Main Meridians

The main meridians are all connected with the Organs and are the means of spreading the influence of each Organ over the body.

Running vertically up the midline of the body are the two 'primary' meridians, Du Mai — 'Governor vessel' - uniting all the Yang on the back, and Ren Mai -'Conception vessel' - uniting all the Yin on the front.

There are twelve main meridians, six Yin and six Yang, and each relates to one of the Zang-Fu.

The Qi flows in a continual cycle round the twelve meridians. Starting in the chest, it flows down the inside of the arm to the hand, changing at the fingers to the outside of the hand and moving up the outside of the arm to the head.

From the head it flows down the body, down the outside of the legs to the feet and toes from "where it ascends up the inside of the leg, up the trunk to the chest again.Even from such a basic view of the meridians, simple-conclusions can be drawn.

For example, needles may be inserted into a Yang meridian of the foot to remove excess energy from the head or into a Yin meridian of the foot to increase the energy of the abdominal organs.