Gall bladder channel of foot shaoyang, Chinese woodcut, Ming

Diagram of the gall bladder channel of foot shaoyang, woodcut illustration from Xu Shi zhenjiu daquan (Mr Xu's Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion), first published in 1439. The gall bladder channel of foot shaoyang is ruled by the first of the ten Heavenly Stems (jia) in conjunction with the sixth of the Earthly Branches (si). The gall bladder draws Qi.

Picture Title: Zu shaoyang dan zhi jing (The gall bladder channel of foot shaoyang) Other lettering: Jia day: in the xu time period (7:00 - 9:00 pm) of a jia day, the gall bladder channel opens at qiaoyin (acupoint), which is a well (jing) point with the attribute of metal. In the zi time period (11:00 pm - 1:00 am) on a bing day, the small intestine channel opens at qiangu (Front Valley), which is a spring (yin) point with the attribute of water. In the yin time period (3:00 - 5:00 am) on a wu day, the stomach channel opens at xiangu (Sunken Valley), which is a stream (shu) point with the attribute of water; it traverses qiuxu (Mound of Ruins), the liver source point, which is a source point with the attribute of wood, during the yin time period. In the chen time period (7:00 - 9:00 am) on a geng day, the large intestine channel opens at yangxi (Yang Stream), which is a river (jing) point with the attribute of fire. In the wu time period (11:00 am - 1:00 pm) on a ren day, the bladder channel opens at weizhong (Middle of the Crook), which is a sea (he) point with the attribute of earth. In the shen time period (3:00 - 5:00 pm) of a jia day, Qi is received at yemen (Fluid Portal), which is a spring (ying) point with the attribute of water. Jia has the attribute of wood; as wood is born of water, these agents engender each other like mother and child