Classica Sinica Medica

A Discourse on the Prohibitions of Needling

刺禁論

Cì jìn lùn

A catalogue of what the needle must not do. Asked for the count of the prohibitions (禁數), Qibo answers first with anatomy rather than with a list: the depots have vital points, and they cannot but be examined. The liver arises on the left, the lung is stored on the right, the heart is stationed at the surface, the kidney governs the interior, while the spleen acts as their envoy and the stomach as their market. Above the diaphragm and the huang region lie the father and mother, and beside the seventh vertebra lies the small heart — to follow them is good fortune, to oppose them is calamity. What follows is the count itself, and it falls into three parts. First, to strike a depot outright: heart, liver, kidney, lung, spleen and gallbladder, each with its own term of days and its own stirring sign — belching, speech, sneezing, coughing, swallowing, vomiting. Then a long run of places where the needle meets a vessel, a marrow, a joint or an organ: the dorsum of the foot, the face, the head, below the tongue, the sole, the cleft, the qi street, between the vertebrae, the breast, the supraclavicular fossa, the thenar eminence. Then the states in which one does not needle at all — the drunk, the angry, the exhausted, the newly sated, the starving, the thirsty, the terrified. The chapter closes with a second run of places, from the inner thigh to the joint, and the refrain is the same throughout: 内陷, to sink inward past the depth that belongs to the place. Four hundred and twenty-five graphs, and almost every one of them names a way to kill.

