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The Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian (Shou Yangming Dachang Jing) originates at the tip of the index finger, follows the radial border of the finger, emerges between the two bones of Hegu (LI4), ascends into the space between the two tendons, follows the radial border of the forearm, enters the lateral aspect of the elbow, ascends along the anterior-lateral border of the upper arm, reaches the shoulder, emerges from the anterior border of the acromion, ascends to emerge at the intersection of the vertebral bones (Dazhui GV14), descends into the supraclavicular fossa (Quepen), connects with the Lung (Fei), passes through the diaphragm, and belongs to the Large Intestine (Dachang). Its branch arises from the supraclavicular fossa, ascends to the neck, penetrates the cheek, enters the lower teeth, returns to emerge crossing the mouth at Renzhong (GV26), left crossing to right, right crossing to left, ascending to flank both sides of the nostrils. When this meridian is disturbed, it causes toothache and facial swelling. This meridian primarily governs diseases related to body fluids (Jinye), such as yellowing of the eyes, dry mouth, rhinorrhea or epistaxis, pharyngolaryngeal obstruction (Houbi), pain in the anterior shoulder, and pain and dysfunction of the index finger. When qi is in excess, there is heat and swelling along the course of the meridian; when deficient, there is cold shivering that does not resolve. In excess conditions, the Renying (ST9) pulse is three times larger than the Qikou (LU9) pulse; in deficiency conditions, the Renying pulse is smaller than the Qikou pulse.

The Luo-connecting vessel of the Hand-Yangming is named Pianli (LI6), located three cun distal to the wrist crease, where it diverges to connect with the Taiyin Lung Meridian. Its branch ascends to the elbow, follows the forearm, traverses the shoulder, ascends to the curved jaw (Qujia), and spreads over the teeth. Another branch enters the ear and meets the Zongmai (Major Vessels). In excess conditions, it causes dental caries and deafness; in deficiency conditions, it causes cold teeth and bi-syndrome with obstruction. Treatment involves selecting its Luo-point.

The Sinew Meridian of the Hand-Yangming originates at the tip of the index finger, knots at the wrist, ascends along the forearm, knots at the lateral elbow, ascends along the upper arm, knots at Jianyu (LI15). Its branch winds around the scapula and flanks the spine. The straight branch ascends from the shoulder to the neck. Another branch ascends to the cheek and knots at the mandible. The straight branch ascends anterior to the Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian, ascends to the left frontal angle, connects with the head, and descends to the right mandible. Pathological conditions include pulling pain and spasms along the course of the sinews, inability to raise the shoulder, and inability to turn the head left or right. Treatment involves burning needle puncture (Fanzhen Jiesi), using the point where symptoms cease as the frequency, and using painful points as acupuncture points. This is called Mengxia Bi (Early Summer Bi Syndrome).

When pathogenic factors invade the Luo-connecting vessel of the Hand-Yangming, it causes qi fullness, chest distress, panting, and heat supporting the chest. Puncture one point on each hand at the nail bed of the index finger, about the width of a leek leaf from the corner, treating left disease with right points and right disease with left points. Recovery occurs after approximately the time it takes to eat a meal (this is Shangyang LI1).

When pathogenic factors invade the Luo-connecting vessel of the Hand-Yangming, it causes deafness and intermittent inability to hear sounds. Puncturing Shangyang (LI1) restores hearing immediately. If ineffective, puncture the point where the nail meets the flesh on the middle finger, which also restores hearing immediately. If hearing loss is not intermittent, it should not be treated with acupuncture. For wind sensation in the ear, treat similarly, crossing left and right. If the Hand-Yangming meridian treatment fails, puncture the vessel emerging anterior to the ear.

For heat diseases starting with arm pain, puncture the Hand-Yangming and Hand-Taiyin meridians to induce sweating and stop the disease. The Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian runs from the hand to the head, measuring five chi in length, totaling one zhang for both sides, containing forty acupoints.

Shangyang (LI1) [Two points]: Also known as Jueyang. Located on the radial side of the index finger, the width of a leek leaf from the nail corner. It is the Jing-Well point of the Hand-Yangming Meridian. Treats chest fullness, panting, cough, swelling, heat diseases without sweating, tinnitus and deafness, alternating cold and fever malaria, dry mouth, swelling of the chin and jaw, toothache, aversion to cold, stiff shoulder and back radiating to the supraclavicular fossa, blindness, and can be moxibusted with three moxa cones. Treat left with right, right with left; recovery occurs after eating time. Needle depth: 1 fen, retain for one breath.

