the larger and main collaterals. The 两经在体表上的联系。浮络循divergent collaterals originate from the 行于人体的表层并常出于体twelve meridians as well as Du and Ren 表。孙络是整个人体中最细小meridians respectively. Together with a 的络脉。 large splenic collateral, they are

altogether \Their chief task is to strengthen the links between every pair of meridians

exteriorly-interiorly related on the body surface. The superficial collaterals are ones that run through the surface layer of the human body, and often emerge on the surface. And the tertiary collaterals refer to the smallest and the thinnest ones of the whole body.

In addition, there are the subsidiary parts of the meridian system, including the twelve

skin zones and twelve musculature zones. 此外，尚有经络系统的附Therefore, they are the parts that connect 属部分包括十二皮部和十二经the twelve meridians with the superficial 筋。因此，它们是分别连接人portions and the muscular portions of the 体浅表和肌肉的部分。考虑到body respectively. Considering the important 十二正经和奇经八脉是经络系place of the twelve meridians and the eight 统的重要组成部分，我们将以extra meridians in the meridian-collateral 其为主题进行讨论。 system. we are going to take them as the main subject for discussion.

Tab. 2 The Nomenclature and Classification of

表2.十二正经的命名和归类

the Twelve Meridians

Tab.2 shows that every meridian consists of 表2说明了每条经都由三部分three parts. 组成。 1 ) Hand or foot:

（1）手或足

The meridians starting or terminating at the hand are named \

经脉起于或止于手者命名

starting or terminating at the foot are named

为“手”，起于或止于足者命

\

名为“足”。所以，十二正经

into four groups: three yin meridians of

可分为四组：手三阴经，手三

hand, three yang meridians of hand, three yin

阳经，足三阴经，足三阳经。

meridians of foot, and three yang-meridians

每条经都是根据其所在手足的

of foot. Each of the meridian is named

内外面的位置、脏腑归属和阴

according to the medial or the lateral aspect

阳性质命名的。

of hand or foot, the names to which zang and fu pertain, and the nature of yin or yang. 2 ) Yin or yang:

（2）阴或阳

The meridians going in the medial aspect of the limbs are named \in the lateral aspects are named \

循行于四肢内侧的经脉命

medial aspect of the limbs is subdivided into

名为“阴”，而循行于外侧者

the anterior border, midline and the

为“阳”。四肢内侧又可分为

posterior border. And the yin meridians

前、中、后三部，阴经循行于

running through these parts are named

该部分的分别称为太阴、厥阴

Taiyin,Jueyin and Shaoyin respectively. The

和少阴。四肢外侧同样可以分

lateral surface of the limbs is also

为前、中、后三部。阳经循于

subdivided into the anterior border, the

此者分别为阳明、少阳和太阳。

midline and the posterior border. And yang meridians are termed \and \3) Zang or fu:

（3）脏或腑

The nomenclature of zang or fu is determined in the light of the nature to which 脏或腑的命名是根据脏或zang or fu pertains. For example, the 腑的归属决定的。例如，属于meridian pertaining to the kidney is named 肾的经脉命名为肾经，其余由the kidney meridian, and the rest may be 此类推。 deduced by analogy.

To sum up, it is quite evident that there

总之，很显然十二正经中

is no name that does not involve hand or foot,

没有不以手足、阴阳、脏腑命

yin or yang, zang-organ or fu-organ in the

名的。

twelve meridian.(To Be Continued)

MERIDIANS AND COLLATERALS-THE PATHWAYS TO LINK THE WHOLE BODY

经络—人体联络的通道

Courses, Connections, Distributions, 十二正经的起源、交接、Exterior-lnterior Relations and Flowing Order of 分布、表里关系和走行规the Twelve Meridians 律 1. The Coursing and Connecting Law of the Twelve 1.十二正经的起源和交Meridians 接规律 The coursing and connecting law of the twelve 十二正经的起源和meridians is: the three yin meridians of the hand 交接规律是：手三阴经起travel from the chest to the end of the fingers 于胸部行至手指端，在此where they connect with the three yang meridians 与手三阳经交接；手三阳of the hand; the three yang meridians of the hand 经由手指端上行至头，在go up from the end of the fingers to the head on 此与足三阳经相交接；足which they connect with the three yang meridians 三阳经由头向下行至脚of the foot; the three yang meridians of the foot 趾头处，在此与足三阴经descend from the head to the the end of toes where 相交接；足三阴经由脚趾they join the three yin meridians of the foot; the 头处上行至胸腹部，在此three yin meridians of the foot ascend from the 与手三阴经相交接。这

toes to the abdomen and chest in which they meet 样，十二正经彼此联系，the three yin meridians of the hand. Thus, the 形成了一个阴阳畅通循twelve meridians are connected with each other, 行的通道，如环无端。见forming a circle like pathway along which yin and 下表。 yang smoothly circulate without terminus. See the following diagram.

