The inheritance and development of acupuncture and moxibustion in modern times require the contemporary expression of ancient theories and the establishment of corresponding systems. It demands a focus on elucidating the principles of acupuncture and moxibustion (treatment) based on resolving comprehension questions. Research primarily concentrates on two domains: the theoretical framework in modern language and the scientific articulation of modern biological mechanisms.

In the classic of acupuncture-moxibustion theory, biaoben (trunk and root), genjie (root and knot) and genliuzhuru (qi running among five-shu points, rising from a well, gliding as a spring, pouring through as a stream, flowing as a river and entering inwards a sea) of meridians are similar to meridian distribution and acupoint-like sites. Their concepts and theoretical properties had not been clarified in later generations. The unclear profiles of their connotation and meanings have affected the understanding of sijie (four pathways of qi located on the heat, chest, abdomen and leg) and sihai (four seas, including sea of marrow, sea of qi, sea of water and food, and sea of blood). Hence, it becomes a crucial point where the meridian theory and acupoint theory are not clearly identified. Based on wuzang tongtian (interrelationship between five-zang organs and nature) in tianhui yijian (tianhui medical bamboo slips), focusing on the association with meridian biaoben, the paper analyzes the formation and connotation of these concepts. It is considered that the involved properties imply the summarization on the rules of acupoint indications and functions, which belongs to the category of acupoint theory.

The characteristics of acupoint indications vary according to the distribution of acupoints on the body, which is particularly prominent from the perspective of the differences between the acupoints on the trunk and those on the four limbs. The most of meridian-acupoint theories, especially the early theories are based on these differences and collected in Huangdi Neijing (the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic). Through the interpretation of the newly unearthed Tianhui medical bamboo slips, it is found that the relevant explanation of Shu (six shu-points [back-shu points and Yuanye, GB 22], distributed on the trunk) and Mai (similar to the names of meridians, referring to those except six shu-points; distributed mostly below the elbows and knees of four limbs, especially on the pulsating sites of the wrists and ankles) also confirms the identification of the differences in both indications and theories between the acupoints located on the trunk and those on the four limbs. In the paper, the essential connotation of the relevant classical theories and their construction path are explored so as to reveal the understanding of the core rules of acupuncture-moxibustion theories.