View
37 paragraphs
黄帝問曰：願聞禁數。 黄帝问曰：愿闻禁数。
Huáng dì wèn yuē: yuàn wén jìn shù.
黄帝问道：希望听一听针刺的禁忌共有多少条。
The Yellow Emperor asks: I wish to hear the count of the prohibitions.
歧伯對曰：藏有要害，不可不察。 歧伯对曰：藏有要害，不可不察。
Qí bó duì yuē: zàng yǒu yào hài, bù kě bù chá.
歧伯回答说：五藏各有要害之处，不可不明察。
Qibo replies: the depots have vital points; they cannot but be examined.
肝生於左，肺藏於右，心部於表，腎治於裏，脾爲之使，胃爲之市。 肝生于左，肺藏于右，心部于表，肾治于里，脾为之使，胃为之市。
Gān shēng yú zuǒ, fèi cáng yú yòu, xīn bù yú biǎo, shèn zhì yú lǐ, pí wéi zhī shǐ, wèi wéi zhī shì.
肝气生发于左，肺气藏守于右，心部署于表，肾主治于里，脾为诸藏传送精气如使者，胃为诸藏汇聚水谷如集市。
The liver arises on the left, the lung is stored on the right, the heart is stationed at the surface, the kidney governs the interior, the spleen acts as the envoy for them, and the stomach acts as their market.
鬲肓之上，中有父母，七節之傍，中有小心，從之有福，逆之有咎。 鬲肓之上，中有父母，七节之傍，中有小心，从之有福，逆之有咎。
Gé huāng zhī shàng, zhōng yǒu fù mǔ, qī jié zhī bàng, zhōng yǒu xiǎo xīn, cóng zhī yǒu fú, nì zhī yǒu jiù.
膈与肓的上面，中间有父母；第七椎的两旁，中间有小心。顺从它就得福，违逆它就招祸。
Above the diaphragm and the huang region, between them are the father and mother; beside the seventh vertebra, between them is the small heart. To follow them brings good fortune; to go against them brings harm.
刺中心，一日死，其動爲噫； 刺中心，一日死，其动为噫；
Cì zhòng xīn, yī rì sǐ, qí dòng wéi ài;
刺中心藏的，一日即死，其动象是噫气；
To strike the heart in needling: death in one day; the sign it stirs is belching;
刺中肝，五日死，其動爲語； 刺中肝，五日死，其动为语；
Cì zhòng gān, wǔ rì sǐ, qí dòng wéi yǔ;
刺中肝藏的，五日即死，其动象是言语；
To strike the liver: death in five days; the sign it stirs is speech;
刺中腎，六日死，其動爲嚏； 刺中肾，六日死，其动为嚏；
Cì zhòng shèn, liù rì sǐ, qí dòng wéi tì;
刺中肾藏的，六日即死，其动象是喷嚏；
To strike the kidney: death in six days; the sign it stirs is sneezing;
剌中肺，三日死，其動爲欬； 刺中肺，三日死，其动为咳；
Cì zhòng fèi, sān rì sǐ, qí dòng wéi kài;
刺中肺藏的，三日即死，其动象是咳嗽；
To strike the lung: death in three days; the sign it stirs is coughing;
刺中脾，十日死，其動爲吞； 刺中脾，十日死，其动为吞；
Cì zhòng pí, shí rì sǐ, qí dòng wéi tūn;
刺中脾藏的，十日即死，其动象是吞咽；
To strike the spleen: death in ten days; the sign it stirs is swallowing;
刺中膽，一日半死，其動爲嘔； 刺中胆，一日半死，其动为呕；
Cì zhòng dǎn, yī rì bàn sǐ, qí dòng wéi ǒu;
刺中胆的，一日半即死，其动象是呕吐；
To strike the gallbladder: death in a day and a half; the sign it stirs is vomiting;
刺跗上，中大脉，血出不止，死； 刺跗上，中大脉，血出不止，死；
Cì fū shàng, zhòng dà mài, xuè chū bù zhǐ, sǐ;
刺足背上而中伤大脉的，血流不止，死亡；
To needle the dorsum of the foot and strike a large vessel: the blood does not stop, and there is death;
刺面中溜脉，不幸爲盲； 刺面中溜脉，不幸为盲；
Cì miàn zhòng liū mài, bù xìng wéi máng;
刺面部而中伤溜脉的，不幸会失明；
To needle the face and strike the liu vessel: unhappily, blindness;
刺頭，中腦戶，入腦立死； 刺头，中脑户，入脑立死；
Cì tóu, zhòng nǎo hù, rù nǎo lì sǐ;
刺头部而中伤脑户、针入脑中的，立刻死亡；
To needle the head and strike the brain’s door, so that the needle enters the brain: death at once;
刺舌下中脉太過，血出不止，爲瘖； 刺舌下中脉太过，血出不止，为瘖；
Cì shé xià zhòng mài tài guò, xuè chū bù zhǐ, wéi yīn;
刺舌下而中伤血脉太过的，血流不止，会失音；
To needle below the tongue and strike the vessel too far: the blood does not stop, and there is loss of voice;
刺足下布絡中脉，血不出，爲腫； 刺足下布络中脉，血不出，为肿；
Cì zú xià bù luò zhòng mài, xuè bù chū, wéi zhǒng;
刺足下而中伤布络之脉的，血出不来，会成肿；
To needle the sole and strike a vessel of the spreading network: the blood does not come out, and there is swelling;
刺郄中大脉，令人仆脫色； 刺郄中大脉，令人仆脱色；
Cì xī zhòng dà mài, lìng rén pū tuō sè;
刺郄中而中伤大脉的，使人昏仆、面色脱失；
To needle the cleft and strike a large vessel: it makes the person fall and lose colour;
刺氣街中脉，血不出，爲腫鼠僕； 刺气街中脉，血不出，为肿鼠仆；
Cì qì jiē zhòng mài, xuè bù chū, wéi zhǒng shǔ pú;
刺气街而中伤血脉的，血出不来，会成为鼠仆之肿；
To needle the qi street and strike the vessel: the blood does not come out, and there is a swelling of the shu pu;
刺脊間中髓，爲傴； 刺脊间中髓，为伛；
Cì jǐ jiān zhòng suǐ, wéi yǔ;
刺脊骨之间而中伤脊髓的，会成为驼背；
To needle between the vertebrae and strike the marrow: hunchback;
