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(28 Acupoints on the Midline of the Back)

Chart of Du Meridian (Governing Vessel) Points

The Du Meridian (Governing Vessel, *Dū Mài*) originates at Changqiang (Long Strong, *Chángqiáng*, GV1). It runs along the midline of the back to command all Yang meridians. (*Suwen: Gukong Lun* states: "The Du Meridian originates from the central part below the bones of the lower abdomen. In women, it connects to the Ting Kong, therefore it is also said that the Chong, Ren, and Du meridians all originate from Huiyin.")

Changqiang (GV1) (Also known as Qi Zhi Yin, □ Gu; *Ling Shu* calls it Qiong Gu or Gu Di), located 0.3 cun below the tip of the coccyx. Take this point in a prone position. It is the Jing-Well point of the Du Meridian, diverging to connect with the Ren Meridian. (Puncture 0.3 cun; moxa 30 moxibustion units.) Treats intestinal wind chronic hemorrhoids, genital ulceration, manic disorders, epilepsy, infantile fontanelle depression. Moxa 7 units on the tailbone to treat rectal prolapse with excellent effect. *Qianjin Fang* calls it Gui Wei, which is Qiong Gu.

Yaoshu (GV2) (Also known as Bei Jie, Yao Zhu, Yao Hu, Sui Kong), located below the 21st thoracic vertebra, in the depression. To locate, lean forward with the abdomen pressing the ground, cross hands to support the forehead, and extend the four limbs. (Puncture 0.8 cun; moxa 7 units, up to 21 units.) Treats lumbosacral pain, numbness and paralysis of the feet, warm malaria without sweating, amenorrhea in women, and dysuria.

Yangguan (GV3), located below the 16th thoracic vertebra. Locate in a sitting position. (Puncture 0.5 cun; moxa 3 units.) Treats knee pain, tendon contraction, and inability to walk.

Mingmen (GV4) (Also known as Shu Lei, Jing Gong), located below the 14th thoracic vertebra, opposite the umbilicus. Locate in a prone position, or stand upright, use a cane to touch the ground, measure to the umbilicus, mark with ink, then horizontally align with the spine to find the point. (Puncture 0.5 cun; moxa 3 units.) Treats headache, body heat like fire, lumbar pain, bone-steaming fever.

Xuan Shu (GV5), located below the 13th thoracic vertebra. Locate in a prone position. (Puncture 0.3 cun; moxa 3 units.) Treats stiffness of the lumbar and spinal region, accumulation of qi in the abdomen moving up and down.

Ji Zhong (GV6) (Also known as Shen Zong, Ji Shu), located below the 11th thoracic vertebra. Locate by bending forward. (Puncture 0.5 cun; **Moxibustion Contraindicated**, as moxa may cause kyphosis.) Treats wind epilepsy, manic disorders, five types of hemorrhoids, abdominal masses, diarrhea, infantile rectal prolapse (moxa 3 units allowed).

Zhong Shu (GV7), located below the 10th thoracic vertebra. Locate by bending forward. (Puncture 0.5 cun; **Moxibustion Contraindicated**.)
(Note: This point is absent in most texts. According to *Suwen: Qi Xue Lun*: "Pain controlling the back and heart," treated at Tiantu, the 10th vertebra, and Shangji. Also, *Suwen: Qi Fu Lun* lists 28 points where Du Qi emerges. Wang Bing's commentary states Zhong Shu is below the 10th vertebra in the interspinous space, hence included in *Tu Yi*.)

Jin Suo (GV8), located below the 9th thoracic vertebra. Locate by bending forward. (Puncture 0.5 cun; moxa 3 units.) Treats epilepsy, manic fright, spinal stiffness, upward deviation of the eyes.

Zhi Yang (GV9), located below the 7th thoracic vertebra. Locate by bending forward. (Puncture 0.5 cun; moxa 3 units.) Treats lumbosacral pain, cold in the stomach, emaciation with jaundice, alternating chills and fever, soreness of the calves.

Ling Tai (GV10), located below the 6th thoracic vertebra. Locate by bending forward. (Absent in *Jia Yi Jing*, cited from *Qi Fu Lun* note.) Treats asthma and inability to lie flat; effective upon application of fire (moxa 3 units).

Shen Dao (GV11), located below the 5th thoracic vertebra. Locate by bending forward. (Moxa 5 units; **Acupuncture Contraindicated**.) Treats headache from cold damage, alternating malaria, sorrow, forgetfulness, palpitations.

