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Huangdi Neijing · The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon
Lingshu 11 · Divergent Channels
Read in English. Switch to Original for word notes, or select text to ask a question.
The Yellow Emperor asked Qi Bo: “I have heard that people accord with heaven’s Way: five zang within answer the five tones, colors, seasons, flavors and positions; six fu outside answer the six pitch standards. These establish the yin and yang channels and join the twelve months, branches, seasonal divisions, great waters, time periods and channel vessels. Through these, the zang and fu answer heaven’s Way. The twelve channel vessels sustain life, form illness, enable treatment and give rise to illness. They begin learning and complete the practitioner’s work. The crude find them easy; the superior find them difficult. How do their separation, union, emergence and entry occur?”
Qi Bo bowed his head to the ground, bowed twice and said: “How discerning the question! This is what the crude overlook and the superior dwell upon. Let me explain it fully.”
“Foot Taiyang’s main divergent course separates into the knee hollow. One route descends five cun below the buttock, branches into the anus, belongs to the Bladder, spreads to the Kidney and follows the spinal muscles, entering and spreading opposite the Heart. The straight course rises along the spinal muscles, emerges at the nape and rejoins Taiyang: this is one course.
“Foot Shaoyin’s main divergent course reaches the knee hollow, branches toward and joins Taiyang, rises to the Kidney and, opposite the fourteenth vertebra, emerges to belong to the Belt Vessel. Its straight course binds the tongue’s root, emerges again at the nape and joins Taiyang. This is the first union. The other yin divergences likewise form main courses.”
“Foot Shaoyang’s main divergent course circles the hip, enters the pubic hairline and joins Jueyin. Its branch enters between the lowest ribs, follows within the chest, belongs to the Gallbladder, spreads upward to the Liver, passes through the Heart and rises beside the pharynx. It emerges in chin and jaw, spreads over the face, binds the eye connections and joins Shaoyang at the outer eye corner. Foot Jueyin’s main divergent course separates on the instep, rises to the pubic hairline, joins Shaoyang and travels with its divergence. This is the second union.”
“Foot Yangming’s main divergent course rises to the hip, enters within the abdomen, belongs to the Stomach and spreads to the Spleen. It connects upward with the Heart, follows the pharynx, emerges in the mouth, rises over nose bridge and cheekbone, returns to bind the eye connections and joins Yangming. Foot Taiyin’s main divergent course rises to the hip, joins Yangming and travels with its divergence, binding above at the pharynx and passing through the tongue. This is the third union.”
“Hand Taiyang’s main divergent course points toward earth, separates at the shoulder joint, enters the armpit, runs to the Heart and binds the Small Intestine. Hand Shaoyin’s main divergent course separates into the interval between two sinews at Yuanye, belongs to the Heart, rises along the throat, emerges in the face and joins at the inner eye corner. This is the fourth union.”
“Hand Shaoyang’s main divergent course points toward heaven, separates at the crown, enters the collarbone hollow, descends to the Triple Burner and spreads in the chest. The Hand Heart Ruler’s main divergent course separates three cun below Yuanye, enters the chest, branches to belong to the Triple Burner, emerges along the throat, comes out behind the ear and joins Shaoyang below the Wangu bone. This is the fifth union.”
“Hand Yangming’s main divergent course follows from the hand along chest and breast, separates at the shoulder, enters the pillar bone, descends to the Large Intestine, belongs to the Lung, rises along the throat, emerges at the collarbone hollow and joins Yangming. Hand Taiyin’s main divergent course separates into Yuanye before Shaoyin, enters the Lung, spreads to Taiyang, rises through the collarbone hollow, follows the throat and rejoins Yangming. This is the sixth union.”
The supplied Taiyang label after the Lung is retained without silently substituting Taiyin.
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