CHAPTER 12

MERIDIAN AND COLLATERAL THEORY

经络学说

Upon completion of this chapter, you are required to:

Master the basic words forming TCM terms associated with this chapter.
Understand new TCM terms formed by these words.
Make new TCM terms using these basic words.
Explain the meridian and collateral system — the composition of the system.
Discuss the distribution of the fourteen meridians.

Meridian and collateral study is the branch of acupuncture concerned with the study of structural connection, physiology, pathology, diagnostics and therapeutic principles, on the basis of meridian phenomena, also known as channel and networks study.

The meridian system consists of meridians, extra meridians*, collaterals*, meridian divergences*, meridian sinews, and meridian cutaneous regions as listed in Fig. 12-1.

The following websites can help you learn more after this chapter:

http://www.learntcm.com/articles/part-twelvemeridians-and-collaterals-the-pathways-to-link-the-whole-body-1.html (a dead link)
http://www.altmd.com/Articles/Meridian-Theory (a dead link)

Fig. 12-1 The composition of the meridian and collateral system