Shen Zhu (GV12), located below the 3rd thoracic vertebra. Locate by bending forward. (Puncture 0.5 cun; moxa 5 to 14 units.) Treats lumbosacral pain, mania, rage with desire to kill, convulsions, body heat, delirium, seeing ghosts.

Tao Dao (GV13), located below the 1st thoracic vertebra. Locate by bending forward. Intersection of the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian and the Du Meridian. (Puncture 0.5 cun; moxa 5 units.) Treats malaria with chills and shivering, spinal stiffness, heavy head, closed eyes, mental confusion, and unhappiness.

Da Zhui (GV14) (Also known as Bai Lao), located in the depression above the first spinous process of the vertebral column. Some say level with the shoulders; intersection of the Hand and Foot Three-Yang Meridians and the Du Meridian. (Puncture 0.5 cun; moxa according to age.) Treats five exhaustions and seven injuries, fatigue, malaria, lung distension, fullness in the hypochondrium, stiffness of the back and shoulders.

Ya Men (GV15) (Also known as Yin Men, She Yan, She Heng), located 0.5 cun above the posterior hairline at the nape, in the depression. Locate with the head raised. Intersection of the Du Meridian and the Yang Linking Vessel; enters to connect with the root of the tongue. (Puncture 0.3 cun; **Do not puncture deeply**; **Moxibustion Contraindicated**, as it causes aphonia.) Treats swollen tongue with inability to speak, epistaxis, chills and fever, spinal stiffness with opisthotonos, convulsions, epilepsy.

Feng Fu (GV16) (Also known as She Ben), located 1 cun above the posterior hairline at the nape, in the depression inside the large tendons. Muscles rise immediately when speaking quickly and fall when speech stops. Intersection of the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian, Yang Linking Vessel, and Du Meridian. (Puncture 0.3 cun; **Moxibustion Contraindicated**, as it causes loss of voice.) Treats stroke with flaccid tongue and inability to speak, aversion to cold with sweating, hemiplegia, headache with neck stiffness, epistaxis, sore throat, mania with suicidal tendencies.

Nao Hu (GV17) (Also known as Hui E), located 1.5 cun posterior to Qiang Jian on the occipital bone. Intersection of the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian and the Du Meridian. (**Puncturing into the brain causes immediate death**; moxa causes aphonia.)

Qiang Jian (GV18) (Also known as Da Yu), located 1.5 cun posterior to Hou Ding. (Should be 3 cun posterior to Baihui ○ Puncture 0.2 cun; moxa 5 units.) Treats headache and neck stiffness, dizziness, spinning sensation, vexation.

Hou Ding (GV19) (Also known as Jiao Chong), located 1.5 cun posterior to Baihui on the occipital bone. (Puncture 0.2 cun; moxa 5 units.) Treats severe neck stiffness, pain in the frontal skull, aversion to wind, dizziness.

Baihui (GV20) (Also known as San Yang Wu Hui, Dian Shang, Tian Man), located at the center of the vertex, approximately the size of a bean, 5 cun anterior to the anterior hairline, 7 cun posterior to the posterior hairline, directly above the midpoint between the apexes of both ears. (Puncture 0.2 cun; moxa 7 units.) Treats wind-headache, nasal congestion, stroke with locked jaw, mental confusion, palpitations, forgetfulness, malaria, rectal prolapse, infantile night crying.

Qian Ding (GV21), located 1.5 cun posterior to Xinhui in the bony depression. (Puncture 0.1 cun; moxa 3 units.) Treats wind-headache, dizziness, facial redness and swelling, excessive clear nasal discharge.

Xinhui (GV22), located 1 cun posterior to Shangxing in the depression. (Puncture 0.2 cun; moxa 14 units. **Contraindicated for children under 8 years old** because the fontanelle is not closed; accidental puncture may cause death.) Treats cold pain due to brain deficiency, scalp swelling.

Shang Xing (GV23) (Also known as Shen Tang), located 1 cun above the anterior hairline, directly above the nose. (Puncture 0.3 cun; moxa 5 units, do not overdo.) Treats wind-headache, scalp swelling, nasal congestion with foul discharge and bleeding, malaria, chills and fever without sweating, dizziness, eye pain with inability to see far. Use fine needles to vent excess Yang heat to prevent it from rushing to the head and eyes.

