Chinese Medicine : The Twelve Divergent Channels

The Twelve Divergent Channels

The twelve regular channels have certain courses internally pertaining to the zang-fu organs and externally to the connecting joints and limbs. Each channel also has a deviating or diverging branch penetrating the body cavity which is termed a divergent channel.

The divergents of yang channels run up from the limbs and enter into the internal organs of the chest and abdominal regions. Most of them again emerge from the nape of the neck and rejoin the yang regular channels from whence they originally branched. The divergents of the yin regular channels separate from their primary channels and travel parallel to meet with and rejoin the yang channels to which they have an exterior-interior relationship. Among these twelve divergent channels, no matter whether yin or yang, all start their deviation from the area above the knee or elbow and finally reunite only with the six yang channels. Internally, both yin and yang divergent enter the chest and abdomen to associate with the pertaining zang or fu organs to which their parent regular channel has an exterior-interior relationship. In addition, the divergent channels of the three foot yang regular channels pass through the heart and travel up to the head region. The divergent channels of the three hand yang regular

channels penetrate through to the internal organs from the axillary fossa, and proceed through the throat, to arrive at the head and facial regions.

The main function of the twelve divergent channels is to strengthen the exterior-interior relationship of the twelve regular channels and so form closer ties between all parts of the body.

Table 3
Distribution of the Fifteen Collaterals

Hand Taiyin Lieque 0.5 cun above wrist Hand yangming (Lu.7)

Hand Shaoyin Tongli 1 cun above wrist Hand Taiyang (H.5)

Hand Jueyin Neiguan 2 cun above wrist Hand Shaoyang (P.6)

Hand Yangming Painli 3 cun above wrist Hang Taiyin (L.I.6)

Hand Taiyang Zhizheng 5 cun above wrist Hand Shaoyin (S.I.7)

Hand Shaoyang Waiguan 2 cun above wrist Hand Jueyin (S.J.5)

Foot Yangming Fenglong 8 cun above malleolus Foot Shaoyin (U.B.58)

Foot Taiyang Feiyang 7 cun above malleolus Foot Shaoyin (U.B.58)

Foot Shaoyang Guangming 5 cun above malleolus Foot Jueyin (G.B.37)

Foot Taiyin Gongsun 1 cun proximal to Foot Yangming (Sp.4) phalangeal joint of big toe

Foot Shaoyin Taichong Posterior to malleolus Foot Taiyang (Liv.3) on heel

Foot Jueyin Ligou 5 cun above malleolus Foot Shaoyang (Liv.5)

Ren Channel Wuyi Below xyphoid Over abdomen (St.15) process

Du Channel Changqiang At tip of coccyx Over the head (Du.1) through spine

Great Collateral Dabao 3 cun below auxillary Over chest & of Spleen (Sp.21) hypochondriac region