[Discussion on "better to lose the acupoint than to lose the meridian"]

Through literature tracing and theoretical analysis, this paper explores the connotation of the important proposition, "better to lose the acupoint than to lose the meridian", and reflects on its significance for clinical guidance, theoretical construction, and examination of acupuncture. First, the paper traces the origin of this proposition and elucidates its original intent of the theory, "interconnection between qi and meridian". Secondly, the paper explores the foundation of this concept formulation and content deepening. From the classical principles of "needling based on meridian" and "pressing the region where the affected meridian runs to adjust" in Huangdi Neijing (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic), it gradually evolved into the core epistemological concept of "therapeutic scope of meridians" based on "where meridians pass, where diseases manifest". Based on this, the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches as well as practical value of "therapeutic scope of meridians" were systematically reviewed from two perspectives, "treatment according to meridian running" and "selecting the affected meridian directly". This study examines the dilemma of the weakened status of the principle "not to lose the meridian", in the application of meridian theory, and explores the key scientific questions of acupuncture and moxibustion such as "the continuity and the holisticity of meridian essences".