Difficulty 69: Supplementation and Draining in Deficiency and Excess (Supplement the Mother, Drain the Child)
Base text: Nanjing Benyi, Hua Shou
Original text (preserved)
經言虛者補之，實者瀉之，不實不虛，以經取之，何謂也? 然。虛者補其母，實者瀉其子。當先補之，然後瀉之。不實不虛，以經取之者，是正經自生病，不中他邪也，當自取其經，故言以經取之。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
經に言ふ、虛する者は之を補ひ、實する者は之を瀉し、實せず虛せざれば、經を以て之を取る、と。何の謂ひぞや。
然り。虛する者は其の母を補ひ、實する者は其の子を瀉す。當に先づ之を補ひ、然る後に之を瀉すべし。實せず虛せず、經を以て之を取るとは、是れ正經自ら病を生じ、他邪に中らざるなり。當に自ら其の經を取るべし。故に經を以て之を取ると言ふ。
Modern translation
The classic says: “Supplement deficiency, drain excess; where there is neither excess nor deficiency, treat through the channel itself.” What does this mean? Answer: In deficiency, supplement its mother; in excess, drain its child. Supplement first, then drain. Treating through the channel where there is neither excess nor deficiency means that the primary channel has developed illness itself, without being struck by another pathogen. Take that channel itself; hence “treat through the channel.”
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Interpretations in 14 editions
The relevant passage from each edition is presented with its source, original text, Japanese kundoku reading, and modern translation (click to expand). Yellow indicates important terms. Colours identify edition families. Clicking a coloured source title under “Three perspectives” opens the edition supporting that discussion.
rb00004596Nanjing Benyi 2 volumes / Hua Shou (Hua Boren)
Source: Nanjing Benyi 2 volumes (edition rb00004596; Hua Shou (Hua Boren))
Original text (preserved)
六十九難曰、經言、虛者補之、實者瀉之、不虛不實、以經取之、何謂也。然、虛者補其母、實者瀉其子、當先補之、然後瀉之。不虛不實、以經取之者、是正經自生病、不中他邪也、當自取其經、故言以經取之。靈樞第十篇載十二經皆有盛則瀉之、虛則補之、不盛不虛以經取之。假令肝病虛則補厥陰之合曲泉是也、實則瀉厥陰之榮行間是也。先補後瀉、然於此義不屬、非闕誤即衍文也。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
六十九難に曰く、經に言ふ、虛する者は之を補ひ、實する者は之を瀉し、虛せず實せざれば經を以て之を取る、と。何の謂ひぞや。然り。虛する者は其の母を補ひ、實する者は其の子を瀉す。當に先づ之を補ひ、然る後に之を瀉すべし。虛せず實せず、經を以て之を取るとは、是れ正經自ら病を生じ、他邪に中らざるなり。當に自ら其の經を取るべし。故に經を以て之を取ると言ふ。靈樞第十篇に十二經皆な盛なれば則ち之を瀉し、虛すれば則ち之を補ふと載す。假令へば肝の病虛すれば則ち厥陰の合曲泉を補ひ、實すれば則ち厥陰の榮行間を瀉す。先補後瀉は此の義に屬さず、闕誤に非ず即ち衍文なり。
Modern translation
Difficulty 69 asks what the classic means by supplementing deficiency, draining excess, and treating through the channel where neither applies. The answer is to supplement the mother in deficiency and drain the child in excess, supplementing first and draining afterwards. Where neither applies, the channel has developed illness itself without another pathogen, so that channel is taken. Hua Shou identifies the source as the Lingshu’s “Channels” chapter and illustrates it with supplementing the he-sea point Ququan in liver deficiency and draining the ying-spring point Xingjian in liver excess. He considers the clause “supplement first, then drain” incompatible with this meaning: an interpolation rather than a textual omission or error.
Interpretive position
The base text for the Kyoto University corpus. Hua Shou explicitly cites the Lingshu’s “Channels” chapter, specifying Ququan, the he-sea point, for liver deficiency and Xingjian, the ying-spring point, for liver excess. This standard text represents the editorial position that the eight characters describing supplementation followed by draining are interpolated, and provides the reference for assessing the following editions.
rb00019982; rb00004588; rb00004589Nanjing Dayan (3 books / 3 volumes)
Source: Nanjing Dayan (3 books / 3 volumes) (edition rb00019982; rb00004588; rb00004589)
Original text (preserved)
六十九難曰、經言虛者補之、實者瀉之、不虛不實、以經取之、何謂也。然、虛者補其母、實者瀉其子、當先補之、然後瀉之、不虛不實、以經取之者、是正經自生病、不中佗邪也、當自取其經、故言以經取之。虛乎此則實乎彼也、補瀉之時先此後彼、虛實不相傾、而病則非佗邪而傷於己也、直其經以取之、非補瀉而行之。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
六十九難に曰く、經に言ふ、虛する者は之を補ひ、實する者は之を瀉し、虛せず實せざれば經を以て之を取る、と。何の謂ひぞや。然り。虛する者は其の母を補ひ、實する者は其の子を瀉す。當に先づ之を補ひ、然る後に之を瀉すべし。虛せず實せず經を以て之を取るとは、是れ正經自ら病を生じ、佗邪に中らざるなり。當に自ら其の經を取るべし。故に經を以て之を取ると言ふ。此に虛すれば則ち彼に實するなり。補瀉の時、此を先にし彼を後にす。虛實相ひ傾かず、而して病は則ち佗邪に非ずして己に傷るるなり。直だ其の經を以て之を取り、補瀉して之を行ふに非ず。
Modern translation
The main text has the same meaning as the base text. Dayan adds: when this side is deficient, the other is excessive; in supplementation and draining, this comes first and that follows. Where deficiency and excess are not mutually imbalanced, illness comes from injury to oneself rather than another pathogen. One simply takes the channel itself, rather than proceeding by supplementation and draining.
