# Why Do the Chinese Call Meridians "Internal Landscape Tunnels"? The Body's Highway Network Is More Than Just Blood Vessels
A Question
Have you ever experienced this?
Your shoulder is stiff and painful, and the acupuncturist inserts a needle at Zusanli (ST36) on your leg. You look puzzled: "My shoulder hurts, why are you needling my leg?" But a few minutes later, your shoulder actually relaxes. TCM says: "This is the distal effect of the meridians."
Someone has an upset stomach, feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit. A friend presses Neiguan (PC6) on their wrist, and a few minutes later, the nausea disappears. TCM says: "Neiguan connects to the stomach; the meridians are linked." You don't understand: the wrist and the stomach are so far apart—what's the connection?
Someone catches a cold and gets gua sha (scraping) on their back, producing streaks of purplish-red sha. The next day, cold symptoms are greatly reduced. TCM says: "The meridians are unblocked, and the pathogenic qi is dispersed outward." You ask a Western doctor: "Where are the meridians?" The doctor says: "Can't find them. They don't exist in anatomy."
There's another person who has long-term insomnia. They take sleeping pills, can sleep, but wake up even more tired. After three months of TCM treatment, they can sleep without medication. TCM says: "Harmonizing the meridians, qi and blood flow smoothly." You don't understand: meridians are invisible and intangible—how do you "adjust" them?
You ask a Western doctor: "What exactly are meridians doing?" The doctor says: "A TCM concept with no anatomical counterpart."
You ask a TCM practitioner: "What exactly are meridians doing?" The old doctor says: "The meridians internally belong to the zang-fu organs and externally connect to the limbs and joints."
Even more surprising, the ancients had no microscopes, no X-rays, no CT scans, yet they used "internal landscape tunnels" to precisely describe the body's network system. The twelve primary channels, the eight extraordinary meridians, the fifteen connecting vessels—this network covers the entire body, connecting the zang-fu organs and the limbs. Without microscopes, how did they discover this?
Traditional Chinese Explanation
The concept of "meridians" (jing luo) in the Huangdi Neijing is defined as "internal landscape tunnels"—"internal landscape" means the scenery inside the body; "tunnels" means the channels through which qi and blood flow. The ancients' observations were very direct: needling a certain acupuncture point could relieve distant symptoms; pressing a certain point could improve the corresponding zang-fu organ; emotional suppression could cause stiffness in certain body parts. They discovered that inside the body there is an invisible network connecting all the zang-fu organs and limbs.
TCM divides meridians into two levels:
The Twelve Primary Channels—like twelve highways. Each primary channel connects one zang-fu organ and one corresponding limb area. Hand Taiyin Lung Channel, Hand Yangming Large Intestine Channel, Foot Yangming Stomach Channel... The twelve primary channels are symmetrically distributed, covering the entire body. Qi and blood flow within the primary channels, just like traffic flows on a highway. When a primary channel is blocked, the corresponding zang-fu organ and limb will both have problems.
The Eight Extraordinary Meridians—like eight national roads. The extraordinary meridians do not directly connect to the zang-fu organs; instead, they regulate the distribution of qi and blood in the twelve primary channels. The Ren, Du, Chong, and Dai channels... are like the nation's traffic control center, responsible for regulating the traffic flow on each highway. Among them, the Du channel is the "sea of yang meridians," governing the yang qi of the whole body; the Ren channel is the "sea of yin meridians," governing the yin qi of the whole body. Once the Ren and Du channels are open, the qi and blood of the entire body flow smoothly.
Meridians have three core functions in TCM theory:
Transporting qi and blood—meridians are the channels through which qi and blood flow. Qi is the body's energy; blood is the body's nourishment. Qi and blood are transported through the meridians to the entire body, nourishing the zang-fu organs, bones, tendons, and skin. When meridians are blocked, qi and blood can't reach where they need to go, resulting in "where there is pain, there is blockage; where there is free flow, there is no pain."
