Large Intestine channel

The pathway

The Large Intestine channel starts at the tip of the index finger (LI1), runs along the thumb side of the finger and between the first two hand bones (LI4), up the outer forearm to the outer end of the elbow crease (LI11), and up the outer upper arm to the front of the shoulder (LI15). It crosses the top of the shoulder to meet the Governing Vessel at the base of the neck, then dips into the hollow above the collarbone, where a branch goes down inside to the lungs and the large intestine. The surface line climbs the side of the neck and crosses the cheek, where a branch enters the lower gums; it curves round the upper lip, crosses to the other side of the face at the groove under the nose, and ends beside the nose (LI20), next to the start of the Stomach channel.

In TCM theory, the Large Intestine

• Takes what the small intestine passes down, draws out the last of its fluid, and moves the waste out of the body
• Its channel, from the index finger to beside the nose, is used for the face, the lower teeth, the nose and the throat
• Works as the Yang partner of the Lung: what affects one often shows in the other

The 20 points

Point	Name	Where it is
LI1	商陽 Shāngyáng Shang Yang	At the corner of the index fingernail on the thumb side, a little away from the nail
LI2	二間 Èrjiān Second Space	Thumb side of the index finger, in the dip just in front of the big knuckle
LI3	三間 Sānjiān Third Space	Thumb side of the hand, in the dip just behind the big knuckle of the index finger
LI4	合谷 Hégǔ Joining Valley	Back of the hand, beside the middle of the index finger's hand bone, on the thumb side Caution
LI5	陽谿 Yángxī Yang Stream	Thumb side of the back of the wrist, in the hollow between the two thumb tendons when the thumb is lifted
LI6	偏歷 Piānlì Veering Passage	Back of the forearm on the thumb side, a hand's width above LI5, on the line from LI5 to LI11
LI7	溫溜 Wēnliū Warm Flow	Back of the forearm on the thumb side, five thumb-widths above LI5, on the line from LI5 to LI11
LI8	下廉 Xiàlián Lower Ridge	Outer forearm, four thumb-widths below LI11, on the line from LI5 to LI11
LI9	上廉 Shànglián Upper Ridge	Outer forearm, a hand's width below LI11, on the line from LI5 to LI11
LI10	手三里 Shǒusānlǐ Arm Three Miles	Outer forearm, three fingers below LI11, on the line from LI5 to LI11
LI11	曲池 Qūchí Pool at the Bend	With the elbow bent, at the outer end of the elbow crease, halfway between LU5 and the bony bump of the outer elbow
LI12	肘髎 Zhǒuliáo Elbow Crevice	Outer elbow, a thumb's width above the bony bump of the outer elbow, in front of the ridge of the upper-arm bone
LI13	手五里 Shǒuwǔlǐ Arm Five Miles	Outer upper arm, a hand's width above LI11, on the line from LI11 to LI15
LI14	臂臑 Bìnào Upper Arm	Outer upper arm, at the lower front edge of the shoulder muscle, seven thumb-widths above LI11
LI15	肩髃 Jiānyú Shoulder Bone	Front of the shoulder, in the dip that forms below the tip of the shoulder when the arm is raised to the side
LI16	巨骨 Jùgǔ Great Bone	Top of the shoulder, in the dip between the outer end of the collarbone and the ridge of the shoulder blade
LI17	天鼎 Tiāndǐng Heaven's Tripod	Side of the neck, on the back edge of the big neck muscle, a thumb's width below LI18
LI18	扶突 Fútū Support the Prominence	Side of the neck, level with the Adam's apple, between the two heads of the big neck muscle
LI19	口禾髎 Kǒuhéliáo Mouth Grain Crevice	Upper lip, straight below the outer edge of the nostril, level with the middle of the groove between the nose and the lip
LI20	迎香 Yíngxiāng Welcome Fragrance	Beside the nose, in the smile crease, level with the middle of the outer edge of the nostril