Needling Techniques Involving The Nanjing And Qi, Including Arriving Or Departing Qi And Increasing Or Decreasing Qi

These techniques were first elaborated in the Neijing. Later, the Nanjing was written explaining Questions 72,76,78 and 79 in more detail and including needling techniques. These needling techniques have been in use from then till now.Since the time of the Nanjing, many diverse needling techniques have been developed and, as a result, the knowledge of how to increase or decrease flow and how to balance qi has become increasingly difficult to understand. This problem was the result of the fact that many different meanings can be applied to any one Chinese ideogram. For example, during the Yuan and Jing Dynasties, some very famous acupuncturists developed various needling techniques and wrote about them in obscure and confusing language. Prior to these dynasties, everything was pure and simple; after them, things became confusing and complicated. Today, many practitioners are confused about treating the Arriving or Departing qi and about Increasing or Decreasing qi. These are important techniques; when done well, they are highly effective.Research for this paper consisted of reading the original texts and then following - dynasty by dynasty - the teaching on needling technique. This provided a very broad and thorough view of the topic. It showed that the views of Bien Qe and of the Neijing were quite similar and that they both appeared to be the most accurate in their teaching of needling techniques. Today, the Nanjing gives the most accurate account of teachings concerning Arriving or Departing and Increasing or Decreasing. We are so many centuries removed from the original teachings that these two books must be our guides.My interest was in discovering the most effective techniques for Increasing or Decreasing and for Arriving and Departing and then testing them clinically. This is the only way to tell.SUMMARYLingshuThe Lingshu chapter "The Nine Kinds of Needles and the Twelve OriginPoints" says:Decrease strong qi when it arrives in order to normalize it.Increase the departing qi as it leaves in order to increase its strength.At this time, when needling to balance, utilize the ea (mind). These points cover the entire subject of needling technique. (N. B. Comments by the author are in italics.)The Lingshu chapter "An Explanation of Fine Needle" says:"Decrease Arriving" means decreasing."Following and Increasing" means increasingThis is all the advice you get from the Neijing about Increasing, Decreasing, Arriving and Departing!Nanjing and LingshuNanjing, question 72, says:The "Arriving and Departing Qi" refers to the flow of Wei Qi and Ying Qi and the direction of their circulation in the meridian. It is called Arriving and Departing.Lingshu chapter "Excess, Deficiency, Thin and Fat" says:The three yin meridians of the hand flow from internal solid organs to the (?)and.The three yang meridians of the hand flow from the hand to the head.The three yang meridians of the feet flow from the head to the feet.The three yin meridians of the feet flow from the feet to the abdomen.According to these two paragraphs, some doctors deduced that you need only insert the needle in the direction of the flow to increase it or against the flow to decrease it. In this way, increasing means Arriving and decreasing means Departing. However, only inserting needles in the direction of the flow will not have a beneficial effect as it does not affect the qi directly. It is an empty gesture that is without value. The Neijing says:Decrease when the qi is arriving and increase when the qi is departing. We have shortened the wording to "Arriving" and "Departing" without using Increasing and Decreasing. So, if you read Arriving and Departing, you know that it means Increasing and Decreasing. It is the rule that you increase when the qi is departing and vice versa.A dictionary named the Tsuwen says:Arriving means meeting while Departing means following.The Lingshu chapter "Wei Qi Flow" says:When you needle, you must first diagnose. Then you will know where the abnormal qi is located. Then needle the point called "The Time of Meeting. "Lingshu chapter "The Nine Kinds of Needles and the Twelve Origin Points" says:Departing is called Increasing and Departing. To perform it, you must pay attention without focusing too tightly. Then you continue - slowly and easily - over and over again - to increase the flow. Perform the movements lightly and softly, like a mosquito landing on skin; that is, so the patient barely feels anything. Then withdraw the needle quickly.This is the explanation in the Neijing for performing Departing and Increasing.The Suwen chapter "Regulation of the Meridians" says:When needling to regulate the qi, you must be careful not to lose the near qi while you are waiting for the distant qi to arrive. This is called Following.This is an explanation of how to insert the needle to get the qi, harmonize it and then make it flow. It means Following and Increasing.Nanjing question 76 says:When you are Increasing, get the qi from Wei Qi.When decreasing, get the qi from Ying Qi. Nanjing question 78 says:When you insert the needle to get the qi, push it inside; this means Increasing.When you withdraw the qi to the outside, this means Decreasing.Both these questions discuss the needling techniques for Arriving, Departing, Increasing and Decreasing.Nanjing question 79:This question introduces the Arriving, Departing, Increasing and Decreasing. It does not deal with the needling technique but explains when to perform Increasing or Decreasing and how to choose the point to use.And, it says that decreasing the Arriving qi means to decrease the Child; increasing the Departing qi means to increase the Mother.Lingshu chapter "Explanation of Fine Needle" says:This chapter expresses the same opinion. It says the practitioner must realize the Excessive and Deficient and treat them accordingly using the appropriate points.Child/Mother Arriving and Departing Needling TechniqueThe chart of the Five Phases Cycle shows that the circulating energies have both Generating and Attacking phases. Pin Qe put these together with the Arising and Departing. This treatment method requires that you know the diagnosis and know if the meridian qi is deficient or excessive. Then you must choose the correct point to treat.The Six Basic Needling TechniquesThere are six basic needling techniques used to regulate qi and, in the patient, the qi varies in six ways; however, these are paired. One is that the qi opens and closes, second is that the qi enters and exits, and third is that the qi flows in and stays or flows in and passes through.When Increasing or Decreasing, the needle is moved either quickly or slowly depending on whether the qi is moving into or out of the point.Arriving is the timing for Decreasing, indicated by whether the qi in the point is open or closed. Departing means keeping the qi and Increasing. It indicates the qi is either flowing through or staying in the meridian.The Nanjing says that Arriving and Departing are the key points in all needling techniques, including the variations in the qi in the meridians as well as a key point in Increasing and Decreasing. These are the highest principles.