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Twelve Meridians Origin and Termination Diagram

The main regular meridians of the human body number twelve. At dawn during the Yin hour, Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) begins in the Middle Jiao (Middle Burner), flows upward into the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin, emerges from the Zhongfu (LU-1) point in the chest, reaches the Shaoshang (LU-11) point, and then sequentially circulates through the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-Yangming and the other ten meridians, finally arriving at the Liver Meridian of Foot-Jueyin, before restarting at the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin. All three Yin meridians of the hand travel from the Zang organs to the hands; all three Yang meridians of the hand travel from the hands to the head. All three Yang meridians of the foot travel from the head to the feet; all three Yin meridians of the foot travel from the feet to the abdomen. This circulation is unceasing, like a ring without beginning or end. Regarding the previous three diagrams, by reciting the following song on the sequence and direction of the Twelve Regular Meridians, one can understand their continuous connection from start to finish and examine them thoroughly via the charts.

Lung, Large Intestine, Stomach, Spleen, Heart, Small Intestine, Bladder, Kidney, Pericardium, Sanjiao (Triple Energizer), Gallbladder, Liver follow in succession. Hand Yin meridians connect to Zang organs and go to the hands; Hand Yang meridians connect to the hands and go to the head; Foot Yin meridians connect to the feet and go to the abdomen; Foot Yang meridians connect to the head and go to the feet. (This describes the order of transmission among Zang-Fu organs and the sequence of movement up and down.)

(From *Fa Hui of the Fourteen Meridians*)

The Twelve Meridians begin with the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin. Its branch emerges from behind the wrist to the tip of the index finger, connecting to the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-Yangming. The branch of the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-Yangming ascends from the Quepen (LI-15) point, flanking the mouth and nose, connecting to the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming. The branch of the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming emerges from the dorsum of the foot to the tip of the great toe, connecting to the Spleen Meridian of Foot-Taiyin. The branch of the Spleen Meridian of Foot-Taiyin diverges from the stomach, ascends through the diaphragm, and pours into the heart, connecting to the Heart Meridian of Hand-Shaoyin. The Heart Meridian of Hand-Shaoyin has no branch; it proceeds directly from its own Shaochong (HT-9) point to connect with the Small Intestine Meridian of Hand-Taiyang. The branch of the Small Intestine Meridian of Hand-Taiyang diverges from the cheek, ascends to the inner canthus of the eye, and connects to the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang. The branch of the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang diverges left and right from the inner canthus, descends and converges in the nape region, travels down to the lateral side of the little toe, and connects to the Kidney Meridian of Foot-Shaoyin. The branch of the Kidney Meridian of Foot-Shaoyin emerges from the lung, pours into the chest, and connects to the Pericardium Meridian of Hand-Jueyin. The branch of the Pericardium Meridian of Hand-Jueyin follows from the palm along between the little and ring fingers to emerge at their tips, connecting to the Sanjiao Meridian of Hand-Shaoyang. The branch of the Sanjiao Meridian of Hand-Shaoyang emerges from behind the ear to the outer canthus of the eye, connecting to the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Shaoyang. The branch of the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Shaoyang enters from the dorsum of the foot into the nail bed and hair tuft of the great toe, connecting to the Liver Meridian of Foot-Jueyin. The branch of the Liver Meridian of Foot-Jueyin diverges from the liver, penetrates the diaphragm, ascends to pour into the lung, enters the throat posteriorly, ascends to the forehead, follows the vertex, runs along the Du Mai (Governing Vessel), connects to the genitalia, passes through the pubic hair region, runs along the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel), enters the Quepen (ST-12) area, descends to pour into the lung, and thereby reconnects with the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin.