SMALL INTESTINE MERIDIAN
FOOD IS LIQUIFIED AND PARTIALLY DIGESTED IN THE STOMACH, BUT MOST DIGESTION TAKES PLACE IN THE SMALL INTESTINE. THE PANCREAS AND LIVER BOTH CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIGESTIVE JUICES OF THE SMALL INTESTINE. THE SMALL INTESTINE IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ABSORPTION OF FOOD, SALT AND WATER INTO THE BLOOD.
THE SMALL INTESTINE IS ABOUT 20 FEET LONG. THE FIRST 10-12 INCHES ARE KNOWN AS THE DUODENUM, WHICH CONNECTS TO THE STOMACH. THE NEXT EIGHT FEET ARE CALLED THE JEJUNUM, AND THE LAST 11 FEET ARE CALLED THE ILIEUM. THE ILIEUM CONNECTS TO THE LARGE INTESTINE.
THE NEI CHING SAYS " THE SMALL INTESTINES ARE LIKE THE OFFICIALS WHO ARE TRUSTED WITH RICHES, AND CREATE CHANGES OF THE PHYSICAL SUBSTANCE". THE "SORTING OF THE PURE AND IMPURE" RELATES TO MORE THAN JUST FOOD. IDEAS, EMOTIONS, EVEN SIGHTS AND SOUNDS NEED TO BE SORTED AND THE NON-USEFUL DISCARDED. THE SMALL INTESTINE MERIDIAN CLARIFIES INFORMATION FOR THE HEART, THE SUPREME RULER.
THE PRIMARY SMALL INTESTINE CHANNEL
PATHWAY:
THE HAND TAI YANG SMALL INTESTINE CHANNEL STARTS ON THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE LITTLE FINGER TIP AND TRAVELS ALONG THE ULNAR SIDE OF THE HAND TO THE WRIST, EMERGING AT THE ULNAR STYLOID PROCESS. CONTINUING UP THE POSTERIOR ASPECT OF THE ULNA, IT PASSES BETWEEN THE OLECRANON OF THE ULNA AND THE MEDIAL EPICONDYLE OF THE HUMERUS ON THE MEDIAL SIDE OF THE ELBOW. IT THEN RUNS UP THE POSTEROMEDIAL SIDE OF THE UPPER ARM, EMERGING BEHIND THE SHOULDER JOINT AND CIRCLING AROUND THE SUPERIOR AND INFERIOR FOSSAE OF THE SCAPULA. AT THE TOP OF THE SHOULDER IT INTERSECTS THE FOOT TAI YANG BLADDER CHANNEL AT B 41 AND B 11, CONNECTING WITH THE GOVERNING VESSEL AT GV 14 BEFORE TURNING DOWNWARD INTO THE SUPRACLAVICULAR FOSSA. HERE IT SUBMERGES, CONNECTS WITH THE HEART AND FOLLOWS THE OESOPHAGUS DOWN THROUGH THE DIAPHRAGM TO THE STOMACH. IT THEN INTERSECTS WITH THE CONCEPTION VESSEL INTERNALLY AT CV 14 AND CV 12 BEFORE HOMING TO THE SMALL INTESTINE.
A BRANCH SEPARATES FROM THE CHANNEL AT THE SUPRACLAVICULAR FOSSA AND RUNS UP THE NECK TO THE CHEEK. IT THEN TRAVELS TO THE OUTER CANTHUS OF THE EYE WHERE IT MEETS THE FOOT SHAO YANG GALLBLADDER CHANNEL AT GB 1 AND THEN TURNS BACK ACROSS THE TEMPLE TO ENTER THE EAR AT SI 19.
ANOTHER BRANCH BREAKS OFF AT THE MANDIBLE, RISES TO THE INFRAORBITAL REGION, AND CONTINUES TO THE INNER CANTHUS WHERE IT MEETS THE FOOT TAI YANG BLADDER CHANNEL AT B 1. IT THEN CROSSES HORIZONTALLY TO THE ZYGOMATIC REGION.
THE SPIRTUAL AXIS CLAIMS THAT ANOTHER BRANCH DESCENDS INTERNALLY FROM THE SMALL INTESTINE TO EMERGE AT ST 39, THE LOWER UNITING-HE POINT OF THE SMALL INTESTINE.