing it to press on the vessels without sinking, to guide the qi and expel pathogenic qi.
• The fourth corresponds to time, which is the invasion of the eight winds into the meridians and collaterals, causing tumor diseases. Therefore, the needle used for treatment must have a cylindrical body and a sharp tip, allowing it to drain heat and blood, and exhaust chronic diseases.
• The fifth corresponds to sound, which divides winter and summer, separating yin and yang, and causing cold and heat to contend. When these two qi clash, they form abscesses and pus. Therefore, the needle used for treatment must have a tip like a sword's edge, capable of draining large amounts of pus.
• The sixth corresponds to law, which regulates yin-yang and the four seasons, harmonizing the twelve meridians. When deficiency-type pathogens invade the meridians and collaterals, they cause sudden paralysis. Therefore, the needle used for treatment must have a tip like a fine hair, both rounded and sharp, with a slightly larger body, to expel sudden qi.
• The seventh corresponds to stars, which are the seven orifices of humans. When pathogenic factors invade the meridians, they cause agonizing arthralgia and reside in the meridians and collaterals. Therefore, the needle used for treatment must have a tip like a mosquito's proboscis, inserted gently and slowly, and retained for a long time, allowing healthy qi to follow and expel both true and pathogenic qi, nurturing the body upon withdrawal.
• The eighth corresponds to wind, which affects the limbs and eight joints of humans. The empty winds of the eight solar terms injure people, residing deep within the bones, waist, spine, and joints, causing deep paralysis. Therefore, the needle used for treatment must have a long body and a sharp tip, capable of reaching deep-seated pathogens and distant paralysis.
• The ninth corresponds to the wilderness, which is the space between the joints and skin of humans. When excessive pathogens flow through the body, resembling wind edema, and cannot pass through the major joints, the needle used for treatment must have a tip like a rod, with a slightly rounded edge, to address the qi that cannot pass through the joints.

Huangdi asked: Are there specific lengths for the needles? Qibo replied:

• The first is the chán needle, modeled after the towel needle, with a length of one and a half inches, sharp at the tip, and a total length of one inch and six fen. It is used to treat heat in the head and body.
• The second is the round needle, modeled after the floss needle, with a cylindrical body and an oval tip, one inch and six fen in length. It is used to treat intermediate qi in the flesh.
• The third is the dī needle, modeled after the sharp tip of foxtail millet, three and a half inches in length. It is used to press on the vessels and guide qi, expelling pathogens.
• The fourth is the sharp needle, modeled after the floss needle, with a cylindrical body and a sharp tip, one inch and six fen in length. It is used to treat abscesses, heat, and bleeding.
• The fifth is the pī needle, modeled after the edge of a sword, two and a half fen wide and four inches long. It is used to treat large abscesses and pus, where two types of heat contend.
• The sixth is the round-sharp needle, modeled after the fine hair needle, with a slightly larger tip and a smaller body, allowing deep insertion. It is one inch and six fen in length and is used to treat abscesses and paralysis.
• The seventh is the fine needle, modeled after a hair, one inch and six fen in length. It is used to treat cold and heat causing agonizing arthralgia in the collaterals.
• The eighth is the long needle, modeled after the qí needle, seven inches in length. It is used to treat deep-seated pathogens and distant paralysis.
• The ninth is the large needle, modeled after the sharp needle, with a slightly rounded edge and four inches in length. It is used to treat qi that cannot pass through the joints.

This completes the shapes of the needles. These are the sizes and lengths of the nine needles.

Huangdi said: I wish to hear how the body corresponds to the nine regions. Qibo replied: Let me explain how the body corresponds to the nine regions.

• The left foot corresponds to the Beginning of Spring (1st solar term), and its days are Wuyin and Jichou.
• The left flank corresponds to the Spring Equinox (4th solar term), and its day is Yimao.
• The left hand corresponds to the Beginning of Summer (7th solar term), its day is Wu Chen and Ji Si.
• The throat and head correspond to the Summer Solstice (10th solar term), its day is Bing Wu.
• The right hand corresponds to the Beginning of Autumn (13th solar term), its day is Wu Shen and Ji Wei.
• The right flank corresponds to the Autumnal Equinox (16th solar term), its day is Xin You.
• The right foot corresponds to the Beginning of Winter (19th solar term), its day is Wu Xu and Ji Hai.
• The lower orifice of the waist and buttocks corresponds to the Winter Solstice (22nd solar term), its day is Ren Zi.
• The six fu organs and the three zang organs below the diaphragm correspond to the central region, their major prohibitions are the days when Taiyi is located, and all Wu and Ji days.

