督脉者，起于小腹以下骨中央，女子入系廷孔，其孔溺孔之端也。其络循阴器合篡间，
绕篡
后绕臀，至少阴与巨阳中络者合，少阴上股内后廉，贯脊属肾，与太阳起于目内 ，上额交
巅，上入络脑，还出别下项，循肩栗内，侠脊抵腰中，入循膂络肾。其男子循茎下至篡，与
女子等，其小腹直上者，贯脐中央，上贯心入喉，上颐环唇，上系两目之下中央。督脉起于
下极之俞，并于脊里，上至风府，入脑上巅，循额至鼻柱，属阳脉之海也。
任脉与冲脉，皆起于胞中，循脊里，为经络之海。其浮而外者，循腹右上行会于咽喉，
别而
络唇口。血气盛则肌肉热，血独盛则渗灌皮肤，生毫毛。妇人有余于气，不足于血，以其月
事数下，任冲并伤故也。任冲之交脉不荣于唇口，故髭须不生。任脉者起于中极之下，以上
毛际，循腹里，上关元，至喉咙，属阴脉之海也。冲脉与任脉皆起胞中，上循脊里，为经络
之海。其浮于外者，循腹上行，会于咽喉，别而络唇口。又冲脉起于气冲，并足少阴之经，
挟脐上行，会于咽喉，至胸而散。阳跷脉起于跟中，循外踝上行入风池，两足跷脉本太阳之
别，何于太阳，男子数其阳，女子数其阴，当数者为经，不当数者为络也。
阴跷脉起于跟中，循内踝上行至喉咙，交贯冲脉跷脉少阴之别，起于然骨之后，上内跟
之上
，直上循阴股，入阴，上循胸里，入缺盆，上出人迎之前，入 属目内 ，合于太阳。男子
以之为经，女子以之为络，阴跷之 在交信。
阳维脉，维于阳，起于诸阳之会，与阴维皆维络于身，其脉气所发，别于金门，以阳交
为
，与手足太阳及跷脉会于 俞，与手足少阳会于天 ，又会于肩井。其在头也，又与足少阳
会于阳白，上于本神及临泣，上至正营，循于脑空，下至风池。其与督脉会，则在风腑及
门。阴维脉，维于阴，其脉起于诸阴之交，阴维之 ，名曰筑宾。与足太阴会于腹哀大横，
又与足太阴厥阴会于府舍期门，又与任脉会于天突廉泉。
带脉者，起于季胁，围身一周，其脉气所发，在季胁下一寸八分，正名带脉，以其围身
一周如带也，又与足阳会于维道。
督脉，起始于小腹以下骨骼中央。女子进入并联系廷孔，该孔即尿道口末端。其络脉沿生殖器循行，会合于会阴部，环绕肛门后方，至足少阴肾经与足太阳膀胱经的络脉处相合；足少阴肾经上行于大腿内侧后缘，贯穿脊柱，归属于肾；并与足太阳膀胱经起于目内眦，上额部交会于头顶，深入联络脑部，复出分别下行于项部，沿肩胛内侧，夹脊抵达腰中，入里沿肌肉间隙联络肾脏。男子则沿阴茎下行至会阴，与女子相同。其直行部分从下极俞穴直上，贯穿脐中央，向上穿过心脏进入喉咙，上行至面颊环绕嘴唇，向上联系两目下方的中央。督脉起始于长强穴（下极之俞），并行于脊柱内部，上至风府穴，进入脑部上达头顶，沿额部至鼻柱，属于阳脉之海。
任脉与冲脉，都起始于胞宫，沿脊柱内部上行，为经络之海。其浮行于体表的分支，沿腹部右侧上行，会合于咽喉，分支联络口唇。气血旺盛则肌肉发热，血气独盛则渗灌皮肤，生长毫毛。妇人由于月经频繁来潮，导致气有余而血不足，因为任脉和冲脉同时受损的缘故。任脉和冲脉的气血不能荣养口唇，所以胡须不生。任脉起始于中极穴之下，向上至阴毛边缘，沿腹腔内部上行，经过关元穴，到达喉咙，属于阴脉之海。冲脉与任脉都起始于胞宫，向上沿脊柱内部上行，为经络之海。其浮行于体外的分支，沿腹部上行，会合于咽喉，分支联络口唇。另外，冲脉起始于气冲穴，与足少阴肾经并行，挟脐上行，会合于咽喉，至胸部散开。
阳跷脉起始于足跟中部，沿外踝上行进入风池穴。左右两足跷脉本是足太阳膀胱经的别络，为何归属于太阳？男子计算其阳跷脉，女子计算其阴跷脉，应当计算的作为经，不应当计算的作为络。
阴跷脉起始于足跟中部，沿内踝上行至喉咙，交贯冲脉。跷脉是足少阴肾经的别络，起始于然骨穴之后，向上沿内踝之上，直上沿大腿内侧，进入阴部，向上沿胸腔内部，进入缺盆穴，向上出人迎穴之前，进入目内眦，与足太阳膀胱经相合。男子以之为经，女子以之为络，阴跷脉的郄穴在交信穴。
阳维脉，维系于阳经，起始于诸阳经交会之处，与阴维脉共同维系联络全身，其脉气发出的部位，别出于金门穴，以阳交穴为郄穴，与手足太阳经及跷脉会合于附分穴，与手足少阳经会合于天髎穴，又会合于肩井穴。在头部，又与足少阳胆经会合于阳白穴，上行至本神穴和足临泣穴，上行至正营穴，沿脑空穴，下行至风池穴。其与督脉会合的地方，则在风府穴和大椎穴。
阴维脉，维系于阴经，其脉起始于诸阴经交会之处，阴维脉的郄穴名叫筑宾穴。与足太阴脾经会合于腹哀穴和大横穴，又与足太阴脾经、足厥阴肝经会合于府舍穴和期门穴，又与任脉会合于天突穴和廉泉穴。
带脉，起始于季胁，环绕身体一周，其脉气发出的部位，在季胁下一寸八分处，正式名为带脉，因为它环绕身体一周如同腰带一样，又与足少阳胆经会合于维道穴。
The Du Mai (Conception Vessel of the Back) originates from the central area below the lower abdomen and bones. In women, it enters and connects to the Ting Kong (Court Hole), which is the terminal end of the urinary orifice. Its collateral vessels follow the genitalia, converge at the Huiyin (Perineum), circle around the anus posteriorly, and merge with the collateral vessels of the Shaoyin (Kidney Meridian) and Juyang (Bladder Meridian). The Shaoyin ascends along the posterior medial aspect of the thigh, penetrates the spine, and attaches to the Kidneys. It joins with the Taiyang (Bladder Meridian), which begins at the inner canthus of the eye, ascends to the forehead, crosses at the vertex, enters to connect with the brain, emerges again, descends separately down the neck, follows the medial aspect of the scapula, runs alongside the spine to reach the middle of the waist, enters internally to follow the paraspinal muscles and connect with the Kidneys. In men, it follows the penis downward to the perineum, identical to women. The straight branch rises directly from the Xiaji acupoint (Changqiang), passes through the center of the umbilicus, ascends through the heart into the throat, rises to the chin, circles the lips, and ascends to connect with the central point below both eyes. The Du Mai originates at the Xiaji acupoint, runs parallel within the spinal column, ascends to the Fengfu acupoint, enters the brain and reaches the vertex, follows the forehead to the nasal bridge, and is regarded as the Sea of Yang Vessels.
The Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) and Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) both originate from the Baogong (Uterus/Womb), ascend within the spinal column, and serve as the Sea of Meridians and Collaterals. Their branches that float outwardly ascend along the right side of the abdomen, converge at the throat, and branch off to network the lips and mouth. When Qi and Blood are abundant, the muscles become hot; when Blood alone is excessive, it seeps into the skin, generating body hair. Women have an excess of Qi but a deficiency of Blood because their menstrual periods occur frequently, causing injury to both the Ren and Chong vessels. Since the intersecting vessels of Ren and Chong do not nourish the lips and mouth, facial hair does not grow. The Ren Mai originates below the Zhongji acupoint, ascends to the pubic hairline, follows the interior of the abdomen, passes through the Guanyuan acupoint, reaches the throat, and is regarded as the Sea of Yin Vessels. The Chong Mai and Ren Mai both originate from the Baogong, ascend along the spinal column, and are the Sea of Meridians and Collaterals. Their branches floating on the exterior ascend along the abdomen, converge at the throat, and branch off to network the lips and mouth. Additionally, the Chong Mai originates at the Qichong acupoint, runs parallel with the Foot-Shaoyin (Kidney) Meridian, ascends flanking the umbilicus, converges at the throat, and disperses in the chest.
The Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Heel Vessel) originates in the middle of the heel, ascends along the lateral malleolus, and enters the Fengchi acupoint. The two Qiao vessels of the feet are originally divergent branches of the Taiyang (Bladder) Meridian. Why are they associated with Taiyang? For men, the Yang Qiao is counted; for women, the Yin Qiao is counted. The one counted is considered a Main Meridian (Jing), and the one not counted is considered a Collateral (Luo).
The Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Heel Vessel) originates in the middle of the heel, ascends along the medial malleolus to the throat, and intersects with the Chong Mai. The Qiao vessel is a divergent branch of the Foot-Shaoyin (Kidney) Meridian, originating behind the Ran Gu acupoint, ascending above the medial heel, going straight up along the medial thigh, entering the genital region, ascending along the interior of the chest, entering the Quepen acupoint, ascending anterior to the Yingxiang acupoint, entering the inner canthus of the eye, and merging with the Taiyang (Bladder) Meridian. For men, this is counted as a Main Meridian; for women, as a Collateral. The Xi-Cleft point of the Yin Qiao is located at the Jiaoxin acupoint.
The Yang Wei Mai (Yang Linking Vessel) links the Yang meridians, originating at the convergence of all Yang meridians. Together with the Yin Wei Mai, it networks and links the entire body. The points where its Qi issues include Jinmen, with Yangjiao as its Xi-Cleft point. It converges with the Hand and Foot Taiyang and Qiao vessels at the Fufen acupoint, meets the Hand and Foot Shaoyang at the Tianliao acupoint, and also converges at the Jianjing acupoint. In the head, it meets the Foot-Shaoyang at the Yangbai acupoint, ascends to the Benshen and Zulinqi acupoints, continues to the Zhengying acupoint, follows the Naokong acupoint, and descends to the Fengchi acupoint. Its convergence with the Du Mai occurs at the Fengfu and Dazhui acupoints.
The Yin Wei Mai (Yin Linking Vessel) links the Yin meridians, originating at the intersection of all Yin meridians. The Xi-Cleft point of the Yin Wei is named Zhubin. It converges with the Foot-Taiyin (Spleen) at the Fuai and Daheng acupoints, meets the Foot-Taiyin and Foot-Jueyin (Liver) at the Fushu and Qimen acupoints, and also converges with the Ren Mai at the Tiantu and Lianquan acupoints.
The Dai Mai (Girdle Vessel) originates at the hypochondriac region, encircling the body once. The point where its Qi issues is 1.8 cun below the hypochondriac region, formally named Dai Mai, because it encircles the body like a belt. It also converges with the Foot-Shaoyang (Gallbladder) at the Weidao acupoint.