Multiple bi · zhong bi

Also rendered: Multiple bi (keeps the count in 衆) · The several obstructions (literal, and it is long) · Fixed bi (clinical, and it is an interpretation)

Physiology

Reviewed · 2026-10-25

At a glance

Pinyin: zhòng bì
Simplified: 众痹
Literal: 衆 zhòng — many, the several; 痺 bì — obstruction. Not one obstruction in many places but many obstructions, each in its own.
Shuowen: 《說文》：衆，多也。痺，溼病也。「衆痺」本篇2見，黃帝所問實為衆痺，歧伯先正其名，而後別出周痺。

In brief

The several obstructions, which the chapter uses to correct its own question. The Emperor describes a pain that shifts with the pulse and answers left to right, and Qibo says plainly: this is 衆痺, not 周痺. Each stays where it is, flaring and stopping by turns, dwelling and rising by turns, right answering left and left answering right — it cannot go all round, it only alternates. The treatment is the opposite of the circulating form: though the pain has stopped, needle the place it stopped in, so that it does not rise again.

Senses in the classical corpus

The name 此衆痺也，非周痺也

这是众痹，不是周痹

This is multiple bi, not circulating bi.

此衆痺也，非周痺也 — 靈樞·周痺

Its manner 各在其處，更發更止

各在其处，交替发作与停止

Each stays in its own place, now flaring, now stopping.

各在其處，更發更止 — 靈樞·周痺

Its limit 非能周也，更發更休也

不能周遍全身，只是交替发作与休止

It cannot go all round; it flares and rests by turns.

非能周也，更發更休也 — 靈樞·周痺

The needling 痛雖已止，必刺其處

痛虽已止，仍须刺其原处

Though the pain has already stopped, needle its place.

痛雖已止，必刺其處 — 靈樞·周痺

Occurrences in the classics

Passages where the term does real work, with the original, pinyin and English on the same line.

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1 passages

靈樞·周痺 Read in context →

歧伯答曰：此衆痺也，非周痺也。黃帝曰：願聞衆痺。歧伯對曰：此各在其處，更發更止，更居更起，以右應左，以左應右，非能周也，更發更休也。歧伯答曰：此众痹也，非周痹也。黄帝曰：愿闻众痹。歧伯对曰：此各在其处，更发更止，更居更起，以右应左，以左应右，非能周也，更发更休也。

Qí Bó dá yuē: cǐ zhòng bì yě, fēi zhōu bì yě. Huáng Dì yuē: yuàn wén zhòng bì. Qí Bó duì yuē: cǐ gè zài qí chù, gēng fā gēng zhǐ, gēng jū gēng qǐ, yǐ yòu yīng zuǒ, yǐ zuǒ yīng yòu, fēi néng zhōu yě, gēng fā gēng xiū yě.

Qibo answered: this is the multitude of bi, not circulating bi. The Emperor said: I should like to hear of the multitude of bi. Qibo replied: each stays in its own place, now arising and now stopping, now settling and now rising; the right answers the left and the left answers the right, but it cannot go all round; it arises and rests by turns.

「衆痺」本篇2見，歧伯先正其名，繼言其「各在其處，更發更止」，以別於周痺之隨脉上下。

Compounds built on this term

更發更止

gèng fā gèng zhǐ

flaring and stopping by turns

衆痺之態

周痺

zhōu bì

circulating bi

與衆痺對舉

How it has been translated

Every rendering below is a decision about which reader is being addressed. There is no neutral option.

This site	multiple bi	the text's own contrast
Literal	the many obstructions	exact, and it is heavy
Clinical	multifocal bi	clear, and it is modern

Entry status

Review pending — who reviews this?

2026-10-25

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