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十二正経と奇経と経穴の関係
この気血調和のメカニズムを経絡と奇経の関係から考察してみるとその関係は難経では｢十二正経の他に奇経八脈があり十二正経の流通の不調和が生じた時､仮に十二正経自らの調整能力によって調和が図れなかった場合､その調和を図るために奇経八脈が機能する。 つまり常に循環している十二正経の何れかに流通の不調和が生じ自らの調整能力によって調和が図れなかった場合｡具体的に言えば正経本流が氾逸するほど栄気が溢れかえっている時はその有り余った栄気を奇経に導き入れて本流を正常に戻し､逆に本流の栄気に虚損があればそれを補うべく奇経の何れかより栄気を補充して十二正経の不調和を調整する｣とあります。
二十七の難に曰く、脈に奇経八脈と云うもの有って十二経に拘らざるは何ぞや｡しかるなり、陽維有り、陰維有り、陽蹻（キョウ）有り、陰蹻（キョウ）有り、衝有り､督有り､任有り、帯の脈有り、凡そ此の八脈は皆経に拘らず､故に奇経八脈と曰う。経に十二有り、絡に十五有り、凡て二十七気相随って上下す､何んぞ独り経に拘らざるや｡しかるなり、聖人溝渠を図り設け､水道を通利してもって不然に備う、雨降下すれば溝渠も溢満す､此の時に当ってﾎｳ霈(ﾊｲ)妄りに作る､聖人も復た図ること能わず｡此の絡脈満溢すれば諸経も復た拘ること能わざるなり。
さてこれを治水･利水を目的とした運河やダムに例えて考えてみるとより解りやすいと思います｡つまりその性格上､経絡を河川や運河､奇経をダムや調整湖､それぞれが交会しているところを流水量･貯水量を調整する為の水門や可動堰に例えると、河川や運河(経絡)の水(気血)が溢れそうになれば水門(経絡が交会しているところ)が働いて調整湖(奇経)に導き入れて氾溢することを防ぐことが出来るし逆に不足があれば足すことも出来ると言うことになります。
したがって交会するところには治水の為の水門(ゲート)の働きが存在するはずです｡そう考えると治療穴というのはこの時水門を開閉する操作スイッチにあたります｡水門の操作は水門その場で行われる場合もあれば遠隔で行われる場合もあるのと同様に治療に於いても自経の交会穴以外で遠隔の経穴を選択することも出来ます｡実際には巨刺､繆刺､奇経治療､子午治療､経絡治療、経筋治療などのように病症の部位から離れた遠隔の経穴を選択するほうがよりよい効果を期待できる場合も多いのです。
例えば奇経治療においては八総穴がその水門(ゲート)を稼働させるためのスイッチであると考えることが出来ます。しかし八総穴に限ってゲートを稼働できるのではなく奇経に所属する他の経穴や交会穴･五行穴･郄（ゲキ）穴･絡穴･募穴･兪穴または場合によっては阿是穴などもスイッチの役割を果たす場合があると考えて良いと思います。そしてこれらの名称によってそれぞれのスイッチの作用の特徴を分類しているとも言えます。
例えば井穴は経脈の出るところ(心下満)、栄穴は経脈の流れるところ(身熱)、兪穴は経脈の注ぐところ(体重節痛)、原穴は臓腑の疾患に用いる、経穴は経脈の行くところ(喘咳寒熟)、合穴は経脈の入るところ(逆気而泄)、郄（ゲキ）穴は急性疾患に反応が現れる、絡穴は邪気実する時｡腑の疾患殊に慢性疾患に効果がある、募穴は経気の多く集まるところに在る陽病に効く、背部兪穴は陰病に効くと言う具合にです｡そしてこれらのスイッチの特徴を考慮して選穴すればより少ない経穴数でより高い効果を期待することができるはずです。その他には八会穴、四総穴などがありますし歴代の著名な医家が挙げる特効穴なども無視できません｡またそれぞれの経穴個々の性質(穴性)も参考になります。
Relationship between the Twelve Primary Meridians, Extraordinary Meridians, and Acupoints
When we consider the mechanism of harmony between Qi and Blood through the relationship between the Twelve Primary Meridians and the Extraordinary Meridians, we find a clear explanation in the Nan-jing (The Classic of Difficult Issues). It states:
"In addition to the Twelve Primary Meridians, there are the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. When disharmony occurs in the flow of the Twelve Primary Meridians, and if harmony cannot be achieved through the self-regulatory capacity of those primary meridians, the Eight Extraordinary Meridians function to restore balance. Specifically, if the 'Ying Qi' (Nutritive Qi) overflows to the point of flooding the main stream of the primary meridians, this excess Qi is diverted into the Extraordinary Meridians to return the main stream to normal. Conversely, if there is a deficiency in the Ying Qi of the main stream, it is replenished from one of the Extraordinary Meridians to adjust the disharmony."
