Jing Luo - Pathways

Jing Luo are the main pathways of communication and energy distribution in the body. The Jing Luo cover the entire body.  They provide a link from the interior Zang Fu organs with various tissues of superficial areas of the body. This connection allows for internal adaptation to external change. The Jing Luo are more external (more Yang) than the Zang Fu Organs. When pathogens penetrate the body from the Exterior, they penetrate the superficial pathways and then the main pathways and finally the Zang Fu Organs.  Every inch of the musculoskeletal system is related to a main pathway and its associated sub-pathway.  Knowing the pathway of the channels, we can make connections in symptoms as diverse as earache, frontal headaches, knee pain, back spasms and great toe pain.

There are a total of seventy-one energetic pathways in the body.  The focus in TCM is on four

teen Meridians.  There are twelve Yin/Yang paired Meridians and two extra pathways, Du Mai and Ren Mai.  The Du Mai and Ren Mai are actually classified as extra-ordinary vessels.  These two are very important in TCM are usually discussed with the twelve main Meridians.  These two Meridians act as reservoirs of Qi.

 Yin - Zang – Lung, Spleen, Heart, Pericardium, Kidney, Liver

 Yang – Fu – Large Intestine, Stomach, Small Intestine, San Jiao, Bladder, Gall Bladder

 Extra-Ordinary Vessels –  Ren Mai and Du Mai

Three Yin/Yang paired Meridians in the upper body and three Yin/Yang paired Meridians in the lower body.  The Meridians are classified as either interior (ventral aspect of the body) or exterior (dorsal aspect of the body).  

 Tai Yin -  Lung and Spleen

 Shao Yin -  Heart and Kidney

 Jue Yin -  Pericardium and Liver

 Yang Ming -  Large Intestine and Stomach

 Tai Yang -  Small Intestine and Bladder

 Shao Yang -  San Jiao and Gall Bladder

All the 12 main Meridians flow through the body in a lengthwise manor and are associated with a specific internal viscera or bowel.  Therefore, the Meridian is named after the internal organ it represents.  Each Meridian has a specific location on the body and can be mapped out by acupoints.  Acupoints are access points along the Meridians.  The Chinese call these Mens, which translates to gates or openings.  These are specific areas along the Meridian where the Qi can be influenced.  It is said that the acupoints are areas in which the Qi accumulates in the Meridian.  Every Meridian has a specific number of access points along their respected Meridian.  Each acupoint is known for it’s action, or regulatory function.

Flow of Qi in The Twelve Main Meridians

The Qi flows through the body freely, but in a specific sequence as well as time of day.  The Qi flows from the chest to the three Yin Meridians – Lung, Heart, and Pericardium to the hands.  Then the Qi connects with the three-paired Yang Meridians – Large Intestine, San Jiao, and Small Intestine to flow to the head.  At the Head the Qi connects with the three Yang Meridians of the legs – Stomach, Bladder, and Gall Bladder and proceed to lead the Qi to the Feet.  Finally at the feet they connect with the Yin Meridians of the Feet – Spleen, Liver, and Kidney to then repeat the cycle.  The Qi is said to circulate and re-charge at specific times in the body. 

Lung:  3 – 5:00 am 

Large Intestine:  5 – 7:00 am

Stomach:  7 – 9:00 am 

Spleen:  9 – 11:00 am

Heart:  11 – 1:00 pm 

Small Intestine:  1 – 3:00 pm

Bladder:  3 – 5:00 pm   

Kidney:   5 – 7:00 pm

Pericardium:  7 – 9:00 pm 

San Jiao:   9 - 11:00 pm  

Gall Bladder:  11 – 1:00 am 

Liver:   1 – 3:00 am               

When patients are stubborn to treatments, Horary points are chosen in the treatment plan.  Horary points are acupoints that should be treated at the time the Qi is circulated in its Meridian.  For example, when a patients Liver symptoms persist after several treatments, LV – 1 should be stimulated at 1 – 3:00 am.

Lung  LU – 8                          

Large Intestine  LI – 1

Pericardium   P – 8                   

San Jiao   SJ – 6

Heart   HT – 8                          

Small Intestine  SI – 5

Spleen   SP – 3                           

Stomach   ST – 36

Liver    LV – 1                          

Gall Bladder    GB – 41

Kidney   KI – 10                        

Bladder    BL – 66

Lets look at the 12 primary pathways in more detail. CLICK PATHWAY BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS!

LARGE INTESTINE PATHWAY

STOMACH PATHWAY

SPLEEN PATHWAY

HEART PATHWAY

SMALL INTESTINE PATHWAY

BLADDER PATHWAY

KIDNEY PATHWAY

PERICARDIUM PATHWAY

LIVER PATHWAY

GALL BLADDER PATHWAY