Library

[Diagram of the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian]

The Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian travels from the foot to the abdomen, and from the abdomen to the chest. This meridian is rich in Qi and deficient in Blood. It originates at Yongquan (KI1) and terminates at Shufu (KI27). There are twenty-seven acupoints on each side, totaling fifty-four points bilaterally.

There are two kidneys, shaped like stone mill mortars, with a blackish-purple color. They are located below the stomach on both sides, extending into the spine, attached to the anterior and posterior aspects of the fourteenth thoracic vertebra, level with the umbilicus.

The Foot-Shaoyin Meridian originates at the sole of the foot.
The *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot), Chapter 10, states: "The vessel of Foot-Shaoyin originates below the little toe and slants towards the center of the foot." Master Hua (Shoushu) explains: "Qu" (趣) means to tend towards. The Foot-Shaoyin originates below the little toe and slants towards the center of the foot.

[Acupoint Verse]
Yongquan (KI1), RanGu (KI2), TaiXi (KI3) run deep into the heel; DaZhong (KI4) and ZhaoHai (KI6) must be sought from the medial malleolus; ShuiQuan (KI5) ascends along the medial malleolus, passing outside the Jueyin and Taiyang meridians, connected by FuLiu (KI7); JiaoXin (KI8) is before the Shaoyin and after the Taiyin, three cun above the medial malleolus where SanYinJiao (SP6) is located; moving inward along the wrist, ZhuBin (KI9) is positioned higher, at the medial aspect, reaching YinGu (KI10), found in the depression between the large and small tendons.
The *Ling Shu*, Chapter 10, states: "Emerging below RanGu, it follows behind the medial malleolus, enters separately into the heel, ascends the medial calf, emerges from the medial aspect of the calf, and runs along the medial edge." Master Hua explains: "Chan" refers to the heel. From Yongquan, it turns to the medial malleolus, below RanGu, follows behind the medial malleolus, at TaiXi, enters separately into the heel at DaZhong, ZhaoHai, and ShuiQuan, then returns from outside DaZhong, ascends along the medial malleolus, running behind the Jueyin and Taiyin meridians, passing through FuLiu and JiaoXin, over SanYinJiao, up the medial calf, following to ZhuBin, emerging from the medial edge of the calf, and reaching YinGu. ○SanYinJiao is seen in the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian, being the intersection of the three Foot-Yin meridians.

Yongquan (KI1): Located in the depression at the center of the sole; take when flexing the foot and curling the toes.
RanGu (KI2): Located in the depression anterior to the medial malleolus, below the prominent bone.
TaiXi (KI3): Located in the depression of the arterial pulse behind the medial malleolus, on the calcaneus.
DaZhong (KI4): Located in the center of the posterior heel; it is the Luo-Connecting vessel of Foot-Shaoyin, diverging to the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian.
ZhaoHai (KI6): Located below the medial malleolus, the origin point of the Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Heel Vessel).
ShuiQuan (KI5): Located below the medial malleolus, one cun below TaiXi; it is the Xi-Cleft point of the Foot-Shaoyin Meridian.
FuLiu (KI7): Located two cun above the medial malleolus, in the depression of the arterial pulse.
JiaoXin (KI8): Located two cun above the medial malleolus, between the anterior of the Foot-Shaoyin and the posterior of the Foot-Taiyin, in the space between the sinews and bones.
ZhuBin (KI9): Located five fen above the medial malleolus.
YinGu (KI10): Located behind the medial condyle of the tibia, under the large tendon and above the small tendon; palpable pulsation upon pressure; obtained by flexing the knee.

