Acupuncture Meridian Theory

Front 1

4 Aspects of Acupuncture & Moxibustion

Back 1

1. the meridians (channels) and collaterals
2. acupoints
3. manipulating methods
4. clinical treatment

Front 2

Famous Books of Acupuncture

Back 2

Canon of Medicine - Miraculous pivot (Spiritual pivot) = Canon of Acupuncture

Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion - location and indications of 349 acupoints

Prescriptions with the worth of thousand gold pieces - location and application of ashi points, drew 12 reg meridians, 8 extra meridians

Illustrated Manual of Acupoints of the Bronze Figure - 354 acupoints, 2 bronze figures with water

Exposition of the Fourteen meridians - conception and governor vessel added

Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion - important reference book

Front 3

New Ideas of Acupuncture (3 points)

Back 3

1. Acupuncture anesthesia (remove thyroid gland)
2. Mechanism of acupuncture analgesia (enkaphalin)
3. Objective existence of propagation of acupuncture sensation

Front 4

Chinese word for Meridian

Back 4

jingluo

jing - geographic connotation (meridian, channel, longitude)

luo - to attach or a net

Front 5

Jing (meridians)

Back 5

12 primary meridians
8 extraordinary meridians
12 divergent meridians

Front 6

Luo (collaterals)

Back 6

-12 collaterals of primary meridians
-2 belong to conception and governor vessels
-great collateral of the spleen
-minute collaterals through the body
-superficial collaterals

Front 7

Development theories of meridians

Back 7

- points first, meridians second

- meridians first, points second

Front 8

"Points first, Meridians second" theory

Back 8

- discovery of tender spots on body
- sufficient points known linked into groups with common characteristics
- formation of meridians

Front 9

"Meridians first, Points second" theory

Back 9

- exploration of the internal landscape of the body through medication and qigong practice
- led to discovery of meridian pathways
- strong confirmation from the significant discovery off silk book of Western Han tomb at Mawangdui

Front 10

Meridian System Composition

Back 10

Meridians:
- 12 meridians
- 12 divergent meridians
- 8 extra meridians
Collaterals:
- 15 collaterals
- minute collaterals
- superficial collaterals
12 muscle regions
12 cutaneous regions

Front 11

4 Functions of Meridians

Back 11

1. transporting qi and blood throughout body as integrated whole
2. protecting the body (superficial to deepest
3. respond to dysfunction in body
4. transmit qi to diseased area

Front 12

Superficial to Deep regions

Back 12

cutaneous regions
minute collaterals
fifteen collaterals
primary meridians
divergent meridians
extraordinary meridians
deep pathways of primary and divergent meridians

Front 13

4 ways of responding to dysfunction in body

Back 13

1. diseases of meridians themselves
2. disease of zangfu reflecting onto the meridians
3. disease transmitting via the meridians
4. visibly showing disease

Front 14

General description of 12 primary meridians

Back 14

- runs vertically, bilaterally, and symmetrically
- connects internally and corresponds to one of 12 zangfu
- zang meridians are yin
- fu meridians are yang

Front 15

3 yin meridians of the hand

Back 15

Lung (taiyin)
Heart (shaoyin)
Pericardium (jueyin)
- begin in chest, along inner surface of arm to hand

Front 16

3 yang meridians of the hand

Back 16

Large Intestine (yangming)
Small Intestine (taiyang)
Sanjiao (shaoyang)
- begin on hand, along outer surface of arm to head

Front 17

3 yang meridians of the foot

Back 17

Stomach (yangming)
Bladder (taiyang)
Gallbladder (shaoyang)
- begin on face in region of eye, down body along outer surface of leg to foot

Front 18

3 yin meridians of the foot

Back 18

Spleen (taiyin)
Kidney (shaoyin)
Liver (jueyin)
- begin on foot, along inner surface of leg to chest or flank

Front 19

Pathways of 12 meridians

Back 19

Internal and External

Front 20

3 circuits of the body

Back 20

- superficial pathways of 12 meridians
Lung -> L.I. -> Stomach -> Spleen ->
Heart -> S.I. -> Bladder -> Kidney ->
Pericardium -> Sanjiao -> Gallbladder -> Liver

Front 21

Naming of 12 primary meridians

Back 21

- zang or fu to which it belongs
- limb (upper or lower through which it travels)
- yin or yang identity

Front 22

Pairing of 12 meridians

Back 22

1. exterior-interior relationship; between yin/yang meridian on arm and yin/yang meridian on leg

