Lingshu · The Root Transport Points

The text

The Yellow Emperor asked Qi Bo: In all the Dao of piercing, one must understand where the twelve channel networks begin and end, where the collateral vessels part, where the five transports remain, what the six fu join with, the going out and coming in that answers the four seasons, the places where the five zang flow, the measures of breadth and count, the shapes of shallow and deep, and how high and low they reach. I wish to hear the explanation. Qi Bo said: Let me speak their order. The lung issues at Shaoshang. Shaoshang is on the inner side of the tip of the thumb — it is the well-wood. It flows at Yuji. Yuji is the thenar of the hand — it is the ying. It pours at Taiyuan. Taiyuan is in the hollow one cun behind the thenar — it is the transport. It travels at Jingqu. Jingqu is in the inch-opening; it moves and does not rest — it is the channel. It enters at Chize. Chize is the moving vessel in the elbow — it is the joining. This is the hand taiyin channel. The heart issues at Zhongchong. Zhongchong is the tip of the middle finger — it is the well-wood. It flows at Laogong. Laogong is in the palm, in the inner space of the base joint of the middle finger — it is the ying. It pours at Daling. Daling is what lies square below, between the two bones behind the palm — it is the transport. It travels at Jianshi. The road of Jianshi is between the two sinews, within three cun; when there is a passing it arrives, when there is none it stops — it is the channel. It enters at Quze. Quze is in the hollow below the inner edge of the elbow; flex and obtain it — it is the joining. This is hand shaoyin. The liver issues at Dadun. Dadun is at the tip of the big toe and among the three hairs — it is the well-wood. It flows at Xingjian. Xingjian is between the big toes — it is the ying. It pours at Taichong. Taichong is in the hollow two cun above Xingjian — it is the transport. It travels at Zhongfeng. Zhongfeng is one and a half cun in front of the inner ankle, in the hollow; if you send it against, it stagnates; if you send it in accord, it opens; shake the foot and obtain it — it is the channel. It enters at Ququan. It is below the supporting bone, above the great sinew; flex the knee and obtain it — it is the joining. This is foot jueyin. The spleen issues at Yinbai. Yinbai is on the inner side of the tip of the big toe — it is the well-wood. It flows at Dadu. Dadu is behind the base joint, in the hollow below — it is the ying. It pours at Taibai. Taibai is below the navicular bone — it is the transport. It travels at Shangqiu. Shangqiu is below the inner ankle, in the hollow — it is the channel. It enters at Yinlingquan. Yinlingquan is below the supporting bone, in the hollow; extend and obtain it — it is the joining. This is foot taiyin. The kidney issues at Yongquan. Yongquan is the heart of the foot — it is the well-wood. It flows at Rangu. Rangu is below the burning bone — it is the ying. It pours at Taixi. Taixi is behind the inner ankle, in the hollow above the heel-bone — it is the transport. It travels at Fuliu. Fuliu is two cun above the inner ankle; it moves and does not rest — it is the channel. It enters at Yingu. Yingu is behind the supporting bone, below the great sinew, above the small sinew; press it and the hand is answered; flex the knee and obtain it — it is the joining. This is the foot shaoyin channel. The bladder issues at Zhiyin. Zhiyin is the tip of the little toe — it is the well-metal. It flows at Tonggu. Tonggu is on the outer side, in front of the base joint — it is the ying. It pours at Shugu. Shugu is in the hollow behind the base joint — it is the transport. It passes Jinggu. Jinggu is below the great bone on the outer side of the foot — it is the origin. It travels at Kunlun. Kunlun is behind the outer ankle, above the heel-bone — it is the channel. It enters at Weizhong. Weizhong is the center of the hollow of the knee — it is the joining; flex and take it. This is foot taiyang. The gallbladder issues at Qiaoyin. Qiaoyin is the tip of the next toe after the little toe — it is the well-metal. It flows at Xiaxi. Xiaxi is between the little toe and the next toe — it is the ying. It pours at Linqi. Linqi is in the hollow one and a half cun upward — it is the transport. It passes Qiuxu. Qiuxu is in the hollow below and in front of the outer ankle — it is the origin. It travels at Yangfu. Yangfu is above the outer ankle, in front of the supporting bone, at the tip of the severed bone — it is the channel. It enters at Yanglingquan. Yanglingquan is in the hollow outside the knee — it is the joining; extend and obtain it. This is foot shaoyang. The stomach issues at Lidui. Lidui is the tip of the next toe inward from the big toe — it is the well-metal. It flows at Neiting. Neiting is the outer space of that next toe — it is the ying. It pours at Xiangu. Xiangu is the inner space of the middle toe above; in the hollow two cun upward — it is the transport. It passes Chongyang. Chongyang is in the hollow five cun up the instep — it is the origin; shake the foot and obtain it. It travels at Jiexi. Jiexi is in the hollow one and a half cun above Chongyang — it is the channel. It enters at Xialing. Xialing is three cun below the knee, Sanli outside the oriole-bone — it is the joining. Three cun further below Sanli is Juxu Shangliang; three cun further below Shangliang is Juxu Xialiang. The large intestine belongs above; the small intestine belongs below. This is the foot yangming stomach vessel. The large intestine and the small intestine both belong to the stomach — this is foot yangming. The sanjiao joins above with hand shaoyang. It issues at Guanchong. Guanchong is the tip of the next finger after the little finger — it is the well-metal. It flows at Yemen. Yemen