Governing Vessel

Pathway for Governing Vessel Primary pathway

The external pathway:

• Like the Directing and Penetrating Vessels, the Governing Vessel originates from the Uterus in females and the lower abdomen in males. Some books claim that all three Extradentary Vessels starts from the same origin, Gate of Life (命门 Ming Men), which is the space between the Kidneys. 
• It passes Huiyin REN-1 at the perineum, which is the meeting point between the Directing and Governing Vessel. 
• After running through Changqiang DU-1 between the coccyx and the anus, it ascends posteriorly along the midline of the sacrum and the spinal column. 
• Points from Yaoyangguang DU-3 to Yamen DU-15 are located in the depression below the spinous process of a cervical, thoracic or lumber vertebrae. 
  • Yaoyangguang DU-3 under L4
  • Mingmen DU-4 under L2
  • Xuanshu DU-5 under L1
  • Jizhong DU-6 under T12
  • Zhongshu DU-7 under T11
  • Jinsuo DU-8 under T9
  • Zhiyang DU-9 under T7
  • Lingtai DU-10 under T6
  • Shendao DU-11 under T5
  • Shenzhu DU-12 under T3
  • Taodao DU-13 under T1
  • Dazhui DU-14 under C7
  • Yamen DU-15 under C1
• From Fengfu DU-16 on the lower border of the occipital bone, a branch enters the Brain. 
• While the primary pathway continues ascending to the vertex at Baihui DU-20. 
• It then descends along the midline to the forehead and to the tip of the nose at Suliao DU-25. 
• Afterwards, it runs down further to Renzhong DU-26 between the nose and the upper lips. 
• Finally the pathway terminates at YinJiao DU-28, located beneath the upper frenulum. It is also the meeting point with Directing Vessel and Stomach Channel. 

Branches: 

• 1st Branch: One internal branch starts at the lower abdomen, passing through Huiyin REN-1 and the tip of the coccyx, where its join the Kidney primary Channel. It then ascends the interior of the spinal column and enters the Kidneys. 
• 2nd Branch: The second branch is also an internal one. It originates from the lower abdomen, passing through Huiyin REN-1 and around the external genitalia, ascending to the umbilicus, running through the Heart and continuing to the throat. It then encircles the lips and ascends to below the middle of the eyes at Chengqi  ST-1. 
• 3rd Branch: The third branch starts externally from Jingming BL-1, medial to the inner eye canthus. The bilateral branches merge at Baihui DU-20 at the vertex and enter the brain internally. Then the single Channel exists at Fengfu DU-16 on the lower border of the occipital bone, where it splits again, descends through Fengmen BL-12 and finally reaches the Kidneys. 

Pathway for Governing Luo-Connecting Vessel

• It originates and splits from the Changqiang DU-1 between the anus and the tip of coccyx. 
• It then ascends bilaterally along the sides of the spine to the neck. 
• From that area, it spreads over the top of the head. 
• At the scapulae, a branch connects to the Bladder Channel and threads through the upper spine.