Erjian (LI2) [Two points]: Element Water, also known as Jianggu. Located in the depression medial to the proximal interphalangeal joint of the index finger. It is the Ying-Spring point of the Hand-Yangming Meridian. Treats pharyngolaryngeal obstruction, submandibular swelling, shoulder and back pain with chills, rhinorrhea and epistaxis, frequent fright, and lockjaw. Needle depth: 3 fen, moxibustion: 3 cones.

Sanjian (LI3) [Two points]: Element Wood, also known as Shaogu. Located in the depression posterior-medial to the metacarpophalangeal joint of the index finger. It is the Shu-Stream point of the Hand-Yangming Meridian. Treats pharyngolaryngeal obstruction with a sensation of a foreign body, dental caries pain, lethargy with chest fullness, borborygmus and diarrhea, cold malaria with dry lips, dry mouth with asthma, eye urgency and pain. Needle depth: 3 fen, retain for three breaths, moxibustion: 3 cones.

Hegu (LI4) [Two points]: Also known as Hukou. Located in the depression between the first and second metacarpal bones. It is the Yuan-Source point of the Hand-Yangming Meridian. Treats alternating cold and fever malaria, rhinorrhea and epistaxis, heat diseases without sweating, blurred vision, headache, dental caries, pharyngolaryngeal obstruction, atrophy and swelling of the arm and face, flaccid lips, aphonia, lockjaw. Needle depth: 3 fen, retain for six breaths, moxibustion: 3 cones. Contraindicated in pregnant women as it may damage fetal qi.

Yangxi (LI5) [Two points]: Element Fire, also known as Zhongkui. Located in the depression between the two tendons on the radial side of the wrist. It is the Jing-River point of the Hand-Yangming Meridian. Treats manic speech, laughter, seeing ghosts, heat diseases with vexation, wind-eye redness and ulceration with pannus, reversal headache, chest fullness with dyspnea, alternating cold and fever malaria, pharyngolaryngeal obstruction, tinnitus, toothache, convulsions, inability to lift the elbow and arm, crusts and scabies. Needle depth: 3 fen, retain for seven breaths, moxibustion: 3 cones. Use caution as with Hegu.

Pianli (LI6) [Two points]: The Luo-connecting point of the Hand-Yangming. Located three cun posterior to the wrist, diverging to the Taiyin. Treats alternating cold and fever malaria, wind with no sweat, blurred vision, mania with excessive talking, tinnitus, lockjaw, dental caries, pharyngolaryngeal obstruction, dry throat, rhinorrhea and epistaxis. Needle depth: 3 fen, retain for seven breaths, moxibustion: 3 cones.

Wenliu (LI7) [Two points]: Also known as Nizhu or She Tou. Located on the posterior wrist, 5 cun (small shi) to 6 cun (large shi) distal to the wrist. It is the Xi-Cleft point of the Hand-Yangming Meridian. Treats lockjaw, borborygmus and abdominal pain, typhoid with fever, headache with hiccups, inability to raise the shoulder, mania with salivation, manic speech and seeing ghosts, pharyngolaryngeal obstruction with facial edema. Needle depth: 3 fen, moxibustion: 3 cones.

Xiàshǒu Lián (LI8) [Two points]: Located one cun below Shàngshǒu Lián on the accessory bone, with muscle fibers slanting outward. Treats head wind, shoulder and arm pain, yellow urine. Needle depth: 5 fen, retain for five breaths, moxibustion: 3 cones.

Shàngshǒu Lián (LI9) [Two points]: Located one cun below Shousanli, with muscle fibers meeting the Yangming intersection and slanting outward. Treats brain wind headache, difficult and yellow-red urination, borborygmus with migrating pain. Needle depth: 5 fen, moxibustion: 5 cones.

Shousanli (LI10) [Two points]: Located two cun below Quchi. Pressing causes muscle elevation at the end of the quadriceps femoris-like muscle. Treats arm numbness, elbow contracture with inability to extend, toothache and submaxillary swelling, scrofula. Moxibustion: 3 cones, needle depth: 3 fen.

