灵枢：卫气第五十二

Lingshu: Wei Qi (Defensive Qi), Chapter 52

Overall Paraphrase

The Yellow Emperor said: The five viscera are the storehouses of essence, spirit, ethereal soul, and corporeal soul; the six bowels are the organs that receive water and grain, digest, and transmit. The qi transformed from water and grain enters the five viscera internally and connects to the limbs and joints externally. Among it, that which floats externally and does not circulate along the meridians is called wei qi (defensive qi – qi that moves outside the vessels, governing defense and warmth); that which is refined and circulates within the meridians is called ying qi (nutritive qi – qi that moves inside the vessels, governing nourishment). Ying and wei, yin and yang, accompany each other; internally and externally they interpenetrate, like a ring without an end, continuous and unbroken—who could exhaust it? Nevertheless, they are divided into yin and yang, and all have their root and branch (root being the foundation and point of origin; branch being the tip and point of manifestation), deficiency and excess, and sites of separation and union. One who can distinguish the yin and yang of the twelve meridians will know whence disease arises; one who examines the location of deficiency and excess will grasp the height and depth of the disease site; one who knows the qi streets (pathways where meridian qi converges and passes) of the six bowels will understand how to untie stagnation and grasp the pivotal points at the critical gates; one who can understand the firmness and weakness of deficiency and excess will know where supplementation and draining should be applied; one who knows the roots and branches of the six meridians can face all the various disorders without confusion.

Qi Bo said: How vast is the sage emperor's discourse! Allow me to explain in detail. The root of the foot-taiyang bladder meridian is at the point five cun above the heel; its branch is at the eyes, connecting to the mingmen (life-gate). What is called mingmen here refers to the eyes. The root of the foot-shaoyang gallbladder meridian is near the point Foot-Qiaoyin (GB 44); its branch is in front of the ear—what is called the "window cage" is the ear. The root of the foot-shaoyin kidney meridian is within the range of three cun above and below the medial malleolus; its branch is at the back, at the kidney shu point and the two collateral vessels beneath the tongue. The root of the foot-jueyin liver meridian is at the point five cun above Xingjian (LR 2); its branch is at the back, at the liver shu point. The root of the foot-yangming stomach meridian is at Lidui (ST 45); its branch is at Renying (ST 9), the cheek region, and both sides of the hang-sang (throat and upper palate). The root of the foot-taiyin spleen meridian is at the point four cun above and in front of Zhongfeng (LR 4); its branch is at the back, at the spleen shu point and the root of the tongue. The root of the hand-taiyang small intestine meridian is behind the high bone on the lateral side of the wrist; its branch is one cun above the mingmen (the eyes). The root of the hand-shaoyang sanjiao meridian is at the point two cun above the space between the small finger and ring finger; its branch is at the upper corner behind the ear and at the outer canthus of the eye. The root of the hand-yangming large intestine meridian is in the elbow bone, extending upward to the Bieyang region; its branch is at the cheek below the face. The root of the hand-taiyin lung meridian is within the cunkou (radial pulse site); its branch is at the pulsating artery in the medial armpit. The root of the hand-shaoyin heart meridian is at the tip of the sharp bone behind the palm; its branch is at the back, at the heart shu point. The root of the hand-jueyin pericardium meridian is at the point two cun between the two sinews behind the palm; its branch is at the point three cun below the armpit.

In general, when examining these root and branch sites: if the lower part is deficient, there will be cold reversal; if the lower part is excessive, there will be fever; if the upper part is deficient, there will be dizziness; if the upper part is excessive, there will be heat and pain. Therefore, for excess conditions, use draining and stopping methods; for deficiency conditions, use guiding and lifting methods.

Now let us speak again of the qi streets: there is a qi street of the chest, a qi street of the abdomen, a qi street of the head, and a qi street of the leg. Thus, when qi is in the head, it gathers at the brain; when qi is in the chest, it gathers at the chest and breast and the shu points of the back; when qi is in the abdomen, it gathers at the shu points of the back and at the moving arteries beside the navel of the chong mai; when qi is in the leg, it gathers at Qichong (ST 30) and Chengshan (BL 57) and from above the ankle downward. When taking these sites with a fine needle, one must first press upon them, and only when there is a response of qi beneath the finger should one then insert the needle. What the ancient texts record as indications include: headache, dizziness and sudden collapse, abdominal pain with fullness and sudden distension, as well as newly formed accumulations. Painful masses that can be moved are easy to cure; accumulations that are painless are difficult to cure. The "indications" above are the scope of acupuncture recorded in the ancient texts, offered here only for theoretical study and not as modern diagnostic or therapeutic advice.

