Ma Dan-yang's Song of the Twelve Heavenly Star Points For the Treatment of Various Diseases

S an Li (St 36), Nei Ting (St 44), Qu Chi (LI 11), and He Gu (LI 4), Wei Zhong (BI 40), Cheng Shan (BI 57), Tai Chong (Liv 3), Kun Lun (BI 60), Huan Tiao (GB 30), Yang Ling (GB 34), Tong Li (Ht 5), and Lie Que (Lu 7) are combined [based on their capacity for working in concert with one another] and reinforced to supplement. [Likewise,] they are combined and drained in order to drain.

[The effects of] all 360 points are covered by [the points in the following] 12 verses. They treat disease in a miraculous way, acting naturally like hot soup poured onto snow. They are the key points having descended from the Northern Dipper.

They are a golden lock requiring instruction in order penetrate [their meaning], and they should be transmitted only to those who have achieved great attainment. Do not speak of them off-handedly to one who is not a [true] disciple.

1. San Li, (located) 3 cun below the eye of the knee between the two sinews, unblocks distention within the heart and abdomen. It especially treats cold in the stomach, intestinal rumbling, and diarrhea, swelling in the lower leg, and soreness of the thigh, knee, and lower leg, cold injury, emaciation, and detriment, qi gu [i.e., an accumulation of parasitic toxins resulting in drumlike distention and fullness of the chest and abdomen], and all sorts [of other diseases]. After 30 years of age, needle and moxa [this point] and they eyes [will see] clearly. Select this point only after careful investigation. [Needling it to a depth of] 8 fen and [using] 3 cones (of moxa) is best.

2. Nei Ting, (located) outside the second toe, pertains to the foot yang ming. It is able to treat inversion [chilling] of the four limbs, [diseases] which like quiet but detest noise, hives, sore throat, frequent yawning, aching teeth, malaria, and inability to eat. Needling it, one feels clear-headed. Needle 3 fen; moxa 3 cones.

3. Qu Chi is located with the arm bent, searching along the edge of the elbow bone. It especially treats pain in the elbow, one-sided wind with inflexibility of the arm, inability to draw a bow, weakness of the sinews, and inability to comb one's head, throat blocked and impassable even to drinks, high fever which does not cease, wind rashes, and leprosy all over the body. When needled, [this point] [immediately] eliminates intermittent rashes. (Needle 5 fen; moxa 3 cones.)

4. He Gu lies within the tiger's mouth, in the col between the two finger bones. [It treats] aching of the head and swelling of the face, malarial disease with alternating hot and cold, toothache, nosebleed, and mouth shut silent with inability to open to speak. Once needled to a depth of 5 fen, a person will become well. (Moxa 3 cones.)

5. Wei Zhong lies within the crook of the knee, at the vessel in the center of the transverse crease. [It treats] low back pain with inability to stand up straight, deep bending of the upper back's roofbeam [i.e., the spine], aching and pain of the sinews such that they cannot be flexed, wind bi with impaired range of motion, and difficulty stretching [or extending] the head of the knee. [The malady] will be remedied with insertion of the needle. (Needle 4 fen; moxa prohibited.)

6. Cheng Shan, also called Yu Fu (Fish Belly) and Chuai Chang (Calf Intestine), [is located] in the division between the flesh. It especially treats lumbar soreness and pain, hemorrhoids causing difficult defecation, leg qi and swelling of the knees, tossing and turning due to aching and soreness, choleric disorders, and spasm of the sinews. Once needled, it will produce a positive result. (Needle 7 fen; moxa 5 cones.)

7. Tai Chong [is located next to] the big toe of the foot, in the middle, 2 cun behind the joint. Life and death can be determined from the throbbing pulse at this point. It is able to treat fright convulsive wind, distention of the throat and heart, inability to move the two legs or feet, the seven types of shan [or mounting], a tendency to swelling prolapse, and clouding of the vision. It is also able to treat lumbar pain. Needling downward produces a miraculous effect. (Needle 3 fen; moxa 3 cones.)

8. Kun Lun [is located behind] the outer ankle of the foot, above the heel bone; search along the edge. [It treats] twisted sinews, lumbar and buttock pain, sudden wheezing and fullness surging into the heart, inability to stand up and walk about such that any movement produces moaning and groaning. If one seeks peace and happiness, one must needle this point. (Needle 5 fen; moxa 3 cones.)

9. Huan Tiao is in the center of the rump. Locate lying on one's side with leg bent. [It treats] lumbar pain so painful it is as if the back has broken and cannot be twisted, chill, wind, and damp bi, thigh, hip, and even calf pain [which causes] one to utter a heavy sigh when turning onto one's side. Once a person has been needled and the moxaed, the disease should be eliminated at once. (Needle 2 cun; moxa 5 cones.)

10. Yang Ling is situated below the knee, outside the shank 1 cun. [It treats] knee swelling and numbness and tingling, chilly bi and one-sided wind, inability to lift the legs, sitting and lying about like a decrepit old man. All this ceases when needled 6 fen. Its effect is divine and miraculous beyond compare. (Moxa 3 cones.)

11. Tong Li is located on the side and behind the
wrist, from the wrist 1 cun. [It treats] a desire to speak, but no sound emerges, vexation and irritability, fright palpitations, repletion producing heaviness of the four limbs, redness of the head, cheeks, and face, vacuity producing an inability to eat, sudden muteness, and an expressionless face. Slightly pierce it with a fine needle and this is evidence of its miraculous effect. (Needle 3 fen; moxa 3 cones.)

12. Lie Que [is located] on the side of the wrist and above. The tip of the finger [finds the point when] the arms are crossed. [This point] especially treats unilateral afflictions of the head [i.e., migraine], wind bi and numbness anywhere on the body, phlegm drool repeatedly obstructing above, and mouth shut with inability to open the teeth. (Needle 3 fen; moxa 5 cones.)

If one is unable to distinguish between supplementation and drainage [in the use of these points], palpate [the point] with the hand [to help determine this].

Translated by Charles Chace & Bob Flaws
from Chapter 10, Book 3 of Yang Ji-zhou's Zhen Jiu Da Cheng (The great Compendium of Acupuncture & Moxibustion)

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