Quchi (LI11) [Two points]: Element Earth. Located in the depression at the lateral end of the elbow crease when the elbow is flexed. It is the He-Sea point of the Hand-Yangming Meridian. Treats elbow pain, hemiplegia due to wind, wind urticaria, pharyngolaryngeal obstruction with aphonia, chest vexation and fullness, muscle flaccidity with inability to grasp objects or draw a bow, difficulty in flexion and extension, thin and weak arms and elbows due to wind, residual heat from typhoid, dry skin. Needle depth: 7 fen. After obtaining Deqi, reduce first then tonify. Moxibustion: 3 cones.

Zhou Liao (LI12) [Two points]: Located in the depression at the lateral border of the large elbow bone. Treats elbow joint wind-bi, arm pain with inability to lift, flexion-extension contracture. Moxibustion: 3 cones, needle depth: 3 fen.

Bili (LI13) [Two points]: Located three cun above the elbow, in the center of the major vessel running inward. Treats wind-lao, fright, hemoptysis, elbow and arm pain with lethargy, inability to move limbs, alternating cold and fever with scrofula and cough, blurred vision, malaria with subcostal fullness. Moxibustion: 10 cones. Acupuncture is prohibited.

Binao (LI14) [Two points]: Located at the end of the muscle seven cun above the elbow. It is the Luo-connecting vessel of the Hand-Yangming. Treats alternating cold and fever with neck stiffness, scrofula with shoulder and back pain and inability to lift. Moxibustion: 3 cones, needle depth: 3 fen.

Jianyu (LI15) [Two points]: Located in the depression between the two bones at the shoulder tip, found by raising the arm. It is the intersection of the Hand-Yangming and Qiao vessels. Treats hemiplegia due to wind, wind-heat urticaria, arm contracture, inability to grasp objects or draw a bow, thin arms with weakness, soreness of muscles and bones. Moxibustion: 7 to 14 cones, until recovery. For hemiplegia, up to 49 cones are allowed, but avoid excessive moxibustion to prevent arm atrophy. If wind-bi causes long-term muscle weakness, do not fear atrophy. Puncturing drains heat and qi from the shoulder and arm. For wind-bi with inability to extend the arm, puncturing can restore strength for drawing bows and archery.

Jugu (LI16) [Two points]: Located in the depression between the bifurcated bones ascending from the shoulder tip. It is the intersection of the Hand-Yangming and Qiao vessels. Treats back pain, blood stasis in the chest, shoulder and arm pain with inability to flex and extend. Moxibustion: 5 cones, needle depth: 1.5 cun.

Tianding (LI17) [Two points]: Located one cun posterior to Futu, directly above the supraclavicular fossa. It is where the Qi of the Hand-Yangming Meridian emerges. Treats sudden aphonia and choking, pharyngolaryngeal obstruction with swollen throat and dyspnea, inability to swallow, throat rattling. Moxibustion: 3 cones, needle depth: 3 fen.

Futu (LI18) [Two points]: Also known as Shui Xue. Located 1.5 cun posterior to Renying. It is where the Qi of the Hand-Yangming Meridian emerges. Treats cough with excessive saliva, upward rushing qi with wheezing, throat sound like a water frog. Moxibustion: 3 cones, needle depth: 3 fen.

Heliao (LI19) [Two points]: Located five fen lateral to the philtrum under the nostril. It is where the Qi of the Hand-Yangming Meridian emerges. Treats persistent epistaxis, nasal discharge with sores, lockjaw. Needle depth: 2 fen.

Yingxiang (LI20) [Two points]: Located one cun above Heliao, five fen lateral to the nostril. It is the intersection of the Hand-Yangming and Foot-Yangming meridians. Treats nasal polyps, anosmia, epistaxis, facial deviation, facial itching and edema, wind sensation like insects crawling, lip swelling and pain. Needle depth: 3 fen, retain for three breaths. Moxibustion is contraindicated.

Generally, the Hand-Yangming Meridian has abundant Qi and Blood. Puncture should regulate Qi and Blood. The meridian runs from hand to head. Following the flow is "Sui" (Following), opposing it is "Ying" (Meeting). Excess is drained, deficiency is tonified, heat is treated with quick needling, cold is treated with retained needling, sinking conditions are treated with moxibustion, and neither excess nor deficiency is treated by selecting points from the meridian itself. This is the method for treating the Hand-Yangming Meridian.