Large Intestine Channel: Arm Bright Yang

Jonathan Clogstoun-Willmott

November 25, 2020

Large Intestine points lie along the Colon meridian or ‘channel’.

There are twenty (20) such acupuncture points on this channel and they include at least three very important ones which treat issues to do with the head, yin and yang, Qi and Heat in the body.

Click on each point for a page about it. If the link doesn’t work, the page is not ready.

Colon channel points

Large Intestine 1	Shangyang	Merchant Yang	Large Intestine 11	Quchi	Crooked Pond
Large Intestine 2	Erjian	Second Interval	Large Intestine 12	Zhouliao	Elbow Bone
Large Intestine 3	Sanjian	Third Interval	Large Intestine 13	Wuli	Arm Five Miles
Large Intestine 4	Hegu	Join the Valley	Large Intestine 14	Binao	Upper Arm Muscles
Large Intestine 5	Yangxi	Yang Stream	Large Intestine 15	Jianyu	Shoulder Bone
Large Intestine 6	Pianli	Side Passage	Large Intestine 16	Jugu	Great Bone
Large Intestine 7	Wenliu	Warm Current	Large Intestine 17	Tianding	Heavenly Cauldron
Large Intestine 8	Xielian	Lower Side	Large Intestine 18	Futu	Supporting Prominence
Large Intestine 9	Shanglian	Upper Integrity	Large Intestine 19	Heliao	Stalk Crevice
Large Intestine 10	Shousanli	Arm Three Measures	Large Intestine 20	Yingxiang	Welcome Fragrance

Control points

Some acupuncture points on meridians between elbow and fingertips are particularly important. Since antiquity, acupuncturists have respected them for the special actions they perform. These actions are not just local to the points themselves but affect the metabolism of the body.

These special points are the Five Shu, or Five Element points. They are often used to treat what are called syndromes in Chinese medicine.

Deep Colon Channel pathway

The Colon channel actually goes much deeper. For instance, from its shoulder points it reaches to Governor vessel 14 at the top of the thoracic spine, and plunges down through the lungs (the Lung ‘zang‘ organ) to enter the colon (the ‘fu‘ organ) itself.

From the shoulder area a branch goes to the lower gums, to Conception vessel 24, round the mouth’s upper lip and then, via Governor vessel 26, unexpectedly crosses to the other side of the face, ending at Colon 20 – yingxiang – beside the nose. At yingxiang it meets with the beginning of the Stomach channel – on the other side of the body from which the colon channel began.

This is the only channel to cross sides, which reflects that its ‘fu’ organ, the colon, also crosses from one side of the abdomen to the other.

Relationship with Gallbladder

In Chinese medicine the Colon ‘fu‘ works very closely with both the Lungs and the Liver to maintain smooth running of your life and immune system. For example, if there is stress and Qi Stagnation, Hegu, L.I.4 can help balance interfering or ‘over-acting’ Liver energy.

For those of us who like these ideas, there is a special relationship with the Gallbladder fu, where you can see below in the Four phase diagram, that they are opposite one another.

Direction of Energy Flow In Healthy Energy Organs

Although the Gallbladder channel itself doesn’t cross sides, a point on it (Gallbladder 41) has a special relationship with Dai Mai, the Girdle channel, one of the eight ‘extraordinary’ channels, which does encircle the waist, thereby crossing sides.

So, just as the Lung zang balances the Liver zang, the Colon fu balances the Gallbladder fu.

Large Intestine Luo-connecting channel

Like all the other luo channels, the Large Intestine’s luo-connecting channel is important. It commences at LI6, Pianli, joins the Lung channel in one branch, another ascending to the cheek and jaw. From here, one branch goes to the teeth, another to the ear. Pianli treats many head, face and nose problems, ranging from visual to throat problems. Mainly it treats Heat and Wind conditions, including wind-heat: these are excess yang conditions.