4.2 The Large Intestine Channel System – Hand yangming(shou yang ming jing luo)4.2.2 The Large Intestine Divergent
Channel (shou yang ming
jing bie)
Pathway
The Large Intestine divergent channel separates from the Large
Intestine primary channel on the hand,
➡travels along the arm to the shoulder to ➞L.I.-15(jianyu)
➡from L.I.-15a branchruns to the thorax and branches out
into the breasts
➡another branchruns to the cervical spine at the 7th cervical
vertebra, returns from there to the supraclavicular fossa,
descends to the Large Intestine (dachang), ascends to the Lung
(fei) and emergesto the Exterior at ➞ST-12(quepen).*
It then travels along the anterolateral aspect of the neck and con-
nects with the Large Intestine primary channel and the Lung
divergent channel at ➞L.I.-18(futu) at one of the six he-
confluences†(here: L.I./LU as 6th confluence ➞1.3).Clinical importance
● Strengthens the connection between the Lung and the Large
Intestine (zangfu-Organs). Points on the Large Intestine pri-
mary channel can therefore be used for disorders of the Lung,
and vice versa points on the Lung primary channel can treat
disorders of the Large Intestine.
● A branch of the Large Intestine divergent channel spreads
(from ➞ L.I.-15) across the thorax and the breasts, thus
extending the actions of the points on the Large Intestine pri-
mary channel to these regions, for example for the treatment
of mastitis, myalgias and thoracic pain.L.I.-15(6th confluence)L.I.-18ST-12
C7* Some authors describe the divergent channel as travelling directly from the
spine to the Large Intestine, without meeting ➞ST-12(variant ➞Fig.).
†According to some authors the 6th he-Confluence is located at ➞ST-12
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