The concept of the Extraordinary Meridians (qijing bamai) was first introduced in the Nanjing and includes eight meridians: Du Mai (Governing Vessel), Ren Mai (Conception Vessel), Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel), Da Mai (Belt Vessel), Yang Wei Mai (Yang Linking Vessel), Yin Wei Mai (Yin Linking Vessel), Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Heel Vessel), and Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Heel Vessel). These are important components of the meridian system. Throughout history, medical texts have focused more on the twelve regular meridians, while the theory of the Extraordinary Meridians has been less emphasized. During the Yuan Dynasty, the work Shisi Jing Fahui marked the integration of the Ren and Du meridians with the twelve meridians into a system of fourteen. In recent years, with the in-depth study of the theory of the Extraordinary Meridians, the author believes that the unique structural perspective and distinct independence of the Extraordinary Meridians should be developed, allowing them to stand as a system independent of the twelve meridians. This article will further explain the multidimensional changes of the Extraordinary Meridians from the perspective of the structure of the meridians.
The Yin-Yang and Qi-Blood Perspective of the Extraordinary Meridians
Yin-Yang Changes
Within the Extraordinary Meridians, there exists a relationship of Yin and Yang, primarily centered around the Du and Ren meridians, which play a crucial role in regulating the Yin and Yang of the human body through the circulation of Qi. For example, in terms of the body’s Yin and Yang, the back is Yang, and the abdomen is Yin. The Ren Mai originates in the uterus, travels along the midline of the chest and abdomen, and governs the Yin Qi of the body, thus also known as the Sea of Yin Meridians. The Du Mai runs along the midline of the back, overseeing the Yang Qi of the body, hence referred to as the Sea of Yang Meridians. It is evident that the Ren and Du meridians govern the body’s Yin and Yang; if these two meridians are in harmony, all meridians will be harmonious; if they are out of balance, all meridians will be chaotic. If the Du and Ren are compromised, the balance of Yin and Yang in the body cannot be maintained, which over time can lead to various organ diseases.[1] The Suwen states, “If the Ren Mai is diseased, men suffer from seven types of hernias, and women suffer from leukorrhea and masses,” and “If the Du Mai is diseased, the spine becomes rigid and bends,” confirming the importance of the Du and Ren meridians to the human body. Thus, the Du and Ren meridians play a significant role in governing the body’s Yin-Yang circulation and the flow of Qi.
Qi-Blood Flow
The Extraordinary Meridians play a vital role in regulating the balance of Qi and blood in the body. According to the Neijing, which describes the principle of Yin rising and Yang descending, the Extraordinary Meridians also have a unique sequence of Qi and blood flow. In the context of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the concept of Qi and blood has gradually expanded and can be roughly divided into two basic concepts: Qi and blood. Xu Shen in the Shuowen Jiezi explained Qi as follows: “Qi is like cloud vapor.” This indicates that the original essence of Qi is cloud vapor, and the movement and change of Qi can produce another form of matter.[2] The Yijing also mentions, “Heaven and earth are in a state of chaos, and all things are born from it.” Influenced by ancient philosophical thought, Traditional Chinese Medicine places great importance on the concept of Qi. With the evolution of medicine over time, Qi has been further divided into various forms such as Yuan Qi (Original Qi), Jing Qi (Essence Qi), Chong Qi (Penetrating Qi), and Zong Qi (Gathering Qi), each describing Qi from different perspectives. The Qi contained within the Extraordinary Meridians includes both the meridian Qi and the Qi of the entire body. The Qi of the body primarily refers to the state of Qi circulation throughout the body, which is closely related to the aforementioned basic forms of Qi. The Qi within the Extraordinary Meridians has unique pathways of circulation; for instance, the Ren and Du meridians are distributed along the anterior and posterior midline of the body, governing the Yin and Yang Qi of the body. The Chong Mai contains Chong Qi, which can regulate the Qi and blood of the twelve meridians.[3] The Meridian Studies explains that “the Chong Mai ascends to the head and descends to the feet, penetrating the entire body, serving as the key to governing the Qi and blood of all meridians.” The Da Mai also accumulates Qi, surrounding the body and binding the Dan Tian, which is the residence of Yuan Qi. The Yilin Gai Cuo states, “Human movement, sitting, and turning all rely on Yuan Qi.” Thus, the Extraordinary Meridians possess a unique structure of Qi circulation, which can both supplement the deficiencies of the Qi in the twelve regular meridians and exert their own unique functions.
