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Body clock

Twelve two-hour windows. Each names an organ, a channel and an element. Use it to memorise correspondences, not to choose a treatment by the clock.

  • 12windows
  • 2 heach organ
  • 5elements

Study material. It does not diagnose, prescribe, or replace your school or a health professional.

The cycle

The classical study order starts at 3 a.m. with the Lung. It walks the day and returns to the Liver before dawn.

  1. 03–05 · Metal

    Lung · LU

    First window. Study links breath and the Lung channel with the inner day's start.

    Open the channel

  2. 05–07 · Metal

    Large intestine · LI

    Yang partner of the Lung. Same metal phase, another path: arm, shoulder and face.

    Open the channel

  3. 07–09 · Earth

    Stomach · ST

    The morning study of the Stomach: face, trunk and leg to the second toe.

    Open the channel

  4. 09–11 · Earth

    Spleen · SP

    Yin partner of the Stomach. The map places it on the inner leg and abdomen.

    Open the channel

  5. 11–13 · Fire

    Heart · HT

    Noon of the cycle. A short arm channel, studied with Shen as a correspondence, not an emotion to correct.

    Open the channel

  6. 13–15 · Fire

    Small intestine · SI

    Yang partner of the Heart. It runs the ulnar border of the arm to the ear and scapula.

    Open the channel

  7. 15–17 · Water

    Bladder · BL

    The longest channel in the atlas: inner eye corner, two lines on the back, and the leg to the fifth toe.

    Open the channel

  8. 17–19 · Water

    Kidney · KI

    Yin partner of the Bladder. Sole, inner malleolus and abdomen. On the clock it closes the water afternoon.

    Open the channel

  9. 19–21 · Fire

    Pericardium · PC

    Second fire, the minister. A channel through the centre of the arm, distinct from the Heart though they share a phase.

    Open the channel

  10. 21–23 · Fire

    Triple burner · TE

    Yang partner of the Pericardium. Back of the hand, forearm and temple. It is not an anatomical organ: it is a study name.

    Open the channel

  11. 23–01 · Wood

    Gall bladder · GB

    The wood night begins. A lateral channel of the head, flank and leg.

    Open the channel

  12. 01–03 · Wood

    Liver · LR

    It closes the cycle before the Lung. Inner foot and leg, up to the chest.

    Open the channel

The seasons

The same element that colours an hour colours a season. Use it to cross the clock with the five-element wheel.

Wood

Spring

Liver and Gall bladder. Wind, green, east.

Spring

Fire

Summer

Heart, Small intestine, Pericardium and Triple burner. Heat, red, south.

Summer

Earth

Late summer

Spleen and Stomach. Damp, yellow, centre. The transition between seasons.

Late summer

Metal

Autumn

Lung and Large intestine. Dryness, white, west.

Autumn

Water

Winter

Kidney and Bladder. Cold, black or deep blue, north.

Winter