2. yin-yang pairing; yang paired with yang, yin paired with yin

Front 23

8 Extraordinary Vessels (names)

Back 23

1. Conception (Ren)
2. Governor (Du)
3. Thoroughfare (Chong) (Penetrating)
4. Belt (Dai) (Girdling)
5. Yin Heel (Yin Qiao) (Motility)
6. Yang Heel (Yang Qiao) (Motility)
7. Yin Link (Yin Wei)
8. Yang Link (Yang Wei)

Front 24

2 Extraordinary Vessels that have own points

Back 24

Conception & Governor

Front 25

3 Functions of Extraordinary Vessels

Back 25

1. act as reservoirs
2. link the 12 primary meridians
3. protect the body

Front 26

Pathway of Governor Vessel

Back 26

- arise from lower abdomen
- comes out from perineum
- runs posterior along interior side of spinal cord to Fengfu (GV-16) at nape
- enters brain
- ascends to vertex
- goes down along forehead to nasal column

Front 27

Pathway of Conception Vessel

Back 27

- starts of lower abdomen
- comes out from perineum
- goes anteriorly to pubic region
- ascends along interior side of abdomen
- passes through guanyuan (CV-4)
- reaches throat
- ascending curves around lips
- passes through cheek
- enters infraorbital region Chengqi (ST-1)

Front 28

Pathway of Thoroughfare Vessel

Back 28

- inside lower abdomen (uterus in women)
- emerges at perineum (Huiyin REN-1)
- branch ascends inside spinal column
- branch emerges at Qichong ST-30, connects with Kidney channel at Henggu Kid-11, through kidney channel to Youmen Kid-21, then disperses in chest
-branch ascends along throat, curves around lips, terminates below eye
-branch emerges at Qichong ST-30, descends medial aspect of legs to popliteal fossa, descends medial side of lower leg, runs posterior to medial malleolus and terminates on sole of foot
-fifth branch separates from leg branch at heel, crosses foot and terminates at big toe

Front 29

Pathway of Belt Vessel

Back 29

-originates at Zhangmen Liv-13
-circles around just below hypochondriac region
-runs obliquely downwards through Daimai GB-26, Wushu GB-27 and Weidai GB-28, encircling waist like a belt

Front 30

Pathway of Yang Heel Vessel

Back 30

-originates at lateral side of heel at Shenmai BL-62
-ascends along lateral malleolus and posterior border of fibula
-ascends lateral side of thigh to hip (Juliao GB-29) and postero-lateral costal region to posterior axillary fold
-zig-zags across top of shoulder
-ascends across neck to corner of the mouth
-ascends cheek, alongside nose to inner canthus and communicates with Yin Heel vessel and Bladder channel at Jingming BL-1
-continues upward to forehead then curves across parietal region and descends to meet with Fengchi GB-20 and enters brain at occipital between the 2 tendons

Front 31

Pathway of Yin Heel Vessel

Back 31

-originates below medial malleolus att Zhaohai KID-6
-ascends along medial malleolus and posteromedial surface of lower leg and thigh to external genitalia, ascends the abdomen and chest to supraclavicular fossa,
-ascends through throat and emerges anterior to Renying ST-9
-ascends beside mouth and nose to inner canthus where it meets with Yang Heel vessel and Bladder channel at Jingming BL-1
-ascends with them to enter brain

Front 32

Pathway of Yang Link Vessel

Back 32

-originates near heel at Jinmen BL-63 (junction of leg yang meridians)
-ascends along lateral malleolus and Gallbladder channel of leg to pass through hip region
-ascends along pstero-lateral costal region (posterior to Yang Heel vessel) to posterior axillary fold (Naoshu SI-10)
-crosses top of shoulder (Tianliao SJ-15 and Jianjing GB-21) and ascends along neck and jaw, passes anterior to ear as far as forehead (Benshen GB-13)
-crosses parietal region through points of Gallbladder channel as far as Fengchi GB-20 then connects with Governor vessel at Fenggfu DU-16 and Yamen DU-15

Front 33

Pathway of Yin Link Vessel

Back 33

-originates medial side of leg at Zhubin Kid-9 (junction of leg yin meridians)
-ascends along medial aspect of leg and thigh to lower abdomen
-ascends ribs to Qimen Liv-14
-ascends throat to meet conception vessel at Tiantu Ren-22 and Lianquan Ren-23

Front 34

Principal symptoms of Governor Vessel

Back 34

Rigid spine, opisthotonus, rachialgia, dorsalgia, headache, insanity, spermatorrhea, impotence, premature ejaculation, infertility, prolapse of rectum, etc

Front 35

Principal symptoms of Conception Vessel

Back 35

Menoxenia, infertility, abortion, profuse leukorrhea, hernia, mass in the abdomen, sore throat, etc.

