Glossary

These are a set of 13 points listed by Tang dynasty (7th century CE) physician Sun Si-Miao 孫思邈 in his Essential Prescriptions Worth 1000 Gold (備急千金要方 Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang) volume 44, line 60. They are attributed to the legendary Warring States (4th century BCE) physician Bian Xue 扁鵲 used for treatment of severe mental disorders that caused the patient to appear as if possessed by ghosts. The symptoms associated with them are described as:

"Some remain silent and don't talk; or are overly talking with endless speech; or singing, crying, groaning, laughing, or sleeping; they might sit in a ditch and eat faeces; or get naked and expose themselves; or wander day and night; or angrily curse endlessly; or have a flying Gu demon; their hands move chaotically, and their eyes are intense; this is a Dian Kuang type of person..." (備急千金要方 Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang) volume 44, line 59, trans. Wilcox, 2024).

Little is given on their treatment methods except that they should be treated in the order given which is:

1. Renzhong Du-26, also known as Ghost Palace (鬼宫 Guigong)
2. Shaoshang Lu-11, also known as Ghost Sincerity (鬼信 Guixin)
3. Taibai Sp-1, also known as Ghost Fortress (鬼壘 Guilei)
4. Daling Pc-7, also known as Ghost Heart (鬼心 Guixin)
5. Shenmai Bl-62, also known as Ghost Road (鬼路 Guiliu)
6. Fengfu Du-16, also known as Ghost Pillow (鬼枕 Guizhen)
7. Jiache St-6, also known as Ghost Bed (鬼床 Guichuang)
8. Chengjiang Ren-24, also known as Ghost Market (鬼市 Guishi)
9. Laogong Pc-8, also known as Ghost Cave (鬼窟 Guiku)
10. Shangxiang Du-23, also known as Ghost Hall (鬼堂 Guitang)
11. Huiyin Ren-1, also known as Ghost Store (鬼藏 Guizhang)
12. Quchi LI-11, also known as Ghost Leg (鬼腿 Guitui)
13. Haiqian, also known as Ghost Seal (鬼封 Guifeng)

Yang Jizhou (1601) in his Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Vol. IX, lists the points in the the same order recommending they all be needled bilaterally in sequence between 2 and 5 fen deep with a fire needle used 7 times on Shenmai Bl-62 and Quchi LI-11, warm needle on Jiache St-6, three moxa cones on Huiyin Ren-1 and Haiqian is pricked to bleed. He also gives talismans to create, incantations to recite and instructions to blow on the point as it is needled visualising fire passing through the needle. He also requires that the patient have faith in the healer while the healer must have a sincere heart, a settled spirit and a focused intention. Finally, he suggests adding Jianshi Pc-5 and Houxi SI-3 to make it even more efficacious. Once all the points are inserted, it is possible to interrogate the ghost, which can be written down. The needles can be withdrawn when the patient stops talking.

The next part of the chapter details some specific treatments using a few single points:

1. For ghosts, evil spirits, fox-possession, trance-like states and shivering by binding the patient's thumbs together and burning a single cone of moxa on both Shaoshang Lu-11 at once. Upon lighting it, the patient should say "I am leaving."
2. For acute oppressive ghost dreams of sudden death, apply moxa to both big toenails at Taibai Sp-1

Modern Interpretations

There have also been many modern commentaries and interpretations of how to use the points and rationalising of the sequence. Jeffrey Yuen's 3 Spirits, 7 Souls lecture separates them into four trinities as the entity works itself deeper, drawing the souls of the living to their end:

• First trinity - attacks on the body and senses: Characterised by a a sense something is different or wrong, a disruption in the senses and unconscious or psychosomatic reactions to external stimuli, a rattle in the throat and withdrawal. Treated by: Bleeding Renzhong Du-26, needling Shaoshang Lu-11, moxa Taibai Sp-1
  
  
• Second trinity - possession of the heart and mind: This is the most Yang phase of possession with many signs of Wind and Heat leading to agitation, uncontrollable movement and outbursts as the ghost tries to search for the remnants of its past, either by dreamwork or literally seeking the people and places it longs for. Treated by: Bleeding Daling Pc-7, moxa Shenmai Bl-62, needling Fengfu Du-16
  
  
• Third trinity - collapse of post-natal nourishment: The capacity for self healing collapses manifesting with extreme isolation, deprivation of stimulation, refusal to eat or inability to digest and extreme rumination. The ghost is trying to move the person into a state of suicidal ideation so red flags should be considered. Treated by: Moxa Jiache St-6, needling Chengjiang Ren-24, bleeding Laogong Pc-8
  
  
• Fourth trinity - separation of Heaven and Earth: Concerned with self-destructive behaviour, self-harm and attempts at suicide. This level will almost certainly be in an institutionalised setting today, or carried out as an adjunctive therapy to professional psychiatric help. Treated by: Bleeding Shangxiang Du-23 with a plum blossom needle, indirect moxa on Huiyin Ren-1 and needling Quchi LI-11 deeply to the bone with no tonification or dispersal.
  Haiqian or Yintang can also be bled in this trinity (also with a plum blossom).

All needling is stimulated using a "rattling/shaking" technique.

Fruehauf (1998) also recommends applying menthol preparations to the ghosts points as a treatment for Gu poisons.

Xu Qiufu's 13 Ghost Points

These are an alternative set of 13 Ghost Points, with some overlap to Sun Si-Miao's, listed by Gao Wu 高武 (Ming dynasty, 16th century) and attributed to Xu Qiufu 徐秋夫 (Liu Song Dynasty, 5th century CE). His "Xu Qiufu's Song of the 13 Ghost Points" goes:

"Begin with Renzhong Du-26, Shenting Du-24 and Fengfu Du-16,
Shefeng (Haiquan), Chengjiang Ren-24, and Jiache St-6 are next.
Continue with Shaoshang Lu-11, Daling Pc-7 and Jianshi Pc-5,
Ruzhong St-17 and Yanglingquan GB-34 have evidence.
One cannot forget Taibai Sp-1 and Xingjian Liv-2.
These thirteen ghost points were set up by Xu Qiufu" (trans. Wilcox, 2024).

Some of these are the same as those given by Sun Simiao but several are different. The order is also very different, moving from the head down to the feet. Like Sun Simiao's, they are organised into trinities, but this time on the basis of anatomical locations: three on the skull, three on the jaw, three on the arms and three on the legs, plus Ruzhong St-17. The additional points provide a focus on clearing Phlegm-Heat from the Jueyin level with the inclusion of points like Jianshi Pc-5, Ruzhong St-17 (breasts are under the Liver & Jueyin), Yanglingquan GB-34 and Xingjian Liv-2 and a strong focus in both systems on expelling Wind and Heat, including most of their shared points. At least one from each body region expels Wind but especially the upper points while those around the jaw mostly generate fluids, those on the arms clear Heat and on the legs, drain Fire. Many also open the chest and calm the Shen giving an impression of violent rage and erratic behaviour, induced by outside forces that damages fluids and leads to wasting and death.

References: Ayal, R. (2021). The 13 Ghost Points 十三鬼穴 [youtube].
Fruehauf, H. (1998). Driving Out the Demons and Snakes - Gu Syndrome: A Forgotten Clinical Approach to Chronic Parasitism. Journal of Chinese Medicine (May 1998).
Wilcox, L. (2024). Case Studies 26: Ghost Points and Xu Qiufu [youtube].
Yang, J. (1601). Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Vol. IX. Trans. Wilcox, L. (2010). Chinese Medicine Database.
Yuen, J. (2005). 3 Spirits & 7 Souls. New England School of Acupuncture.