Interpretive position
Representative of three Dayan editions. They share the variant 佗邪 for 他邪. Instead of adopting Hua Shou’s commentary, this family understands deficiency and excess relationally as “this” and “that,” and offers its own interpretation: directly take the channel, rather than performing supplementation and draining.
rb00004591Nanjing Fahui
Source: Nanjing Fahui (edition rb00004591)
Original text (preserved)
六十九難曰、經言虛者補之、實者瀉之者、當先補之、然後瀉之、不虛不實、以經取之、何謂也。然、虛者補其母、實者瀉其子、不虛不實、以經取之者、是正經自生病、不中他邪、當自取其經、故言以經取之。以經取之者、宜和解劑、假令小青龍湯・半夏瀉心湯・小柴胡湯・桂枝湯・五苓散・平胃散。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
六十九難に曰く、經に言ふ、虛する者は之を補ひ、實する者は之を瀉すとは、當に先づ之を補ひ、然る後に之を瀉すべし、虛せず實せざれば經を以て之を取る、と。何の謂ひぞや。然り。虛する者は其の母を補ひ、實する者は其の子を瀉す。虛せず實せず經を以て之を取るとは、是れ正經自ら病を生じ、他邪に中らざるなり。當に自ら其の經を取るべし。故に經を以て之を取ると言ふ。經を以て之を取るとは、宜しく和解の劑なるべし。假令へば小青龍湯・半夏瀉心湯・小柴胡湯・桂枝湯・五苓散・平胃散なり。
Modern translation
The order of the main text is rearranged, and “treat through the channel” is interpreted through medicinal decoctions rather than needling. Harmonising formulas are said to be appropriate: Xiao Qing Long Tang, Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang, Xiao Chai Hu Tang, Gui Zhi Tang, Wu Ling San, and Ping Wei San.
Interpretive position
A variant with a disturbed order of the canonical text, placing 實者瀉之者當先補之然後瀉之 earlier. Its distinctive feature is interpreting the passage through decoctions rather than needling, identifying “treat through the channel” with harmonising prescriptions and listing six formulas. It represents an unusual reinterpretation in terms of formula treatment.
rb00004587Nanjing Shuzheng 2 volumes
Source: Nanjing Shuzheng 2 volumes (edition rb00004587)
Original text (preserved)
六十九難曰。經言。虛者補之。實者瀉之。不實不虛。以經取之。何謂也。然。虛者補其母。實者瀉其子。當先補之。然後瀉之。不實不虛以經取之者。是正經自生病。不中他邪也。當自取其經。故言以經取之。滑云、靈樞第十篇載十二經皆有盛則瀉之、虛則補之、不盛不虛以經取之。先補後瀉、然於此義不屬、非闕誤即羨文也。楊氏云、不實不虛、是謂藏不相乘也、故云自取其經。按自六十九難、至八十一難、論鍼法、是爲第六篇。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
六十九難に曰く。經に言ふ。虛する者は之を補ひ。實する者は之を瀉し。實せず虛せざれば。經を以て之を取る。何の謂ひぞや。然り。虛する者は其の母を補ひ。實する者は其の子を瀉す。當に先づ之を補ひ。然る後に之を瀉すべし。實せず虛せず經を以て之を取るとは。是れ正經自ら病を生じ。他邪に中らざるなり。當に自ら其の經を取るべし。故に經を以て之を取ると言ふ。滑云ふ、靈樞第十篇に十二經皆な盛なれば則ち之を瀉し、虛すれば則ち之を補ふと載す。先補後瀉は此の義に屬さず、闕誤に非ず即ち羨文なり。楊氏云ふ、實せず虛せずとは、是れ藏の相ひ乘ぜざるを謂ふなり、故に自ら其の經を取ると云ふ。按ずるに六十九難より八十一難に至るは鍼法を論じ、是れ第六篇と爲す。
Modern translation
The main text agrees with the base text. Hua Shou’s commentary is introduced as “Hua says,” and supplementation followed by draining is declared not an omission or error but xianwen—superfluous text. Yang Xuancao’s explanation that the organs do not overact on one another is adopted. Difficulties 69–81 are additionally organised as a sixth section concerning needling methods.
