Folio Bound VIEWS - Chinese Medicine

Balancing Governing with Directing Vessel

Balancing Back-Transporting with Front-Collecting Points

The Back-Transporting points are mentioned in various chapters of the "Yellow Emperor's
Classic of Internal Medicine". Chapter 51 of the "Spiritual Axis" lists the Back-Transporting
points of the five Yin organs.8(572) Chapter 59 and others of the "Simple Questions" discuss the
Back-Transporting points of the Yang organs; in all, the "Yellow Emperor's Classic" lists 10
Back-Transporting points, leaving out BL-22 Sanjiaoshu, first mentioned in the "ABC of
Acupuncture" (AD 282), and BL-14 Jueyinshu, first mentioned in the "1000 Golden Ducats
Prescriptions" (AD 652).

The Back-Transporting points are points where Qi gathers and infuses to the internal organs.
Because these points are on the Yang side of the body and, furthermore, on the Bladder channel
which pertains to the Greater Yang and which circulates Defensive Qi over the whole back, they
can be used, with moxa, to warm the internal organs.

The Front-Collecting points are points where the Qi of the internal organs gathers. They are all
on the Yin side of the body and can be used to clear Heat. Traditionally, the Back-Transporting
points, Yang in character, were used for Yin diseases ("Yin" meaning chronic, Cold, Deficiency
or Yin-organ disease), and the Front-Collecting points, Yin in character, for Yang diseases
("Yang" meaning acute, Heat, Excess or Yang-organ disease). Chapter 67 of the "Classic of
Difficulties" in fact says:

Yin diseases reach the Yang and Yang diseases reach the Yin; for this reason, the

Front-Collecting points are on the Yin surface and the Back-Transporting points

on the Yang surface.9(573)

The implication of this statement is that as Yin diseases reach the Yang, the Back-Transporting
points are used to treat them, and, as Yang diseases reach the Yin, the Front-Collecting points
are used to treat them. However, this is by no means an absolute rule and both sets of points can
be used for Yin or Yang diseases, intended in the broad menaing indicated above.

Combining Back-Transporting with Front-Collecting points will balance Yin with Yang, and
Nutritive with Defensive Qi. This combination provides a particularly strong treatment of the
internal organs in chronic conditions. For example, the combination of Ren-12 Zhongwan with
BL-21 Weishu, respectively Front-Collecting and Back-Transporting points of the Stomach,
provides a strong tonification of the Stomach (if needled with reinforcing method or used with
moxa).

If treatment is given fairly frequently, say, 2-3 times a week, then Back-Transporting points can
be alternated with Front-Collecting points on alternate sessions, as the use of both sets of points