Ascending to the posterior-medial aspect of the thigh, ChangQiang (GV1) belongs to the Du Mai (Governing Vessel), its collateral winds around the spine. The Foot-Shaoyin connects with the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, yet follows HengGu (KI11), along the pubic hair line, passing DaHe (KI12), where Qi and Blood gather at SiMan (KI13), WaiZhongZhu (KI14), and HuangShu (KI15), level with the umbilicus, one and half cun left and right, meeting the connecting vessels, following the umbilicus, belonging to the Kidney, passing MingMen, descending to GuanYuan (CV4), meeting ZhongJi (CV3); this is the convergence of the three Foot-Yin meridians and the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel), surrounding the Bladder, belonging to the Kidney Meridian.
The *Ling Shu*, Chapter 10, states: "Ascending the posterior-medial aspect of the thigh, penetrating the spine, belonging to the Kidney, and connecting with the Bladder." Master Hua explains: From YinGu, ascending the posterior-medial aspect of the thigh, penetrating the spine, meeting at ChangQiang of the spine, returning to the front, following HengGu, DaHe, QiXue (KI16), SiMan, WaiZhongZhu, HuangShu, at the location of HuangShu, left and right of the umbilicus, belonging to the Kidney; below the umbilicus, passing GuanYuan and ZhongJi, connecting with the Bladder. ○ChangQiang is seen in the Du Mai, the intersection of Foot-Shaoyin and Foot-Shaoyang, and also the collateral of the Du Mai. GuanYuan and ZhongJi are seen in the Ren Mai, the intersection of the three Foot-Yin and Ren Mai.

HengGu (KI11): One cun below DaHe, five cun below HuangShu, according to the *Qian Jin Fang*.
DaHe (KI12): One cun below QiXue, or four cun below HuangShu.
QiXue (KI16): One cun below SiMan, or three cun below HuangShu; it is the intersection of the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel), also known as BaoMen or ZiHu.
SiMan (KI13): One cun below WaiZhongZhu, one cun beside QiHai, or two cun below HuangShu.
WaiZhongZhu (KI14): One cun [distance from midline implied], it is the intersection of the Chong Mai.
HuangShu (KI15): One cun below ShangQu, five fen lateral to the umbilicus; it is the intersection of the Chong Mai. ○From HengGu to HuangShu, each is one cun and five fen from the midline.

Its branch again emerges from HuangShu, ascends to the umbilicus, passing ShangQu (KI17), ShiGuan (KI18), rising one cun, passing YinDu (KI19), TongGu (KI20), traversing through the Liver region, passing YouMen (KI21), beside JuQue (CV14) by five fen on each side, ascending through the diaphragm, obliquely passing BuLang (BL22) by one cun and six fen; distinguish ShenFeng (BL23) upwards to LingXu (BL24), look upward for ShenCang (BL25), connect further to ShuFu (KI27); ShuFu is in the chest hall, exactly two cun lateral to Xuanji (CV15), following forward towards RenYing (ST9), ascending the neck along the throat to the root of the tongue.
The *Ling Shu*, Chapter 10, states: "Its straight branch ascends from the Kidney, penetrates the Liver and Diaphragm, enters the Lung, follows the throat, and clamps the root of the tongue." Master Hua explains: Its straight branch ascends from the location of HuangShu belonging to the Kidney, following ShangQu, ShiGuan, YinDu, TongGu, penetrating the Liver, ascending through YouMen, crossing the diaphragm, passing BuLang, entering the Lung, following ShenFeng, LingXu, ShenCang or Zhong (KI26) and ShuFu, ascending along the throat, merging with RenYing, clamping the root of the tongue to end. ○RenYing is seen in the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian.

ShangQu (KI17): Take four cun below YouMen, one cun above HuangShu; it is the intersection of the Chong Mai.
ShiGuan (KI18): One cun below YinDu; it is the intersection of the Chong Mai.
YinDu (KI19): One cun below TongGu; it is the intersection of the Chong Mai.
TongGu (KI20): One cun below YouMen; it is the intersection of the Chong Mai. ○From ShangQu to TongGu, each is five fen from the abdominal midline.
YouMen (KI21): Five fen lateral to JuQue on each side; see upper section; it is the intersection of the Chong Mai.
BuLang (BL22): In the depression one cun and six fen below ShenFeng, or eight cun below ShuFu.
ShenFeng (BL23): In the depression one cun and six fen below LingXu, or six cun and four fen below ShuFu.
LingXu (BL24): In the depression one cun and six fen below ShenCang, or four cun and eight fen below ShuFu.
ShenCang (BL25): In the depression one cun and six fen below Zhong, or three cun and two fen below ShuFu.
Zhong (KI26): In the depression one cun and six fen below ShuFu. From BuLang to Zhong, each is two cun from the sternum midline, taken while supine.
ShuFu (KI27): Below JuGu, lateral to Xuanji.

