Sugiyama’s Essential Points, Part 1
Mulching a Japanese acupuncture classic
In my scouring the internet for old texts, I happened to come across something from Sugiyama Waichi. To Japanese and Japanese-style acupuncturists, Sugiyama needs no introduction. He is widely cited as the “Father of Japanese Acupuncture” and remains a revered and influential figure today. I have seen many articles about Sugiyama, as well as many articles referring to his books, but I haven’t really seen much (if any) of the actual texts translated into English. So, I thought I’d get out the old decoder ring and take a crack at it myself.
The Father of Japanese Acupuncture
Sugiyama Waichi was born in 1610 C.E., the eldest son in a samurai family. He became blind in childhood, and thus was led to study acupuncture, one of the few career options for the blind in Japan at that time. His accomplishments were many, but perhaps the one that he is best known for was the invention of the shinkan, or insertion tube, which changed the game in acupuncture, allowing thinner needles and less painful insertion techniques to develop. There are many accounts of Sugiyama’s invention of the shinkan; for these I refer the reader to the comprehensive article by Michael Devitt, which I had the pleasure of peer-reviewing for publication some years ago.
Sugiyama also further developed the art of abdominal diagnosis, with a system based on the Nán Jīng (Classic of Difficulties). For further information on this, there is an article (Mastrogiovanni & Kimura, 1988) cited in the references below.
Perhaps most importantly, Sugiyama established an educational system to teach acupuncture to the blind, which has made a lasting contribution to the culture and well-being of the Japanese people ever since.
The text
The text, Senshin Sanyōshū (選針三要集, Three Essentials of Needle Selection) is part of Sugiyama’s trilogy Sugiyama-ryū Sanbu Sho (杉山流三部書, Sugiyama’s Style of Treatment in Three Parts), first published in 1682 (Devitt, 2015). The text I worked from was found on the Jicheng site referenced below. The note on the text page reads “Original copy. Included in the tenth volume of the Imperial Chinese Medical Series, reprinted by the Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Publishing House based on the 1936 World Bookstore leaded edition, 1993.” It is thus a Chinese reprint of a Japanese text, though the photos of the old editions of the book that I have seen on Japanese web sites lead me to believe that the original text was written in Chinese characters rather than more modern Japanese. I have looked for web access to a modern Japanese edition in order to compare some of the unclear point names in this version, but I have yet to find one. So I give it my best shot, and of course mistakes will be made. All bracketed text is mine. Possible misprints and confusions are noted. All points are rendered in Pinyin and alphanumeric.
針灸要穴論
Shinkyū Yōketsu Ron
Discussion on the essential points of acupuncture & moxibustion
夫欲用針灸者。當主於要穴。灸者散寒邪。針開鬱滯。無千患不愈也。然世業針者。刺要穴。謂不愈。何有此理乎。予嘗思主腹。不知要穴。或左右不分補瀉。或失穴處不取針。嗚呼。不思甚哉。故明要穴分寸論。針灸諸家。所當察也。
If you want to use acumoxa, you must master the essential points. Moxibustion scatters cold evil. Needles open depression and stasis. None of the thousand afflictions are incurable. Thus acupuncture is a lifelong study, and we needle the essential points. It is said that some people don’t heal. What is the reason for this? I once thought mainly of the hara. I was unaware of the essential points, of distinguishing left from right, or differentiating supplementing from draining. Maybe I missed the point location or the needling contraindications, alas! I didn’t even think about it. Thus to understand the essential points it is appropriate to discuss them. Acumoxa has various schools of thought. We should examine them.