Interpretive position
Representative of the Shuzheng family’s editorial organisation. It cites Hua Shou as “Hua says” and judges supplementation followed by draining to be “not a textual omission or error, but superfluous text.” It also groups Difficulties 69–81 into a sixth section on needling.
rb00013401Nanjing Benyi / Xu Dachun and Boren, presented together
Source: Nanjing Benyi (edition rb00013401; Xu Dachun and Boren, presented together)
Original text (preserved)
六十九難曰、經言虛者補之、實者瀉之、不實不虛、以經取之、何謂也。然、虛者補其母、實者瀉其子、當先補之、然後瀉之、不實不虛、以經取之者、是正經自生病、不中他邪也、當自取其經、故言以經取之。正經謂本經也。徐大椿云、母生我之經、子我生之經、如肝虛則補腎、肝實則瀉心是也、又云自取其經即於本經取所當刺之穴也。伯仁氏云、肝虛補厥陰之合、肝實瀉厥陰榮。又按伯仁氏虛實補瀉之說、蓋祖第七十九難子母補瀉之法也。母子字下暗帶親字看。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
六十九難に曰く、經に言ふ、虛する者は之を補ひ、實する者は之を瀉し、實せず虛せざれば經を以て之を取る、と。何の謂ひぞや。然り。虛する者は其の母を補ひ、實する者は其の子を瀉す。當に先づ之を補ひ、然る後に之を瀉すべし。實せず虛せず經を以て之を取るとは、是れ正經自ら病を生じ、他邪に中らざるなり。當に自ら其の經を取るべし。故に經を以て之を取ると言ふ。正經とは本經を謂ふなり。徐大椿云ふ、母は我を生ずるの經、子は我が生ずるの經、肝虛すれば則ち腎を補ひ、肝實すれば則ち心を瀉すが如し。又云ふ、自ら其の經を取るとは即ち本經に於て刺すべき所の穴を取るなり。伯仁氏云ふ、肝虛は厥陰の合を補ひ、肝實は厥陰の榮を瀉す。又た按ずるに伯仁氏の虛實補瀉の說は、蓋し第七十九難の子母補瀉の法に祖づくなり。母子の字の下に暗に親の字を帶びて看よ。
Modern translation
After the main text, the views of Xu Dachun and Hua Shou (Boren) are compared. Dachun takes “take the channel itself” to mean choosing needling points on that same channel, which this edition considers sound. It also approves Boren’s account of the order of supplementation and draining, tracing it to the mother–child method in Difficulty 79. A reading note says that beneath the words “mother” and “child,” the reader should understand an implicit word for a close kin relationship.
Interpretive position
A Japanese-printed annotated edition taking an eclectic position: it accepts Dachun’s same-channel point selection while also endorsing Boren’s eight characters on the order of supplementation and draining. It links the passage to Difficulty 79 and adds the reading instruction to understand an implicit “kin” beneath “mother” and “child.”
rb00000698; rb00004590Nanjing Zhushu 2 volumes / 3 volumes
Source: Nanjing Zhushu 2 volumes / 3 volumes (edition rb00000698; rb00004590)
Original text (preserved)
六十九難曰、經言虛者補之、實者瀉之、不虛不實、以經取之、何謂也。然、虛者補其母、實者瀉其子、當先補之、然後瀉之、不虛不實、以經取之者、是正經自生病、不中他邪也、當自取其經、故言以經取之。虛者虛邪也、實者實邪也。假令心傷風者、肝木侵心火、當補手少陰井滎中穴。心傷飲食勞倦者、脾土侵心、當瀉手少陰井滎中穴。不虛不實者、是心傷於正經自病也、故取其經、本文自明矣。然註家以爲虛者即心虛、實者即心實、而不爲五邪之法而釋、大有徑庭、不可不辨焉。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
六十九難に曰く、經に言ふ、虛する者は之を補ひ、實する者は之を瀉し、虛せず實せざれば經を以て之を取る、と。何の謂ひぞや。然り。虛する者は其の母を補ひ、實する者は其の子を瀉す。當に先づ之を補ひ、然る後に之を瀉すべし。虛せず實せず經を以て之を取るとは、是れ正經自ら病を生じ、他邪に中らざるなり。當に自ら其の經を取るべし。故に經を以て之を取ると言ふ。虛する者は虛邪なり、實する者は實邪なり。假令へば心風に傷らるる者は、肝木心火を侵す、當に手少陰の井滎中穴を補ふべし。心飲食勞倦に傷らるる者は、脾土心を侵す、當に手少陰の井滎中穴を瀉すべし。虛せず實せずとは、是れ心正經に傷られて自ら病むなり、故に其の經を取る、本文自ら明らかなり。然れども註家は虛する者を即ち心虛、實する者を即ち心實と以爲し、五邪の法を爲さずして釋す、大いに徑庭有り、辨ぜざるべからず。
Modern translation
An independent interpretation follows the main text. Deficiency means a deficiency pathogen, and excess an excess pathogen. Where wind injures the heart—liver wood invading heart fire—supplement the jing-well and ying-spring points of hand shaoyin. Where food, drink, and fatigue injure it—spleen earth invading the heart—drain those points. Neither deficiency nor excess means illness arising within the heart’s own channel. Earlier commentators who understood deficiency simply as heart deficiency are sharply criticised as substantially mistaken and in need of correction.
