Chinese Medicine Series 15:
Explanations of Channels and Points Vol.2
The following post is an excerpt from ’Explanations of Channels and Points Vol. 2 from the chapter ‘The Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Channel & Points‘ translated by Michael Brown and edited by Allen Tsaur. This second volume completing the series and is available at a reduced price compared to other outlets on the Purple Cloud Institute website:
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The Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Channel and Points
足少陽膽經
思蓮子曰：足少陽膽經，多氣少血。。。
Master Silian says, the foot shaoyang gallbladder channel has copious qi and
scant blood…
Diseases of the Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Channel
足少陽膽經病
是動病則爲口苦，以膽汁味苦也。爲善太息，以膽氣不舒也。爲心脇痛不能轉側，以脈循脇裏，出氣街也。甚則面有微塵，體無膏澤，以脈所歷處，少陽氣鬱所爲病。足外反熱，以脈循髀陽，出膝外廉，下外輔骨，抵絶骨，下外踝也，是膽屬少陽，而陽氣上厥使然也。
When there are changes resulting in disease, there will be bitter taste in the mouth, which is because the gallbladder’s discharge has a bitter flavour. For frequent sighing, this is because the qì of the gallbladder is constrained. For rib-side pain with inability to turn to the side, this is because the vessel follows the interior of the rib-sides and emerges at Qi Jie (ST-30). When it is severe, there will be a slightly dusty facial complexion and the lack of oily lustre on the body, this is because when the shàoyáng qi is depressed, it will result in these diseases in the locations where the vessel travels through. For heat on the outside of the feet, this is because the vessel follows the yang of the thigh, emerges on the outer ridge of the knee, descends on the outside of the assisting bone to arrive at the severed bone, and descends the outer ankle [bone]; as these [areas] belong to the shaoyang, this [disease] manifests because of the upwards reversal of the yang qi.
Twenty-First Point of the Gallbladder Channel
Jian Jing – Shoulder Well (GB-21)
膽經第二十一穴肩井
《千金》：凡産難，鍼兩肩井一寸，泄之，須臾即生。又云：治卒忤，灸百壯。又云：臂重不舉，灸隨年壯至百壯，刺五分補之。
The Qianjin states, “For all difficult childbirth, needle both Jian Jing (GB-21) with 1 cùn [depth], drain it, in an instant [the woman] will give birth.” It also states, “To treat sudden hostility, moxa 100 cones.” It further states, “For heaviness of the arm with inability to raise it, moxa cones according to one’s age, [gradually increasing] up to 100 cones, and pierce 5 fen to supplement it.”
注：此穴在肩之上，其下内五臓，其深不測，如井然，故曰肩井。
Explanation: this point is located on top of the Jian (Shoulder); underneath it, it enters into the five zang-viscera, with an unfathomable depth that resembles a Jing (Well), thus it is called Jian Jing (Shoulder Well).
PS: The original work is extensively footnoted, which is omitted in this abbreviated post.
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PPPS: Image from Wellcome Collection.