The 27th Difficulty of the Nan-jing says: "It is said that in the pulse, there are the Eight Extraordinary Meridians which are not constrained by the Twelve Meridians. Why is this? It is because there are the Yang Wei, Yin Wei, Yang Qiao, Yin Qiao, Chong, Du, Ren, and Dai vessels. These eight vessels are not bound by the primary meridians; hence they are called the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. There are twelve meridians and fifteen collaterals (Luo), making twenty-seven Qi that follow one another up and down. Why then are these eight alone not bound? It is like a sage who designs ditches and canals to facilitate the passage of water and prepare for the unexpected. When the rains fall and the ditches overflow, causing a sudden deluge, even the sage can no longer manage it. When these collaterals overflow, the various primary meridians can no longer constrain them."
This concept is easier to understand if we compare it to canals and dams designed for flood control and water utilization. Due to their characteristics, we can liken the Meridians to rivers or canals, and the Extraordinary Meridians to dams or regulating lakes. The points where they intersect (confluence points) can be compared to water gates or movable weirs that adjust the flow and storage volume.
When the water (Qi and Blood) in the rivers (Meridians) is about to overflow, the water gates (confluence points) work to guide it into the regulating lakes (Extraordinary Meridians), preventing a flood. Conversely, if there is a shortage, water can be added. Therefore, at these points of intersection, there must exist the function of a "Gate" for water control. In this view, a treatment point (Acupoint) acts as the "Operation Switch" to open and close these gates. Just as a water gate can be operated either on-site or remotely, in treatment, we can select remote acupoints other than the confluence points of the meridian being treated. In actual clinical practice, such as in Ju-ci (opposing needling), Miu-ci, Extraordinary Meridian therapy, Ziwu therapy, Meridian therapy, or Jing-jin (sinew meridian) therapy, selecting a remote acupoint far from the site of the symptoms often yields better results.
For example, in Extraordinary Meridian therapy, the Eight Confluence Points (Eight Master Points) can be considered the switches that activate those gates. However, it is not only these eight points that can operate the gates. Other points belonging to the Extraordinary Meridians, as well as intersection points, Five-Element points, Xi-Cleft points, Luo-Connecting points, Front-Mu points, Back-Shu points, and in some cases, A-shi points, can also be thought of as playing the role of switches. It can be said that the names of these points classify the specific characteristics of their switching actions.
For instance:
Well (Jing) points: Where the meridian Qi exits (fullness below the heart).
Spring (Ying) points: Where the meridian Qi flows (fever).
Stream (Shu) points: Where the meridian Qi pours (heaviness and joint pain).
Source (Yuan) points: Used for diseases of the Zang-fu organs.
River (Jing) points: Where the meridian Qi passes (cough and chills/fever).
Sea (He) points: Where the meridian Qi enters (rebellious Qi and diarrhea).
Xi-Cleft points: Where reactions appear in acute diseases.
Luo-Connecting points: Used when pathogenic Qi is excess; effective for diseases of the Fu organs, especially chronic ones.
Front-Mu points: Located where Meridian Qi gathers; effective for Yang diseases.
Back-Shu points: Effective for Yin diseases.
By selecting points while considering these switching characteristics, it should be possible to expect higher effects with a smaller number of acupoints. Additionally, there are the Eight Influential Points (Eight Meeting Points), the Four Command Points, and the specific effective points identified by famous historical physicians, which cannot be ignored. The individual properties (point nature) of each acupoint are also useful references.
This is the essence of why the "Acupoint Gate-Switch Theory" (Hypothesis) is proposed.