Connecting the zang-fu organs—meridians connect the zang-fu organs and the limbs. When an internal organ has a problem, it manifests on the corresponding meridian (such as tenderness, nodules, or discoloration). Conversely, stimulating points on the meridian can regulate the corresponding zang-fu organ. This is what "internally belonging to the zang-fu organs, externally connecting to the limbs and joints" means—the inside and outside of the body are connected into one through the meridians.
Transmitting information—meridians are the body's information optical cables. The body's perception, reaction, and regulation are all transmitted through the meridians. Needling an acupuncture point sends a signal through the meridian to a distant zang-fu organ; emotional changes affect internal organ function through the meridians. Meridians are not only transport channels but also information highways.
So, the "meridians" the ancients spoke of are not blood vessels (blood vessels are the pipes, qi and blood are the functions), nor are they nerves (nerves conduct electrical signals, meridians conduct qi and blood), but rather an independent network system—connecting, transporting, and transmitting. The ancients used "internal landscape tunnels" to describe them, meaning: you can't see them, but you can feel their effects.
Alright, now let's translate "meridians" into modern language.
I'm not going to talk about fascial networks, neuro-vascular-lymphatic complexes, or intercellular signal transduction. Too complicated. You just need to remember one metaphor:
That's it. Your "meridians," essentially, are the body's transport, connection, and information network—responsible for moving qi and blood, connecting the zang-fu organs, and transmitting information.
Specifically:
What do meridians correspond to? Meridians are not a single anatomical structure, but rather a comprehensive functional manifestation of the fascial network, neurovascular bundles, lymphatic channels, and intercellular fluid network. Modern research has found that the pathways of meridians highly coincide with the distribution of fascia (connective tissue); acupuncture points are often dense convergence points of nerves, blood vessels, and lymphatics. Meridians are not an organ; they are a cross-system functional network.
What does "transporting qi and blood" correspond to? It corresponds to blood circulation, lymphatic circulation, and interstitial fluid flow. Blood transports oxygen and nutrients; lymph transports immune cells and metabolic waste; interstitial fluid diffuses between cells. The three together constitute the body's "transport system." But the "qi" of meridians is not just blood and lymph; it also includes bioelectricity, electromagnetic fields, and cellular signaling molecules and other broader forms of energy and information.
What does "transmitting information" correspond to? It corresponds to the nervous system and the endocrine system. Nerves conduct electrical signals; the endocrine system secretes hormones; both together regulate body functions. But the information transmission of meridians is not just nerves and hormones; it also includes fascial tension conduction, chemical signals in intercellular fluid, and electromagnetic field changes in tissues. Acupuncture stimulation of points can activate local nerves, blood vessels, lymphatics, and immune cells, producing a cascade reaction—this is the modern explanation of "meridian conduction."
So, "meridians" are not mysticism. They are a functional metaphor—describing the body's transport, connection, and information network. The ancients used "internal landscape tunnels" as a summary; modern people use "fascial networks, neurovascular bundles, and bioelectromagnetic fields" to describe them—they are talking about the same thing. Only the ancients described them by function, while modern people disassemble them by structure. Same function, different names.
Real-Life Cases
Four vignettes to instantly show you what "meridians" really are.
Case One: Acupuncture Treating Shoulder Pain.
Shoulder stiffness and pain; the acupuncturist inserts a needle at Zusanli (ST36) on the leg, and a few minutes later the shoulder relaxes. You don't understand: the shoulder hurts, why needle the leg?
The truth: Zusanli is a point on the Foot Yangming Stomach Channel, and the stomach channel runs through the front of the shoulder. Needling Zusanli transmits signals through the stomach channel, regulating local qi and blood circulation and muscle tension in the shoulder. Modern research shows that needling acupuncture points can activate local sensory nerves; signals travel through the spinal cord to the brain, and the brain then releases endorphins and other analgesic substances while simultaneously regulating distant muscle tension. It's not "magical remote control"; it's a neuro-humoral-network cascade. But TCM's description of "meridian distal treatment" for this remote effect is accurate.
Case Two: Neiguan Point Stops Vomiting.