🧠 Deep Understanding

Core Principles 💡

• Ying and wei share the same source; yin and yang accompany each other: Ying qi circulates within the vessels; wei qi circulates outside the vessels. Both originate from the essential substances of water and grain and interpenetrate internally and externally, flowing in an endless cycle—forming the basic model of qi and blood movement in the human body.
• The root–branch system of the twelve meridians: Each meridian has a "root" (ben) and a "branch" (biao). The branches are mostly located on the head, face, and torso; the roots are mostly located at the distal ends of the limbs, especially near the wrists and ankles. Through this system, the ancients established a diagnostic approach emphasizing "distal judgment, upper–lower connection" in meridian patterns.
• Qi street theory: The four great qi streets—head, chest, abdomen, and leg—are pathways where meridian qi converges horizontally and passes through distinct regions. They complement the vertical flow of the twelve meridians, reflecting a network view in which "vertically there are meridians, horizontally there are streets."
• Deficiency, excess, cold, heat, and the principles of supplementation and draining: By examining the root and branch sites above and below, one judges deficiency and excess: when below is deficient, there is cold reversal; when below is excessive, there is heat; when above is deficient, there is dizziness; when above is excessive, there is heat and pain. The method of treatment is: "for excess, sever and stop it; for deficiency, guide and raise it," embodying the core principle of supplementing deficiency and draining excess.

Modern Perspectives 🌟

• Ying–wei qi transformation view: Ying qi and wei qi may be seen as the ancients' general summary of such integrated functions as circulation, immunity, nutrition, and temperature regulation, but they cannot be mapped one-to-one onto modern physiological concepts.
• Root–branch and distal connections: The root–branch system of the twelve meridians emphasizes correspondence between distal extremities and the head, face, and torso—a rough analogy to modern ideas of neural segments, fascial chains, and reflex zones. However, the ancients' localization was vague and liable to copyist errors, and cannot be equated directly with modern anatomy.
• Qi street regional divisions: The head qi street converges at the brain; the chest qi street at the chest, breast, and back; the abdominal qi street around the periumbilical arteries; and the leg qi street in the lower limbs. These roughly correspond to regions of dense neurovascular concentration—the brain, cardiopulmonary system, abdominal aorta, and lower limb vasculature—and hold some value as a form of regional functional thinking, but they remain ancient empirical hypotheses.
• "Painful movable masses are easy to cure; painless accumulations are hard to cure": This observation has intuitive consistency with prognostic differences between movable masses and fixed, painless lumps, and it offers inspiration for later differentiation and treatment of accumulations—but it cannot serve as a basis for modern diagnosis or prognosis.
• Acupuncture sections: The needling techniques and indications described here merely reflect the ancient therapeutic approach. Actual needling must be performed by qualified practitioners; one should never attempt it on one's own.

Health Insights ⚡

• Protecting the head qi street: The head qi street converges at the brain. In daily life, ensure adequate sleep, avoid staying up late and excessive emotional agitation, thereby reducing dizziness and upper-body qi disturbances.
• Opening the chest qi street: The chest qi street is in the chest, breast, and back. Moderate chest expansion exercises and practicing deep breathing help keep the qi of the chest flowing freely and prevent the problems of prolonged sitting and a hunched chest.
• Regulating the abdominal qi street: The abdominal qi street is related to diet and the chong mai. Eating with moderation, avoiding overeating, and keeping the abdomen warm benefit the qi movement of the spleen and stomach.
• Benefiting the leg qi street: The leg qi street is in the lower limbs. Moderate walking and lower-limb activity, avoiding prolonged immobility, help promote the circulation of qi and blood. The above are general wellness suggestions only and are not directed at any specific disease.

📚 Related Knowledge

• Related concepts: Ying and wei qi, the twelve meridians, root and branch, qi streets, the four seas, the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel), supplementing deficiency and draining excess, shu points, yuan-source points
• Further reading: Lingshu: Yingwei Huishui (Ying and Wei Meetings), Lingshu: Hailun (On the Seas), Lingshu: Benshu (Fundamental Acupoints), Suwen: Yin Yang Ying Xiang Da Lun (On the Manifestations of Yin and Yang), Nanjing (Classic of Difficulties), Difficulty 62

Bu Gua Reminder: This content is based on classical Chinese medicine texts and is intended solely for traditional cultural study and research. It does not constitute any medical diagnosis, medication prescription, or treatment advice. If you feel unwell, please consult a qualified healthcare provider promptly.