Interpretive position
Representative of two Zhushu editions. It reads deficiency and excess through the five pathogens of Difficulty 49, specifically deficiency and excess pathogens, and specifies supplementation or draining of hand shaoyin for heart injury from wind, understood as liver wood invading heart fire. This independent tradition strongly criticises the simple heart-deficiency interpretation as widely divergent.
rb00004592Nanjing Pinglin 6 volumes
Source: Nanjing Pinglin 6 volumes (edition rb00004592)
Original text (preserved)
六十九難補母瀉子之圖。實者瀉其子、虛者補其母、不實不虛以經取之。六十九難曰、經言虛者補之、實者瀉之、不虛不實以經取之。假如肝屬木、腎屬水、腎乃木之母、水不能生木、故肝虛耳、今腎合陰谷屬水者而補之、則母能令子實、而肝不虛也。心爲肝之子、火有餘故肝實耳、今心主榮穴勞宮屬火者以瀉之、則子能令母虛、而母不實也。當先補之然後瀉之、此兩句之義非有闕誤必衍文也。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
六十九難、母を補ひ子を瀉すの圖。實する者は其の子を瀉し、虛する者は其の母を補ひ、實せず虛せざれば經を以て之を取る。六十九難に曰く、經に言ふ、虛する者は之を補ひ、實する者は之を瀉し、虛せず實せざれば經を以て之を取る、と。假如へば肝は木に屬し、腎は水に屬す、腎は乃ち木の母、水木を生ずる能はず、故に肝虛するのみ、今ま腎の合陰谷の水に屬する者を補へば、則ち母能く子をして實たらしめ、肝虛せざるなり。心は肝の子爲り、火餘り有り、故に肝實するのみ、今ま心主の榮穴勞宮の火に屬する者を以て之を瀉せば、則ち子能く母をして虛たらしめ、母實せざるなり。當に先づ之を補ひ然る後に之を瀉すべしの此の兩句の義は闕誤有るに非ず必ず衍文なり。
Modern translation
A “Diagram of Supplementing the Mother and Draining the Child” appears at the beginning, making the five-phase correspondences explicit. Liver (wood) deficiency occurs because its mother, kidney (water), cannot adequately generate wood. Supplementing the kidney he-sea point Yingu enables the mother to fill the child and resolves liver deficiency. Liver excess occurs because its child, heart (fire), has a surplus. Draining the pericardium ying-spring point Laogong enables the child to empty the mother and resolves excess. The two clauses on supplementing first and draining afterwards are judged certainly interpolated, not omissions or errors.
Interpretive position
An illustrated edition opening with the mother-supplementation/child-draining diagram. It specifies supplementing Yingu, the kidney mother’s he-sea point, for liver deficiency, and draining Laogong, the pericardium child’s ying-spring point, for liver excess. It judges 當先補之然後瀉之 “not an omission or error, but certainly an interpolation” and also enumerates the five organs’ self-generated illnesses from Difficulty 49. It belongs to the detailed-commentary tradition.
rb00002419Huangdi Bashiyi Nanjing Jishi Beikao
Source: Huangdi Bashiyi Nanjing Jishi Beikao (edition rb00002419)
Original text (preserved)
六十九難曰、經言虛者補之、實者瀉之、不虛不實、以經取之、何謂也。然、虛者補其母、實者瀉其子、當先補之、然後瀉之。經刺四字、按經脈篇曰盛則寫之、虛則補之、不盛不虛、以經取之、名曰經刺。甲乙曰、曲泉者水也、在膝內輔骨下、大筋上、小筋下、陷者中。甲乙經曰、行間火是也、在足大指間、動脈陷者中。撰補注曰、此經先立井榮兪經合、配象五行、即十二經中各有子母遞相生養、然後言用鍼補瀉之法。義本即於本經取所當刺之穴、不必補母瀉子也。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
六十九難に曰く、經に言ふ、虛する者は之を補ひ、實する者は之を瀉し、虛せず實せざれば經を以て之を取る、と。何の謂ひぞや。然り。虛する者は其の母を補ひ、實する者は其の子を瀉す。當に先づ之を補ひ、然る後に之を瀉すべし。經刺の四字、按ずるに經脈篇に曰く盛なれば則ち之を寫し、虛すれば則ち之を補ひ、盛ならず虛せざれば經を以て之を取る、名づけて經刺と曰ふ。甲乙に曰く、曲泉は水なり、膝の内輔骨の下、大筋の上、小筋の下、陷なる者の中に在り。甲乙經に曰く、行間は火是れなり、足の大指の間、動脈陷なる者の中に在り。撰補注に曰く、此の經先づ井榮兪經合を立て、五行に配象し、即ち十二經中各の子母遞ひに相ひ生養し、然る後に鍼を用ゐる補瀉の法を言ふ。義は本と本經に於て刺すべき所の穴を取るにして、必ずしも母を補ひ子を瀉せざるなり。
Modern translation
The passage is collated with “when neither abundant nor deficient, treat through the channel; this is called channel needling” in the “Channels” and “Prohibited Needling” chapters, discussing the presence or absence of the four characters naming channel needling. The Jiayi Jing is cited for the locations of Ququan (water, inside the knee) and Xingjian (fire, between the great toe and its neighbour). Ding Deyong’s supplementary commentary is used to assign the five transport points to the five phases and explain supplementation and draining through the mutually generating and nourishing mother–child relations within each of the twelve channels. The conclusion is that “treat through the channel” means selecting points on that same channel, not necessarily supplementing the mother and draining the child.
