Chinese Medicine : Pathways, Conjunctures, Exterior-Interior Relationships

Pathways, Conjunctures,Exterior-Interior Relationships and the Order of Qi Flow in the Channels

1. Pathways and Conjunctures

The running direction and the interconjunction of the twelve regular channels compose the following network: the three yin channels of the hand run from the chest to the hand, connecting with the three yang channels of the hand; the three yang channels of the hand run from the hand to the head, joining with the three yang channels of the foot; the three yang channels of the foot travel from the head to the foot, uniting the three yin channels of the foot; the three yin channels of the foot proceed from the foot up to the abdomen, linking with the three yin channels of the hand.

2. Exterior-Interior relationships and the Order of the Qi Flow in the Channels

The twelve regular channels of the hand yin-yang and foot yin-yang respectively have a connecting relationship with their pertaining zang or fu organ. Specifically, yin channels pertain to zang organs and connect with fu organs, while yang channels pertain to fu organs and connect with zang organs. The exterior-interior relationship of the twelve regular channels is the same as the exterior-interior relationship of the yang and fu organs.

Schematic Diagram of Qi Flow Order in The Twelve Regular Channels

The Lung The Large Intestine Channel of the at tip of index finger Channel of the Hand Taiyin Yang-Yangming

The Stomach Channel at tip of big toe of the Foot-Yangming at side of nose

The Spleen Channel The Heart Channel of of the Foot-Taiyin the Hand-Shaoyin at tip of little finger

The Urinary Bladder The Small Intestine Channel of the at inner canthus Channel of the Hand-

Foot-Taiyang Taiyang

The Kidney Channel The Pericardium at tip of small toe of the Foot-Shaoyin Channel of the Hand-Jueyin

The Sanjiao Channel at outer canthus of the Hand-Shaoyang at tip of ring finger

The Ball Bladder The Liver Channel Channel of the Foot- on big toe of the Foot-Jueyin Shaoyang

Channels which have an exterior-interior relationship run opposite each other on the lateral and medial aspects of the four limbs (except the liver channel of the Foot-Jueyin and the spleen channel of the Foot-Taiyin which change their position 8 cun above the medial malleolus of the lower limbs). These channels then connect with each other on the hand or foot, forming the six pairs of exteriorly-interiorly related channels of the zang-fu organs. Qi flows continually, circulating throughout the channels in the following manner as shown in Table 2.