Point Category

Classifications of Acupoints

• Ashi Points (painful points) - can

be anywhere, unnamed and unrelated to
channels
Points on channels : all have
names, on named channels, have
specific locations and specific indications
Extra Points : all have names
and specific locations and indications,
but are not belong to named channels.
 Indications of Points

- Local Problems: all points can treat

problems in the local area
- Problems along pathway of meridian : all
points on a meridian can treat problems along the
path of the meridian i.e.: LI4 - elbow, shoulder, neck,
face...DU20 - head, lower back, nasal... (the more
distal points of the channels that they treat disorders of
the upper end of the channel)
- Special indications: most points have
special indications, not necessarily related to their
location or meridian location. I.e. DU20 can treat
conditions of excessive Yang: i.e. fever, organ
prolapse, insomnia, lethargy, opening the mind
 Special Points
5 Shu

Yuan Source

Luo Connecting

Back-Shu

Front-Mu

Hui Meeting

Sky Window

Xi Cleft
 Xi-Cleft Points
‘xi’ implies a cleft, hole or opening, and the xi-cleft points are
where the Qi and blood gather and plunge more deeply.

The Xi-cleft points of the 12 channels

Lung LU 6 Bladder BL 63
Large Intestine LI 7 Kidney Kl 5
Stomach ST 34 Pericardium P4
Spleen SP 8 San Jiao SJ 7
Heart HT 6 Gall bladder GB 36
Small Intestine SI 6 Liver LIV 6
The Xi-cleft points of the extraordinary channels
Yang Qiao (motility) BL 59 Yang Wei (linking) GB 35
Yin Qiao (motility) Kl 8 Yin Wei (linking) Kl 9
 Xi-Cleft Points indications

• Indicated in treatment of acute

conditions and pain
• ST 34: 1) acute disorders such as breast pain and
breast abscess (mastitis - see next page).
2) acute epigastric pain.

• Yin xi-cleft /joints treat disorders gl th

blood
• LU 6: 1) acute cough and wheezing, swelling and pain
of the throat and loss of voice
2) coughing blood
Mastitis (breast abscess)
 Yuan Source Points

• This is the place where original (Yuan source)

qi surfaces and lingers.

The yuan source points of the twelve

channels
Lung LU 9 Bladder BL 64
Large Intestine LI 4 Kidney Kl 3
Stomach ST 42 Pericardium P7
Spleen SP 3 San Jiao SJ 4
Heart HT 7 Gall bladder GB 40
Small Intestine SI 4 Liver LIV 3
 Yuan Source Points

" For Yin Channels, Yuan source points are

the same as the Shu stream points. The Spiritual
Pivot in Chapter 1 states “When the five zang are
diseased, select the yuan source points” —-
tonifying and regulating their respective Zang

Lung LU 9 Liver LIV 3

Spleen SP 3 Kidney Kl 3

Heart HT 7 Pericardium P 7
 Yuan Source Points

• For Yang channels they are located just

proximal to the shu-stream points, usually
4th point from distal end (except GB which
is the 5th). They have negligible use in
tonifying . Function is to dispel excess
pathogenic factors and treat disorders
along the pathway of their respective
meridian.

LI 4
 Usage of Yuan-source points
• Used for:
• 1) Diagnosis Use if tenderness as indication of
a problem with a particular organ If describe the
problem, get an idea of the organ or the
meridian that may have a problem and palpate
points for tender spots.
• 2) Treatment one of the best for Zang organ
problems. Often used clinically. Usually combine
with back shu points, or combined with Luo
connecting points.
 Luo -connecting Points
• 12 regular channels plus REN, DU and Great
Spleen (15 Luo connecting points)
Lung LU 7 Bladder BL 58 Heart HT 5

LI 6 Kidney Kl 4 SI 7
Large Small
Intestine Intestine
Stomach ST 40 Pericardium P6 Gall bladder GB 37

Spleen SP 4 San Jiao SJ 5 Liver LIV 5

REN REN 15 DU Du 1 Great Luo of SP 21

SP
Pathway of collateral meridians

from the luo-connecting point of their own channel

to connect with their internally-externally paired
channel. After joining with their paired channel they
usually continue to follow their own pathways.

