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The nine acupoints of the Hand-Shaoyin (Heart) Meridian are completed in the song: Jiquan (HT1), Qingling (HT2), and Shaohai (HT3) are deep; extending from Lingdao (HT4) and Tongli (HT5), passing through Yinxi (HT6) and Shenmen (HT7), one can locate Shaofu (HT8) and Shaochong (HT9).

The Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian originates at Jiquan (HT1), located between the tendons in the axilla, where the artery enters the chest (within the arm's interior below the axilla, the artery enters the chest). Qingling (HT2) is taken three fen above the elbow (raise the arm to locate it). Shaohai (HT3) is five fen posterior to the end of the elbow (lateral to the large bone posterior to the medial joint of the elbow, five fen from the elbow end; flex the elbow towards the head to find it). Lingdao (HT4) is one cun and half a fen distal to the palm. Tongli (HT5) is one cun distal to the wrist. Yinxi (HT6) is half a cun distal to the wrist. Shenmen (HT7) is at the prominence of the metacarpal bone distal to the palm. Shaofu (HT8) is directly opposite Laogong (PC8) posterior to the joint. Shaochong (HT9) is taken on the medial side of the little finger.

[Image: Diagram of the Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian]

[Image: Diagram of the Small Intestine Fu Organ]

The small intestine weighs two jin and fourteen liang, is three zhang and two chi long, two cun and half wide, with a diameter of eight fen and one-third of a fen. It loops leftward and stacks into sixteen curves, with a capacity to hold two dou and four sheng of grain, or six sheng and three he of water (the majority part).

The Small Intestine, belonging to the Hand-Taiyang Meridian, is the "Official of Reception and Transformation," responsible for receiving and transforming food. Its body is three zhang and two chi long, looping leftward with sixteen curves. Its upper opening connects to the lower opening of the Stomach; its lower opening corresponds to the upper opening of the Large Intestine, located one cun above the umbilicus at the Shuifen (CV9) acupoint, where clear and turbid substances are separated; the clear liquid enters the Bladder, while the turbid residue enters the Large Intestine. In the Five Elements, it belongs to Fire; in the Eight Trigrams, it corresponds to Li (Fire); it forms an exterior-interior relationship with the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian. Its meridian contains much blood and little qi, with qi and blood flowing into it during the Wei hour (1 PM - 3 PM).

Its clinical manifestations include: sore throat, swelling and pain in the forehead and jaw, inability to look back, waist pain as if broken, deafness, yellow eyes, swollen cheeks, and pain along the posterior-lateral aspect of the neck, jaw, shoulder, elbow, and arm.

The pathway of its meridian originates at the lateral tip of the little finger at the Shaose (SI1) acupoint, receiving the connection from the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian. From there, it follows the anterior aspect of the lateral side of the hand, passing through Qiangu (SI2), Houxi (SI3), ascending to the wrist, exiting the ankle region, passing through Wanggu (SI4), Yanggu (SI5), Yanglao (SI6); from Yanglao (SI6) straight up, following the lower border of the forearm bone through Zhengzheng (SI7), emerging between the two tendons on the medial side of the elbow, passing through Xiaohai (SI8), ascending along the posterior-lateral aspect of the arm, running external to the Hand-Yangming and Hand-Shaoyang meridians, exiting the shoulder joint, circling around the shoulder [HT], ascending the shoulder, passing through Jianzhen (SI9), Tianliao (SI10), Tianzong (SI11), Bingfeng (SI12), Qu Yuan (SI13), Jian Wai Shu (SI14), and Jian Zhong Shu (SI15); ascending to meet the Du Mai at Dazhui (GV14), crossing left and right above both shoulders; from here entering the Clavicular Fossa (Quepen) of the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian, descending along the shoulder towards the axilla, aligning with the Danzhong (CV17) point of the Ren Mai, connecting to the Heart, following the stomach system downward through the diaphragm, passing through Shangwan (CV13) and Zhongwan (CV12) of the Ren Mai, reaching the exterior of the Ren Mai as it descends past the Stomach, at the level of two cun above the umbilicus, belonging to the Small Intestine; its branch, from the clavicular fossa of the Stomach, follows the Tianchuang (SI16) and Tianrong (SI17) points of the neck, ascends to the cheek to reach the zygomatic bone, ascends to the outer canthus of the eye [Ruiming/Tongziliao area], passes through the Tongziliao (GB1) acupoint of the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, then enters the ear, terminating along the Tinggong (SI19) acupoint; another branch diverges, following the cheek upwards, reaching the nose, arriving at the inner canthus of the eye at the Jingming (BL1) acupoint, linking obliquely to the zygomatic bone, and intersecting with the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian.

The Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian originates at Jingming (BL1) and Tongtian (BL7); from Tongtian (BL7), it runs obliquely, crossing left and right at Baihui (GV20) on the vertex, with branches descending.