is between the little finger and the next finger — it is the ying. It pours at Zhongzhu. Zhongzhu is in the hollow behind the base joint — it is the transport. It passes Yangchi. Yangchi is in the hollow above the wrist — it is the origin. It travels at Zhigou. Zhigou is three cun above the wrist, in the hollow between the two bones — it is the channel. It enters at Tianjing. Tianjing is in the hollow above the great bone outside the elbow — it is the joining. Flex the elbow and obtain it. The lower transport of the sanjiao is in front of the big toe, behind shaoyang; it issues at the outer edge of the hollow of the knee, and is named Weiyang — this is a collateral of taiyang. This is the hand shaoyang channel. The sanjiao is what foot shaoyang and taiyin lead; it is a divergence of taiyang. Five cun above the ankle it diverges, pierces the calf, issues at Weiyang, travels with the principal of taiyang, enters and networks the bladder, and binds the lower jiao. When replete, there is closure and dribbling; when vacant, there is leftover urine. For leftover urine, replenish it; for closure and dribbling, drain it. Hand taiyang, the small intestine, joins above with hand taiyang. It issues at Shaoze. Shaoze is the tip of the little finger — it is the well-metal. It flows at Qiangu. Qiangu is on the outer edge of the hand, in the hollow in front of the base joint — it is the ying. It pours at Houxi. Houxi is on the outer side of the hand, behind the base joint — it is the transport. It passes Wangu. Wangu is on the outer side of the hand, in front of the wrist-bone — it is the origin. It travels at Yanggu. Yanggu is in the hollow below the sharp bone — it is the channel. It enters at Xiaohai. Xiaohai is outside the great bone inside the elbow, in the hollow half a cun from the tip; extend the arm and obtain it — it is the joining. This is the hand taiyang channel. The large intestine joins above with hand yangming. It issues at Shangyang. Shangyang is the tip of the next finger after the thumb — it is the well-metal. It flows at Erjian, in front of the base joint — it is the ying. It pours at Sanjian, behind the base joint — it is the transport. It passes Hegu. Hegu is between the forked bones of the thumb — it is the origin. It travels at Yangxi. Yangxi is in the hollow between the two sinews — it is the channel. It enters at Quchi, in the hollow of the outer supporting bone of the elbow; flex the arm and obtain it — it is the joining. This is hand yangming. These are called the transports of the five zang and six fu: five times five is twenty-five transports; six times six is thirty-six transports. The six fu all issue from the three yang of the foot, and join above with those of the hand. In the empty basin is the ren vessel; it is named Tiantu. The first moving vessel beside the ren vessel is foot yangming; it is named Renying. The second vessel is hand yangming; it is named Futu. The third vessel is hand taiyang; it is named Tianchuang. The fourth vessel is foot shaoyang; it is named Tianrong. The fifth vessel is hand shaoyang; it is named Tianyou. The sixth vessel is foot taiyang; it is named Tianzhu. The seventh vessel, the vessel in the center of the neck, is the governor vessel; it is named Fengfu. The moving vessel inside the armpit is hand taiyin; it is named Tianfu. Three cun below the armpit is the hand heart-governor; it is named Tianchi. If one needles Shangguan, the mouth opens and cannot yawn. If one needles Xiaguan, one yawns and cannot open. If one needles Dubi, one flexes and cannot extend. If one needles the two Guan, one extends and cannot flex. The moving vessel of foot yangming flanks the throat; its transports are in the breast. Hand yangming is next, outside those transports, not reaching the curved cheek by one cun. Hand taiyang is at the curved cheek. Foot shaoyang is below the ear, behind the curved cheek. Hand shaoyang issues behind the ear, rises and adds itself above the completed bone. Foot taiyang flanks the great sinew of the nape, at the hairline. The yin-chi moving vessel is at Wuli — this is forbidden among the five transports. The lung pairs with the large intestine; the large intestine is the fu of transmission. The heart pairs with the small intestine; the small intestine is the fu of receiving and holding. The liver pairs with the gallbladder; the gallbladder is the fu of the center jing. The spleen pairs with the stomach; the stomach is the fu of the five grains. The kidney pairs with the bladder; the bladder is the fu of the fluids. Shaoyang belongs to the kidney; the kidney joins above to the lung — therefore it leads two zang. The sanjiao is the fu of the center ditch; the water-roads issue there. It belongs to the bladder; it is the solitary fu. These are what the six fu join with. In spring, take the collateral vessels, the various ying, and between the great channels and the divided flesh; if severe, take it deep; if slight, take it shallow. In summer, take the various transports, the grandchild collaterals, and above the flesh and skin. In autumn, take the various joinings; the rest is as the method of spring. In winter, take the various wells and the divisions of the various transports; one wishes to go deep and leave the needle. This is the order of the four seasons, where qi dwells, where illness lodges, and what is fitting to the zang. For cramping sinews, take it standing, and it may be made to stop at once. For wilting and reversal, stretch and pierce it, and it may be made easy at once.

The line

The lung issues at Shaoshang. Shaoshang is on the inner side of the tip of the thumb — it is the well-wood.

The note

Well, ying, transport, channel, joining: five names of one river. The Root Transports are to recognize the layers of the current, not to memorize the points.