Certain area where collateral

meridian distribute to
Luo-connecting point external or internally related
meridian
Application of Luo-connecting point

1 .Treat external and internal channel's or

Zana-fu diseases
Lu-7: treat headache and stiff neck
ST-40: can be used to treat leg pain and phlegm problems
GB-37: can be treated for headache-temporal or sciatica radiation to
lateral thigh; can also be used for eye problems
2. Treating disorders in regions reached
by the Luo connecting channel
3. Treating psycho-emotional disorders
Methods of combining Yuan-source
point and Luo-connecting points
Also called host guest combination
1. Exteriorly interiorly related channel (zang/fu)
diseases:
the 1st disordered channel (zang-fu) - yuan-source point
the 2nd disordered channel (zang-fu) - luo-connecting point
i.e.:1 st lung disorder, then LI disorder: Lu9, LI 6
2. Only one organ (Zang/fu) disease:
Yuan-source point of the disordered channel (Zang-fu):
Luo-connecting point of the paired channel
i.e.: Sp disorder: SP 3, ST 40
 Back-shu pointsWflTX
• Shu means transport
• Back shu points transports qi between the zang
and the point

• The twelve back shu points corresponding to the

twelve zangfu lie along the Bladder channel on
the back, 1.5 cun lateral to the midline.
 Back-shu points
Lung BL 13 Bladder BL 28

Large Intestine BL 25 Kidney BL 23

Stomach BL 21 Pericardium BL 14

Spleen BL 20 San Jiao BL 22

Heart BL 15 Gall bladder BL 19

Small Intestine BL 27 Liver BL 18

* Located at roughly the same anatomic location as the

related zang or fu
• Close to opposite in location to their corresponding
front-mu point
 Function of Back-Shu Points

1. Used to treat Zanq and Fu organ problems,

mainly Zanq. (Used primarily for diseases of
deficiency and cold and for yin)
2. Used to treat problems of the 5 sense
organs
3. Used for treating diseases of connective
tissue: bone/KI, muscle/SP

•Usually combine with Yuan source point to

treat Zang organ's problems.
• Tender when disharmony exists
 Front Mu Points
• Mu means to gather or collect
• Qi of zangfu gathers or collects at front Mu points

Lung LU 1 Bladder REN 3

ST 25 GB 25
Large Intestine Kidney
REN 12 REN 17
Stomach Pericardium
LIV 13 REN 5
Spleen San Jiao
REN 14 GB 24
Heart Gall bladder
REN 4 LIV 14
Small Intestine Liver

Usually the point location is very near to the location of

the organ.
 Front Mu Points

• Used for treating,Zana-Fu organ

diseases (more for Fu Organ diseases).
i.e.: Stomach ache, REN-12 is better than
BL-21 (Back Shu.)

* Usually combine with lower He-sea

point to treat Fu-organs problems.
 Lower He-Sea Points

• for Fu organ diseases

• only on lower extremities, around or lower
knee

• ST: ST 36 (same as He Sea points)

• LI: ST 37
• SI: ST 39
• SJ: BL 39
• BL: BL 40 (same as He Sea points)
• GB: GB 34 (same as He Sea points)
 Hui-Meeting Points
• Also called Influential points.
• These are points which have the most direct
effect on the corresponding structure

Zang LIV 13 Sinews GB 34

Fu REN 12 Vessels LU 9
Qi REN 17 Bone BL 11
Blood BL 17 Marrow GB 39
 Confluent Points of the 8 Extraordinary Vessels

• These are the underground connection to the 12

regular channels from the extraordinary channels
• Uses to activate respective extraordinary channel
and effect specific symptoms in the body

Conception (REN) LU 7 Yin motility (Qiao) KID 6

Governing (DU) SI 3 Yang motility (Qiao) BL 62
Penetrating SP 4 Yin linking (Wei) P6
(CHONG)
Girdling (DAI) GB 41 Yang linking (Wei) SJ 5
 Window of the Sky Points

• Also called Window of Heaven Points

• All but 2 are located around the neck

Window of the sky points

LU-3 REN-22
ST-9 SI-16
LI-18 SI-17
SJ-16 DU-16
BL-10 P-1
Traditional use of window of the sky
points includes:
1. Disharmony between the gi of the body and
the head, with gi or blood rebelling upwards
- Cough, wheezing, chest disorders from rebellion of lung
qi or Vomiting from rebellion of stomach qi
- Headache and dizziness and heat, redness or swelling
of face or eyes
2 Goiter or scrofula or throat disorders
3. Sudden onset of disorders
- Sudden loss of voice; sudden dyspnea...
4 Psycho emotional disorders
5 Disorders of sense organs
 13 Ghost Points of Sun Si Miao
• For treatment of mental disorders: mania,
epilepsy, depression

