Kidney Meridian of Foot-Shaoyin (KI)
The Kidney Meridian of Foot-Shaoyin is the congenital foundation (prenatal root) of the human body. It is the meridian that has the most connections with the zang-fu organs. This meridian originates from the sole of the foot, terminates at the acupoint Shufu (KI-27) on the chest, and mainly travels along the medial aspect of the lower limb and the anterior aspect of the trunk, running along both sides of the anterior midline.
Active Hours
You hour, Kidney Meridian
Functions
The Lingshu (Spiritual Pivot), in the chapter "Meridians" (Jing Mai), records concerning the Kidney Meridian of Foot-Shaoyin: "...coughing and spitting of blood, wheezing with a hoarse panting sound, inability to sit still and constant desire to stand up, and dim vision as if unable to see clearly..."
Related Conditions
Visceral patterns (Zang-fu symptoms): The kidney governs water and stores essence. When it is in dysfunction, symptoms such as edema, seminal emission, impotence, irregular menstruation, palpitations, susceptibility to fright, deafness and blurred vision, loosening of teeth, and hair loss may occur. Meridian patterns (Jing-luo symptoms): When the Kidney Meridian is diseased, it may easily give rise to vexation and heart pain, insomnia with excessive dreaming, heat in the five centers (palms, soles, and chest), cold hands and feet, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, dizziness and vertigo, and other symptoms.
Daily Care
The kidney is the congenital foundation (prenatal root). It stores the reproductive essence and the essence of the five zang and six fu organs. During the You hour (5:00–7:00 p.m.), the kidney enters its peak period for storing essence. This is the optimal time for sexual activity, as one can engage in it without subsequent worries. For those with impaired kidney function, such as impotence or premature ejaculation, massaging the acupoints along the Kidney Meridian at this time yields the most noticeable results. During evening rest, use your palms or a massage tool to apply patting and tapping stimulation to the acupoints along the pathway of the Kidney Meridian. Each patting session of about 10 minutes is sufficient. For key acupoints such as Yongquan (KI-1) and Taixi (KI-3), they can be massaged individually or treated with moxibustion.
