The 12 major meridians are composed of 5 Yin meridians: Heart, Spleen, Lungs, Kidneys, Liver; 5 Yang meridians: Small intestines, Stomach, Large intestine, Urinary bladder, Gallbladder; the Pericardium meridian, and the San Jiao meridian. In total, there are three yin meridians (heart, lung, and pericardium) and three yang meridians (small intestine, large intestine, and sanjiao) of the arm, as well as three yin meridians (liver, kidney, spleen) and three yang meridians (urinary bladder, gall bladder, and stomach) of the leg. In a pair, there’s always one meridian that’s a Yin, where energy flows up the body, and Yang, where energy flows downward in the body. Beyond these twelve, there are eight additional meridians that a Chinese doctor must know. 12 primary and eight extraordinary channels). The Extra Meridians As we have just seen, the meridian system is made up of the lines connecting the five yin and six yang organs plus the pericardium. The second principle According to Traditional Chinese Medicine the body has twelve main meridians, each part of a pairing of Yin and Yang Organs. The six yang meridians are located on the … [5], The table below gives a more systematic list of the 12 standard meridians:[6]. The energy flows through these twelve regular meridian channels in the following rhythm: From the chest area via the three arm Yin channels – lung, pericardium, heart – to the hands. The concept of meridians are first attested in two works recovered from the Mawangdui and Zhangjiashan tombs of the Han-era Changsha Kingdom, the Cauterization Canon of the Eleven Foot and Arm Channels (足臂十一脈灸經, Zúbì Shíyī Mài Jiǔjīng) and the Cauterization Canon of the Eleven Yin and Yang Channels (陰陽十一脈灸經, Yīnyáng Shíyī Mài Jiǔjīng). All of these meridians are found on the posterior (back) and lateral aspects of the limbs, the back, head, and face. Learn all about the meridians by enrolling in Guide to the 12 Meridians, online at Big Tree School of Natural Healing. The meridian network is typically divided into two categories, the jingmai (經脈) or meridian channels and the luomai (絡脈) or associated vessels (sometimes called "collaterals"). Your body has fourteen major meridians, out of which twelve are paired and the other two are single pathways. The 8 extraordinary meridians run deep within the body and supply qi and blood to the 12 primary meridians. LARGE INTESTINE 2. 3 Yang Meridians on the arms. The meridians run longitudinally along the limbs, so they are spaced out quite evenly on the anterior-medial aspect of the limbs. They include three arm yin meridians (lung, pericardium, heart), three arm yang meridians (large intestine, triple burner, small intestine), three leg yang meridians (stomach, gall bladder, bladder), and three leg yin meridians (spleen, liver, kidney). What is Yin Yoga? [7] These eight extra meridians differ from the standard twelve organ meridians in that they are considered to be storage vessels or reservoirs of energy and are not associated directly with the Zang Fu, i.e. Yin meridians feed Yang organs and Yang meridians feed Yin organs. Yang meridians are located on the posterior (back) and lateral (outside) areas of the body. The meridians run longitudinally along the limbs, so they are spaced out quite evenly on the anterior-medial aspect of the limbs. The collateral system also incorporates a branching expanse of capillary-like vessels which spread throughout the body, namely in the 12 cutaneous regions as well as emanating from each point on the principal meridians. Six channels run up/down the arms while six channels run up/down the legs. According to zang fu organ theory, each organ in TCM has a corresponding meridian. There are six zang and six fu, matched in six yin/yang pairs, and each one is regulated by one of the Twelve Major Meridians. Of these twelve, six organs have Yin properties; the remaining ones are assigned to the Yang category. To correspond with each meridian, 12 organ systems, the stomach, spleen, kidney, liver, heart, small intestine, bladder, pericardium, triple burner, gallbladder, lung, and large intestine. Three are  3 Yin meridians on the legs.All of these meridians are found on the anterior (front) and medial aspects of the limbs, the abdomen and chest.