• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.290-307
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• 2021

Objectives : Perceptual experiences have a causal relationship with reality. If there exists something corresponding to acupoints, there should be perceptual experiences for that something. The purpose of this study is to identify and to analyze the perceptual experiences for acupoints within 『LingShu·BenShu』. Methods : First, we briefly propose a perceptual anatomy in order to describe the perceived human body parts, and their perceived directions and places. Second, we analyze the ways of identifying acupoints in the original text of 『LingShu·BenShu』. Results : From 『LingShu·BenShu』, the procedures of identifying total 64 acupoints were recognized. It was clarified that they are by way of visual and haptic explorations in body regions and partial regions. Conclusions : Perceptual explorations for acupoints follow three major principles: of gradual narrowing down, of determination of direction or place, of relative distance. At the final stages, categories of form and location are encountered by observers. The forms have either concavities or convexities. They are determinate indicators of where acupoints are, while the locations are indetermanate. Haptic forms of acupoints are newly discovered from textual analysis with perceptual anatomy. These properties will shed new light both on study of acupoints and on study of meridians.