Since the Qi and blood of the Extraordinary Meridians are derived from the excess Qi and blood of the organs, the relationship between the Extraordinary Meridians and Qi and blood is very close, primarily involving the Chong Mai and Ren Mai. As early as the Ming and Qing Dynasties, scholars recognized that Qi and blood are omnipresent and closely related to the liver, spleen, and kidney organs.[4] During the Neijing period, the Chong Mai was referred to as the “Sea of the Five Zang and Six Fu” and the “Sea of Blood.” The Shanghan Ming Theory also recorded, “The room refers to a place that can be stopped; the blood room of the human body is where the nourishing blood stops, and the place where the meridians converge is the Chong Mai.” Since the Chong Mai belongs to the sea of blood, most diseases related to the Chong Mai are also associated with Qi and blood, primarily concerning reproductive system diseases. The Ren Mai and Chong Mai both originate in the uterus and are nourished by Yangming, as the Suwen states, “Yangming is the sea of the five Zang and six Fu.” The Ren Mai, being the sea of Yin meridians, can store various Yin Qi, thus having the function of regulating the Qi and blood of the Yin meridians in the body. Since Qi is Yang and blood is Yin, the circulation of blood in the body and the symptoms of Yin blood diseases are closely related to the Ren Mai, indicating that the Ren Mai is also an important factor in maintaining normal female physiological functions.[5] The Suwen records, “When the Ren Mai is open, the Tai Chong Mai is abundant,” indicating that regulating Qi and blood also means regulating the Chong and Ren, highlighting the critical role of the Chong and Ren meridians in the circulation of Qi and blood in the body.
The Spatial Structure of the Extraordinary Meridians
The Extraordinary Meridians have unique distribution areas within the spatial structure of the human body, running in a crisscross pattern from front to back, left to right. If we use spatial coordinates to locate the human body, the Chong Mai serves as the vertical axis, extending from the head to the feet, penetrating the body, guiding Qi upward and blood downward, serving as the sea of the twelve meridians. The Ren Mai is located anterior to the Chong Mai, running along the midline of the chest and abdomen, governing the Yin meridians of the body, thus being the sea of Yin meridians. The Da Mai serves as the horizontal axis in the coordinate system, encircling the body, binding all meridians to prevent erratic movement. The Du Mai is located posterior to the Chong Mai, running along the spine, overseeing the Yang meridians, thus being the sea of Yang meridians. The Yin and Yang Wei meridians and the Yin and Yang Qiao meridians both originate from the feet, running along the sides of the body, managing the meridians on the same side. If we compare the meridians of the human body to a globe, the Chong Mai would be the central axis of the globe, with the head representing the convergence of all Yang, and the uterus being the source of the three branches at the poles; the convergence of the Ren and Du meridians represents the prime meridian, while the Da Mai encircles the navel like the equator; the Yin and Yang Wei meridians and the Yin and Yang Qiao meridians resemble the longitudinal lines connecting the left and right, up and down.
Du and Ren Poles and Anatomical Structure
The Ren Mai governs the body’s Yin, while the Du Mai governs the body’s Yang, with the Du Mai converging above and the Ren Mai converging below. The Ren Mai originates below the Zhongji point, above the pubic hairline, connecting to the abdominal white line, ascending along the prominent midline structure, while also being a pathway retained during the connection process of the deep fascia of the neck along the anterior midline. The pathway of the Ren Mai is represented by the abdominal white line, running from the center of the lower lip to the pubic symphysis, which can be considered the midline of the human body. At the pubic symphysis, it attaches to the bladder along the pubic bladder ligament from the surface to the inside, and from the midline of the lower lip, it passes through the nasolacrimal duct to reach the eye socket.[6] The Du Mai originates from the center of the bone below the lower abdomen, specifically from the transverse ligament of the pubic symphysis. It runs along the midline of the body structure in the spine, belonging to the pathway that circulates along the spinal ligaments, originating from the bladder and urethra. Its pathway reaches the anus through the reproductive organs of both genders, ascending along the sacrococcygeal muscles, and has the function of overseeing the meridians of the human body. The Ren and Du meridians are like the two magnetic poles of the earth, mutually attracting and circulating endlessly. The magnetic force of the earth is weakest near the equator, corresponding to the Da Mai, where the Ren and Du meridians govern the mutual forces, thus the Da Mai encircles here, binding the longitudinal meridians.