Stomach upset, feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit. Pressing Neiguan (PC6) on the wrist, and a few minutes later the nausea disappears. You don't understand: what connection does the wrist have with the stomach?
The truth: Neiguan is a point on the Hand Jueyin Pericardium Channel, located near the median nerve in the forearm. Pressing Neiguan stimulates the median nerve, and through the vagus nerve reflex, inhibits excessive stomach peristalsis and gastric acid secretion. At the same time, nerve signals regulate the vomiting center in the brain, reducing nausea. It's not "mysticism"; it's precise regulation of nerve reflexes. But TCM's description of "the pericardium channel connecting to the stomach" for this connection is also functionally accurate.
Case Three: Back Gua Sha for a Cold.
After catching a cold, getting gua sha on the back produces streaks of purplish-red sha. The next day, cold symptoms are reduced. TCM says "the meridians are unblocked, and pathogenic qi is dispersed outward."
The truth: Gua sha causes local micro-injury through mechanical stimulation, leading to capillary rupture and the release of inflammatory factors. These factors activate the immune system, enhancing local blood flow and lymphatic return, promoting the elimination of metabolic waste. At the same time, gua sha stimulates nerve endings on the back, regulating internal organ function through spinal reflexes. The sha is an immune response triggered by local micro-damage, not "detoxification," but it indeed promotes the body's self-repair. TCM uses "pathogenic qi dispersing outward" to describe this process. Although the language is different, the effect is real.
Case Four: Long-Term Insomnia, Meridian Regulation Works.
Long-term insomnia; taking sleeping pills allows sleep but waking up is even more exhausting. After three months of TCM treatment, sleep is possible without medication. TCM says "harmonizing the meridians, qi and blood flow smoothly."
The truth: Long-term insomnia is related to autonomic nervous system dysfunction, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) imbalance, and neurotransmitter imbalances (such as GABA, 5-HT). TCM's meridian regulation (acupuncture, tuina massage, herbal medicine) achieves multi-target regulation of the nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system. Acupuncture can promote the release of endorphins and GABA, lower cortisol levels, and improve sleep structure. It's not a "mysterious force"; it's multi-system, multi-target comprehensive regulation. TCM's summary of "harmonizing the meridians" for this whole-body regulation is also fitting.
Four cases, one underlying logic: meridians are not blood vessels, nor nerves, but the body's network system. They connect the zang-fu organs and the limbs, transmit information and energy, and regulate whole-body function.
Modern Research
Are there scientific studies on "meridians"?
Yes, and many. Scientists don't use the word "meridian," but they have discovered the same network:
• Fascial Network. In 2018, research funded by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that fascia (connective tissue wrapping muscles, organs, and blood vessels) forms a continuous network throughout the body. Fascia not only has a supportive role but can also conduct mechanical force, transmit cellular signals, and transport fluids. The pathways of meridians highly coincide with the layering and connections of fascia. Scientists have even found that the hyaluronic acid layer within fascia has electrical conductivity, which may be the physical basis of "qi." The fascial network is the anatomical counterpart of meridians.
• Low-Resistance Characteristics of Meridians. In the 1950s, Japanese researcher Yoshio Nakatani discovered that the skin resistance at acupuncture points is lower than in the surrounding areas, and these low-resistance points highly coincide with classical meridian charts. Subsequent research with more precise instruments has confirmed that there are electrical current and electromagnetic field changes along the meridian pathways. This shows that meridians are not purely conceptual but have physical measurability—they may be composite conductive pathways of fascia, blood vessels, and nerves.
• Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Studies. American scientists used fMRI to study acupuncture and found that needling different points can activate different functional areas of the brain. For example, needling Zusanli activates brain regions related to gastrointestinal function; needling Hegu (LI4) activates brain regions related to facial sensation. This demonstrates that there are neural network connections between points, the brain, and the zang-fu organs—evidence in neuroscience for the meridians' information transmission function.
These studies fully demonstrate that "meridians" are a system that can be gradually revealed using modern scientific language. The ancients used "internal landscape tunnels" as a summary; modern people use "fascial networks, low-resistance pathways, and neural connections" to describe them—they are talking about the same body network, just from different observation angles.
