Library

*Ling Shu: Mai Du Chapter*

The Yellow Emperor said: I wish to hear about the lengths of the meridians. Qibo replied: The six Yang meridians of the hand, running from the hands to the head, are each five chi long; six times five equals three zhang. (There are three Yang meridians in the hand; counting left and right sides, there are six Yang meridians. The subsequent six Yin meridians, as well as the six Yin and six Yang meridians of the foot, follow this pattern. The Hand-Taiyang Bladder Meridian starts at Shaoyang (SI1) on the little finger and ends at Tinggong (SI19) on the head. The Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian starts at Shangyang (LI1) on the index finger and ends at Yingxiang (LI20) on the head. The Hand-Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian starts at Guanchong (TE1) on the ring finger and ends at Sizhukong (TE23) on the head. Each of these six meridians is five chi long, totaling three zhang.) The six Yin meridians of the hand, running from the hands to the chest center, are each three chi and five cun long; three times six equals one zhang and eight chi, plus another three chi for the six meridians, totaling two zhang and one chi. (The Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian starts at Shaoshang (LU11) on the thumb and ends at Zhongfu (LU1) in the chest. The Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian starts at Shaochong (HT9) on the little finger and ends at Jiquan (HT1) in the chest. The Hand-Jueyin Pericardium Meridian starts at Zhongchong (PC9) on the middle finger and ends at Tianchi (PC1) in the chest. Each is three chi and five cun long, totaling two zhang and one chi for the six Yin meridians. Note: Among the twelve primary meridians of the hand and foot, the three Yin meridians of the hand run from the Zang organs to the hands, the three Yang meridians of the hand run from the hands to the head, the three Yang meridians of the foot run from the head to the feet, and the three Yin meridians of the foot run from the feet to the abdomen; these are the standard lengths of their origins and terminations. The statement that the six Yin meridians of the hand run from the hands to the chest center refers only to the calculation of length, starting from the extremities, not implying that this is their actual pathway. The following follows this logic.) The six Yang meridians of the foot, running from the feet up to the head, are each eight chi long; six times eight equals four zhang and eight chi. (The Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian starts at Zhiyin (BL67) on the little toe and ends at Jingming (BL1) on the head. The Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian starts at Lidui (ST45) on the second toe and ends at Touwei (ST8) on the head. The Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian starts at Qiaoyin (GB44) on the fourth toe and ends at Tongziliao (GB1) on the head. Each is eight chi long, totaling four zhang and eight chi.) The six Yin meridians of the foot, running from the feet to the chest center, are each six chi and five cun long; six times six equals three zhang and six chi, plus another three chi, totaling three zhang and nine chi. (The Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian starts at Yinbai (SP1) on the big toe and ends at Dabao (SP21) in the chest. The Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian starts at Yongquan (KI1) on the sole of the foot and ends at Shufu (KI27) in the chest. The Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian starts at Dadun (LR1) on the big toe and ends at Qimen (LR14) in the chest. Each is six chi and five cun long, totaling three zhang and nine chi for the six Yin meridians.) The Qiao meridians run from the feet to the eyes, each seven chi and five cun long; two times seven equals one zhang and four chi, plus one chi, totaling one zhang and five chi. (The Qiao meridians are branch vessels of the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney and Foot-Taiyang Bladder meridians, running from the feet to the inner canthus of the eye, each seven chi and five cun long, totaling one zhang and five chi for both left and right sides. Master Ma Xuantai stated: Regarding the Qiao meridians, there are Yin Qiao and Yang Qiao. The Yang Qiao runs from Shenmai (BL62) on the foot to the eye, and the Yin Qiao runs from Zhaohai (KI6) on the foot to the eye. However, since the Yang Qiao is identical on both sides and the Yin Qiao is also identical on both sides, there should theoretically be four Qiao meridians. Why does the text say "two times seven equals one zhang and four chi, plus one chi," referring to only two meridians? Looking at the end of this chapter, it asks: "The Qiao meridians have Yin and Yang; which meridian corresponds to this number?" Qibo answered: "For men, count the Yang Qiao; for women, count the Yin Qiao." Thus, we know that what is counted for men is the left and right Yang Qiao meridians, and for women, the left and right Yin Qiao meridians. See Chapter 28 for details.) The Du Mai (Governor Vessel) and Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) are each four chi and five cun long; two times four equals eight chi, plus one chi, totaling nine chi. All together, they sum to sixteen zhang and two chi; these are the great conduits of Qi. (The Du Mai runs along the back, and the Ren Mai runs along the abdomen, each four chi and five cun long, totaling nine chi. Combined with the previous twenty-eight meridians, the total length is sixteen zhang and two chi, which is the total length of all meridians in the body. Commentary: The circulation of meridians in the human body begins at "Shui Xia Yi Ke" (the first quarter-hour mark in ancient water-clock time), completing fifty cycles around the body day and night. Since a full day consists of one hundred ke (quarter-hours), two ke correspond to one cycle. Therefore, the *Wei Qi Xing* chapter states: "When the sun travels one mansion, the body's Qi completes one cycle plus eight-tenths of a cycle." The *Wu Shi Ying* chapter states: "In two hundred and seventy breaths, Qi travels sixteen zhang and two chi, completing one cycle around the body." This is the constant measure of meridian circulation. Later acupuncture books such as those on Zi Wu Liu Zhu (Midnight-Noon Ebb-Flow) used the start of Shui Xia Yi Ke as the beginning, assigning the Yin hour to the Lung Meridian and matching the twelve hours sequentially to the twelve meridians, creating a rhyme: "Lung at Yin, Large Intestine at Mao, Stomach at Chen; Spleen at Si, Heart at Wu, Small Intestine at Wei; Bladder at Shen, Kidney at You, Pericardium at Xu; Triple Burner at Hai, Gallbladder at Zi, Liver at Chou." Later, Zhang Shixian and Xiong Zongli added hourly annotations, leading to its adoption as a model through generations. Little do they know that the water clock starts at the first moment of the Yin hour, and the operation of meridians also begins with the Lung Meridian at the first moment of the Yin hour. Thus, it says "Shui Xia Yi Ke," and within that one ke, Qi and blood have already circulated half a cycle around the body. How could there be an order where the Large Intestine belongs to the Mao hour and the Stomach to the Chen hour? Moreover, the three Yin meridians of the hand are three chi and five cun long, while the three Yang meridians of the foot are eight chi long. The Hand-Shaoyin and Hand-Jueyin meridians have only eighteen acupoints on each side, whereas the Foot-Taiyang meridian has one hundred and twenty-six acupoints on both sides. These differences in length and number of points are vast; how can the twelve meridians be evenly matched to the twelve hours? Such interpretations deviate far from the original intent of the classics, and readers must discern this carefully.)