Du and Ren Microcosm and River Path
The Ren and Du meridians form a circulatory system that cycles from the Du Mai to the Ren Mai and back to the Du Mai, readjusting Qi and blood. In Qigong, the circulation of Qi between the Ren Mai and Du Mai is referred to as the Small Heavenly Cycle, while the full abundance of Qi leading to unobstructed meridians is termed the Large Heavenly Cycle. The opening of the meridian pathways between the Ren and Du meridians is called the Connecting Heavenly Cycle.[7] The River Path theory is the application theory of needle therapy, with the main focus on the Ren and Du meridians, while other meridians are divided into the head and face, waist and back (from the vertebrae to the Yangming segment, Mingmen segment, and Mingqiang segment), and the chest and abdomen (Tianxuan segment, Xuanque segment, and Queji segment) of the River Path. Both perspectives view the human body as a more abstract three-dimensional entity, with the meridian pathways serving as the routes for Qi, blood, and energy, akin to celestial bodies revolving around the heavens, like rivers flowing through the land. As Shua Bo Ren stated: “The Yin and Yang meridians intersect and connect, the organs and the back correspond, regulating the Ren and Du meridians harmonizes the Qi and blood of the entire body, thus achieving the state of ‘Yin balanced and Yang secret.'”
Du and Tai Chi
The Tai Chi is like the product of the unity of Yin and Yang, centered around the Ren and Du meridians. When the Tai Chi diagram is placed according to anatomical terminology in the coronal plane, the endlessly circulating Ren and Du meridians resemble the Yin-Yang fish intertwining without end, with Yin and Yang interchanging. Tai Chi moves to generate Yang, and movement leads to stillness, generating Yin; one movement and one stillness are mutually rooted, and one Yin and one Yang create endless transformations. The two instruments of Tai Chi, like the Ren and Du meridians, rotate and intertwine in space. The Yijing states: “One Yin and one Yang is called the Dao, and the unpredictable changes are called the divine,” thus the Ren and Du meridians represent the great Dao. The Dao De Jing states: “The Dao produces one, one produces two, two produces three, and three produces all things.” The Dao produces one, which is the Wuji producing Tai Chi; one produces two, which is Tai Chi producing Yin and Yang; two produce three, which is the rotation of the Ren and Du, the source of all meridians.
The Systematic Perspective of the Extraordinary Meridians
The Yin and Yang Qi and blood of the human body are governed by the Du and Ren meridians, while some Yin and Yang meridians are mostly found in scattered branches. These scattered branches rely on the Wei meridians to maintain their connection. The naming of meridians by ancient people carries profound meanings; for instance, Wang Bing in the Suwen states: “Wei means to maintain.” Yang Xuan Cao in the Nanjing also notes: “Wei means to maintain.” This indicates that the Wei meridians connect and maintain the various Yin and Yang meridians. The Nanjing states: “The Chong Mai originates from Qi Chong, and along the Yangming meridian, it ascends to the chest and disperses.” The Da Mai encircles the body, and the two together maintain the meridians throughout the body.
Inner and Outer Wei Meridians
Li Ding believed that the Wei meridians resemble a net, connecting various meridians, playing a role in storing and regulating Qi and blood. Shua Shou in the Shisi Jing Fahui pointed out: “The Yin Wei maintains the Yin. Its meridian originates from the intersection of all Yin, meeting the foot Taiyin at the abdominal region, and also meeting the foot Taiyin and Jueyin at the Fu She and Qi Men, and connecting with the Ren Mai at Tian Tu and Lian Quan.” The intersections of the Yin Wei meridian refer to its connecting points with the six Yin meridians of the hands and feet, as well as the Ren Mai, indicating that the Yin Wei meridian has the function of maintaining the body’s Yin. Later records also indicate that the intersection points of the Yin Wei meridian come from the three Yin meridians of the feet and the Ren Mai, which also explains that its intersection points functionally possess the characteristics of maintaining connections with Yin and Yang and the meridians. The Nanjing states regarding the Yang Wei meridian: “The Yang Wei and Yin Wei connect the body, and the overflow cannot circulate or irrigate the meridians, hence the Yang Wei originates from the intersections of all Yang.” The intersections of the Yang Wei meridian refer to its connecting points with the six Yang meridians of the hands and feet, as well as the Du Mai, serving to connect all Yang meridians to the Du Mai. Ancient scholars also believed that the Yang Wei governs the exterior, ascending to the Wei division, while the Yin Wei governs the interior, ascending to the Ying division. Just as mentioned in the Study of the Extraordinary Meridians: “The Yang Wei meridian originates from the intersections of all Yang, ascending from the exterior to the Wei division, thus serving as the framework of the entire body.” It is evident that the two meridians play a role in maintaining the body’s Yin and Yang balance and coordination.
