Reference; https://mbp-japan.com/tokyo/seino-1987/column/5110174
Modified and translated by CFJA
【原文 Original Text】
時珍曰：神針火者，五月五日取東引桃枝，削為木針，如雞子大，長五、六寸，乾之。用時以綿紙三、五層襯於患處，將針蘸麻油點著，吹滅，乘熱針之。又有雷火神針法，用熟蘄艾末一兩，乳香、沒藥、穿山甲、硫黃、雄黃、草烏頭、川烏頭、桃樹皮末各一錢，麝香五分，為末，拌艾，以濃紙裁成條，鋪藥艾於內，緊卷如指大，長三、四寸，收貯瓶內，埋地中七七日，取出。用時，於燈上點著，吹滅，隔紙十層，乘熱針於患處，熱氣直入病處，其效更速。並忌冷水。
(English translation of the Original Text)
Shizhen said: The divine needle fire, on the fifth day of May, take a peach branch extending to the east, carve it into a wooden needle the size of a chicken egg, five or six inches long, and dry it. When using it, place three to five layers of cotton paper on the affected area, dip the needle in sesame oil, light it, blow it out, and apply the needle while hot. There is also the method of the divine needle of thunder and fire, which uses one or two liang of mature mugwort powder, one qian each of frankincense, myrrh, pangolin scales, sulfur, realgar, herbaceous peony root, corydalis tuber, and peach bark, and five fen of musk. Mix these into a powder, mix them with mugwort, cut thick paper into strips, spread the medicine on the mugwort, tightly roll it up to the size of a finger, three to four inches long, store it in a bottle, bury it underground for forty-nine days, and take it out. When using it, light it on a lamp, blow it out, place ten layers of paper, and apply the needle to the affected area with heat, so that the hot air goes directly into the diseased area, and the effect is faster. Avoid cold water.
【解釈 Interpretation】
時珍曰く：神針火とは、五月五日に東方へ伸びた桃の枝を取り、大さ雞子（けいし）の如く，長さ五、六寸の木針に削って、乾したものである。これを用いる時は、綿紙三から五枚重ねて患部に当て、針に麻油を蘸（つ）け、火を點（つ）けて、吹き滅し，熱に乘じて針をする。又、雷火神針の法が有る。熟蘄艾末（じゅくきかいまつ）一兩、乳香、 没藥、穿山甲、硫黃、雄黃、草烏頭、川烏頭、桃樹皮末を各一錢、麝香五分、以上を末にして、艾に混ぜ、濃紙（みのがみ・厚くて強い和紙）を数條に裁成し、藥を鋪（し）きつめ艾の內に入れ、指の大きさくらいに固く巻き，長さ三、四寸、瓶の內に貯めおき，地中に四九日埋め、取り出したものを用いる。用いる時は、燈火で火を點（つ）け、吹き滅し、紙十枚を隔て、熱に乗じ患部に針をすると、熱氣が直ちに病所に入り、その効果はつとに速い。いずれも冷水を忌む。
(English translation of the Interpretation)
Shizhen said: The divine needle fire is made by taking a peach branch extending to the east on the fifth day of May, carving it into a wooden needle the size of a chicken egg, five or six inches long, and drying it. When using it, place three to five layers of cotton paper on the affected area, dip the needle in sesame oil, light it, blow it out, and apply the needle while hot. There is also the method of the divine needle of thunder and fire. This method involves using one or two liang of mature mugwort powder, one qian each of frankincense, myrrh, pangolin scales, sulfur, realgar, herbaceous peony root, corydalis tuber, and peach bark, and five fen of musk. Mix these into a powder, mix them with mugwort, cut thick paper into strips, spread the medicine on the mugwort, tightly roll it up to the size of a finger, three to four inches long, store it in a bottle, bury it underground for forty-nine days, and take it out. When using it, light it on a lamp, blow it out, place ten layers of paper, and apply the needle to the affected area with heat, so that the hot air goes directly into the diseased area, and the effect is faster. Both methods should avoid cold water.
This shows that, herb-mixed stick moxibustion 棒灸 has been practiced since the 1500s.
[Comments from Dr. Seino]
Herb-mixed stick moxibustion method 葯条灸法 is referring to “The Divine Needle” Moxibustion Technique 「太乙神針」灸法 and “Thunder and Fire Divine Needle” Moxibustion Technique 「雷火神針」灸法 which had been practiced since the 1500s. Amongst the classificationsⅠ) ～ Ⅷ), this method is the only one known to have been practiced in China. In Japan as well, they were wrapping the moxa with paper and turned it into a stick so it was called, stick moxibustion. In Japan, it is also common to cut this into small pieces for practice. Sennenkyu 千年灸, a method where moxa is placed on a base, is a well-known practice amongst the Japanese citizens.
[Dr. Seino’s overall evaluation]Ⅷ) Herb-mixed stick moxibustion method 葯条灸法 refers to moxibustion using a stick mixed with pharmaceutical herbs, but nowadays, lower-quality mugwort is typically used and wrapped in paper. In Japan, moxibustion with a stick mixed with pharmaceutical herbs was not mainstream. The moxibustion technique using a stick that is currently practiced in China can be considered as following the Japanese method. Other methods from Ⅰ) ～ Ⅶ) are rarely performed. It can be said that the intentions of Cheng Dan’an are not being followed. For the reasons why Cheng Dan’an’s moxibustion techniques were not practiced in China, please refer to What is Eastern Medicine? 12.
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