The Conception Vessel
The Conception Vessel
The Conception Vessel Primary Pathway
It starts (below Zhongji REN-3) in the uterus in females and the lower abdomen in males and comes out at Huiyin REN-1 in the perineum. It ascends along the midline of the abdomen, chest, throat, and jaw, ending at Chengjiang REN-24. The interior part of the meridian goes around the mouth, links with the Governing vessel at Yinjiao DU-28 and ends under the eye at Chengqi ST-1.
A branch begins in the pelvic cavity and goes into the spine and ascends along the back.
Also, note Changqiang DU-1 is grouped as a meeting point of the Conception and Governing vessels, even though it is not usually indicated as so on illustrations of the Conception vessel primary pathway.
The Conception Luo-Connecting Vessel
It descends from Jiuwei REN-15 and scatters over the abdomen.
The Conception vessel is one of 8 extraordinary vessels, however along with the Governing vessel is unique among these 8 in that it has its own acupuncture points. For this reason, the Conception and Governing vessels are typically included with the 12 primary meridians (and together called the 14 meridians). The other 6 extraordinary vessels have no points of their own, passing instead via points of the 14 meridians.
The Conception vessel is mainly accepted to be the meridian that ascends along the midline of the anterior of the body. As the above explanation indicates, though, a branch goes into the spine and ascends along the back while a branch of the Governing vessel additionally ascends along the midline of the anterior of the body. Li Shi-zhen thus said “The Conception and Governing vessels are like midnight and midday, they are the polar axis of the body… there is one source and 2 branches, one goes to the front and the other to the back of the body… When we try to divide these, we see that yin and yang are inseparable. When we try to see them as one, we see that it is an indivisible whole.”
As far as the pathway of the Conception vessel is concerned, it is vital to note that:
Based on the Spiritual Pivot the Conception vessel begins in the uterus in females. The primary meridian moves around the mouth and ends under the eye.
The actions of the points of the Conception vessel can be explained as follows:
Treating disorders of their local region. All Conception vessel points under the umbilicus treat diseases of urination and defecation, genital disorders, stagnation in the lower abdomen and uterine and menstrual illnesses. Shenque REN-8 and Shuifen REN-9 treat diseases of the intestines and abdomen.
From Xiawan REN-10 up to Xuanji REN-21 all the Conception vessel points treat stagnation and rebellion of Stomach qi, even when their position is high up on the chest. From Shangwan REN-13 upwards, most points treat diseases of the Heart, and from Juque REN-14 upwards, of the Lung and chest.
Located on the soft, yielding and yin anterior surface of the body, the Conception vessel points permit direct access to the zangfu. Six of the front-mu points hence are found on this meridian (Zhongji REN-3: the Bladder, Guanyuan REN-4: the Small Intestine, Shimen REN-5: the Sanjiao, Zhongwan REN-12: the Stomach, Juque REN-14: the Heart, Shanzhong REN-17: the Pericardium). In most instances these are basically vital points to control their respective zangfu.
The lower abdomen is the place of the dantian (cinnabar field), the home of the deepest energies of the body. Guanyuan REN-4 and Qihai REN-6 are thus among the most vital tonifying and nurturing points of the body. Along with Shenque REN-8, they are additionally capable of saving yang and resolving consciousness in instances of yang collapse.
It is vital to note that while the Conception vessel itself ascends along the midline of the abdomen and chest, most of the Conception vessel points in these areas have a robust descending action, especially in connection to the Lung and Stomach functions. Therefore, all the points from Shuifen REN-9 to Xuanji REN-21 are suggested for rebellion of Stomach qi appearing as nausea, vomiting, difficult ingestion etc., whereas all the points from Jiuwei REN-15 to Tiantu REN-22 are suggested for rebellion of Lung qi appearing as cough, dyspnea, fullness of the chest etc.
Reference and Photo courtesy of: A Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman, Mazin Al-Khafaji and Kevin Baker