刺乳上中乳房，爲腫根蝕； 刺乳上中乳房，为肿根蚀；
Cì rǔ shàng zhòng rǔ fáng, wéi zhǒng gēn shí;
刺乳上而中伤乳房的，会成肿而根部溃蚀；
To needle above the breast and strike the breast itself: a swelling that erodes at its root;
刺缺盆中内陷，氣泄，令人喘欬逆； 刺缺盆中内陷，气泄，令人喘咳逆；
Cì quē pén zhōng nèi xiàn, qì xiè, lìng rén chuǎn kài nì;
刺缺盆而针向内陷的，气外泄，使人喘咳气逆；
To needle the supraclavicular fossa and sink inward: the qi leaks out, and there is panting, coughing and counterflow;
刺手魚腹内陷，爲腫。 刺手鱼腹内陷，为肿。
Cì shǒu yú fù nèi xiàn, wéi zhǒng.
刺手部鱼腹而针向内陷的，会成肿。
To needle the thenar eminence of the hand and sink inward: swelling.
無刺大醉，令人氣亂。 无刺大醉，令人气乱。
Wú cì dà zuì, lìng rén qì luàn.
大醉的人不要刺，刺了会使气乱。
Do not needle one who is deeply drunk: it makes the qi disordered.
無刺大怒，令人氣逆。 无刺大怒，令人气逆。
Wú cì dà nù, lìng rén qì nì.
大怒的人不要刺，刺了会使气上逆。
Do not needle one in great anger: it makes the qi counterflow.
無刺大勞人，無刺新飽人，無刺大饑人，無刺大渴人，無刺大驚人。 无刺大劳人，无刺新饱人，无刺大饥人，无刺大渴人，无刺大惊人。
Wú cì dà láo rén, wú cì xīn bǎo rén, wú cì dà jī rén, wú cì dà kě rén, wú cì dà jīng rén.
过度劳累的人不要刺，刚吃饱的人不要刺，过度饥饿的人不要刺，极度口渴的人不要刺，受了大的惊恐的人不要刺。
Do not needle the greatly fatigued; do not needle one newly sated; do not needle the very hungry; do not needle the very thirsty; do not needle the greatly frightened.
刺陰股中大脉，血出不止，死。 刺阴股中大脉，血出不止，死。
Cì yīn gǔ zhòng dà mài, xuè chū bù zhǐ, sǐ.
刺大腿内侧而中伤大脉的，血流不止，死亡。
To needle the inner thigh and strike a large vessel: the blood does not stop, and there is death.
刺客主人，内陷中脉，爲内漏，爲聾。 刺客主人，内陷中脉，为内漏，为聋。
Cì kè zhǔ rén, nèi xiàn zhòng mài, wéi nèi lòu, wéi lóng.
刺客主人穴而针向内陷、中伤血脉的，会成为内漏，会耳聋。
To needle the guest-host point and sink inward so as to strike the vessel: internal leakage, and deafness.
刺膝𩪯，出液，爲跛。 刺膝𩪯，出液，为跛。
Cì xī bìn, chū yè, wéi bǒ.
刺膝盖骨而液外出的，会成为跛足。
To needle the kneecap so that fluid comes out: lameness.
刺臂太陰脉，出血多，立死。 刺臂太阴脉，出血多，立死。
Cì bì tài yīn mài, chū xuè duō, lì sǐ.
刺臂部太阴脉而出血过多的，立刻死亡。
To needle the taiyin vessel of the arm and let much blood: death at once.
刺足少陰脉，重虚出血，爲舌難以言。 刺足少阴脉，重虚出血，为舌难以言。
Cì zú shào yīn mài, chóng xū chū xuè, wéi shé nán yǐ yán.
刺足少阴脉、于重虚之人而出血的，会使舌头难以说话。
To needle the shaoyin vessel of the foot and draw blood in one who is doubly depleted: the tongue cannot speak.
刺膺中陷，中肺，爲喘逆仰息。 刺膺中陷，中肺，为喘逆仰息。
Cì yīng zhōng xiàn, zhòng fèi, wéi chuǎn nì yǎng xī.
刺膺中而针内陷、中伤肺的，会喘逆而仰面呼吸。
To needle the middle of the chest and sink in so as to strike the lung: panting with counterflow and breathing with the face lifted.
刺肘中，内陷，氣歸之，爲不屈伸。 刺肘中，内陷，气归之，为不屈伸。
Cì zhǒu zhōng, nèi xiàn, qì guī zhī, wéi bù qū shēn.
刺肘中而针向内陷的，气归聚于此，会不能屈伸。
To needle the cubital fossa and sink inward, so that the qi gathers there: inability to bend and stretch.
刺陰股下三寸，内陷，令人遺溺。 刺阴股下三寸，内陷，令人遗溺。
Cì yīn gǔ xià sān cùn, nèi xiàn, lìng rén yí niào.
刺大腿内侧下方三寸而针向内陷的，会使人遗尿。
To needle three cun below the inner thigh and sink inward: involuntary urination.
刺掖下脅間内陷，令人欬。 刺掖下胁间内陷，令人咳。
Cì yè xià xié jiān nèi xiàn, lìng rén kài.
刺腋下胁间而针向内陷的，会使人咳嗽。
To needle below the armpit, between the ribs, and sink inward: coughing.
刺少腹中膀胱，溺出，令人少腹滿。 刺少腹中膀胱，溺出，令人少腹满。
Cì shào fù zhòng páng guāng, niào chū, lìng rén shào fù mǎn.
刺少腹而中伤膀胱的，尿外漏，会使人少腹胀满。
To needle the lower abdomen and strike the bladder: urine escapes, and the lower abdomen becomes full.
刺腨腸内陷，爲腫。 刺腨肠内陷，为肿。
Cì shuàn cháng nèi xiàn, wéi zhǒng.
刺小腿肚，即腨肠，而针向内陷的，会成肿。
To needle the calf muscle and sink inward: swelling.
刺匡上陷骨中脉，爲漏爲盲。 刺匡上陷骨中脉，为漏为盲。
Cì kuāng shàng xiàn gǔ zhòng mài, wéi lòu wéi máng.
刺眼眶上方、陷入骨中而中伤血脉的，会成漏，会失明。
To needle above the orbit and sink into the bone so as to strike the vessel: leakage, and blindness.
刺關節中，液出，不得屈伸。 刺关节中，液出，不得屈伸。
Cì guān jié zhōng, yè chū, bù dé qū shēn.
刺入关节之中而液外出的，就不能屈伸了。
To needle within the joint so that fluid comes out: the joint cannot bend or stretch.

