The meridians

According to traditional Chinese medicine, the meridians (Jing) are part of the complex network through which energy (Qi) flows in the human body. The meridians and their power points are the basis of acupuncture healing techniques. They can be used directly to influence the balance and flow of vital human energies. There are twelve regular meridians, and eight extraordinary meridians. The twelve standard meridians, also called Principal Meridians, are divided into Yin and Yang groups. The Yin meridians of the arm are Lung, Heart, and Pericardium. The Yang meridians of the arm are Large Intestine, Small Intestine, and Triple Warmer. The Yin Meridians of the leg are Spleen, Kidney, and Liver. The Yang meridians of the leg are Stomach, Bladder, and Gall Bladder. The eight extra meridians are different to the standard twelve organ meridians in that they are considered to be storage vessels or reservoirs of energy and are not associated directly with the Zang Fu or internal organs.

Along the meridians, there exist acupuncture points. In Chinese literature there are descriptions of about a thousand acupuncture points, though there may well be even more than this. Acupuncture works by stimulation of these points, which has an effect on the flow of Qi along the meridians, thus achieving the desired effect in relation to healing the body of the ailment(s) it may be experiencing. In TCM theory, such ailments may occur when the flow of Qi along the meridians becomes stagnant; stimulation of acupuncture points works by resolving the stagnant flow of Qi, and thus healing the body of its disorder. In essence, the acupuncture points are connected by the paths of energy, the meridians.