393
Jing Bie
(Divergent Channels)
3
Jing Bie
≈
Divergent
Channels
經別
3.1 Description
The
Jingbie
are described in chapter 11 of the Ling
Shu and in the Jia Yi Jing, book two chapter 1. Both
texts put emphasis on their importance as among the
first to be studied.
”The inexperienced clinician will think they are easy
to understand, while the superior one knows their
difficulty”.
The texts further mention the notion of “separation”
and “union”. In fact these channels separate from their
associated channel to join with their Yin-Yang coupled
pair, hence their name
Bie
別
, signifying to diverge
from or to separate, distinct from, but also collateral.
Both texts refer to the
Jingbie
as the main “
Zheng
”
正
branch or divergence, whereas the
Luo
are referred
to as ramifications “
Luo Bie
”. This explains the con-
fusion that prevails in the literature concerning the
Transversal
Luo
.
There is also reference to entry and exit, that is the
Jingbie
are described to enter in to the depth below, but
to emerge above. They are the only channels to con-
nect with the
Zang-Fu
besides the Primary channels.
Lei Jing book 7, Chapter 3, again stresses the impor-
tance of knowing the principle
Dao
of the 12 channels
and positions the divergent channels as communica-
tions between the head, Heaven and body and organs,
Earth, with the focus on the Kidney ascending to the
Heart, as all
Jingbie
pass through the Heart area.
The
Jingbie
are supposed to start at major articulations
(hips, shoulders and knees), but some believe them to
start at
He
≈
Sea points. These channels are described in
Yin-Yang couples. Although their pathways and their
importance are clearly stated in the above-mentioned
classics, none of these texts mention any specific
symptomatology nor treatment protocols for these
channels. Their
Biao-Li
≈
Exterior-Interior coupling
and the reference to the Five elements, with the Earth
in the central position (cosmogenic order), supports
the presumption that the
Jingbie
complement the Pri-
mary channels, by maintaining the internal rhythms
and communication between the body and the organs
(Earth) with the head (Heaven), whereas the Trans-
versal
Luo
, which are more superficial, would reflect
more on the rhythmic movements of the Five Phases
in relation to the world (microcosm-macrocosm).
Physiology and Function
There are two main functions:
Rhythmic connection between the Zang-Fu
A
rhythmic (Yin-Yang) connection between the
Zang-
Fu
, the internal structures, represented by the Five
Elements in their cosmogenic disposition and the
head.
In fact the
Jingbie
, functioning in Yin-Yang pairs, pen-
etrate and connect with the
Huang
≈
Vital membranes
of the related
Zang-Fu
, which is said to activate them,
they then exit and converge at the throat and the head,
carrying Qi, Blood and fluids to the head. In this man-
ner they play a crucial role in the physiology of the
head and the endocranium.
Fire
Earth
Metal
Wood
Water
Zang-Fu
Gao (Yin)
:
protective membrane
Huang (Yang)
:
permeable membrane
Fig. 1
The “Cosmogenic” disposition of the Five
Elements represents more the “Internal” structure
Fig. 2
The
Gao Huang
concept of protective and
nourishing membranes
