The Bladder Primary Channel

  • Begins at the inner canthus of the eye at Jingming UB1 and ascends along the forehead to the vertex to intersect with Toulinqi GB15, Shenting DU24  and Baihui DU20,
  • From the vertex, a branch descends to the temples in the region above the ear, intersecting the Gallbladder channel at points Qubin GB7, Shuaigu GB8, Tianchong GB9, Fubai GB10, Touqiaoyin GB11 and Wangu GB12,
  • From the vertex, another branch enters the brain, meets the Governing channel at Naohu DU17 and then emerges to descend to the nape of the neck where the channel splits into two branches.

The first (medial) branch:

  • Descends along the posterior aspect of the neck, intersecting Dazhui DU14 and Taodao DU13, then descends alongside the spine, 1.5 cun lateral to the midline, to the lumbar region,
  • Penetrates deep into the interior via the para- vertebral muscles to connect with the Kidneys and link with the Bladder,
  • A sub-branch separates in the lumbar region, descends along the sacrum, crosses the buttock and descends to the popliteal fossa of the knee at Weizhong UB40.

The second (lateral) branch:

  • Separates at the nape of the neck and descends to the medial border of the scapula and then parallel to the spine, 3 cun lateral to the midline, to the gluteal region,
  • Crosses the buttock to intersect at Huantiao GB30, then descends along the postero-lateral aspect of the thigh to meet with the previous branch of the channel in the popliteal fossa at Weizhong UB40,
  • Descends through the gastrocnemius muscle, emerges posterior to the lateral malleolus at Kunlun UB60, then follows along the fifth metatarsal bone to terminate at Zhiyin UB67 at the lateral side of the tip of the fifth toe, where it meets with the Kidney channel.

The Bladder primary channel connects with the following zangfu: Kidneys, Bladder.

The Bladder primary channel meets with other channels at the following points:

  • Baihui DU20
  • Shenting DU24
  • Toulinqi GB15
  • Qubin GB7
  • Shuaigu GB8
  • Tianchong GB9
  • Fubai GB10
  • Touqiaoyin GB11
  • Wangu GB12
  • Naohu DU17
  • Dazhui DU-14
  • Taodao DU-13
  • Huantiao GB-30

Note: although not mentioned in the classical pathway described above, the following points are also traditionally said to be meeting points with the Bladder channel:

  • Binao LI14
  • Naoshu SI10
  • Zhejin GB23