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DISCOVER YOUR
MERIDIANS
Check out what they do in your Body
mERIDIANS
Meridians are strings connecting points, which are considered passageways through which energy flows throughout the body. The meridian system is composed of 12 principal meridians, each of which connects to an organ system and extends to an extremity and eight collaterals within the body.
nervous system
Are meridians connected to your nervous system? That is, the meridians are the representation of the nervous system. The peripheral neurovascular bundles literally validate the TCM concept that Blood and Qi (energy) flow in the meridians.
Connetion
The 12 standard meridians, also called Principal Meridians, are divided into Yin and Yang groups. The Yin meridians of the arm are the Lung, Heart, and Pericardium. The Yang meridians of the arm are the Large Intestine, Small Intestine, and Triple Burner. The Yin Meridians of the leg are the Spleen, Kidney, and Liver. The Yang meridians of the leg are Stomach, Bladder, and Gall Bladder.
Meridian name (Chinese) | Quality of Yin or Yang | Extremity | Organ | Time of Day | |
Taiyin Lung Channel of Hand (手太阴肺经) or Hand’s Major Yin Lung Meridian | Greater Yin (taiyin, 太阴) | Hand (手) | Metal (金) | Lung (肺) | 寅; yín; 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. |
Shaoyin Heart Channel of Hand (手少阴心经) or Hand’s Minor Yin Heart Meridian | Lesser Yin (shaoyin, 少阴) | Hand (手) | Fire (火) | Heart (心) | 午; wǔ; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
Jueyin Pericardium Channel of Hand (手厥阴心包经) or Hand’s Absolute Yin Heart Protector Meridian | Faint Yin (jueyin – 厥阴) | Hand (手) | Fire (火) | Pericardium (心包) | 戌; xū; 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. |
Shaoyang Sanjiao Channel of Hand (手少阳三焦经) or Hand’s Minor Yang Triple Burner Meridian | Lesser Yang (shaoyang, 少阳) | Hand (手) | Fire (火) | Triple Burner (三焦) | 亥; hài; 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. |
Taiyang Small Intestine Channel of Hand (手太阳小肠经) or Hand’s Major Yang Small Intestine Meridian | Greater Yang (taiyang, 太阳) | Hand (手) | Fire (火) | Small Intestine (小肠) | 未; wèi; 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. |
Yangming Large Intestine Channel of Hand (手阳明大肠经) or Hand’s Yang Supreme Large Intestine Meridian | Yang Bright (yangming, 阳明) | Hand (手) | Metal (金) | Large Intestine (大腸) | 卯; mǎo; 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. |
Taiyin Spleen Channel of Foot (足太阴脾经) or Foot’s Major Yin Spleen Meridian | Greater Yin (taiyin, 太阴) | Foot (足) | Earth (土) | Spleen (脾) | 巳; sì; 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. |
Shaoyin Kidney Channel of Foot (足少阴肾经) or Foot’s Minor Yin Kidney Meridian | Lesser Yin (shaoyin, 少阴) | Foot (足) | Water (水) | Kidney (腎) | 酉; yǒu; 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. |
Jueyin Liver Channel of Foot (足厥阴肝经) or Foot’s Absolute Yin Liver Meridian | Faint Yin (jueyin, 厥阴) | Foot (足) | Wood (木) | Liver (肝) | 丑; chǒu; 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. |
Shaoyang Gallbladder Channel of Foot (足少阳胆经) or Foot’s Minor Yang Gallbladder Meridian | Lesser Yang (shaoyang, 少阳) | Foot (足) | Wood (木) | Gall Bladder (膽) | 子; zǐ; 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. |
Taiyang Bladder Channel of Foot (足太阳膀胱经) or Foot’s Major Yang Urinary Bladder Meridian | Greater Yang (taiyang, 太阳) | Foot (足) | Water (水) | Urinary bladder (膀胱) | 申; shēn; 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. |
Yangming Stomach Channel of Foot (足阳明胃经) or Foot’s Yang Supreme Stomach Meridian | Yang Bright (yangming, 阳明) | Foot (足) | Earth (土) | Stomach (胃) | 辰; chén; 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. |
Eight extraordinary meridians
The eight extraordinary meridians are of pivotal importance in the study of Qigong, Taijiquan and Chinese alchemy.[8] These eight extra meridians differ from the standard twelve organ meridians in that they are considered to be storage vessels or reservoirs of energy and are not associated directly with the Zang Fu, i.e. internal organs. These channels were studied in the “Spiritual Axis” chapters 17, 21 and 62, the “Classic of Difficulties” chapters 27, 28 and 29 and the “Study of the 8 Extraordinary vessels” (Qi Jing Ba Mai Kao), written in 1578.[9]
The eight extraordinary vessels are (奇經八脈; qí jīng bā mài):[10]
- Conception Vessel (Ren Mai) – 任脈; rèn mài
- Governing Vessel (Du Mai) – 督脈; dū mài
- Penetrating Vessel (Chong Mai) – 衝脈; chōng mài
- Girdle Vessel (Dai Mai) – 帶脈; dài mài
- Yin linking vessel (Yin Wei Mai) – 陰維脈; yīn wéi mài
- Yang linking vessel (Yang Wei Mai) – 陽維脈; yáng wéi mài
- Yin Heel Vessel (Yin Qiao Mai) – 陰蹻脈; yīn qiāo mài
- Yang Heel Vessel (Yang Qiao Mai) – 陽蹻脈; yáng qiāo mài