Classica Sinica Medica

四經十二從 简体 四经十二从

sì jīng shí èr cóng

The four channels and the twelve followings

Also rendered: four meridians and twelve attendants (Reads 經 as meridian and 從 as a noun) · si jing shi er cong (Pinyin)

Vessels

Reviewed · 2026-09

At a glance

Pinyin
sì jīng shí èr cóng
Simplified
四经十二从
Literal
四經 the four channels; 十二從 the twelve that follow — 從 is to follow, to run along in sequence.
Shuowen
《說文解字》：經，織也；從，隨行也。

In brief

The question the seventh chapter opens with, and the correspondence it is answered by: the four channels answer to the four seasons, the twelve followings to the twelve months, and the twelve months to the twelve vessels. 從 is the harder word — not a second sort of channel, but the twelve that follow the year round, which is why they answer to months rather than to seasons.

Senses in the classical corpus

1
The four channels 四經
The four that answer to the four seasons
四經應四時 — Suwen 7
2
The twelve that follow 十二從
The twelve that answer to the twelve months, and through the months to the twelve vessels
十二從應十二月 — Suwen 7

Occurrences in the classics

Passages where the term does real work, with the original, pinyin and English on the same line.

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1 passages
素問·陰陽别論 Suwen 7 · 陰陽别論 Read in context →
四經應四時，十二從應十二月，十二月應十二脉。 四经应四时，十二从应十二月，十二月应十二脉。
sì jīng yìng sì shí, shí èr cóng yìng shí èr yuè, shí èr yuè yìng shí èr mài.
The four channels answer to the four seasons, the twelve followings answer to the twelve months, and the twelve months answer to the twelve vessels.
本篇發問之首條。四經配四時、十二從配十二月、十二月配十二脉，三層相配，為全篇「脉有陰陽」立數。「從」非脈名，謂隨月而從者。

Compounds built on this term

四經
sì jīng
the four channels
What answers to the four seasons
十二從
shí èr cóng
the twelve followings
What answers to the twelve months
十二脉
shí èr mài
the twelve vessels
What the months answer to in the body

How it has been translated

Every rendering below is a decision about which reader is being addressed. There is no neutral option.

Common Englishfour channels, twelve followingsLiteral; 從 is left as a following rather than smoothed into a second kind of vessel.
This sitethe four channels and the twelve followingsKeeps 從 as sequence, so the reader sees that the twelve are tied to months before the chapter equates them with vessels.

Entry status

Review pending — who reviews this?

2026-09

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