Large Intestine Meridian (手阳明大肠经)

Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-Yangming   

International Code: LI (Large Intestine)   

Circulation Time: Maoshi (5:00–7:00 AM)   

Connected Zang-Fu: Pertains to the Large Intestine, connects to the Lung   

Meridian with Same Name: Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming   

Interior-Exterior Meridian: Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin

Brief Introduction   

The Large Intestine Meridian is one of the twelve regular meridians, one of the three Yang meridians of the hand. Superiorly, it connects to the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin at the tip of the index finger; inferiorly, it connects to the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming beside the nose. The meridian runs along the radial side of the dorsum of the index finger, the anterior border of the lateral aspect of the upper limb, the shoulder, neck, and head-face region. The first point is Shangyang (LI1), the last point is Yingxiang (LI20), with 20 points on each side. It mainly treats disorders related to "fluids": yellow eyes, dry mouth, nasal discharge or bleeding, sore throat, pain in the front of the shoulder and upper arm, and pain or limited movement of the index finger.

Point Descriptions

1.   Shangyang (LI1) – Jing-Well point – toothache, sore throat, coma

2.   Erjian (LI2) – Ying-Spring point – epistaxis, toothache

3.   Sanjian (LI3) – Shu-Stream point – toothache, sore throat, abdominal distension, borborygmus, numbness and swelling/pain of the dorsum of the hand

4.   Hegu (LI4) – Yuan-Primary point – headache, red and swollen eyes, toothache, epistaxis, facial paralysis, deafness, fever with chills, anhidrosis or hyperhidrosis, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, prolonged labor

5.   Yangxi (LI5) – Jing-River point – headache, red and swollen eyes, deafness

6.   Pianli (LI6) – Luo-Connecting point – tinnitus, epistaxis, arm soreness, abdominal distension, edema

7.   Wenliu (LI7) – Xi-Cleft point – acute borborygmus, abdominal pain, headache, facial swelling, sore throat, shoulder and back soreness

8.   Xialian (LI8) – elbow and arm pain, headache, dizziness, eye pain, abdominal distension, abdominal pain

9.   Shangliang (LI9) – elbow and arm pain, hemiplegia, arm numbness, headache, borborygmus, abdominal pain

10. Shousanli (LI10) – arm weakness, upper limb paralysis, abdominal pain, diarrhea, toothache, cheek swelling

11. Quchi (LI11) – He-Sea point – arm painful numbness, upper limb paralysis, dizziness, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, sore throat, toothache, red and swollen eyes, urticaria, eczema, scrofula, mania

12. Zhouliao (LI12) – pain, numbness, and spasm of the elbow and arm

13. Shouwuli (LI13) – spasmodic pain of the elbow and arm, scrofula

14. Binao (LI14) – shoulder and arm pain with paralysis, stiff neck, eye disorders

15. Jianyu (LI15) – spasmodic shoulder pain, upper limb paralysis, urticaria

16. Jugu (LI16) – meeting point of the Large Intestine Meridian and Yangqiao Vessel – spasmodic shoulder pain, inability to raise the arm, scrofula, goiter

17. Tanding (LI17) – sudden loss of voice, choking sensation, sore throat, dysphagia

18. Futu (LI18) – sore throat, sudden loss of voice, dysphagia, hiccup, cough, dyspnea

19. Kouheliao (LI19) – nasal obstruction, epistaxis, mouth deviation, trismus

20. Yingxiang (LI20) – nasal obstruction, epistaxis, mouth deviation, facial itching