Vertical and Horizontal Wei Meridians
The Chong Mai has the function of governing the Qi and blood of all meridians, but its name “Chong” also written as “衝” (to rush), as recorded in the Shuowen: “Chong means passage.” This indicates that the Chong Mai contains the meaning of being a crucial pathway. The Chong Mai has the widest distribution in the body, extending from the head to the feet, thus in terms of circulation, the word “Chong” can also be understood as a crisscrossing passage. The Da Mai is the only horizontal meridian in the body, running around the waist. Li Shizhen in the Study of the Extraordinary Meridians recorded: “The Da Mai originates from the chapter of the foot Jueyin at the lateral costal region, connecting with the foot Shaoyang at the Da Mai point, encircling the body like a belt.” Yang Xuan Cao also mentioned in his annotations of the Nanjing: “The term ‘Da’ means to bind, indicating that it binds all meridians to ensure their smoothness.” Thus, the Chong and Da meridians, one vertical and one horizontal, are distributed within the human body, jointly ensuring the normal function of the body’s meridians.
Conclusion
The Extraordinary Meridians are an important component of the meridian system, possessing distinct structural characteristics and independence, playing a crucial role in maintaining the normal physiological functions of the entire body. This article summarizes and enhances the theory of the Extraordinary Meridians from three major aspects: the Yin-Yang Qi and blood perspective, spatial structure, and systematic perspective, further refining its theoretical foundation, highlighting the independence of the structure and function of the Extraordinary Meridians, and enriching the theoretical understanding of the Extraordinary Meridians themselves, which also has certain guiding significance in clinical practice.
References
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[2] Chen Zhiqiang, Zhang Gangyu, Li Yanhao, et al. Analyzing the Mechanism of Water Qi Disease from the Theory of “Circular Motion” [J]. Chinese Ethnic and Folk Medicine, 2017, 26(5): 1-2.
[3] Lin Qijia. Research on Ancient Literature of the Chong Mai [D]. Beijing: Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 2011.
[4] Zhao Yixing, Lin Cuiyun. Discussing the Relationship between the Chong and Ren Meridians and the Liver, Kidney, and Spleen [J]. Chinese Ethnic and Folk Medicine, 2007, 16(1): 20-22.
[5] Ma Huifang, Wu Jihong, Tu Ya. Discussion on the Therapeutic Effects of Ren Mai Acupoints [J]. Journal of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 2001, 24(3): 76-77.
[6] Ma Ning. Discussion on the Embryonic Development of the Ren and Du Meridians [J]. Journal of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2017, 41(5): 412-416.
[7] Observation on the Efficacy of Tuina Treatment for Perimenopausal Insomnia Based on the Theory of “Small Heavenly Cycle” [D]. Guangzhou: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 2015.
[8] Wang Wei. Innovation and Clinical Practice of River Path Theory [J]. Chinese Therapeutic Medicine, 2018, 27(9): 901-905.
[9] Xu Huanying. Guiding Application of Wei Meridians in Gynecological Diseases [J]. Clinical Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2014, 6(22): 33-34.
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Citation in Standard Format:Ran Weijia. Discussion on the Structural Perspective of the Extraordinary Meridians [J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2020, 26(4): 67-68, 71.Author: Ran WeijiaAdapted from:Discussion on the Structural Perspective of the Extraordinary MeridiansText Editor: Luo YingjiaoNew Media Editor: Wen NanThis article was published on the New Media Platform of the Journal of Traditional Chinese MedicineThe views expressed in this article do not represent the views of the editorial department and editorial board of this journal!Unauthorized reproduction is prohibitedAll rights reserved, violators will be prosecutedCall for Papers for the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine【Overseas Traditional Chinese Medicine】All manuscripts accepted by this column will have the opportunity to receivefree publication. Manuscripts are not limited in style, content is unrestricted, and themes can be chosen freely, with suggestions for illustrations and text. Note:Final interpretation rights belong to the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine Official website: www.zyydb.comBusiness Cooperation Phone: 0731-85415606A
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