Front 36

Principal symptoms of Thoroughfare Vessel

Back 36

Cramps due to rebellious abdominal Qi

Front 37

Principal symptoms of Belt Vessel

Back 37

Abdominal distention, cold sensation in the lumbar region

Front 38

Principal symptoms of Yang Heel Vessel

Back 38

conjunctivitis from the inner canthus, insomnia, and eversion of foot

Front 39

Principal symptoms of Yin Heel Vessel

Back 39

somnolence, retention of urine and pervarus

Front 40

Principal symptoms of Yang Link Vessel

Back 40

aversion to cold, fever and lumbar pain

Front 41

Principal symptoms of Yin Link Vessel

Back 41

cardiac pain, melancholy

Front 42

General information of 12 Divergent Meridians

Back 42

branch out from 12 primary meridians and have no specific points of their own

Front 43

Pathway of yang divergent meridians belonging to yang primary meridians

Back 43

- separate from their yang primary meridian on the limbs (eg. Bladder meridian at popliteal fossa, Stomach and Gallbladder meridian on the thigh, S.I. meridian at shoulder, L.I. meridian at hand)

- enter their related zang or fu as well as their internally-externally related zang or fu (eg. Bladder divergent meridian travels to Bladder fu then Kidney zang)

- resurface at supraclavicular fossa, neck, or face and join their primary yang meridian again

Front 44

Pathway of yin divergent meridians belonging to yin primary meridians

Back 44

- separate from their yin primary meridian in the limbs

- sometimes enter their pertaining zang (Kidny, Heart, Lung)

-converge with their internally-externally related divergent meridian

- then join primary yang meridian itself

Front 45

4 Functions of divergent meridians

Back 45

1. strengthen yin-yang relationship between internally-externally paired meridians and zangfu
2. distribute qi and blood to head and face
3. integrate areas of body not supplied or interconnected by primary meridians
4. help explain clinical action of some commonly-used acupuncture points

Front 46

Clinical significance of divergent meridians

Back 46

- lung meridian does not ascend higher than throat region, but lung divergent meridian connects with L.I. primary meridian to circulate to nose
- relationship between fire and water (Heart and Kidneys), primary meridian of kidneys connects to heart, heart does not connect to kidneys, divergent meridian of bladder (interiorly-exteriorly related to kidneys) travels from kidneys to heart, strengthening the bond
-bladder divergent meridian circulates through rectal area, explaining actions of Chengshan BL-57 and Feiyaang BL-58 in treatment of rectal diseases (hemorrhoids)
-stomach divergent meridian enters heart, explaining use of stomach meridian points in treatment of disorders of spirit
-bladder divergent meridian connects with heart, explains effect of points of bladder meridian in treatment of disharmony of heart and spirit, Shenmai BL-62 for epilepsy, palpitations, insomnia and mania-depression disorder

Front 47

General information of Luo-connecting meridians (collaterals)

Back 47

15 principal luo-connecting meridians branching out from primary meridians and extraordinary vessels, distributed superfically over the body
Consist of:
12 from primary meridians, 1 for governor, 1 for conception, and the great luo-connecting meridian of the spleen (connects other meridians)

Front 48

Pathways of luo-connecting meridians

Back 48

spread from luo-connecting point of their own meridian to connect with internally-externally paired meridian, then follow their own pathways

Front 49

Function of luo-connecting meridians

Back 49

strengthen the connection between internally-externally paired meridians and zangfu

Front 50

Information of 12 cutaneous regions

Back 50

-skin regions overlying broad network of superficial meridians and linked to them
-cutaneous regions provide theoretical foundation for idea of invasion by exogenous pathogenic factors through skin and deeper layers of jingluo system
-manifest disorder of deep-lying meridians by abnormal skin sensations, skin lesions or discoloration (blue-ging = pain, red = heat, white = deficiency and cold)
-explain how treatment applied at level of skin affect deeper regions

Front 51

4 seas of the body

Back 51

1. region of brain: sea of medulla, origin of vital energy
2. thoracic region: sea of qi, stored place of pectoral qi
3. region of stomach: sea of grain and water, source of nutrient qi and defensive qi
4. thoroughfare vessel: sea of blood and sea of twelve meridians