We know that the body has twelve meridians, and regularly practicing meridian massage is very beneficial to health. The names of the body’s twelve meridians are: Hand – Shaoyin – Heart Meridian, Foot – Shaoyin – Spleen Meridian, Hand – Jueyin – Pericardium Meridian, Foot – Jueyin – Liver Meridian, Hand – Taiyin – Large Intestine Meridian, Foot – Taiyin – Spleen Meridian, Hand – Taiyang – Small Intestine Meridian, Foot – Taiyang – Bladder Meridian, Hand – Shaoyang – Triple Burner Meridian, Foot – Shaoyang – Gallbladder Meridian, Hand – Yangming – Small Intestine Meridian, Foot – Yangming – Gallbladder Meridian.

These twelve meridians each connect to the twelve internal organs of the body, so they are all named after the connecting internal organs. Among them, Sanjiao refers to the entire chest of a person, the Pericardium is a region that maintains the heart, serving as its natural barrier, and the others are relatively easy to understand. It is very important to remember the names of these twelve internal organs. If you feel discomfort in any part of your body, if it is along the meridian passing through that place, it will come out as a match. From the perspective of the order of the twelve meridians, they are divided into two groups, one according to the hands and feet, and the other according to the Yin and Yang.

Meridian Time Expression

1. Lung Meridian of Hand Taiyin

The early morning hours (3 a.m. to 5 a.m.) – the Large Intestine meridian is旺盛. When you sleep soundly during this time, your complexion is rosy and your essence is full; – ‘The lung leads the hundred vessels.’ After the liver breaks the old and establishes the new blood in the hour of Ox, it presents the fresh blood to the lung, which distributes it throughout the body.

2. The Small Intestine Meridian of the hand

In the early morning (5 am to 7 am) – the Small Intestine meridian is strong. The intestines are active at this time, and the body’s waste products are excreted; ‘The lung is in a mutual exterior relationship with the intestines.’

3. The Stomach Meridian of the foot

In the early morning (7 am to 9 am) – the liver-gallbladder meridian is strong. Eating breakfast in the early morning at this time is easy to digest and absorb, and the digestion is the best.

4. The Spleen Meridian of the foot

In the morning (9 am to 11 am) – the Spleen meridian is strong. The spleen meridian is strong at this time, promoting blood production and the state of the human body; ‘The spleen governs transformation and the transportation of Qi, and controls blood.’

The Heart Meridian of the hand

At noon (11 am to 1 pm) – the Heart meridian is strong. A short rest at noon helps to calm the mind, improve sleep, and nourish the essence; ‘The heart governs the spirit, connects with the tongue, and its radiance is on the face.’

The Small Intestine Meridian of the hand

In the afternoon (1 pm to 3 pm) – the Small Intestine meridian is strong. At this time, the clear and turbid are separated, and drinking water can reduce fire; the colon separates the clear and turbid, sends the dampness to the bladder, and excretes the dregs into the intestines, with the essence being transported upwards to the spleen.

The Bladder Meridian of the foot

In the afternoon (3 pm to 5 pm) – the Bladder meridian is strong. The body fluid is sufficient at this time, nourishing the body and making it comfortable; the bladder stores dampness and body fluid, and the dampness is excreted outside the body, while the body fluid circulates in the body.

The Kidney Meridian of the foot

In the afternoon (5 pm to 7 pm) – the Spleen meridian is strong. The kidney stores essence at this time, and the original Qi is clear; ‘The kidney stores the essence of reproduction and the essence of the five internal organs. The kidney is the source of congenital Qi.’

The Pericardium Meridian of the hand

In the evening (7 pm to 9 pm) – the Pericardium meridian is strong. The Pericardium protects the heart, relieves stress, and makes the heart comfortable; ‘The Pericardium is the outer membrane of the heart, with multiple functions, and is the pathway for the circulation of Qi.’

The Sanjiao Meridian of the hand

In the evening (9 pm to 11 pm) – the Sanjiao meridian is strong. The meridians are open at this time, promoting health and beauty. The Sanjiao is the largest of the six bowels, with the function of governing all Qi and transporting waterways.

The Gallbladder Meridian of the foot

In the late night (11 pm to 1 am) – the liver-gallbladder meridian is strong. Sufficient sleep at this time prevents dark circles under the eyes; according to traditional Chinese medicine theory: ‘The liver is at ease, Qi is released to the bright gallbladder, and accumulates to cultivate immortality.’

The Liver Meridian of the foot

In the early hours (1 am to 3 am) – the liver meridian is strong. Not going to bed late in the early hours prevents facial spots; according to traditional Chinese medicine theory: ‘The liver stores blood.’ ‘When people sleep, blood returns to the liver.’

What are the benefits of massaging the 12 meridians of the body?

Promote blood circulation and relieve pain

Massage can help the blood and Qi to operate normally, improve the human body’s blood circulation system, unblock the meridians, and relieve human pain. If it is due to traumatic injuries, the location can also be corrected by bone-setting techniques.

Regulate function

The superficial acupoints and our internal organs are the same. Therefore, we can use massage to stimulate the superficial acupoints, which can achieve the effect of nourishing the five internal organs and six bowels, and maintaining a stable yin-yang balance.

Relieve fatigue

According to some acupoints on the human body with a stimulating effect, it can eliminate fatigue from both the body and the mind. For example, if one’s eyes feel tired due to overuse, they can perform some massage and health care on their own to improve visual fatigue and enhance work efficiency.