傷寒頭疼身熱 二間 合谷 神道 風池 期間 足三里
Cold damage headache with generalized heat: Èr Jiān (LI2) Hé Gǔ (LI4) Shén Dào (GV11) Fēng Chí (GB20) Qí Jiān [LR14? possible misprint] Zú Sān Lǐ (ST36)
汗不出 合谷 腕骨 期門
Lack of sweat: Hé Gǔ (LI4), Wàn Gǔ (SI4), Qī Mén (LR14)
陰症 期門 氣海 關元
Yin disease: Qī Mén (LR14) Qì Hǎi (CV6) Guān Yuán (CV4)
腹脹 太白 復溜 足三里
Abdominal distension: Tài Bái (SP3) Fù Liū (KD7) Zú Sān Lǐ (ST36)
舌卷囊縮 天突 廉泉 血海 腎俞 然谷
Curled tongue and retracted testicles: Tiān Tū (CV22), Lián Quán (CV23), Xuè Hǎi (SP10) Shèn Shù (BL23), Rán Gǔ (KD2)
中風
Wind stroke
不省人事 百會 風池 大椎 肩井 曲池 足三里
Failure to recognize people: Bǎi Huì (GV20) Fēng Chí (GB20) Dà Zhuī (GV14) Jiān Jǐng (GB21) Qū Chí (LI11) Zú Sān Lǐ (ST36)
半身不遂 肩髃 百會 肩井 客主人 列缺 手三里 曲池 崑崙 陽陵泉
Half-body paralysis (hemiplegia): Jiān Yú (LI15) Bǎi Huì (GV20) Jiān Jǐng (GB21) Kè Zhǔ Rén (GB3) Liè Quē (LU7) Shǒu Sān Lǐ (LI10) Qū Chí (LI11) Kūn Lún (BL60) Yáng Líng Quán (GB34)
口眼喎斜 頰車 地倉 水溝 承漿 合谷
Deviated eyes and mouth: Jiá Chē (ST6) Dì Cāng (ST4) Shuǐ Gōu (GV26) Chéng Jiāng (CV24) Hé Gǔ (LI4)
口噤不開 合谷頰車
Clenched jaw: Hé Gǔ (LI4) Jiá Chē (ST6)
瘖啞 天突 靈道 然谷 豐隆 陰谷
Loss of voice: Tiān Tū (CV22) Líng Dào (HT4) Rán Gǔ (KD2) Fēng Lóng (ST40) Yīn Gǔ (KD10)
癱瘓 肩井 肩髃 曲池 合谷 足三里 崑崙
Paralysis: Jiān Jǐng (GB21) Jiān Yú (LI15) Qū Chí (LI11) Hé Gǔ (LI4) Zú Sān Lǐ (ST36) Kūn Lún (BL60)
虛癆 可主四花最針。有神妙。可主腹。
Vacuity consumption: One can use mainly Four Flowers (BL17, BL19); it is superior to needle. It is miraculous. Can govern the hara.
盜汗 肺俞 腹溜 譩譆
Night sweats: Fèi Shù (BL13) Fù Liū (KD7) Yī Xī (BL45)
血症 Bleeding diseases
吐血 肺俞 心俞 肝 脾 腎 中脘 天樞 太淵 間使 大陵
Blood ejection: Fèi Shù (BL13) Xīn Shù (BL15) Gān (BL18) Pí (BL20) Shèn (BL23) Zhōng Wǎn (CV12) Tiān Shū (ST25) Tài Yuān (LU9) Jiān Shǐ (PC5) Dà Líng (PC7)
衄血 囟會 上星 風門 湧泉 合谷
Spontaneous external bleeding: Xìn Huì (GV22) Shàng Xīng (GV23) Fēng Mén (BL12) Yǒng Quán (KD1) Hé Gǔ (LI4),
便血 中脘 氣海
Bloody stool: Zhōng Wǎn (CV12) Qì Hǎi (CV6)
尿血 膈俞 脾俞 三焦俞 腎俞 列缺
Bloody urine: Gé Shù (BL17) Pí Shù (BL20) Sān Jiāo Shù (BL22) Shèn Shù (BL23) Liè Quē (LU7)
水腫 水溝 水分 神闕（三壯） 肝 脾 胃 腎 中脘 氣海 陰交 公孫 石門 中極 陰陵泉
Water swelling: Shuǐ Gōu (GV26) Shuǐ Fèn (CV9) Shén Què (CV8, moxa 3 times); Gān (BL18) Pí (BL20) Wèi (BL21) Shèn (BL23) Zhōng Wǎn (CV12) Qì Hǎi (CV6) Yīn Jiāo (CV7) Gōng Sūn (SP4) Shí Mén (CV5) Zhōng Jí (CV3) Yīn Líng Quán (SP9)