Interpretive position
An evidential edition collating the “Channels” and “Prohibited Needling” chapters and examining the four characters naming channel needling. It cites the Jiayi Jing for Ququan and Xingjian, and Ding Deyong’s supplementary commentary for the five-phase allocation of the transport points and its application to supplementation and draining. It represents the Jishi family’s combination of textual collation and commentary.
rb00004583Nanjing Jing shi 2 volumes
Source: Nanjing Jing shi 2 volumes (edition rb00004583)
Original text (preserved)
六十九難曰、經言虛者補之、實者瀉之、不實不虛、以經取之、何謂也。虛血氣虛也、實血氣實也、補之行針用補法也、瀉之行針用瀉法也。按所引四語見靈經脈篇、又禁服篇論關格亦有此四語、而以經取之句下又有名曰經刺四字。不實不虛本作不虛不實、以經取之者、是正經自生病、不中他邪也。按內經補瀉之法、或取本經、或雜取他經、或先瀉後補、或先補後瀉、則補母瀉子之法亦其中之一端、若竟以爲補瀉之道盡於此則不然也。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
六十九難に曰く、經に言ふ、虛する者は之を補ひ、實する者は之を瀉し、實せず虛せざれば經を以て之を取る、と。何の謂ひぞや。虛は血氣の虛なり、實は血氣の實なり、之を補ふは針を行ひ補法を用ゐるなり、之を瀉すは針を行ひ瀉法を用ゐるなり。按ずるに引く所の四語は靈樞經脈篇に見え、又た禁服篇の關格を論ずるにも亦た此の四語有り、而して以經取之の句の下に又た名づけて經刺と曰ふの四字有り。實せず虛せずは本と不虛不實に作る、經を以て之を取るとは、是れ正經自ら病を生じ、他邪に中らざるなり。按ずるに内經の補瀉の法は、或いは本經を取り、或いは雜へて他經を取り、或いは先づ瀉して後に補ひ、或いは先づ補ひて後に瀉す、則ち母を補ひ子を瀉すの法も亦た其の中の一端なり、若し竟に補瀉の道此に盡くと以爲さば則ち然らざるなり。
Modern translation
Deficiency and excess are explained as conditions of blood and qi, and supplementation and draining as needling methods. The four quoted clauses are traced to the Lingshu’s “Channels” chapter and also to “Prohibited Needling,” where “this is called channel needling” follows. The variant is explicitly recorded: “neither excess nor deficiency” originally reads “neither deficiency nor excess.” The Neijing has many methods—on the same or another channel, draining before supplementing or supplementing before draining. Supplementing the mother and draining the child is only one aspect; treating it as exhausting the whole art is mistaken.
Interpretive position
The Jing shi tradition emphasises collation, explicitly noting that 不實不虛 originally reads 不虛不實. It interprets deficiency and excess as states of blood and qi and places Hua Shou’s account in perspective: the Neijing contains diverse same-channel, other-channel, and sequential methods, of which mother supplementation and child draining is only one.
rb00004578Nanjing Yunyu Tujie 2 volumes
Source: Nanjing Yunyu Tujie 2 volumes (edition rb00004578)
Original text (preserved)
六十九難曰。經言。虛者補之。實者瀉之。不虛不實。以經取之。何謂也。然。虛者補其母。實者瀉其子。當先補之。然後瀉之。不虛不實。是正經自生病。不中他邪也。當自取其經。故言以經取之。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
六十九難に曰く。經に言ふ。虛する者は之を補ひ。實する者は之を瀉し。虛せず實せざれば。經を以て之を取る。何の謂ひぞや。然り。虛する者は其の母を補ひ。實する者は其の子を瀉す。當に先づ之を補ひ。然る後に之を瀉すべし。虛せず實せず。是れ正經自ら病を生じ。他邪に中らざるなり。當に自ら其の經を取るべし。故に經を以て之を取ると言ふ。
Modern translation
The text largely agrees with the base text, but the answer omits the five characters 以經取之者, proceeding directly from “neither deficiency nor excess” to “this is illness arising within the primary channel itself.” Only the canonical text is presented, without commentary.
Interpretive position
An illustrated edition in rhymed language. Its variant omits 以經取之者 from 不虛不實、以經取之者 and continues directly 不虛不實、是正經自生病. A concise text prioritising memorisation and illustration over commentary.
rb00004595Nanjing Benyi 2 volumes / Hua Shou (expanded commentary)
Source: Nanjing Benyi 2 volumes (edition rb00004595; Hua Shou (expanded commentary))
Original text (preserved)
六十九難曰、經言虛者補之、實者瀉之、不虛不實、以經取之、何謂也。然、虛者補其母、實者瀉其子、當先補之、然後瀉之。當先補之然後瀉之者、此承上文言、實不虛者必當先補之然後瀉之、陽氣不足陰氣有餘、當先補其陽而後瀉其陰、陰氣不足陽氣有餘、當先補其陰而後瀉其陽之意、然於此義不屬、非闕誤即衍文也。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
六十九難に曰く、經に言ふ、虛する者は之を補ひ、實する者は之を瀉し、虛せず實せざれば經を以て之を取る、と。何の謂ひぞや。然り。虛する者は其の母を補ひ、實する者は其の子を瀉す。當に先づ之を補ひ、然る後に之を瀉すべし。當に先づ之を補ひ然る後に之を瀉すべしとは、此れ上文を承けて言ふ、實にして虛せざる者は必ず當に先づ之を補ひ然る後に之を瀉すべし、陽氣不足し陰氣有餘なれば、當に先づ其の陽を補ひて後に其の陰を瀉すべく、陰氣不足し陽氣有餘なれば、當に先づ其の陰を補ひて後に其の陽を瀉すべしの意なり、然れども此の義に屬さず、闕誤に非ず即ち衍文なり。
Modern translation
This belongs to the Benyi family but expands Hua Shou’s explanation of the order of supplementation and draining. The clause is taken to continue the preceding discussion: where yang qi is insufficient and yin qi excessive, supplement yang first and then drain yin; where yin is insufficient and yang excessive, supplement yin first and then drain yang. Despite this balanced pair of explanations, it still judges the clause incompatible with the passage and interpolated rather than omitted or corrupted.
