Stomach Channel (ST)
Circuit: Earth 地 – LU → LI → ST → SP
Pathway
- Begins internally beside the nose where the LI Meridian ends, rises to the bridge of the nose, meets the Bladder Meridian at the inner corner of the eye, and surfaces below the eye (crossing: LI-20, UB-1).
- Goes down lateral to the nose and enters the upper gum,
- circles the lips, then runs along the side of the lower jaw and through the angle of the jaw (crossing: DU-26, REN-24).
- Turns upward in front of the ear to the corner of the forehead (crossing: GB-3, GB-6, GB-4, DU-24).
- A branch drops down from the lower jaw (crossing: DU-14),
- goes inside the body and down through the diaphragm, entering its own organ, the ST, and linking with the SP (crossing: REN-13, REN-12).
- Another branch leaves the lower jaw but stays on the surface, crossing the neck, chest,
- and abdomen, and ends in the groin.
- Internally, the Meridian re-forms at the lower end of the ST and descends inside the abdomen to rejoin the external branch in the groin.
- From there it runs down the front of the thigh
- to the outer side of the knee, then down the center of the front of the lower leg to the top of the foot, ending at the lateral side of the tip of the second toe.
- A branch leaves just below the knee and ends at the lateral side of the middle toe.
- A short branch leaves from the top of the foot and ends at the medial side of the big toe, linking with the SP Meridian.
Crossing Points
LI-20, UB-1, DU-26, REN-24, GB-3, GB-6, GB-4, DU-24, DU-14, REN-13, REN-12
Stomach Luo
Luo point: ST-40
Pathway
- Arises on the lateral lower leg at ST-40.
- Crosses to the medial lower leg to join the SP channel.
- Rises up the leg and trunk to the nape of the neck and the head, where it merges with the Qi of the other yang channels.
- Then runs internally and ends at the throat.
Symptoms
- Depressive and manic mental disorders, muscular atrophy and weakness of the lower leg, congested and sore throat, sudden hoarseness of voice, (epilepsy).