I Can Hear the Heart's Voice of Traditional Chinese Medicine-Chapter 255 - 113: Mastery of Acupuncture Arts, Revealed Again (Part 6)

The next advance is to the Human Department, which is the middle 1/3 depth of the acupoint. Insertion, extraction, and rotation are as before;

Then advance to the Earth Department, the lower 1/3 depth of the acupoint, with the same procedure as before; then withdraw from the Earth Department to the Celestial Department once, which completes one round.

Repeat three rounds. If heat arrives, remove the needle and rub to close the acupoint; if there is no sensation of heat, the needle can be manipulated repeatedly until the patient feels a sense of heat."

Zhou Jiande nodded seriously, seeming to think, as if trying to memorize what Lu Xuan had said in his mind.

However, Lu Xuan, after glancing at Zhou Jiande, didn't stop but continued to share his understanding of Heart-piercing Cold: "Unlike Mountain Burning Fire, Heaven-piercing Cold mainly uses the draining methods of slow-rapid, insertion-extraction, nine-six, and opening-closing, combined with the rotation method's draining technique.

The needle operation involves advancing the needle to the Earth Department, performing tighten and slow press six times at this part, and turning right when lifting the needle;

Then withdraw the needle to the Human Department, performing the same insertion, extraction, and rotation six times;

Withdraw further to the Celestial Department, with the same procedure as before;

This advance and three retreats complete one round.

Perform three rounds, if coolness arises, the needle can be withdrawn, and before withdrawing, enlarge its hole without closing the acupoint. If there is no cool sensation, repeat until the patient can feel the emergence of coolness."

"However…"

At this point, Lu Xuan changed his tone: "However, if we slightly discard some content from the ancient books, I think when performing Mountain Burning Fire or Heart-piercing Cold, there's no need to incorporate the Rubbing Technique, only combine it with rubbing the needle to stimulate Qi in cases where Qi is not obtained.

Therefore, it is unnecessary to differentiate left and right, or to use "tighten press" or "tighten lift" in clinical practice, and the effect should be the same."

Zhou Jiande nodded slightly but then frowned: "Dr. Lu, I just mentioned that I have also conducted some research on Mountain Burning Fire and Heart-piercing Cold, but I have never been able to understand how to achieve the effects mentioned in these two acupuncture skills, so I have never grasped the main point and naturally cannot comprehend the true meaning in ancient books. After hearing your explanation, it seems this is how the Mountain Burning Fire and Heart-piercing Cold should be, but even so, I still have some doubts in my mind."

In response to Zhou Jiande's doubts, Lu Xuan thought for a moment, immediately found the answer, and said with a smile: "The mechanism of producing a hot or cool sensation through acupuncture was actually mentioned in the Inner Canon long ago.

Elder Zhou should also have some understanding of it. In the Plain Questions: Acupuncture Interpretation Chapter, it says: "To solidify what is empty is to warm the needle, and the fullness is warmth; to drain what is full is to cool the needle, and the emptiness is coolness."

It shows that the production of heat and coolness is a sign of the meridian Qi being replenished and solidified, or drained and emptied.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the mechanism of heat and cold generation in the body is considered a result of supplementing or draining Yang Qi.

Yang Qi being guided by the needle and filling up leads to a warming sensation;

Conversely, Yang Qi being directed out by the needle brings Yin Qi, resulting in a cool sensation.

Here, I must mention someone, the famous acupuncture expert of the Ming Dynasty, Yang Jizu, who specifically pointed out: "Indeed, when solid, Qi enters; when empty, Qi exits. With Yang born externally, it enters; with Yin born internally, it exits. This is how the flow of Yin and Yang's Water and Fire differ."

Therefore, to achieve the purpose of Yang Qi entering solidly and filling the interstices, Yang must be introduced into Yin, that is, drawn from the outside inwards. Applying this to Mountain Burning Fire, it involves leading the Yang Qi generated in the Celestial Department layer by layer into the Earth Department, so the Yang heat surpasses the Yin cold, known as "Returning Yang."

To let Yin Qi flourish, it must be after the expulsion of Yang evil, when Yin surpasses Yang. Thus, Yin must be introduced into Yang, that is, from the inside outwards, guiding the excessive energy from the Earth Department layer by layer to the Celestial Department for dispersion, Yang leaving, and Yin arriving, known as "Inverting Yin."

With this understanding, the principle of needling in Mountain Burning Fire is from Yang to Yin, making celestial Qi enter; in Heaven-piercing Cold, from Yin to Yang, making terrestrial Qi exit.

In supplementing and draining techniques, slow-rapid nourishment with slow advance and rapid retreat for supplementing, and rapid advance and slow retreat for draining.

The layered slow advance in Mountain Burning Fire, three advances, is to guide Yang Qi inward layer by layer; the layered slow retreat in Heaven-piercing Cold, three retreats, is to guide the expulsion of Yang evil in layers, allowing Yin Qi to emerge.

Similarly, the insertion and extraction supplementing and draining with pushing inward as one, "tighten press" as a supplement, moving outward with "tighten lift" as draining, "tighten press" for descending Yang, "tighten lift" for ascending Yin.

These two techniques have a synergistic effect, so Mountain Burning Fire and Heaven-piercing Cold use this as the main measure for "Returning Yang and Inverting Yin."

At this moment, Zhou Jiande did not know what to say.

Not a single flaw.

At least within his range of understanding, Lu Xuan's understanding of Mountain Burning Fire and Heart-piercing Cold has no loopholes whatsoever, as if these two acupuncture skills should be precisely so, should be operated in this way, and should use this needle technique to obtain Qi.

Lu Xuan's knowledge of medical books, too, is not just rote memorization, but rather a comprehensive and thorough understanding, otherwise, with so many medical books, merely remembering the content would not allow for blending the contents, discarding the dross, selecting the essence, and eventually uncovering the truth.

Witnessing this scene, Zhou Jiande's two students were already in awe.

Amazing to behold!

Seeing their teacher, an acupuncture master, actually having respect for a young man in his twenties, the two of them silently exclaimed at the marvel.

Truly marvelous.

The acupuncture skills of Mountain Burning Fire and Heart-piercing Cold that had confounded their teacher for over ten years were unravelled by Lu Xuan.

At this moment, the two were so shocked they didn't know what to say.

Only able to look up to him like a revered mountain.

At this moment, the two finally understood the talent Elder Zhou mentioned earlier. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

It really is not something hard work can catch up with.

Meanwhile, Zhou Jiande, coming back to his senses from the shock, couldn't help but look at this young twenty-something man in front of him. At this moment, he wasn't concerned with much else. He was more eager to see whether this young man standing before him, guiding with full vigor and verbal exuberance, could indeed use his understanding to perform the acupuncture skills…

Mountain Burning Fire, Heart-piercing Cold!

If successfully performed, traditional Chinese acupuncture would enter a new realm.