Interpretive position
An expanded Benyi version adding a symmetrical pair of yang-deficiency and yin-deficiency explanations to Hua Shou’s commentary. Although 當先補之然後瀉之 is treated as continuing the preceding text, it is still judged unrelated in meaning and interpolated. Its commentary is more extensive than that of the base edition rb00004596.
rb00019980Nanjing Benyi 2 volumes / interlinear notes juxtaposing Chen of Siming, Xiong and Ji
Source: Nanjing Benyi 2 volumes (edition rb00019980; interlinear notes juxtaposing Chen of Siming, Xiong and Ji)
Original text (preserved)
六十九難曰、經言（靈樞經脈篇有此文之意）虛者補之、實者瀉之、不虛不實、以經取之、何謂也。然、虛者補其母、實者瀉其子、當先補之、然後瀉之、此乃子母之法也。四明陳氏曰、春氣在毛、夏氣在皮、秋氣在分肉、冬氣在骨髓、是淺深之應也。熊氏以五行之生化而言、濟氏以鍼家子奪而言。假令肝病虛即補厥陰之合水曲泉是也、實則瀉厥陰之榮火行間是也。或問俗解評林之意、肝虛可補腎、肝實可瀉心、今此註何以其經并補瀉乎。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
六十九難に曰く、經に言ふ（靈樞經脈篇に此の文の意有り）虛する者は之を補ひ、實する者は之を瀉し、虛せず實せざれば經を以て之を取る、と。何の謂ひぞや。然り。虛する者は其の母を補ひ、實する者は其の子を瀉す。當に先づ之を補ひ、然る後に之を瀉すべし、此れ乃ち子母の法なり。四明陳氏曰く、春氣は毛に在り、夏氣は皮に在り、秋氣は分肉に在り、冬氣は骨髓に在り、是れ淺深の應なり。熊氏は五行の生化を以て言ひ、濟氏は鍼家の子奪を以て言ふ。假令へば肝の病虛すれば即ち厥陰の合水曲泉を補ふ是れなり、實すれば則ち厥陰の榮火行間を瀉す是れなり。或るひと問ふ、俗解評林の意、肝虛は腎を補ふべく、肝實は心を瀉すべし、今ま此の註何ぞ其の經を以て并せて補瀉するや。
Modern translation
A Benyi edition inserting the source note “the meaning of this passage is in the Lingshu’s Channels chapter” as an interlinear annotation. It cites Chen of Siming on seasonal needling depth—hair in spring, skin in summer, flesh divisions in autumn, and bone marrow in winter—and juxtaposes Xiong’s five-phase generation account with Ji’s account of the child’s depletion in needling. A question-and-answer discussion then asks why this commentary supplements and drains within the same channel when Pinglin advocates supplementing the kidney for liver deficiency and draining the heart for liver excess.
Interpretive position
A compilation of debate within the Benyi tradition. It inserts the Lingshu source note, juxtaposes Chen of Siming’s seasonal depth theory and the opposing explanations of Xiong (five-phase generation) and Ji (the child’s depletion), and uses questions and answers to assess Pinglin’s kidney-supplementation account for liver deficiency.
rb00004581; rb00004580Nanjing Huayi Buzheng
Source: Nanjing Huayi Buzheng (edition rb00004581; rb00004580)
Original text (preserved)
六十九難。正、當先補之云、一統藏府中有虛者必有實者、如後條所謂東方實西方虛、先補北方之水、而後寫南方之火是也。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
六十九難。正す、「當先補之」と云ふは、一に藏府中に虛する者有れば必ず實する者有るを統ぶ、後條に所謂る東方實し西方虛すれば、先づ北方の水を補ひ、而る後に南方の火を寫すが如き、是れなり。
Modern translation
Difficulty 69. The corrective note says that “supplement first” summarises the fact that where there is deficiency among the organs and bowels there must also be excess. One example is the later passage in Difficulty 75: where the east is excessive and the west deficient, first supplement the water of the north, then drain the fire of the south.
Interpretive position
A distinct family containing only corrective notes on Hua Shou’s Benyi, without presenting the canonical text (canonical-text proportion approximately two percent). It links 當先補之 with Difficulty 75’s eastern excess, western deficiency, and northern-water supplementation followed by southern-fire draining. It represents commentary-only works correcting Hua’s interpretation.
