After Sui and Tang dynasty, especially in the Jin, Yuan and Ming dynasties ( 1115-1644 A.D.), some acupuncture physicians investigated and researched the intricacies between the relationships of Pair-point and derived other concepts such as host-guest , "yin and yang ,"husband and wife", "father and mother" types of combinations. In Ming dynasty, the renowned acupuncture master Ling yun established the theory of "Corresponding Points" as the principal theory of two point pairs.
The emergence and use of "Eight channels, Eight points" or "Eight confluence points" is a classic example and great use of Pair-point. The "Eight channels and Eight points" was first seen in the Guide to the Classic of Acupuncture (Zhen jing zhi nan) written by Dou hanqing, Jin-Yuan dynasty, 1241. The original term was "eight crossing points" until the Ming dynasty when Xu feng's The Complete Collection of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (Zhen jiu da quan)" Book Four coined the term "Eight Confluent Points."
Dou hanqing was an expert in using these eight points to treat diseases and using pair points such as Lieque (LI7) and Zhaohai (KI6), Houxi (SI3) and Shenmai (BL62), Neiguan (PC6) and Gongsun (SP4), Waiguan (SJ5) and Zulinqi (GB41).Through eight extraordinary channels and twelve others, these points establish the "host and guest" correlation on the upper and lower limbs to further increase their treatment effects.
For example, Gongsun (SP4) combined with Neiguan (PC6) treats diseases of the heart, chest and stomach. When Houxi (SI3) is used in conjunction with Shenmai (BL62), they treat problems of the inner canthus, neck, ear and shoulder. Zulinqi ( GB41 ) and Waiguan (S J5 ) are used together to treat disorders of the outer canthus. behind the ear, cheek, neck and shoulder. Lieque (LI7) and Zhaohal (KI6) in combination treat disorders of the lung system, throat, chest and diaphragm.
Later in the Yuan and Ming dynasties, there had been many acupuncture masters contributing their clinical experiences in forms of acupuncture treatment songs and mnemonics. In many of these odes and mnemonics, the points mentioned are precise, only one or two are used to treat certain disorders. Pair- points are commonly mentioned in many of these works. For example. Gao wu in Ming dynasty compiled The Glorious Anthology of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (Zhen jiu ju ying) and in it, the Ode of One Hundred Symptoms ( Bai zheng fu ) described as many as 96 common clinical uses of acupuncture. Out of the 93 with acupuncture formula, pair points were used in 76 treatment cases. This demonstrates the prevalence of Pair-point in treatment of disorders and the clinical efficacy of the Pair- Point.
Furthermore. the additional concept of "Corresponding Point" was raised in Ming dynasty by famous acupuncturist Ling yun. His work took analyzing the relationship between two points, and further closer to the current idea of Pair-point.