Secondary Channels and Collaterals

Although much has been written about the 12 regular channels and their place in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, little has been written since the days of the Huang Di Nei Jing about the secondary systems of channels and collaterals. Such omissions have left a great void in the knowledge, application, and research in the subject of channels and collaterals. Even since the foundation of the People’s Republic of China, and the establishment of its system of TCM colleges, more than 95% of modern acupuncture textbooks have concentrated solely on the 12 regular channels.
Professor Wang Qi-cai has written this excellent book to fill this void. An expert in the use of channels and collaterals in the treatment of all kinds of diseases, he has thirty-five years of teaching and clinical experience. He currently teaches and supervises postgraduate students at Nanjing College of TCM in the International Educational College.
The book is divided into eight chapters. The first chapter covers the origin and formation of the theory of channels and collaterals, the history and development of the theory, and the classification of the system of channels and collaterals. Chapters 2 through 8 cover the eight extraordinary vessels, twelve divergent channels and their collaterals, the twelve muscular regions, twelve cutaneous regions, Gen-Origin and Jie-Termination, Biao-Branch and Ben-Root, Qi pathways and Four Seas. The book covers important acupoints for each section and includes references from ancient texts as well as from modern books and journals. Each chapter ends with case studies and commentaries by Professor Wang in which he explains the theory behind each treatment and why it was successful.

Secondary Channels and Collaterals is the first monograph on the extra system of channels and collaterals since the Huang Di Nei Jing (Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor) was compiled 2000 years ago, during the Spring and Autumn and Warrinf Periods. The first chapter covers the origin and formation of the theory and the classification of the system of channels and collaterals. Chapters 2 to 8 concentrate on the eight extraordinary channels, twelve divergent channels and collaterals, the twelve sinew channels, twelve cutaneous regions, Gen-Origin and Jie-Termination, Biao-Branch and Ben-Root, Qi Streets and Four Sees. They are described according to nomenclature, definition, course, manifestation features, physiological function, pathological reaction, related points, clinical application and case analysis.