rb00019981; rb00008889Nanjing Chao (not divided into volumes)
Source: Nanjing Chao (not divided into volumes) (edition rb00019981; rb00008889)
Original text (preserved)
六十九難曰、集注句解此上有用鍼補瀉第十三之題辭也。寳文類聚卷之三十八云、扁鵲兄弟三人善醫、長兄於病視神未有形而除之、故名不出於家、中兄治病其在毫毛、故名不出於閭、若鵲針人血脈投人毒藥、故名聞諸侯。脈訣刊誤曰、難經曰虛則補其母、實則瀉其子、虛當補母、千金曰心勞甚者補脾氣以益之、脾旺則感於心矣、此乃勞則補其子。母能令子實、濟氏注以實作虛、子能令母虛、滑氏注虛作實。
Japanese kundoku reading (preserved)
六十九難に曰く、集注句解、此の上に用鍼補瀉第十三の題辭有るなり。寳文類聚卷の三十八に云ふ、扁鵲の兄弟三人善く醫す、長兄は病に於て神の未だ形有らざるに之を除く、故に名は家を出でず、中兄は病を治むること其れ毫毛に在り、故に名は閭を出でず、鵲の若きは人の血脈に針し人に毒藥を投ず、故に名は諸侯に聞こゆ。脈訣刊誤に曰く、難經に曰く虛すれば則ち其の母を補ひ、實すれば則ち其の子を瀉す、虛は當に母を補ふべし、千金に曰く心勞甚しき者は脾氣を補ひて以て之を益す、脾旺なれば則ち心に感ず、此れ乃ち勞すれば則ち其の子を補ふなり。母能く子をして實たらしむは、濟氏の注は實を虛に作り、子能く母をして虛たらしむは、滑氏の注は虛を實に作る。
Modern translation
Lecture notes excerpting various explanations around the Jizhu Jujie. They begin with the heading “Use of Needles: Supplementation and Draining, Chapter 13,” then quote the Baowen Leiju story of Bian Que and his brothers: the eldest treats illness before it develops, the middle brother when it is barely perceptible, whereas Bian Que’s fame spreads because he needles vessels and administers potent medicines. Citing the Maijue Kanwu and Qianjin, they explain that deficiency calls for supplementing the mother and exhaustion for supplementing the child (the spleen). Variants are also compared: Ji’s commentary changes “excess” to “deficiency” in “the mother can make the child replete,” while Hua’s changes “deficiency” to “excess” in “the child can make the mother deficient.”
Interpretive position
Lecture-note excerpts centred on the Jizhu Jujie. They cite the Bian Que brothers story from Baowen Leiju and supplementation of the spleen for heart exhaustion from Maijue Kanwu and Qianjin, comparing the deficiency/excess variants in Ji’s and Hua’s commentaries. They assemble commentary in conjunction with Difficulty 75.
Reading from Three Perspectives: Philology, Clinical Interpretation and Theory
Difficulty 69 asks what the classic means by supplementing deficiency, draining excess, and taking the channel itself where neither applies. Its answer is to supplement the mother in deficiency, drain the child in excess, and supplement before draining; where the channel becomes ill on its own without another pathogen, take that channel itself. The diagnostic starting point is to establish whether the channel is deficient, excessive, or neither. For the liver, examine whether the wiry pulse exceeds its proper strength or falls short. As Yang Xuancao explains, a kidney pulse in spring means kidney deficiency preventing qi from reaching the liver: examine discordance between season and organ pulse, alongside complexion, nails, eyes, emotional state, and deficiency or excess at Qimen and Zhangmen on abdominal examination, to distinguish another pathogen’s interference from self-generated channel illness. Treatment follows the mother–child rule: for liver deficiency, supplement Ququan, the he-sea water point representing the mother; for liver excess, drain Xingjian, the ying-spring fire point representing the child (Hua Shou). Following “supplement first, then drain,” warm and supplement the mother before draining the child to correct the imbalance. For self-generated primary-channel illness in Difficulty 49, take the appropriate points of that channel without extending to mother and child. For decoctions, Nanjing Fahui identifies “treat through the channel” with harmonising formulas, naming Xiao Chai Hu Tang, Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang, Gui Zhi Tang, Wu Ling San, and Ping Wei San, with balanced harmonisation as the aim. This interpretation regards self-generated channel illness without another organ’s overaction as easier to treat; advanced transmission between mother and child requires following its transformations and interrupting them early.
Philological perspective
“The classic says” refers to the Lingshu’s “Channels” chapter. Yueren replaces “abundance/not abundance” in its instruction to drain abundance, supplement deficiency, and treat through the channel when neither applies with “excess/not excess,” grafting onto it the mother–child supplementation rule absent from that chapter. The key move anticipates Difficulties 75 and 79, abbreviating and altering a general needling rule into the needling tradition’s distinctive five-phase method. Nanjing Jing shi notes that the same four clauses also occur in “Prohibited Needling,” originally followed by the four characters “this is called channel needling,” thus identifying a dual source.
Collation of twenty-four Japanese-printed editions reveals substantial variation. Both 不虛不實 and 不實不虛 occur; Jing shi explicitly says the former is original. Dayan editions consistently write 佗邪 for 他邪 and corrupt 傷於己 to 傷於已. Within the Benyi family, Hua Shou’s judgment that the supplementation-before-draining clause is redundant appears as either 衍文 or 羨文. Point names also vary: rb00022829 drops 曲 from 合曲泉 and miscopies Hua’s commentary, while Jishi Beikao writes 自病 for 自生病 and 不受他邪 for 不中他邪.