Textual notes

Readings follow the base edition; significant variants are recorded here.

  1. 黄帝問曰：願聞禁數黄帝问曰：愿闻禁数

    來稿於兩處「曰」下加現代引號「“”」，底本無之；此从底本，二組引號並回刪，不入正文。

  2. 血出不止，爲瘖血出不止，为瘖

    底本作「瘖」，从疒，讀 yīn；來稿作从口之「喑」。第四十九篇同例，此从底本。本篇一見。

  3. 中腦戶，入腦立死中脑户，入脑立死

    底本作「戶」，讀 hù；來稿作「户」。第四十九篇同例，此从底本。本篇一見。

  4. 歧伯對曰歧伯对曰

    底本作「歧」，从止支聲，讀 qí；來稿作从山之「岐」。全站前五十一篇皆从止，此从底本。本篇一見。

  5. 令人仆脫色令人仆脱色

    底本作「脫」，从肉，讀 tuō；來稿作「脱」。此从底本。本篇一見。

  6. 剌中肺，三日死刺中肺，三日死

    底本此處作「剌」，从夾，俗寫，讀 cì；正文其餘三十六處作「刺」，二字同讀而形異。此从底本，存其異。本篇「剌」一見，「刺」三十六見（篇題之「刺」不計）。

  7. 刺膝𩪯，出液刺膝𩪯，出液

    底本作「𩪯」，骨旁之罕字，讀 bìn，膝蓋骨也；通行本多作从骨从賓之「髕」。此从底本。本篇一見。

  8. 七節之傍，中有小心七节之傍，中有小心

    底本作「傍」，从人旁聲，讀 bàng；亦有作不从人之「旁」者。此从底本。本篇一見。

  9. 刺中心，一日死刺中心，一日死

    「中」此讀 zhòng，中傷之義；上文「中有父母」「中有小心」及下文「缺盆中」「膺中」「肘中」「關節中」之「中」讀 zhōng，中裏之義。本篇「中」二十六見而兩讀，各依其義。

  10. 藏有要害，不可不察藏有要害，不可不察

    「藏」此讀 zàng，藏府之藏；下文「肺藏於右」之「藏」讀 cáng，藏匿之義。本篇「藏」二見而兩讀。

Cite this page

APA

Huangdi Neijing · Suwen 黃帝內經素問 (c. 3rd c. BCE – 1st c. CE; recension c. 762 CE). Cì jìn lùn 刺禁論 [A Discourse on the Prohibitions of Needling], Chapter 52. In Classica Sinica Medica. Base text: 《重廣補註黃帝內經素問》二十四卷，唐·王冰注，宋·林億、孫奇、高保衡等校正，宋·孫兆重改誤。據上海涵芬樓《四部叢刊初編》影印明嘉靖二十九年（1550）顧從德覆宋刊本錄入，卷一牌記題「上海涵芬樓景印明顧氏翻宋本」。底本與影印本均屬公有領域。 Retrieved 12 October 2026, from https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-suwen/prohibitions-of-needling/

MLA

"Cì jìn lùn 刺禁論 [A Discourse on the Prohibitions of Needling]." Huangdi Neijing · Suwen 黃帝內經素問, chapter 52, Classica Sinica Medica, 2026, https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-suwen/prohibitions-of-needling/. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026. Base text: 《重廣補註黃帝內經素問》二十四卷，唐·王冰注，宋·林億、孫奇、高保衡等校正，宋·孫兆重改誤。據上海涵芬樓《四部叢刊初編》影印明嘉靖二十九年（1550）顧從德覆宋刊本錄入，卷一牌記題「上海涵芬樓景印明顧氏翻宋本」。底本與影印本均屬公有領域。

Chinese scholarly

《黃帝內經素問·刺禁論》（Huángdì Nèijīng Sùwèn）。《重廣補註黃帝內經素問》二十四卷，唐·王冰注，宋·林億、孫奇、高保衡等校正，宋·孫兆重改誤。據上海涵芬樓《四部叢刊初編》影印明嘉靖二十九年（1550）顧從德覆宋刊本錄入，卷一牌記題「上海涵芬樓景印明顧氏翻宋本」。底本與影印本均屬公有領域。Classica Sinica Medica，2026 年 10 月 12 日 存取，https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-suwen/prohibitions-of-needling/。

For classical material the edition is what makes a citation checkable: cite the base text, not the web page alone.

Passage credits

This passage has not been attributed yet.

Not yet reviewed — unreviewed passages are published as transcribed, not as reviewed.