There are already several articles on this Topic, found on the Internet, but the detailed articles are catered for the Western TCM Practitioners, which are also lacking the original Chinese Texts.
This article is written to share more advanced information on this topic - "Ghost Door 13 Needles" (鬼门十三针) for folks who have never heard of it and keen to understand more details about it.
*The general acupuncture practice is used to treat people, but this type is used to treat "Ghosts"*
The "Ghost Door 13 Needles" (鬼门十三针) Method is a special treatment method in acupuncture and moxibustion of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is the magical / spiritual path of Chinese Acupuncture and moxibustion, which specializes in treating "Different Type Of Demonic Possessions"(百邪癫狂).
Folks who believe in ghosts and demons, can consider it as "Exorcism through Acupuncture". From the modern medical science point of view, and to cater to folks who don't believe in the spiritual world, or TCM Practitioners who can't mention about ghosts and demons but have to "sell" or promote it as modern science, then it is also correct to say that this unique method of acupuncture is to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.
Important Note: The application of "13 Ghost Acupuncture Points" (十三鬼穴) was founded by Bian Que (扁鹊) (407 – 310 BC) of the Warring States Period. Many Articles found online were wrongly stated that Sun Si Miao (孙思邈) founded it. He didn't found it but record what Bian-Que had said.
The "13 Ghost Acupuncture Points" (十三鬼穴) were recorded in an Ancient TCM Book - "A Thousand Gold Essential Prescriptions" (备急千金要方) , written by Sun Si Miao (孙思邈) , but Sun Simiao clearly quoted "Bian Que (扁鹊) said that...", which means that the founding of "13 Ghost Acupuncture Points" (十三鬼穴) was not by him - Sun Si Miao (孙思邈), but from the Bianque School of the Warring States Period.
Due to the precious historical materials, Sun Simiao included it in his work in "A Thousand Gold Essential Prescriptions" (备急千金要方).
On the 14th Chapter - 5th Topic - Madness in the TCM Book of "A Thousand Gold Essential Prescriptions" (备急千金要方) ：
Discussion: All diseases of “hundred evils” originate in many ways, and there are various forms that show the end of the evils, and the disease is seen. There may be silence, or multiple talks, or singing or crying or chanting or laughing or sleeping, sitting in a ditch and eating feces, or naked, or walking around day and night, or insulting indefinitely, or caused by 蜚蛊 (Flying "Gu") , with confused hands and anxious eyes, such as a kind of crazy person, now acupuncture and prescription drugs are used together, where the wind is
蛊 - artificially cultivated poisonous insect; the one insect remaining in the vessel where toxic insects are allowed to eat each other. Used in Black Magic Purpose.
(论曰∶凡诸百邪之病。源起多涂。其有种种形相。示表癫邪之端。而见其病。或有默默而不声或复多言而HT 说。或歌或哭。或吟或笑。或眠坐沟渠。啖食粪秽。或裸形露体。或昼夜游走。或嗔骂无度。或者蜚蛊向导。手乱目急。如斯种类。癫狂之人。今针灸与夫方药。并主治之凡占风之家。亦以风多鬼断之。)
Bian Que Said: To handle a "possessed" person, there are "13 Ghost Acupuncture Points" (十三鬼穴) to deal with. The application of '13 Ghosts Acupuncture Points' is to follow accordingly.. 1st step, needle on 鬼宫, 2nd step, needle on 鬼信 and 3rd step, needle on 鬼垒, and then 鬼心 and so on. Usually until 5th to 6th ghost points, will be able to understand the cause of the patient. If it is caused by an evil spirit, it will explains itself about it's origin and reason.... "
(孙思邈所著《备急千金要方卷十四.风癫第五》记载“扁鹊曰:百邪所病者，针有十三穴也，凡针之体，先从鬼宫起，次针鬼信，便至鬼垒，又至鬼心，未必须并针，止五六穴即可知矣。若是邪蛊之精，便自言说，论其由来往验有实，立得精灵，未必须尽其命，求去与之。男从左起针，女从右起针，若数处不言，便遍穴针也，依诀而行针灸等处，并备主之，仍须依掌诀捻目治之，万不失一。)
*Bian Que (扁鵲) (407 – 310 BC) was the earliest known Chinese physician during the Warring States period.
*Sun Simiao (孙思邈) (541 or 581 - 682) was a Chinese physician and writer of the Sui and Tang dynasty.