Practical Methods
Now that you understand "meridians," how do you unblock them?
First, dispel a few misconceptions:
• Meridians are superstition; anatomy can't find them. Anatomy indeed cannot find a single independent "meridian," but fascial networks, neurovascular bundles, and low-resistance pathways are all measurable. Meridians are not a line but a functional network—described by function, not defined by structure.
• Once meridians are unblocked, you won't get any disease. Meridian regulation is an auxiliary method, not a panacea. Serious illness requires comprehensive treatment; you can't rely solely on "unblocking meridians." Unblocked meridians mean good qi and blood flow, but it does not guarantee you won't get sick.
Specific methods:
• Moderate exercise to unblock meridians. Exercise is the best way to unblock meridians. Tai chi, ba duan jin, and yoga, through slow, stretching movements, stretch the fascia, stimulate the points, and promote blood circulation. Brisk walking, swimming, and cycling can also enhance whole-body qi and blood flow. Exercise is the cheapest medicine for "unblocking meridians"—no tools needed, just move.
• Massage points for local regulation. Learn a few commonly used points: Hegu (LI4, for pain relief), Zusanli (ST36, for qi tonification), Neiguan (PC6, for stopping vomiting/calming the mind), Taichong (LR3, for soothing the liver). Press each for 5–10 minutes daily, with moderate pressure until a sore, swollen sensation is felt. Points are the "interfaces" on the meridians—pressing them is activating the interface, mobilizing the corresponding function. We'll go into detail when we talk about points later.
• Moxibustion for warm unblocking. Moxibustion promotes local blood circulation and warms and unblocks the meridians through thermal stimulation. Suitable for cold-damp constitution (cold hands and feet, aversion to cold, joint pain). Commonly used points: Guanyuan (CV4), Qihai (CV6), Zusanli (ST36), and Mingmen (GV4). Moxibustion for 15–20 minutes each time; pay attention to temperature to avoid burns. Warmth brings flow; cold brings stagnation—warmth is the meridians' best friend.
• Avoid prolonged sitting to prevent meridian stagnation. Prolonged sitting is the killer of meridians. Maintaining one posture for a long time causes fascial adhesion, qi and blood stagnation, and muscle stiffness. Every hour of sitting, get up and move for 5–10 minutes, stretch the limbs, rotate the neck, and twist the waist. Let the qi and blood flow, and the meridians won't be blocked.
• Regulate emotions to unblock the liver channel. Emotional suppression is an important cause of meridian stagnation. The liver governs free flow; when emotions are blocked, the liver channel is stagnant. Find emotional outlets—exercise, talking to someone, art, meditation. When emotions are smooth, the liver channel is open; when the liver channel is open, the qi mechanism of the whole body flows smoothly. Emotions are the best "meridian unblocker."
These methods don't require you to believe in TCM. You just need to understand: meridians are the body's highway network—they need exercise to stay open, points for regulation, warmth for maintenance, movement to prevent stagnation, and emotions to keep the flow smooth.
One-Minute Summary
🕐 One Minute to Understand "Meridians"
Meridians = The body's highway network + information optical cables.
The twelve primary channels are like twelve highways; the eight extraordinary meridians are like eight national roads.
Meridians = Fascial network + neurovascular bundles + low-resistance pathways, a composite functional system.
Meridians are not blood vessels, nor nerves; they are a network of connection, transport, and information.
Causes: prolonged sitting, emotional suppression, cold-damp invasion, lack of exercise, trauma.
Methods: moderate exercise, massage points, moxibustion for warm unblocking, avoid prolonged sitting, regulate emotions.
The ancients called them "internal landscape tunnels"; modern people call them "fascial networks and neural connections."
Different names, but the body knows: when meridians are open, qi and blood flow smoothly.
xiaokz 小筷子 · Concept 33
Using the language of modern science to help the world understand Chinese traditional wisdom.
No mysticism, no superstition, no belittlement.
Understanding, not just believing.