Atlas of Acupuncture

4 Acupuncture Points of the Twelve Primary Channels

The externalbranch ascends from the supraclavicular fossa,

travels along the lateral aspect of the neck and traverses the

cheek.

➡From here another internalbranch enters the lower gums,

where it extends further.

➡The externalcourse of the primary channel passes ➞ST-4

(dicang) and curves around the mouth to the upper lip, crossing

to the contralateral side of the body at ➞Du-26(renzhong),

located at the philtrum. On the contralateral side of the body,

it reaches ➞L.I.-19(kouheliao) and terminates contralater-

allyat ➞L.I.-20(yingxiang) on the side of the nose.

Note: Deadman et al. (1998) mention ➞Ren-24(chengjiang) as

additional meeting point (variant ➞figure). They also mention

➞G.B.-5(xuanlu), ➞G.B.-6(xuanli) and ➞G.B.-14(yang-

bai) as classic meeting points with the Large Intestine channel

but these are not normally shown in illustrations of the channel.

Clinical importance (➞1.2)

Exterior (biao)signs and symptoms: Fever, dryness of the

mouth, thirst, a sore and swollen throat, nosebleed, toothache,

red, painful eyes, stiff fingers, painful cold or painful hot

swellings of the upper arm and shoulder

Interior (li)or zangfu-Organ signs and symptoms: Pain in the

lower abdomen, borborygmus, diarrhoea or yellow stools with

mucus, shortness of breath, dyspnoea

Excess (shi): Heat sensations along the channel

Deficiency (xu): Cold sensations and chills along the channel

Connections of the Large Intestine primary

channel (➞1.2)

With other channels

Lung primary channel (shou tai yin jing)

Connection:Hand Yin–Yang connection of the first great circuit

Location: LU-7➞L.I.-1(on the hand). A branch of the Lung

primary channel connects with the Large Intestine primary

channel at L.I.-1(shangyang)

Circulation:Circadian (according to the Organ clock)

Importance:Exterior–Interior relationship

Stomach primary channel (zu yang ming jing)

Connection:Paired according to the six channel theory (hand–

foot pairing): yangming(Yang axes of the first great circuit)

Location: L.I.-20➞(BL-1)➞ST-1(on the head)

Circulation:Circadian (according to the Organ clock)

Importance:Above–below relationship

With the zangfu-Organ systems

Lung (fei), Large Intestine (dachang), Stomach (wei)

Cross-overto the contra- L.I.-19

lateral side

L.I.-20

L.I.-18

L.I.-17

sternocleidomastoid

Level of thelaryngeal 1 cun

prominence

3 cun

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