The twelve primary meridians and the eight extraordinary vessels.
Every entry below also opens on its own page, with the full note and its sources.
Course. Runs from the middle burner, emerges at the chest, travels along the inner arm to the thumb. 11 points on one side.
Paired with. Lung / Large Intestine 肺·大肠
The first meridian in the classical sequence; the clock cycle is said to begin here. Its points are described in relation to the Lung system and to the throat and nose.
起于中焦，出于胸上部，沿上肢内侧前缘下行至拇指。单侧 11 穴。
Lung / Large Intestine 肺·大肠
经典流注次序的第一条经。其腧穴在传统上与肺系及咽喉、鼻部相关。
Course. Starts at the tip of the index finger, runs up the outer arm to the shoulder, then to the face and the opposite nostril. 20 points on one side.
Paired with. Large Intestine / Lung 大肠·肺
Carries one of the most-used points in all of acupuncture — LI4 at the hand. Classical texts connect this meridian to the face and head.
起于食指末端，沿上肢外侧前缘上行至肩，再上行面颊，止于对侧鼻旁。单侧 20 穴。
Large Intestine / Lung 大肠·肺
含全身最常用的腧穴之一——手部的 LI4（合谷）。传统文献把此经与面部、头部相联系。
Course. Begins under the eye, descends through the chest and abdomen, continues down the front of the leg to the second toe. 45 points on one side — the longest of the twelve.
Paired with. Stomach / Spleen 胃·脾
Long and richly supplied with points, including ST36 below the knee. Often described as a meridian of abundant Qi and Blood.
起于眼下，下行经胸腹，再沿下肢前外侧下行至第二趾。单侧 45 穴，为十二经中腧穴最多者。
Stomach / Spleen 胃·脾
经脉长、腧穴多，含膝下的 ST36（足三里）。传统上常称为多气多血之经。
Course. Starts at the big toe, runs up the inner leg, through the abdomen to the chest. 21 points on one side.
Paired with. Spleen / Stomach 脾·胃
In TCM the Spleen system governs transformation and transport — digestion and the making of Blood and Qi, not the anatomical spleen as such.
起于足大趾，沿下肢内侧上行，经腹至胸。单侧 21 穴。
Spleen / Stomach 脾·胃
中医的"脾"主运化——消化与气血生化，而不是解剖学意义上的脾脏。
Course. Arises in the Heart system, emerges at the armpit, runs down the inner arm to the little finger. 9 points on one side.
Paired with. Heart / Small Intestine 心·小肠
Short but significant: in TCM the Heart system is described as housing the Shen (spirit), so this meridian appears in discussions of sleep and emotional states.
起于心中，出于腋下，沿上肢内侧后缘下行至小指。单侧 9 穴。
Heart / Small Intestine 心·小肠
经脉短但重要：中医认为心藏神，故此经常出现在睡眠与情志相关的论述中。
Course. Begins at the little finger, runs up the outer arm, across the shoulder blade to the cheek and the ear. 19 points on one side.
Paired with. Small Intestine / Heart 小肠·心
Contains several points used in the classical literature for the shoulder and neck, and for the ear.
起于小指，沿上肢外侧后缘上行，经肩胛至面颊、耳前。单侧 19 穴。
Small Intestine / Heart 小肠·心
含数个传统上用于肩颈与耳部的腧穴。
Course. Starts at the inner corner of the eye, crosses the top of the head, runs down the back in two parallel lines, then the back of the leg to the little toe. 67 points on one side — the longest meridian.
Paired with. Bladder / Kidney 膀胱·肾
The two parallel back lines carry the Back-Shu points, which are named after the Zang-Fu systems and used to address them — which is why much of what is needled in a back treatment sits on this meridian.
起于目内眦，上过巅顶，沿背部两条平行线下行，再经下肢后侧至小趾。单侧 67 穴，是十二经中最长者。
Bladder / Kidney 膀胱·肾
背部的两条平行线上分布着"背俞穴"，按脏腑命名并用于相应脏腑——这也是背部治疗操作多集中于此经的原因。
Course. Starts at the sole of the foot, runs up the inner leg and the front of the abdomen to the chest. 27 points on one side.
Paired with. Kidney / Bladder 肾·膀胱
Includes KI1 on the sole — the lowest point in the body, traditionally described as the point where Qi is said to rise. TCM "Kidney" covers part of endocrine, reproductive and skeletal function.
起于足底，沿下肢内侧后缘上行，经腹前至胸。单侧 27 穴。
Kidney / Bladder 肾·膀胱
含足底的 KI1（涌泉）——全身位置最低的腧穴，传统上认为是气所出之处。中医的"肾"涵盖内分泌、生殖与骨骼的部分功能。
Course. Arises in the chest, runs down the middle of the inner arm to the middle finger. 9 points on one side.
Paired with. Pericardium / San Jiao 心包·三焦
The Pericardium is described as the protector of the Heart. PC6 on the forearm is among the most studied points in modern research, notably for nausea.
起于胸中，沿上肢内侧中线下行至中指。单侧 9 穴。
Pericardium / San Jiao 心包·三焦
心包在传统描述中为心之外卫。前臂的 PC6（内关）是现代研究最多的穴位之一，尤其是针对恶心呕吐。
Course. Begins at the ring finger, runs up the outer arm to the shoulder and neck, around the ear to the outer eyebrow. 23 points on one side.
Paired with. San Jiao / Pericardium 三焦·心包
The San Jiao has no anatomical organ; the meridian is nonetheless used in the classical literature for the ear, the sides of the head and the neck.
