MERIDIANS AND COLLATERALS-THE PATHWAYS TO LINK THE WHOLE BODY
经络—人体联络的通道
Courses, Connections, Distributions, Exterior-lnterior Relations and Flowing Order of the Twelve Meridians	十二正经的起源、交接、分布、表里关系和走行规律
1. The Coursing and Connecting Law of the Twelve Meridians	1.十二正经的起源和交接规律
The coursing and connecting law of the twelve meridians is: the three yin meridians of the hand travel from the chest to the end of the fingers where they connect with the three yang meridians of the hand; the three yang meridians of the hand go up from the end of the fingers to the head on which they connect with the three yang meridians of the foot; the three yang meridians of the foot descend from the head to the the end of toes where they join the three yin meridians of the foot; the three yin meridians of the foot ascend from the toes to the abdomen and chest in which they meet the three yin meridians of the hand. Thus, the twelve meridians are connected with each other, forming a circle like pathway along which yin and yang smoothly circulate without terminus. See the following diagram.	十二正经的起源和交接规律是：手三阴经起于胸部行至手指端，在此与手三阳经交接；手三阳经由手指端上行至头，在此与足三阳经相交接；足三阳经由头向下行至脚趾头处，在此与足三阴经相交接；足三阴经由脚趾头处上行至胸腹部，在此与手三阴经相交接。这样，十二正经彼此联系，形成了一个阴阳畅通循行的通道，如环无端。见下表。
Fig. 5 Flowing direction and Connecting Law of the Twelve Meridians	表5.十二正经循行方向及交接规律
It is clearly seen from fig. 5 that the three yang meridians of the hand terminate at the head from which the three yang meridians of the foot start. The three yang meridians of the hand and the foot meet at the head So, TCM says:"The head is the junction of all yang meridians"	从表5可以清楚的知道手三阳经止于头而足三阳经起于头，手足三阳经在头部相会。因此，中医云：“头乃诸阳之会”。
2. Distributions and Exterior-Interior Relations of the Twelve Regular Meridians1) Distributions医 学 全在线www.lindalemus.com	2.十二正经的分布和表里关系
The twelve meridians are distributed symmetrically on the left and right sides of the body and run along their fixed courses. Distribution in the limbs: The medial aspect of the limbs attributes to yin, the lateral to yang. Each limb is distributed by Taiyin and Yangming meridians are on the anterior border, Shaoyin and Taiyang meridians are on the posterior border, and Jueyin and Shaoyang meridians are on the midline.	十二正经对称的分布于人体的左右两边，并按一定的路径循行。在四肢的分布是：阴经分布于四肢的内侧面，阳经分布于四肢的外侧面。太阴和阳明分布于肢体的前部，少阴和太阳分布于后部，厥阴和少阳分布于中部。
Distribution on the head and face: Yangming meridians run through the face and forehead, Taiyang meridians run through the cheek, vertex and occiput of the head and Shaoyang meridians run through both sides of the head.	头面的分布：阳明经行于面额部，太阳经行于颊部、头顶及枕部，少阳行于头的两侧。
Distribution in the body trunk: The three yang meridians of hand run through the scapular part. Among the three yang meridians of foot, Yangming meridians run in the front of the trunk (thoracico-abdominal aspect), Taiyang meridians along the back (the dorsal aspect) , and Shaoyang meridians along the sides. All the three yin meridians of the hand come out of the axillae without exception, all the three yin meridians of foot run along the ventral aspect. The meridians running through the ventral aspect from the medial to the lateral are, in turn, termed Foot-Shaoyin, Foot-yangming, Foot-Taiyin and Foot-Jueyin(note: as regards the medial sides of the two lower limbs, at 8cun (24cm) above the medial malleoli, Jueyin is located in theanterior, Taiyin in the middle and Shaoyin in the posterior part.)	在躯干部的分布：手三阳经行于肩胛部。足三阳经当中，阳明经行于前腹部，太阳经沿背部循行，少阳行于两侧。所有的手三阴经无一例外的起于腋窝部，所有的足三阳经沿腹部循行。沿腹部循行的经脉由内至外的顺序是：足少阴经、足阳明经、足太阴经和足厥阴经。（注释：在双下肢，踝上8寸（24厘米）以下为厥阴在前，太阴在中，少阴在后。）
The Exterion-Interior Relations between the Twelve Meridians	十二正经的表里关系
The twelve regular meridians, connected with each other by the divergent meridians and divergent collaterals, form six pairs of exterior-interior relationships. Their exterior-interior relationships are as follows: the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-yangming and the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin; the Tri-energizer Meridian of Hand-Shaoyang and the Pericardium Meridian of Hand-Jueyin; the Small intestine Meridian of Hand-Taiyang and the Heart Meridian of Hand-Shaoyin; the Stomach Meridian of Foot-yangming and the spleen Meridian of Foot-Taiyin; the Gallbladder Meridian of foot-Shaoyang and the Liver Meridian of Foot-Jueyin; and the Urinary Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang and the Kidney meridian of Foot-Shaoyin. The Taiyang meridianand Shaoyin meridian of foot are exteriorly-interiorly related, and so are the Shaoyang meridian and the Jueyin meridian of foot,and the Yangming meridian and Taiyin meridian of foot. These are called the"yin and yang of foot"; while the Taiyang meridian and the Shaoyin meridian of hand are exteriorly-interiorly related, and so are the Shaoyang and the Jueyin meridians, and the Yangming and the Taiyin meridians of hand. These are called the"yin and yang of hand".医.学.全.在.线.www.lindalemus.com	十二正经通过经别和别络彼此联系，形成了六对表里关系。它们的表里关系如下：手阳明大肠经和手太阴肺经；手少阳三焦经和手厥阴心包经；手太阳小肠经和手少阴心经；足阳明胃经和足太阴脾经；足少阳胆经和足厥阴肝经；足太阳膀胱经和足少阴肾经。足太阳和足少阴经相表里，足少阳和足厥阴经相表里，足阳明经和足太阴经相表里。这些称为“足阴阳经”。而手太阳经和手少阴经相表里，手少阳和手厥阴经相表里，手阳明经和手太阴经相表里。这些称为“手阴阳经”。
The exterior-interior relationship of the twelve meridians not only strengthen the connection between each specific pair of meridians with exterion-interior relationship, but also promote each pair of zang-fu with the exterior-interior relationship to coordinate each other physiologically and influence each other pathologically. In treatment, acupoints of the two meridians with the exterior-interior relationship may be alternatively used.	十二正经的表里关系不仅加强了表里两经的联系，而且加强了每对相表里脏腑之间的联系使它们在生理上相互协调，在病理上相互影响。在治疗上，表里两经的穴位可以相辅为用。
3) The Flowing Order of the Twelve Meridians	十二正经的走行规律
The circulation of qi and blood inside the Twelve meridians is like the circular movement endlessly. Their circulation starts from the lung meridian of Hand-Taiyin, runs to the liver meridian.	十二正经中气血的循行如环无端。它们起于肺经通往肝经。