The Meridians

When a human being first comes to be, essence is formed first. When essence is complete the brain and marrow are generated: bone serves as the frame, vessels as the conduits of nourishment, sinews give strength, flesh is the wall, and when the skin is firm the hair grows. Grain enters the stomach, the vessel pathways open, and blood and qi begin to move.

ORIGINAL人始生，先成精，精成而脑髓生，骨为干，脉为营，筋为刚，肉为墙，皮肤坚而毛发长，谷入于胃，脉道以通，血气乃行。

rén shǐ shēng，xiān chéng jīng，jīng chéng ér nǎo suǐ shēng，gǔ wéi gàn，mài wéi yíng，jīn wéi gāng，ròu wéi qiáng，pí fū jiān ér máo fā zhǎng，gǔ rù yú wèi，mài dào yǐ tōng，xuè qì nǎi xíng。

The channels are what allow one to decide life and death, to deal with the hundred diseases and to regulate excess and deficit; they cannot be unknown.

ORIGINAL经脉者，所以能决死生，处百病，调虚实，不可不通。

jīng mài zhě，suǒ yǐ néng jué sǐ shēng，chù bǎi bìng，diào xū shí，bù kě bù tōng。

The lung channel of hand taiyin begins in the middle burner, descends to connect with the large intestine, returns along the mouth of the stomach, passes through the diaphragm and belongs to the lung. From the lung system it emerges sideways below the axilla, descends along the inner upper arm in front of the hand shaoyin and hand jueyin channels, reaches the elbow, follows the lower border of the radius, enters the inch mouth, ascends to the thenar eminence, runs along its border and emerges at the tip of the thumb.

ORIGINAL肺手太阴之脉，起于中焦，下络大肠，还循胃口，上膈属肺，从肺系横出腋下，下循臑内，行少阴心主之前，下肘中，循臂内上骨下廉，入寸口，上鱼，循鱼际，出大指之端；

fèi shǒu tài yīn zhī mài，qǐ yú zhōng jiāo，xià luò dà cháng，hái xún wèi kǒu，shàng gé shǔ fèi，cóng fèi xì héng chū yè xià，xià xún nào nèi，xíng shǎo yīn xīn zhǔ zhī qián，xià zhǒu zhōng，xún bì nèi shàng gǔ xià lián，rù cùn kǒu，shàng yú，xún yú jì，chū dà zhǐ zhī duān；

Its branch runs from behind the wrist straight to the inner side of the index finger and out at its tip.

ORIGINAL其支者，从腕后直出次指内廉，出其端。

qí zhī zhě，cóng wàn hòu zhí chū cì zhǐ nèi lián，chū qí duān。