13 Ghost Points of Sun Si Miao

DU 26 SP 1
DU 16 P7
DU 23 P8
REN 24 BL 62
LU 11 Haiquan - extra below tongue
LI 11 Yumentou - (extra)
ST 6 corresponding to REN 1
 13 Ghost Points of Xu Qiu Fu
• For treatment of mental disorders: mania,
epilepsy, depression

13 Ghost Points of Xu Qiu Fu

DU 26 SP 1
DU 16 P7
DU 24 P5
REN 24 ST 17 (RN 17)
LU 11 LIV 2
ST 6 GB 34
MIDLINE below the tongue
Class 4
 Five Shu Points

1. Jing well: where qi emanates

2. Ying spring: where qi glides
3. Shu stream: where qi pours through
4. Jing river: where qi flows
5. He sea: where qi enters inward

All below or around elbow or knee

 Five Shu Points
From distal to Proximal

Jinq-River He-sea
Jinq- Yinq- Shu
Well Sorinq Stream
Qi Action Qi glides Qi pours Qi flows
Qi Qi enters
emanates inward
Distal to Proximal to Proximal to Elbow/
Location Tips of
(NOT every fingers or MCP/MTP MCP/MTP Wrist/ankle knee
point) toes
Yin Wood Fire earth metal water
Yang metal water wood fire Earth

MCP = metacarpal-phalangeal joint

MTP = metatarsal-phalangeal joint
 Five element points of the twelve main meridians

Jing- Ying- Shu- Jing- He- Jing- Ying- Jing- He-

well spring stream river sea well spring river sea
Shu-
stream
wood fire earth metal water metal water wood fire earth

Large
Lung 11 10 9 5 2 3 5 11
8 Intestine 1
Spleen 1 5 9 Stomach 45 44 43 41
2 3 36
Heart 9 8 7 4 3
Small
Intestine
1 2 3 5 8

Urinary
Kidney 1 2 3 7 67 65 60 40
10 Bladder 66
Pericardium 9 8 7 5 3 San Jiao 1 2 3 10
6
Gall¬
Liver
1 2 3 4 8 bladder
44 43 41 38 34

Horary point: the point corresponding to the element of the channel

Functions of 5 Shu-points
 Jing-well point
1. Clears heat in excess heat conditions:
Mostly in uppermost region, i.e. LU11 for sore
throat, SI1 for mastitis
2. Restoring consciousness and rescuing
collapse: coma, fainting and collapse
3. Treat the uppermost reaches of the
channels: LU 11 for acute sore throat, throat
painful, mumps
4. Treat fullness below heart: treat stagnation
and fullness throughout the chest region.
LU11 (LU arises from stomach area)
5. Treat disorders of the spirit. Mania,
insomnia, nightmares and somnolence.
 Ying-Spring point
1. Clears heat (excess and deficient heat)
from entire channel, although more so in
uppermost part
2. treat changes in the complexion: heat-
heart pathogens-complexion (less used)
3. treat diseases of the yang channels and
diseases of the zang (with the shu stream
*Disorders of the Zang (with the
point)
Shu-stream)
 Shu-Stream point

• same as Yuan Source for Yin Meridians

1. Heaviness of body, pain of joints
2. Disorders of the Zang (Yin channel)
3. Disorders of the yang channels (Yang channel)
4. Diseases that have intermittent manifestation of
symptoms (i.e. malaria)
 Jing-River point

1. Cough, Dyspnea, chills and fever

LI-5 to stop smoking
2. Diseases manifesting in the patient’s
voice
3. Diseases of the sinews and bones
(wrist, ankle)
 He-Sea points

1. Counterflow gi and diarrhea, disease of

the Stomach disorders resulting from
irregular eating and drinking
2. Diseases of the fu organs
3. Diseases of the skin (BL-40, LI-11)
 Howto use Five-Shu points

1. Choose Five-Shu points according to its

function: clear heat - Jing-well point or
Ying-spring point

2. Choose Five-Shu points according to five

element theory