The Eight Extraordinary Meridians: A Great Medicine for Health

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The Eight Extraordinary Meridians refer to the Du Mai (Governing Vessel), Ren Mai (Conception Vessel), Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel), Dai Mai (Belt Vessel), Yin Wei Mai (Yin Linking Vessel), Yang Wei Mai (Yang Linking Vessel), Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Heel Vessel), and Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Heel Vessel). Unlike the twelve regular meridians, they do not directly connect to the organs and do not have a paired relationship, hence they are called “extraordinary meridians.”

In addition to the twelve regular meridians, the human body has a more important balance system, which is the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. These meridians are our lifelines; as long as you massage the major acupoints on these meridians daily, you will feel a surge of clear Yang energy in your body.

The Eight Extraordinary Meridians regulate the accumulation and infusion of Qi and blood in the twelve meridians. There are eight representative acupoints in the Eight Meridians: Gong Sun (Gong Sun), Nei Guan (Nei Guan), Lin Qi (Lin Qi), Wai Guan (Wai Guan), Shen Mai (Shen Mai), Hou Xi (Hou Xi), Lie Que (Lie Que), and Zhao Hai (Zhao Hai).

Each acupoint is like a “nuclear reactor,” treating a large area with just one treatment.

1. Nei Guan: Nourishing Beauty and Heart

Many women between the ages of 40 and 50 often experience symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, and night sweats. Hospitals may not find any specific illness, only vaguely diagnosing it as menopausal syndrome or sub-health.

According to ancient wisdom, when women reach this age, their bodies are generally in a state of decline. The aging process in women begins with the Yangming meridian, gradually leading to a decline in the Qi and blood of the three Yang meridians. Since the head is where all Yang converges, if Qi and blood cannot reach the face, wrinkles and spots will appear. A person’s beauty is closely related to Qi and blood. The heart governs the spirit, and its radiance is reflected on the face. The spirit of the heart relies on Qi and blood for nourishment; when Qi and blood are abundant, it naturally reflects on the face. Therefore, women should first nourish their hearts to enhance their beauty.

The Nei Guan acupoint belongs to the Pericardium Meridian, connects with the Ren Mai, and is one of the meeting points of the Eight Meridians. The true efficacy of the Nei Guan acupoint lies in its ability to open the body’s internal mechanisms, benefiting Qi and blood, calming the spirit, and enhancing beauty. The Nei Guan acupoint is easy to locate; it is on the inner side of the arm, two inches above the wrist crease. When locating the acupoint, make a loose fist and place it palm-up; use the index, middle, and ring fingers of the other hand to align with the wrist crease, and the point where the index finger touches is the Nei Guan acupoint. The benefit of this acupoint for health is that it can be pressed and rubbed at any time and anywhere, with a slight feeling of soreness being ideal.

2. Wai Guan: “Clever Ear Acupoint”

Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that temporary hearing problems are a manifestation of insufficient Yang Qi in the body. So what role does the Wai Guan acupoint play at this moment? Massaging the Wai Guan acupoint can enrich the original Yang Qi of the San Jiao and guide the original Qi to circulate throughout the body. When this acupoint is blocked, it can cause the eardrum to become slack and unable to return to its normal state.

Clinically, the Wai Guan acupoint can also be used to treat acute lumbar sprains. A patient around 40 years old once bent down to pick something up and suddenly could not move his waist; any slight movement caused unbearable pain. After treatment with acupuncture and tuina, the pain completely disappeared after a few minutes of needling the Wai Guan acupoints while allowing him to perform gentle twisting movements of the waist. The Wai Guan acupoint is located two inches above the wrist crease on the back of the wrist, in the middle of the radius and ulna, opposite the Nei Guan acupoint. The Wai Guan acupoint connects with the Yang Wei acupoint and has the effects of dispelling wind and relieving pain, not only being effective for acute lumbar sprains but also beneficial for arthritis and cervical spondylosis.

3. Lie Que: Special Treatment for Stiff Neck and Migraine

Almost everyone has experienced a stiff neck, which can be quite painful. A stiff neck can also be an early signal of cervical spine issues. If not properly adjusted and prevented, frequent stiff necks can lead to cervical spondylosis. The Lie Que acupoint has unique effects in preventing cervical spondylosis. On the human body, the Lie Que acupoint serves as a tool for repairing head-related ailments.

The Huangdi Neijing records that the Lie Que acupoint primarily treats migraines, headaches, and stiff necks. In the Great Compendium of Acupuncture, there is a well-known verse that states: “For diseases above the neck, seek the Lie Que acupoint.” This means that any ailments above the neck can be treated and adjusted using this acupoint. The Lie Que acupoint is easy to locate; it is 1.5 inches above the wrist crease on the radial side. To locate it, cross the thumbs of both hands, and the depression where the fingertips touch is the acupoint. The technique for using the Lie Que acupoint mainly involves flicking.

4. Hou Xi: Treatment for Cervical and Lumbar Diseases

How to find the Hou Xi acupoint? Make a fist, and the acupoint is located at the distal end of the transverse crease behind the fifth finger joint (i.e., the end of the transverse crease behind the metacarpophalangeal joint when the fist is clenched).

