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.
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 human body.
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