10/12/2026
12 Meridians Series — Week 2, Lesson 6: The Bladder and Its Channel
Last week, we focused on the Kidneys. This week, we continue with the Water element and look at their Yang partner—the Bladder. We will start with what the physical bladder does, its role in Chinese medicine, and the pathway of its channel.
Name: Bladder Channel of Foot Taiyang—“Greater Yang”
Nature: Yang
Paired channel: Kidney—Yin
Element: Water
Traditional two-hour period: 3–5 p.m.
Acupuncture points: 67 on each side of the body.
In the traditional Chinese medicine clock, 3–5 p.m. is associated with the Bladder channel. This is part of the traditional system and does not mean the physical bladder only works during these hours.
The physical bladder is a hollow, muscular organ located in the lower pelvis. It receives urine from the kidneys through the ureters and stores it until it is time to urinate. As the bladder fills, its walls stretch and nerves signal the brain. When we urinate, the bladder muscle contracts and the muscles controlling the outlet relax, allowing urine to leave through the urethra. The kidneys filter the blood and produce urine; the bladder stores and releases it.
In Chinese medicine, the Bladder’s ability to store and release urine is described through a process called Qi transformation. This function relies on the support of Kidney Qi and Kidney Yang. The Kidneys and Bladder work together as the Yin–Yang partnership of the Water element, helping regulate fluids and their elimination within this traditional model.
The Bladder channel begins at Jingming, Bladder 1, near the inner corner of the eye. It travels upward over the forehead to the crown of the head, where a branch extends toward the upper part of the ear. An internal branch connects with the brain, then returns to the surface at the back of the head and continues down the neck.
From the neck, the channel follows two main lines down each side of the back. The inner line runs beside the spine through the upper and lower back, with an internal branch connecting to the Kidneys and Bladder. The outer line travels along the shoulder blade region and continues toward the buttocks. The pathways travel down the back of the thighs and meet behind the knee.
From there, the channel continues down the calf and passes behind the outer ankle at Kunlun, Bladder 60. It follows the outer side of the foot and ends at Zhiyin, Bladder 67, near the outer corner of the little toenail. Here, the traditional pathway connects with the Kidney channel we discussed last week.
One important feature of the Bladder channel is the Back-Shu points along the inner line of the back. These points are traditionally associated with the different internal organ systems. This helps explain why the Bladder channel is used in Chinese medicine for much more than urinary concerns.
Shenshu, Bladder 23, is the Kidney Back-Shu point, located on each side of the lower back. Although it belongs to the Bladder channel, it has a strong traditional relationship with the Kidneys. We work with Shenshu repeatedly in Dayan Qigong. Here are three examples from our two main forms.
In movement 25 of the 1st 64, Single Wing Spread, the Hegu points direct Qi toward the Shenshu areas while Qi is gathered through Laogong and enters the Dantian. This gives the hand positions a specific purpose within the movement’s energetic explanation.
In movement 52 of the 1st 64, Folding the Wings Behind the Back, both Hegu points face Shenshu, and the hands vibrate to direct Qi into the Kidney region. The traditional explanation describes this as nourishing the Kidneys and activating the Fire of Mingmen. It also connects the movement with opening the Bladder and Small Intestine channels.
In movement 12 of the 2nd 64, Conducting Qi Through the Outer Ankle Bone, one hand’s Hegu point faces Shenshu while the other hand’s Laogong faces the outer ankle. The waist serves as the axis as the body moves between the toes and heel. The movement is then repeated on the opposite side, connecting work at Shenshu with the Bladder channel points around the outer ankle and foot.
These are just a few examples. There are many other movements throughout the Dayan forms and meditations that work with the Water element and its pathways. For this lesson, we are focusing on these three to show how a point on the Bladder channel can also play an important role in our Kidney practices.
This week, we will build on this foundation and look at the Bladder channel, its traditional relationships, and ways to support balance through practice and daily habits.
Happy Training!