If you are sitting in front of a computer, you can place the Hou Xi acupoints of both hands on the edge of the table and use your wrist joints to roll your hands back and forth, achieving a stimulating effect. During the rolling, you will feel a slight soreness. Just take three to five minutes each day to do this, and it will have a very good therapeutic effect on the cervical and lumbar spine.

5. Zhao Hai: Treatment for Throat Pain

Massaging the Zhao Hai acupoint can be very effective for sore throats because it belongs to the Yin Qiao and intersects with the Kidney Meridian, making it one of the key acupoints of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. It has the functions of nourishing the kidneys, clearing heat, and regulating the San Jiao, providing both nourishment and heat-clearing effects.

Sun Simiao in the Qianjin Yaofang referred to this acupoint as “Lou Yin,” meaning that if there is an issue with this acupoint, the body’s kidney water decreases, leading to kidney Yin deficiency and causing the rise of false heat. Therefore, whenever we feel discomfort in the chest, dry throat, hoarseness, or even chronic pharyngitis, we can press this acupoint, which not only has the effect of nourishing the kidneys and clearing heat but also helps to smooth the functions of the San Jiao.

To locate the acupoint, align the soles of both feet, and there is a small depression below the inner ankle, which is where the acupoint is located (see the image above). When massaging this acupoint, keep your mouth closed and do not speak; when you feel saliva in your mouth, swallow it down. Generally, after pressing for 3 to 5 minutes, you will feel saliva in your throat, and the pain will immediately alleviate. Keeping your mouth closed is to facilitate the upward movement of the saliva to moisten the throat, which is what the ancients referred to as the “swallowing saliva method.” Pressing the Zhao Hai acupoint stimulates the essence in the kidneys, allowing fluids to rise and moisten the throat, and the false heat is nourished by the kidney water, thus alleviating throat pain naturally.

6. Shen Mai: A Pure Yang Remedy for Cold Bodies

“Stiffness in the waist and back, leg pain” is a clear sign of the bladder meridian being affected by cold evil Qi. Since the Yang Qiao connects to the bladder meridian, the Shen Mai acupoint is an important acupoint of the bladder meridian. Therefore, the Shen Mai acupoint is the purest Yang; using this acupoint can dispel internal cold evil and allow Yang Qi to reach the top of the head, balancing the body and making one walk lightly and agilely.

When combined with Xiao Qing Long Tang (Minor Blue Dragon Decoction), it achieves a synergistic effect of resolving both exterior and interior conditions. This allows the cold evil in the patient’s body to be expelled quickly while restoring their Yang Qi, making it a miraculous acupoint for dispelling cold and reviving Yang.

The Shen Mai acupoint is an important intersection of the Yang Qiao and the Tai Yang Bladder Meridian, and it is also easy to locate, found in the depression directly below the outer ankle bone. When the body is affected by cold evil, it tends to curl up and shiver, which in TCM is called “contraction and retraction.” The Shen Mai acupoint has the meaning of extending the meridians, quickly mobilizing the body’s Yang Qi; when Yang Qi is sufficient, the cold evil will disperse.

7. Gong Sun: Alleviating Dysmenorrhea and Spleen-Stomach Disorders

The Gong Sun acupoint is a Luo point of the Spleen Meridian, belonging to the spleen and connecting with the stomach, and it directly communicates with the Chong Mai located in the chest and abdomen, thus it has the effect of treating various disorders of the spleen and stomach as well as the chest and abdomen.

Medicine believes that the treatment of all gynecological diseases should start with the spleen and stomach, especially for menstrual irregularities, where the stomach should be adjusted first. The spleen governs blood and is responsible for transformation and transportation. If the spleen and stomach are deficient and cold, they cannot transform and transport fluids, leading to dysmenorrhea, which may also be accompanied by symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, and headaches.

Women with dysmenorrhea can frequently press the Gong Sun acupoint. The Gong Sun acupoint is located on the inner edge of the foot; I generally consider the Gong Sun acupoint as a region, located behind the big toe, where there is a large metatarsal bone. Press along the inner side of this bone until you reach the point where you feel the most soreness or discomfort; that is your personal Gong Sun acupoint.

8. Lin Qi: Elevating the Body’s Shao Yang Qi

The Lin Qi acupoint is one of the main acupoints on the Gallbladder Meridian, connecting with the Dai Mai, and it is a wonderful acupoint that regulates two meridians with one point. The Dai Mai runs around the navel, like a jade belt around the center of the body, restraining the longitudinal meridians and enhancing the connection of Qi and blood flow between the meridians, making it a very important health meridian for the body. When using this acupoint, you can adopt a seated position with your legs curled up; it is located on the outer side of the foot, in the gap between the fourth and fifth metatarsal bones. The Lin Qi acupoint primarily elevates the body’s Shao Yang Qi and disperses the stagnant Qi of the liver and gallbladder; frequent pressing can be more effective than professional foot therapy.

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