Atlas of Acupuncture

4.7 The Bladder Channel System – Foot taiyang(zu tai yang jing luo)

At the level of L2, it entersthe abdomen and reaches its

paired zang-Organ, the Kidney (shen) and its pertaining fu-

Organ, the Bladder (pangguang). The externalbranch runs

through the gluteal region and the thigh to the popliteal fossa

(BL-40), where it re-unites with the lateral external branch.

➡the lateral branchruns from BL-10(tianzhu) to BL-41

(fufen) at the level of T2, from where it descends down the

back, 3 cun lateral to the midline to the level of the fourth

sacral foramen. From there it traverses the gluteal region to

➞G.B.-30(huantiao), continues along the posterolateral

aspect of the thigh and meets the medial external branch at

the popliteal fossa.

From the popliteal fossa (BL-40) the channel descends along the

posterolateral aspect of the foreleg to the foot

➡passes the lateral malleolus

➡travels along the lateral border of the foot to the lateral corner

of the little toenail to BL-67(zhiyin). From here, a branch

travels to ➞KID-1(yongquan) located on the Interiorly–

Exteriorly paired Kidney primary channel (foot Yin–Yang

pairing of the second great circuit).

Clinical importance (➞1.2)

Exterior (biao) signs and symptoms: Chills and fever,

headaches, occipital stiffness, pain in the lumbar region, obstruc-

tion of the nasal passages, eye pain with tearing, pain along the

posterior aspect of the hip, knee and foreleg, foot pain

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

tension in the lower abdomen, retention of urine, enuresis,

psycho-emotional disorders, opisthotonus

Connections and meeting points of the

Bladder primary channel (➞1.2)

Connections with other channels

Kidney primary channel (zu shao yin jing)

Connection:Foot Yin–Yang pairing of the second great circuit

Location: BL-67 ➞KID-1(on the foot).

Circulation:Circadian (according to the Organ clock)

Importance:Exterior–Interior relationship

Small Intestine primary channel (shou tai yang jing)

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

pairing): tai yang(Yang axes of the second great circuit)

Location: S.I.-18 ➞BL-1(on the head).

Circulation: Circadian (according to the Organ clock)

Importance:Above–below relationship

Connections with other zangfu-Organ systems

Kidney (shen), Bladder (pangguang)

4.7.2 The Bladder Divergent Channel

(zu tai yang jing bie)

BL-40

BL-36

BL-10

1st confluence

Pathway

The Bladder divergent channel separates from the Bladder pri-

mary channel in the popliteal fossa at BL-40(weizhong)

➡ascends to the centre of the gluteal crease at BL-36(chengfu)

➡ascends further and penetrates the anus, continues to the Bladder

(pangguang), its pertaining fu-Organ, and the Kidney (shen),

its paired zang-Organ

➡rises along the spine and spreads in the Heart (xin)

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