Fig. 5 Flowing direction and Connecting Law of the 表5.十二正经循行方向Twelve Meridians 及交接规律 It is clearly seen from fig. 5 that the three 从表5可以清楚的知yang meridians of the hand terminate at the head 道手三阳经止于头而足from which the three yang meridians of the foot 三阳经起于头，手足三阳start. The three yang meridians of the hand and 经在头部相会。因此，中the foot meet at the head So, TCM says:\医云：“头乃诸阳之is the junction of all yang meridians\会”。 2. Distributions and Exterior-Interior Relations 2.十二正经的分布和表of the Twelve Regular Meridians1) Distributions 里关系 The twelve meridians are distributed 十二正经对称的分symmetrically on the left and right sides of the 布于人体的左右两边，并body and run along their fixed courses. 按一定的路径循行。在四Distribution in the limbs: The medial aspect of 肢的分布是：阴经分布于the limbs attributes to yin, the lateral to yang. 四肢的内侧面，阳经分布Each limb is distributed by Taiyin and Yangming 于四肢的外侧面。太阴和meridians are on the anterior border, Shaoyin and 阳明分布于肢体的前部，Taiyang meridians are on the posterior border, and 少阴和太阳分布于后部，Jueyin and Shaoyang meridians are on the midline. 厥阴和少阳分布于中部。 Distribution on the head and face: Yangming

头面的分布：阳明经

meridians run through the face and forehead,

行于面额部，太阳经行于

Taiyang meridians run through the cheek, vertex

颊部、头顶及枕部，少阳

and occiput of the head and Shaoyang meridians run

行于头的两侧。

through both sides of the head.

Distribution in the body trunk: The three yang 在躯干部的分布：手meridians of hand run through the scapular part. 三阳经行于肩胛部。足三Among the three yang meridians of foot, Yangming 阳经当中，阳明经行于前meridians run in the front of the trunk 腹部，太阳经沿背部循(thoracico-abdominal aspect), Taiyang meridians 行，少阳行于两侧。所有along the back (the dorsal aspect) , and Shaoyang 的手三阴经无一例外的meridians along the sides. All the three yin 起于腋窝部，所有的足三meridians of the hand come out of the axillae 阳经沿腹部循行。沿腹部without exception, all the three yin meridians of 循行的经脉由内至外的foot run along the ventral aspect. The meridians 顺序是：足少阴经、足阳running through the ventral aspect from the medial 明经、足太阴经和足厥阴to the lateral are, in turn, termed Foot-Shaoyin, 经。（注释：在双下肢，Foot-yangming, Foot-Taiyin and Foot-Jueyin(note: 踝上8寸（24厘米）以下

as regards the medial sides of the two lower limbs, 为厥阴在前，太阴在中，at 8cun (24cm) above the medial malleoli, Jueyin 少阴在后。） is located in theanterior, Taiyin in the middle and Shaoyin in the posterior part.) The Exterion-Interior Relations between the Twelve Meridians

十二正经的表里关系

The twelve regular meridians, connected with each other by the divergent meridians and divergent collaterals, form six pairs of exterior-interior relationships. Their

十二正经通过经别

exterior-interior relationships are as follows:

和别络彼此联系，形成了

the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-yangming and

六对表里关系。它们的表

the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin; the

里关系如下：手阳明大肠

Tri-energizer Meridian of Hand-Shaoyang and the

经和手太阴肺经；手少阳

Pericardium Meridian of Hand-Jueyin; the Small

三焦经和手厥阴心包经；

intestine Meridian of Hand-Taiyang and the Heart

手太阳小肠经和手少阴

Meridian of Hand-Shaoyin; the Stomach Meridian of

心经；足阳明胃经和足太

Foot-yangming and the spleen Meridian of

阴脾经；足少阳胆经和足

Foot-Taiyin; the Gallbladder Meridian of

厥阴肝经；足太阳膀胱经

foot-Shaoyang and the Liver Meridian of

和足少阴肾经。足太阳和

Foot-Jueyin; and the Urinary Bladder Meridian of

足少阴经相表里，足少阳

Foot-Taiyang and the Kidney meridian of

和足厥阴经相表里，足阳

Foot-Shaoyin. The Taiyang meridianand Shaoyin

明经和足太阴经相表里。

meridian of foot are exteriorly-interiorly

这些称为“足阴阳经”。

related, and so are the Shaoyang meridian and the

而手太阳经和手少阴经

Jueyin meridian of foot,and the Yangming meridian

相表里，手少阳和手厥阴

and Taiyin meridian of foot. These are called

经相表里，手阳明经和手

the\

太阴经相表里。这些称为

meridian and the Shaoyin meridian of hand are

“手阴阳经”。

exteriorly-interiorly related, and so are the Shaoyang and the Jueyin meridians, and the

Yangming and the Taiyin meridians of hand. These are called the\

The exterior-interior relationship of the twelve meridians not only strengthen the 十二正经的表里关connection between each specific pair of 系不仅加强了表里两经meridians with exterion-interior relationship, 的联系，而且加强了每对but also promote each pair of zang-fu with the 相表里脏腑之间的联系exterior-interior relationship to coordinate 使它们在生理上相互协each other physiologically and influence each 调，在病理上相互影响。other pathologically. In treatment, acupoints of 在治疗上，表里两经的穴the two meridians with the exterior-interior 位可以相辅为用。 relationship may be alternatively used.