Channels or Meridians in Acupuncture- The invisible Pathways of Qi
Chinese use the term "jing luo," which means channels, conduit, meridian, etc. According to acupuncture, these are the invisible channels through which qi circulates throughout the body. The acupuncture points (or holes as the Chinese term "xue" is more aptly translated) are the locations where the qi of the channels rises close to the surface of the body. There are 12 main meridians, six of which are yin and six are yang, and numerous minor ones, which form a network of energy channels throughout the body.
In acupuncture, each meridian is related to, and named after, an organ or function. The main ones are: the lung, kidney, gallbladder, stomach, spleen, heart, small intestine, large intestine, gall bladder, urinary bladder, san jiao (three heater), and pericardium (heart protector/circulation sex meridian).
There are also 8 extraordinary channels in acupuncture that are considered to be reservoirs supplying qi and blood to the twelve regular channels. These are believed to have a strong connection to the kidney. The meridians are shown in the figures.
Location of the meridians and acupoints (acupuncture points) in the body.
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