脹滿 中脘 水分 不容 氣海 肓俞 天樞 肝俞 脾 三焦俞 公孫 大敦
Distension and fullness: Zhōng Wǎn (CV12) Shuǐ Fèn (CV9) Bù Róng (ST19) Qì Hǎi (CV6) Huāng Shù (KD16) Tiān Shū (ST25) Gān Shù (BL18) Pí (BL20) Sān Jiāo Shù (BL22) Gōng Sūn (SP4) Dà Dūn (LR1)
虛癆浮腫 大沖
Vacuity taxation puffy swelling: Dà Chōng (LR3)
積聚痞塊 灸以命門可主
上脘 中脘 幽門 通谷 粱門 天樞 期門 章門 氣海 關元
Accumulations, gatherings, and glomus lump: Applying moxibustion to Mìng Mén (GV4) is the main treatment. Shàng Wǎn (ST13) Zhōng Wǎn (CV12) Yōu Mén (KD21) Tōng Gǔ (KD20) Liáng Mén (ST21) Tiān Shū (ST25) Qī Mén (LR14) Zhāng Mén (LR13) Qì Hǎi (CV6) Guān Yuán (CV4)
肺積名息奔。在右脅下。 尺澤 章門 盡三里
Lung accumulation called “rest and run,” located beneath right ribs. [this and the following four accumulations refer to Nán Jīng (Classic of Difficulties) chapter 56]: Chǐ Zé (LU5) Zhāng Mén (LR13) Jǐn Sān Lǐ (finish with ST36)
心積名伏粱。起臍上至心下。 神門 後谿 巨闕 足三里
Heart accumulations called “hidden beam”, which rise upwards from the navel and arrive below the heart. [Nán Jīng 56]: Shénmén (HT7) Hòu Xī (SI3) Jù Què (CV14) Zú Sān Lǐ (ST36)
脾積名痞氣。橫在臍上二寸。 脾俞 胃俞 腎俞 通谷 章門 足三里
Spleen accumulations called “glomus qi”; they go across an area two cun above the navel. [Nán Jīng 56]: Pí Shù (BL20) Wèi Shù (BL21) Shèn Shù (BL23) Tōng Gǔ (KD20) Zhāng Mén (LR13) Zú Sān Lǐ (ST36)
肝積名肥氣。在左脅下。 肝俞 章門 行間
Liver accumulations called “fat qi”, located beneath the left ribs [Nán Jīng 56]: Gān Shù (BL18) Zhāng Mén (LR13) Xíng Jiān (LR2)
腎積名奔豚。起臍下。或上下無時。 腎俞 關元 中極 湧泉
Kidney accumulations called “running piglet”, rises from below the navel and can move up or down at any time. [Nán Jīng 56]: Shèn Shù (BL23) Guān Yuán (CV4) Zhōng Jí (CV3) Yǒng Quán (KD1)
氣塊 脾俞 胃俞 腎俞 梁門 天樞
Qi lump: Pí Shù (BL20) Wèi Shù (BL21) Shèn Shù (BL23) Liáng Mén (ST21) Tiān Shū (ST25)
膈 心俞 膈俞 膏肓 脾俞 中脘 氣海 天府 足三里
Diaphragm [phlegm congestion and qì stagnation in the diaphragm]: Xīn Shù (BL15) Gé Shù (BL17) Gāo Huāng (BL43) Pí Shù (BL20) Zhōng Wǎn (CV12) Qì Hǎi (CV6) Tiān Fǔ (LU3) Zú Sān Lǐ (ST36)
咳嗽 風門 肺俞 身柱
Cough: Fēng Mén (BL12) Fèi Shù (BL13) Shēn Zhù (GV12)
寒痰 肺俞 膏肓 靈臺
Cold phlegm: Fèi Shù (BL13) Gāo Huāng (BL43) Líng Tái (GV10)
熱痰 肺俞 膻中 大溪
Heat phlegm: Fèi Shù (BL13) Shān Zhōng (CV17) Dà Xī (KD3)
