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The Classic states: The spleen and stomach are the officials responsible for granaries, from which the five flavors arise. It is also stated: The stomach is the sea of water and grain, qi and blood. Furthermore: The stomach has a circumference of one chi and five cun, a diameter of five cun, and a length of two chi and six cun. It is curved horizontally and can hold three dou and five sheng of water and grain; typically, it retains two dou of grain and one dou and five sheng of water when full. It is also stated: This meridian is abundant in qi and deficient in blood.

The Nan Jing (Classic of Difficult Issues) states: The stomach weighs two jin and one liang.

Zhang Jiebin states: The upper opening of the stomach is called the贲门 (Bimen, cardia). The essence of food and drink is transported upward from here to the spleen and lungs and distributed through the various vessels. The lower opening of the stomach, which is the upper opening of the small intestine, is called the 幽门 (Youmen, pylorus).

Foot Yangming Stomach Meridian Diagram

The Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian begins at the intersection beside the nose, adjacent to and constraining the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian. It descends along the lateral side of the nose, enters the upper teeth, emerges to flank the mouth and encircle the lips, descends to intersect with Chengjiang (CV24), then follows the posterior aspect of the mandible downward, emerges at Daying (ST5), follows Jiache (ST6), ascends anterior to the ear, passes through Guest Master (Tougu, GB13), follows the hairline, and reaches the frontal skull. A branch descends from the anterior aspect of Daying to Renying (ST9), follows the throat, enters the Supraclavicular Fossa (Quepen, ST12), descends through the diaphragm, connects with the Stomach, and links with the Spleen. The main trunk descends from Quepen along the medial aspect of the breast, passes flanking the umbilicus, and enters the Qi Street (Qichong, ST30). Another branch originates from the lower opening of the Stomach, travels within the abdominal cavity, and meets the main trunk at the Qi Street. From there, it descends to Biguan (ST31), reaches Futu (ST32), descends into the knee patella region, follows the lateral aspect of the tibia, descends to the dorsum of the foot, and enters the space between the medial aspects of the second toe. Another branch diverges three cun below the knee at Zusanli (ST36), entering the lateral space of the second toe. Yet another branch diverges from the dorsum of the foot, enters the space between the first and second toes, and emerges at its tip.

Stomach Meridian Course Song

The Foot-Yangming starts at the nose, descends laterally to enter the upper teeth, emerges to flank the mouth and surround Chengjiang, passes behind the jaw, Daying, and Jiache, ascends anterior to the ear, follows the hairline to the frontal skull. A branch descends to Renying and the base of the Supraclavicular Fossa, penetrates the diaphragm to enter the Stomach and link the Spleen. The straight course descends from the Supraclavicular Fossa to the medial breast; one branch follows the abdomen from Youmen, descending to meet the Qi Street. Then it proceeds via Biguan to the knee patella, reaching the dorsum and medial second toe. Another branch descends from the knee to Zusanli, emerging anteriorly to connect with the lateral second toe. A third branch diverges on the foot dorsum between the toes, ending at the tip of the big toe.

[Note] The Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian begins at the nose, meaning it intersects bilaterally at Yingxiang (LI20) from the mid-face, passing near Jingming (BL1) of the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian. It then descends laterally along the nose, initially intersecting the Stomach Meridian points Chengqi (ST1), Sibai (ST2), and Juliao (ST3). From Juliao, it enters the upper teeth, emerges to flank the mouth at Dicang (ST4), circles the lips inferiorly, intersects with Renmai’s Chengjiang (CV24), then follows the posterior mandible to intersect Daying (ST5) of the same meridian. From Daying, it follows Jiache (ST6) upward anterior to the ear, passes Tougu (GB13), merges with the Shaoyang Meridian, follows the hairline to Xuanlu (GB7) and Hanyan (GB7) on the sides of the frontal skull, then intersects Toubwei (ST8) and Xiaguan (ST7) of the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian. Its branch travels from Daying, passing anteriorly through Renying (ST9), Shuitu (ST10), and Qishe (ST11), follows the throat into Quepen (ST12), descends through the diaphragm to belong to the Stomach and link the Spleen, distributing to the zang-fu organs. The straight course descends from Quepen directly through Qihu (ST15), Fukuang (ST16), Wuyi (ST17), Yingchuang (ST18), Ruzhong (ST18), Rugen (ST18), etc., down to the medial breast and Burong (ST19). From Burong, it follows Chengman (ST20), Liangmen (ST21), Guanmen (ST22), Taiyi (ST23), and Rouhoumen (ST24) down to Tianshu (ST25) flanking the umbilicus. From Tianshu, Wailing (ST26), Daju (ST27), Shuidao (ST28), and Guilai (ST29), it enters the Qi Street, specifically Qichong (ST30). Its branch originates from the stomach opening, referring to the branch that belongs to the Stomach and links the Spleen mentioned earlier; it descends within the abdominal cavity and meets the Qi Street point, where it converges with the ascending Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel). The portion descending along this meridian includes Biguan (ST31). Reaching Futu (ST32), it passes Yinshi (ST33) and Liangqiu (ST34) below Futu, descends into the knee patella at Dubi (ST35), follows Zusanli (ST36), Shangjuxu (ST37), Tiaokou (ST38), and Xiajuxu (ST39), descends along the lateral tibia to Fenglong (ST40). From Fenglong, it follows Jiaoxi (ST41), descends to the foot dorsum to Chongyang (ST42). From Chongyang, it passes Xangu (ST43) and Neiting (ST44), entering the lateral space of the second toe. One branch diverges from Xiajuxu (ST39) to enter the lateral space of the second toe; another branch diverges along the foot dorsum to Lijue (ST45) between the big toe and second toe, emerging at its tip to intersect with the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian.

[Commentary] The "middle toe" referred to in the context of the Foot-Yangming Meridian actually denotes the second toe (lateral to the hallux), not the anatomical middle toe. This is certainly an error in transcription or copying.