The branch meridian horizontally originates from ShenCang, connects to the Heart, faces directly at DanZhong (CV17), treating DanZhong between the breasts in the direct center of the chest, intersecting with the Hand-Jueyin Pericardium Meridian.
The *Ling Shu*, Chapter 10, states: "Its branch emerges from the Lung, connects to the Heart, and pours into the chest." Master Hua explains: The area between the two breasts is the chest. The branch diverges from ShenCang, circles the Heart, pours into DanZhong in the chest, to intersect with the Hand-Jueyin Pericardium Meridian. Thus, the Hand-Jueyin Meridian originates in the chest, emerges from the hypochondrium three cun below the axilla at TianChi (PC1).

General Verse:
The Kidney Meridian slants from the sole of the foot along the ankle,
Then meets the spine after penetrating the posterior thigh.
Connecting to the intestines, it first belongs to the Kidney,
Ascends to clamp the tongue and scatter in the chest.
Commentary: The Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian originates below the little toe, slants to the sole of the foot, and ends at ShuFu in the chest. Its branch diverges from ShenCang, moves horizontally, circles the Heart, pours into DanZhong, and intersects with the Hand-Jueyin Pericardium Meridian.

Acupoint Verse:
Foot-Shaoyin Meridian has twenty-seven points:
Yongquan, RanGu, TaiXi, [error/extra character], DaZhong, ZhaoHai, ShuiQuan, FuLiu, JiaoXin, ZhuBin connect, YinGu, HengGu, DaHe, [repeated] DaHe, QiXue, SiMan, WaiZhongZhu stands, HuangShu, ShangQu, ShiGuan, [error] connect, YinDu, TongGu, YouMen [obscure], BuLang, ShenFeng, LingXu position, ShenCang, Zhong, ShuFu complete.

Verse on Is-Dong and Suo-Sheng Diseases:
This meridian is rich in Qi and deficient in Blood.
Is-Dong diseases: Hunger without desire to eat, wheezing cough with spitting of blood, ringing in the throat, sitting but desiring to rise, face like lacquered firewood, eyes blurry as if seeing nothing, Qi deficiency causing fear, heart hanging like hunger, often startled.
Suo-Sheng diseases: Dry tongue and hot mouth, sore throat, Qi rushing and pressing, pain in the posterior-medial aspect of the thigh and along the spine, intestinal irritability and pain, jaundice and flaccidity/coldness of extremities, drowsiness, body lethargy, heat in the soles of the feet.
The *Ling Shu*, Chapter 10, states: "When Is-Dong occurs, disease manifests as hunger without desire to eat, face like lacquered firewood, coughing and spitting blood, gasping wheezing, sitting but desiring to rise, eyes blurry as if seeing nothing, heart hanging like hunger, Qi deficiency leading to frequent fear, heart startled as if someone were about to catch it; this is called Bone Jue. When governing the diseases generated by the Kidney, there is heat in the mouth and dry tongue, swollen throat, upward Qi, dry and painful throat, vexation, heart pain, jaundice, intestinal pain, pain in the spine and posterior-medial thigh, flaccidity and coldness of extremities, drowsiness, heat and pain in the soles of the feet. For these diseases, excess is drained, deficiency is tonified, heat is treated quickly, cold is retained, sinking points are moxa-ed, neither excess nor deficiency is treated by the meridian itself. Moxibustion requires strong eating to generate flesh, loosening belts, letting hair down, walking with a large staff and heavy shoes. Excess: Cunkou pulse is twice as large as RenYing. Deficiency: Cunkou pulse is smaller than RenYing." ○
Master Hua's notes: The characters "lacquered firewood" appear in black ink below the face. Change the characters "earth" and "color" to "word". Change "word" to "pi" (mass). The character "buttocks" appears below "spine".