諸喘息 天突 璇璣 華蓋 膻中 乳根 期門 氣海
All types of panting: Tiān Tū (CV22) Xuán Jī (CV21) Huá Gài (CV20) Shān Zhōng (CV17) Rǔ Gēn (ST18) Qī Mén (LR14) Qì Hǎi (CV6)
嘔吐 氣逆 中脘 氣海 三焦俞 巨闕 尺澤 章門 大陵
Vomiting, rebellious qi: Zhōng Wǎn (CV12) Qì Hǎi (CV6) Sān Jiāo Shù (BL22) Jù Què (CV14) Chǐ Zé (LU5) Zhāng Mén (LR13) Dà Líng (PC7)
霍亂 巨闕 中脘 建里 水分 承筋 承山 三陰交 照海 大都 湧泉
Sudden turmoil [sudden simultaneous vomiting and diarrhea with intestinal cramps]: Jù Què (CV14) Zhōng Wǎn (CV12) Jiàn Lǐ (CV11) Shuǐ Fèn (CV9) Chéng Jīn (BL56) Chéng Shān (BL57) Sān Yīn Jiāo (SP6) Zhào Hǎi (KD6) Dà Dū (SP2) Yǒng Quán (KD1)
乾霍亂 以鹽湯探吐。臍中灸。
Dry sudden turmoil [like sudden turmoil without ability to vomit or defecate, caused by turbidity blocking the interior] : Use salt decoction to try to induce vomiting. Moxa center of navel.
喜大息 中封 商丘 公孫
Frequent sighing: Zhōng Fēng (LR4) Shāng Qiū (SP5) Gōng Sūn (SP4)
喜悲 心俞 大陵 大敦 玉英 膻中
Frequent sorrow: Xīn Shù (BL15) Dà Líng (PC7) Dà Dūn (LR1) Yù Yīng (CV18) Shān Zhōng (CV17)
氣短 大椎肺俞 肝俞 天突 肩井
Shortness of breath: Dà Zhuī (GV14) Fèi Shù (BL13) Gān Shù (BL18) Tiān Tū (CV22) Jiān Jǐng (GB21)
[…We’ll pause here, and save the rest for part 2. Until next time, thanks for reading.]
Note: this newsletter is for information purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please seek the opinion of a health care professional for any specific medical issues you may have.
References
Devitt, M. (2015). The legend of Waichi Sugiyama, the father of Japanese acupuncture. Meridians: The journal of acupuncture and oriental medicine, 2(4), 25-31. https://www.academia.edu/19651825/The_Legend_of_Waichi_Sugiyama_The_Father_of_Japanese_Acupuncture
Mastrogiovanni, F.J., & Kimura, M. (1988). Waichi Sugiyama (1610-1694) abdominal diagnosis. Journal of Chinese medicine, 26, 23-26.
Sugiyama, W. (1682). Sen shin san yō shū. https://jicheng.tw/tcm/book/%E9%81%B8%E9%87%9D%E4%B8%89%E8%A6%81%E9%9B%86/index.html
Unschuld, P. U. (1986). Nan ching: The classic of difficult issues: with commentaries by Chinese and Japanese authors from the third through the twentieth century. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Wiseman, N. (2022). Chinese-English Dictionary of Chinese Medical Terms. Paradigm Publications.