起于无名指，沿上肢外侧中线上行至肩颈，绕耳至眉梢。单侧 23 穴。
San Jiao / Pericardium 三焦·心包
三焦无解剖器官对应；但传统文献将此经用于耳部、头侧与颈部。
Course. Starts at the outer corner of the eye, zig-zags across the side of the head, down the side of the body and the outer leg to the fourth toe. 44 points on one side.
Paired with. Gallbladder / Liver 胆·肝
Its head points — including GB20 behind the skull base — are among the most frequently cited for headache and neck tension.
起于目外眦，曲折行于头侧，沿身体侧面与下肢外侧下行至第四趾。单侧 44 穴。
Gallbladder / Liver 胆·肝
其头部腧穴——包括枕骨下的 GB20（风池）——是头痛与颈项紧张类记载中最常出现的穴位之一。
Course. Begins at the big toe, runs up the inner leg, through the groin and abdomen to the chest. 14 points on one side.
Paired with. Liver / Gallbladder 肝·胆
In TCM the Liver system is said to ensure the smooth flow of Qi and to be affected by emotion — so LR3 on the foot appears in discussions of stress and irritability, not liver disease.
起于足大趾，沿下肢内侧上行，经腹股沟、腹至胸。单侧 14 穴。
Liver / Gallbladder 肝·胆
中医认为肝主疏泄、与情志相关，因此足部的 LR3（太冲）出现在压力与情绪相关论述中，而不是肝脏疾病。
Course. Runs from the tailbone up the midline of the spine, over the head, to the upper lip. 28 points.
Paired with. Governs the Yang meridians 总督诸阳
Called the "sea of the Yang meridians" — all Yang channels are said to meet here. GV20 on the crown and GV4 at the lower back are the two best-known points on it.
起于尾骨端，沿脊柱正中上行，过头顶至上唇系带。共 28 穴。
Governs the Yang meridians 总督诸阳
被称为"阳脉之海"——诸阳经皆会于此。头顶的 GV20（百会）与腰部的 GV4（命门）是其最著名的两穴。
Course. Runs up the midline of the front of the body from the perineum to the chin. 24 points.
Paired with. Governs the Yin meridians 总任诸阴
Called the "sea of the Yin meridians". Its abdominal points — CV4, CV6, CV8 — are the ones most often described in classical texts on vitality, and CV17 sits at the centre of the chest.
起于会阴，沿躯干前面正中线上行至颏部。共 24 穴。
Governs the Yin meridians 总任诸阴
被称为"阴脉之海"。腹部腧穴 CV4（关元）、CV6（气海）、CV8（神阙）在经典中多与"元气""补虚"相关；CV17（膻中）位于胸中。
Course. Described as running from the lower abdomen upward along the Kidney meridian and downward to the leg, with a branch reaching the chest and face.
Paired with. Sea of Blood and of the twelve meridians 血海·十二经之海
Called the "sea of Blood" and linked to the twelve meridians. It shares points with the Kidney meridian rather than having its own dedicated points.
传统描述为自小腹上行，与足少阴肾经并行，并有分支下行至足、上行至胸与面。
Sea of Blood and of the twelve meridians 血海·十二经之海
被称为"血海"，与十二经相通。它本身没有专属腧穴，而是与肾经交会共用。
Course. The only "horizontal" vessel: described as encircling the waist like a belt, constraining the vertical meridians.
Paired with. Binds the vertical meridians 约束诸经
Commonly described as the vessel that "ties" the others, which is why it is discussed in relation to the lower back and the abdomen.
诸脉中唯一横向者：传统描述为环腰一周如束带，约束纵行之经。
Binds the vertical meridians 约束诸经
传统上被描述为约束其他诸脉者，因此多与腰腹相关。
Course. Links the Yin meridians; follows the inner leg and the abdomen to the throat, sharing points with the Spleen and Kidney meridians.
Paired with. Links Yin meridians 维系诸阴
PC6 on the forearm is described as its confluent point, which is why it appears together with this vessel in the classical literature.
联络诸阴经；循下肢内侧与腹部上行至咽，与脾、肾等经交会共用腧穴。
Links Yin meridians 维系诸阴
前臂的 PC6（内关）被列为它的交会穴，因此经典文献中二者常一同出现。
Course. Links the Yang meridians; follows the outer leg, the side of the body and the head.
Paired with. Links Yang meridians 维系诸阳
TE5 (Waiguan) on the forearm is described as its confluent point — a point better known for the neck and the side of the head.
联络诸阳经；循下肢外侧、身体侧面与头部。
Links Yang meridians 维系诸阳
前臂的 TE5（外关）被列为它的交会穴——该穴更常见于颈项与头侧的记载中。
Course. Rises from the inner ankle and runs up the inner leg to the inner corner of the eye.
Paired with. Governs the inner side and eye closure 主一身左右之阴
Traditionally associated with the inner side of the legs and with eye movement and sleep. KI6 at the inner ankle is its best-known point.
起于内踝，沿下肢内侧上行至目内眦。
Governs the inner side and eye closure 主一身左右之阴
传统上与下肢内侧、目开合与睡眠相关。内踝的 KI6（照海）是其最著名的腧穴。
Course. Rises from the outer ankle and runs up the outer leg and body to the outer corner of the eye.
Paired with. Governs the outer side and eye opening 主一身左右之阳
Traditional counterpart to the Yin Heel vessel; BL62 at the outer ankle is its best-known point, and the two vessels are classically paired in discussions of sleep.
起于外踝，沿下肢外侧与身体外侧上行至目外眦。
Governs the outer side and eye opening 主一身左右之阳
与阴跷脉相对。外踝的 BL62（申脉）是其最著名的腧穴；二者在睡眠相关的论述中常成对出现。