Triple Needling / Qi Ci
Updated 2026-07-31
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
Qi ci is one of the twelve needling methods in the Lingshu. One needle is inserted perpendicular at the exact center of the painful site, and two more are inserted obliquely on either side, so three needles act together on the same focus. It is indicated for cold lodged deep and long-standing bi obstruction that will not shift. The qualifier is depth and nature: the lesion is small in area but deep and cold, which a single needle cannot reach adequately.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Target selection: apply it when the lesion is small but deep, where one needle lacks reach - Energy concentration: read three needles as a converging field rather than three separate treatments - Indication gate: reserve it for cold-dominant, long-standing obstruction, not acute heat
Anchor fast decisions
A single needle spreads its stimulus over a wide area and fades with depth. Three needles placed close together overlap their fields, so the effective stimulus at the deep focus is stronger and more sustained. Clinically this raises the chance of obtaining deqi at depth and warms a cold node that resists dispersal, which is why it is paired with moxibustion for cold bi.
MINIMUM ACTION
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