The '13 Ghosts Acupuncture Points' (十三鬼穴) are: 人中（鬼宫）、少商（鬼信）、隐白（鬼垒）、大陵（鬼心）、申脉（鬼路）、风府（鬼枕）、颊车（鬼床）、承浆（鬼市）、劳宫（鬼窟）、上星（鬼堂）、男会阴女玉门头（鬼藏）、曲池（鬼腿）、海泉（鬼封）
The Song Of '13 Ghosts Acupuncture Points' by Sun Simiao (孙真人"十三鬼穴歌"):
百邪为疾状癫狂，十三鬼穴须推祥。
一针鬼宫人中穴，二针鬼信取少商，
鬼垒三针为隐白，鬼心四刺大陵岗，
申脉五针通鬼路，风府六针鬼枕旁，
七针鬼床颊车穴，八针鬼市闹承浆，
九刺劳宫钻鬼窟，十刺上星登鬼堂，
十一鬼藏会阴取，玉门头上刺娇娘，
十二曲池淹鬼腿，十三鬼封舌下藏，
出血须令舌不动，更加间使后溪良，
男先针左女先右，能令鬼魔立刻降。
How the Chinese Masters do it - Standard Operating Procedure
When a Chinese TCM Master (who belief in the spiritual world) or a Taoist Master / Sorcerer (who is TCM Trained) is applying the "Ghost Door 13 Needles" Method, the Accupunture Needle would be pierced down on the patient, starting from 1st Ghost Point and then question the "Spirit Entity" (Ghost / Demon) , and followed by the 2nd Ghost Point and so on.
Once the spirit entity (ghost / demon）feels unbearable, it will speak to the needle master and beg to stop the piercing (of needles). The Spirit Entity would then explain the reason of possession. Both party would later come up with a mutual agreement.
Very Important Point: The 'Spirit Possession" on the patient is highly likely caused by Karmic Issue between the spirit entity (ghost / spirit / demon) and the patient. The Needle Master who performed the exorcism by applying "Ghost Door 13 Needles" (鬼门十三针) Method, may have successfully expelled the ghost out of the patient, but if gone overboard, without giving care and concern on the spirit entity, it may cause a backlash, whereby the ghost will seek revenge, or the karmic debt will pass onto the Needle Master or the patient's future generation.
The "TAI YI TALISMAN (太乙灵符)"
In "The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion" (针灸大成 Zhēn Jiǔ Dà Chéng), written by Yang Ji-Zhou (杨继洲), there is a chapter: "The Secret Essentials Of Needling The Evils" (针邪秘要 Zhēn Xié Mì Yào). Inside here, shown the "TAI YI TALISMAN (太乙灵符)".
*Yang Ji Zhou (approximately 1522～1620), famous acupuncturist in Ming Dynasty. His main work is "针灸大成 " (The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion)*
First use cinnabar to draw 2 Tai Yi Talismans. When drawing the talisman, recite the mantra of Xiao Tian Gang (小天罡咒) - "天罡大神，日月常轮，上朝金阙，下覆昆仑，贪狼巨门，禄存文曲，廉贞武曲，破军辅弼，大周天界，细入微尘，玄黄正气，速赴我身，所有凶神恶煞，速赴我魁之下，毋动毋作，急急如律令".
Then, burn one into ash and add to the wine tune for the patient to drink. Paste another one in the patient's room.
Before needling the patient, recite:"大哉乾元，威统神天，金针到处，万病如拈，吾奉太上老君，急急如律令".
While about to begin needling the patient, recite:"布气玄真，万病不侵，经络接积，龙降虎升，阴阳妙道，插入神针，针天须要开，针地定叫裂，针山必使崩，针海还应竭，针人疾即安，针鬼悉馘灭！吾奉太上老君，急急如律令，摄!"
After that, recite:"手提金鞭倒骑牛，唱得黄河水倒流，一口吸尽川江水，运动人身血脉流，南斗六星，北斗七星。太上老君，急急如律令".
*Notice that in Ancient TCM Texts, the Rituals, Spells and Talismans were included. The modern mainstream TCM Practice omit the "Magical" Sections and also not taught to the Western TCM Practitioners. This might be due to getting rid of "superstitious", in order to sell to the general public. However, The Folk TCM Practice and Taoist TCM (by Taoist Masters / Sorcerers / Priests) still include Rituals,Spells and Talismans while giving TCM Consultations*
EXTRA INFO!!: THE "GHOST DOOR 13 TALISMANS" METHOD
When all else failed, there is the Taoist Spiritual Method. This method is not found in mainstream TCM, nor taught to Western TCM Practitioners. This spiritual method belongs to the TCM 13th Discipline (祝由十三科 - Zhù Yóu Shí Sān Kē). Only Taoist Masters / Sorcerers (with TCM Knowledge) and Taoist TCM Practitioners, include Spells, Talismans and Chants in their TCM Practice.
Each specific talisman is pasted on each specific Ghost Point (of the 13 Ghost Points) accordingly.
What Western TCM Practitioners don't know...
The above explanation of the spiritual side of "Ghost Door 13 Needles" (鬼门十三针) Method is not taught and explained to the Western TCM Practitioners. TCM has to be sold to the Western World as "modern and scientific", which has to exclude the "Demonic Possession" Part.
Folks who need to read and explain the "Ghost Door 13 Needles" (鬼门十三针) Mehod in a "modern and scientific" way, can do research on this topic on other websites catered for Western TCM Practitioners to deal with Western Patients.