Interpretations divide into three families. First, the five-pathogen account: Yang Xuancao, Li Jiong, and Nanjing Zhushu (rb00000698) understand deficiency and excess as the deficiency and excess pathogens of Difficulty 50, explaining them through another organ’s overaction—for example, a kidney pulse in spring signifies a deficiency pathogen, so supplement the kidney mother. They reject simple heart deficiency as outside the five-pathogen method. Second, the same-channel five-transport mother–child account: Ding Deyong assigns the transport points to the five phases, and Hua Shou follows him by supplementing jueyin’s he-sea Ququan (water, mother) for liver deficiency and draining ying-spring Xingjian (fire, child) for liver excess, completing the process within one channel; Ye Lin agrees. Third, the other-channel account: Xu Dachun selects the kidney for liver deficiency and heart for liver excess. Edition rb00013401 reconciles the views by accepting Dachun’s interpretation while endorsing Boren on the eight characters specifying order. Huang Yuanyu simply says to take the primary channel, not mother and child; Fahui alone recasts “treat through the channel” as harmonising formulas such as Xiao Chai Hu Tang. Nanjing Fahui
Clinical perspective
The diagnostic starting point is whether the channel is deficient, excessive, or neither. Pulse diagnosis follows the Lingshu’s rule to drain abundance and supplement deficiency; for the liver, assess excessive or insufficient wiry quality. Following Yang Xuancao’s explanation that a kidney pulse in spring reflects kidney deficiency unable to transmit qi to the liver, examine mismatch between season and organ pulse. Combine observation of complexion, nails and eyes, questions about emotions (worry, brooding, anger), and abdominal examination of deficiency and excess at Qimen and Zhangmen to distinguish another pathogen’s interference from illness arising within the channel itself.
Treatment follows “supplement the mother in deficiency, drain the child in excess.” For liver deficiency, supplement Ququan, the he-sea water point representing the mother; for liver excess, drain Xingjian, the ying-spring fire point representing the child (Hua Shou’s Nanjing Benyi). Supplement and warm the mother first, then drain the child to correct the imbalance. For deficiency-cold, add heat-sensing moxibustion at Ququan and Zhangmen. In self-generated channel illness corresponding to Difficulty 49’s account of worry injuring the heart and bodily cold and cold drinks injuring the lung, take only the relevant points of the primary channel, without extending to mother and child. Fahui interprets treatment through the channel as harmonising decoctions—Xiao Chai Hu Tang, Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang, Gui Zhi Tang, Wu Ling San, and Ping Wei San—aiming at balance without partiality. Nanjing Fahui
Three points translate theory into technique. First, before needling, determine from the pulse whether the mother or child side is affected and separate the points used for supplementation from those used for draining. Second, preserve the temporal order: confirm arrival of qi in the mother channel before moving to the child. Third, in self-generated illness without another pathogen, take the primary channel directly rather than manipulating supplementation and draining (Dayan: “take it directly through that channel, not by supplementation and draining”). This account considers self-generated channel illness without another organ’s overaction easier to treat; advanced excess or deficiency pathogens transmitted between mother and child require tracing transformation and interrupting it early.
Theoretical and numerical perspective
“Supplement the mother in deficiency, drain the child in excess”—supplement the channel that generates it, or drain the channel it generates—is, before being a needling technique, a theory of qi flowing around the five-phase generating cycle. The mother is “that which generates me,” the child “that which I generate” (Ye Lin). Vital qi flows one way, from mother to child. A channel’s deficiency therefore reflects weakened generation upstream in its mother, not simply its own depletion; supplementing the mother allows it to make the child replete (Difficulty 75). Conversely, a channel’s excess is released downstream through the child. Supplementing before draining follows this movement: first fill the source, then guide away the surplus.
In numerical terms, Ding Deyong’s Nanjing Jizhu commentary first establishes the five transport points and assigns them to the five phases. Each channel contains wood, fire, earth, metal, and water; mother and child within each of the twelve channels generate and nourish one another. Five is a generative framework spanning organs and bowels. For liver deficiency, supplement jueyin’s he-sea Ququan (water, mother); for liver excess, drain its ying-spring Xingjian (fire, child), as Hua Shou explains from Lingshu chapter 10. The generative relationship—water generates wood, wood generates fire—directly fixes the coordinates of supplementation and draining. This difficulty discusses generation rather than control because it prioritises the orderly movement of proper qi.
This theory of qi and number connects to a cosmology of correspondence between Heaven and humanity. The Lingshu source places human deficiency and excess under the same principle as waxing and waning in Heaven and Earth. Chen of Siming’s seasonal account of needling depth—spring qi in the hair, summer qi in the skin, in Nanjing Benyi—and his citation of Suwen’s “Five Regular Governments” instruction to attend first to the year’s qi and not damage heavenly harmony reflect that needling intervenes both in an individual’s qi and in the same generative process operating throughout the cosmos. “Treat through the channel”—regulate self-generated primary-channel illness without another pathogen through that channel itself (Difficulty 49)—thus folds cosmic order into one bodily channel and makes its circuit self-sufficient.
Points of disagreement among the three perspectives
“The classic says” refers to the Lingshu’s “Channels” chapter. Yueren substitutes “excess/not excess” for “abundance/not abundance,” adding the mother–child supplementation rule absent there and anticipating Difficulties 75 and 79; Jing shi also identifies the passage in “Prohibited Needling,” followed by “this is called channel needling.” First, textual variants divide between 不虛不實 and 不實不虛, and Hua Shou’s judgment of the supplementation-before-draining clause as redundant appears as 衍文 or 羨文. Second, interpretation divides into the five-pathogen account (Yang Xuancao and Li Jiong read Difficulty 50’s deficiency/excess pathogens through inter-organ overaction), the same-channel five-transport account (Ding Deyong and Hua Shou complete the method within one channel, using Ququan for liver deficiency and Xingjian for liver excess), and the other-channel account (Xu Dachun takes the kidney for liver deficiency and the heart for liver excess). Huang Yuanyu insists on the primary channel rather than mother and child, while Fahui alone interprets the phrase through harmonising formulas.