Stomach Meridian
Pathway
The Stomach meridian begins beside the nose, rises to the bridge and the inner corner of the eye, then descends along the cheek and jaw. A branch runs to the upper gum and encircles the lips, meeting its pair at the chin before running up the front of the face to the forehead. The main channel continues from the jaw down the throat, across the collarbone, and along the front of the torso — beside the nipple line and two finger-widths lateral to the navel — then down the front of the thigh and lower leg, crossing to the dorsum of the foot and ending at the second toe. With 45 points it is the longest of the twelve meridians.
Role in TCM theory
- The \"sea of food and drink\" (水穀之海) — the stomach receives, ripens, and \"macerates\" everything eaten and drunk; all other organs draw on this material, which is why the classics call it the body's central granary.
- With the Spleen, the postnatal root (後天之本) — stomach and spleen together transform food into qi and blood. TCM food therapy tradition is, to a large degree, the art of protecting these two organs.
- Governing descent — stomach qi should move downward; the tradition attributes sensations such as fullness, nausea, and reflux-type discomfort to rebellious upward movement of stomach qi.
- Fluent in the classics — the Huangdi Neijing notes that the foot yangming channel \"has abundant qi and blood,\" which is why its points are traditionally used across a wide range of patterns.
Common acupoints on the Stomach meridian
| Point | Name (pinyin) | Location | Traditional use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ST-36 | Zusanli (足三里) | Below the outer knee, one finger-width lateral to the shin bone | The most famous point in East Asian medicine; classically used to support the digestive system, and the site of much modern research |
| ST-25 | Tianshu (天樞) | Two finger-widths lateral to the navel | The front-mu point of the large intestine; traditionally used for abdominal comfort and rhythm |
| ST-4 | Dicang (地倉) | Beside the corner of the mouth | A classic facial point named for its location \"at the granary of the earth\" |
Point locations follow the WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Names (1991). ST-36 is one of the most-studied points in the acupuncture literature; needling must only be performed by a licensed practitioner.
The 7–9 am window
The stomach's two-hour peak covers breakfast time. TCM food therapy tradition considers this the best window for the day's most substantial warm meal, and advises against skipping it or washing it down with iced drinks — the classics describe the stomach as preferring warmth and moistness (胃喜潤惡燥). See the interactive body clock.
Related: all twelve meridians · paired meridian: Spleen (profile coming soon) · Spleen qi deficiency constitution · body clock