In all these nine cases, it is good to observe the locations of the eight solar terms, the left and right, upper and lower parts they govern. If there is a swelling or abscess on the body that needs treatment, do not treat it on the day it corresponds to, as this is called the day of heavenly prohibition.

• If the body is at ease but the mind is troubled, illness arises in the vessels, treat it with moxibustion and acupuncture.
• If the body is troubled but the mind is at ease, illness arises in the sinews, treat it with warm compresses and stretching.
• If both body and mind are at ease, illness arises in the flesh, treat it with needles and stones.
• If both body and mind are troubled, illness arises in the throat, treat it with sweet ⁽¹⁾ medicine.
• If the body is frequently startled and frightened, the sinews and vessels become obstructed, illness arises in numbness, treat it with tuina and medicinal wine.

This is called the form.

• The qi of the five zang organs: the heart governs belching, the lungs govern coughing, the liver governs speech, the spleen governs swallowing, the kidneys govern yawning.
• The qi of the six fu organs: the gallbladder governs anger, the stomach governs qi counterflow hiccup, the large and small intestines govern diarrhea, the bladder's lack of restraint governs enuresis, the lower jiao overflow governs water.
• Wuwei , sour enters the liver, pungent enters the lungs, bitter enters the heart, sweet enters the spleen, salty enters the kidneys, bland enters the stomach, this is called Wuwei .
• The five combinations: essential qi combines with the liver then worry, combines with the heart then joy, combines with the lungs then grief, combines with the kidneys then fear, combines with the spleen then dread, this is called the qi of the five essences combining with the zang organs.
• The five aversions: the liver averse to wind, the heart averse to heat, the lungs averse to cold, the kidneys averse to dryness, the spleen averse to dampness, these are the aversions of the qi of the five zang organs.
• The five kinds of fluid: the heart governs sweat, the liver governs tears, the lungs govern mucus, the kidneys govern saliva, the spleen governs drool, these are the sources of the five kinds of fluid.
• The five kinds of strain: prolonged looking injures the blood, prolonged lying injures the qi, prolonged sitting injures the flesh, prolonged standing injures the bones, prolonged walking injures the tendons, these are the illnesses caused by the five prolonged labors.
• The five movements: sour moves to the sinews, pungent moves to the qi, bitter moves to the blood, salty moves to the bones, sweet moves to the flesh, this is called the five movements.
• The five restrictions: if the illness is in the sinews, do not eat sour; if the illness is in the qi, do not eat pungent; if the illness is in the bones, do not eat salty; if the illness is in the blood, do not eat bitter; if the illness is in the flesh, do not eat sweet. If the mouth craves and desires to eat them, do not eat too much, must restrict oneself, this is called the five restrictions.
• The five onsets: yin illness arises in the bones, yang illness arises in the blood, yin illness arises in the flesh, yang illness arises in winter, yin illness arises in summer.
• Wuxie , evil entering the yang then becomes mania, evil entering the yin then becomes blood impediment, evil entering the yang and transforming then becomes epilepsy, evil entering the yin and transforming then becomes muteness, yang entering the yin, illness is quiet, yin exiting the yang, illness is joy and anger.
• The five zang organs: the heart stores the spirit, the lungs store the corporeal soul, the liver stores the ethereal soul, the spleen stores the will, the kidneys store the essence and will.
• The five governances: the heart governs the vessels, the lungs govern the skin, the liver governs the sinews, the spleen governs the muscles, the kidneys govern the bones.

Yangming has much blood and much qi, Taiyang (EX-HN5) has much blood and little qi, shaoyang has much qi and little blood, taiyin has much blood and little qi, jueyin has much blood and little qi, shaoyin has much qi and little blood, therefore it is said to puncture yangming to release blood and qi, puncture Taiyang (EX-HN5) to release blood and malign qi, puncture shaoyang to release qi and malign blood, puncture taiyin to release blood and malign qi, puncture jueyin to release blood and malign qi, puncture shaoyin to release qi and malign blood.

Foot yangming taiyin are exterior and interior, shaoyang jueyin are exterior and interior, Taiyang (EX-HN5) shaoyin are exterior and interior, this is called the yin-yang of the feet. Hand yangming taiyin are exterior and interior, shaoyang the heart governs as exterior and interior, Taiyang (EX-HN5) shaoyin are exterior and interior, this is called the yin-yang of the hands.

1. Jiayi Jing "Sweet" is written as "甘".