Shen Ting (GV24), located 0.5 cun above the anterior hairline, directly above the nose. (If the hairline is unclear, measure 3.5 cun above the glabella.) Intersection of the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian and the Du Meridian. (Moxa 7 units; **Acupuncture Contraindicated**, as it causes mania and blindness.) Treats mania with climbing and running wildly, wind-epilepsy with upward eye deviation, tearing, rhinitis, palpitations, insomnia.

Su Liao (GV25) (Also known as Mian Wang), located at the upper end of the nasal bridge, on the tip of the nose. (Puncture 0.1 cun; **Moxibustion Contraindicated**.) Treats persistent nasal polyps, excessive discharge, epistaxis, alcohol-induced facial rash.

Shui Gou (GV26) (Also known as Ren Zhong), located in the central depression of the philtrum. Intersection of the Hand and Foot Yangming Meridians and the Du Meridian. (Puncture 0.3 cun; moxa 3 units.) Treats stroke with locked jaw, evil spirits attack, epilepsy, plague, polydipsia, generalized edema.

Dui Duan (GV27), located at the tip of the upper lip, where the Qi of the Hand-Yangming Meridian emerges. (Puncture 0.2 cun; moxa 3 units, moxa cone size of a wheat grain.) Treats epilepsy with foaming, polydipsia, epistaxis, bad breath, gingival pain.

Yin Jiao (GV28), located in the suture of the upper gum inside the lip. Intersection of the Ren, Du, and Foot-Yangming Meridians. (Puncture 0.3 cun; moxa 3 units.) Treats nasal polyps, painful and swollen dental gangrene, red eyes with excessive tearing, headache involving the eyes and forehead, facial sores and tinea.

Chart of Chong Meridian (Penetrating Vessel) Points

The Chong Meridian (Penetrating Vessel, *Chōng Mài*) originates at Qichuan (Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian), travels alongside the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian, ascends flanking the umbilicus, and disperses in the chest. (*Suwen: Gukong Lun*)

On the right abdomen, it passes through Youmen, Tonggu, Yindu, Shiguan, Shangqu, Huangshu, Zhongzhu, Siman, Qixue, Dahe, and Henggu (22 points on both sides).

*Nan Jing* states: The Chong Meridian ascends alongside the Foot-Yangming Meridian. *Qijing Kao* states: The Foot-Yangming Meridian is 2 cun from the midline of the abdomen, and the Foot-Shaoyin Meridian is 0.5 cun from the midline; the Chong Meridian runs between these two meridians.

Chart of Dai Meridian (Girdle Vessel) Points

The Dai Meridian (Girdle Vessel, *Dài Mài*) originates at the costal margin and encircles the body once.

Disease of the Dai Meridian involves laxity of the waist and abdomen, feeling slow and loose like water in a bag (slow/loose appearance). Lower abdominal pain in women, tenesmus, convulsions, irregular menstruation, leukorrhea (red and white discharge) (*Mingtang*).

The Zheng branch of the Foot-Shaoyin Meridian reaches the popliteal fossa, diverges to join the Taiyang, and merges superiorly. At the kidney, exiting at the 14th vertebra, it belongs to the Dai Meridian. The straight branch connects to the root of the tongue, re-emerges at the nape, and joins the Taiyang Meridian (*Ling Shu: Jing Bie* chapter).

The points where its Qi emerges are named Dai Meridian because it encircles the body like a belt. It also intersects with the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian at Wushu and Weidao (6 points on both sides).

Chart of Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Heel Vessel) Points

The Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Heel Vessel, *Yáng Qiāo Mài*) originates in the heel, follows the lateral malleolus, ascends, and enters Fengchi.

Disease of the Yang Qiao Mai involves slackness of the Yin side and tension of the Yang side (*Nan Jing*).

Points emitted by the Yang Qiao Mai originate at Shenmai, with Feiyang as the Xi-Cleft point, rooted at Pugen. It intersects with the Foot-Shaoyang at Juliao, and with the Hand-Yangming at Jianyu and Jugu. It intersects with the Hand and Foot Taiyang and Yang Linking Vessel at Tianliao. It intersects with the Hand and Foot Yangming at Dicang and Jugu. It intersects with the Ren and Foot-Yangming at Chengqi. It intersects with the Hand and Foot Taiyang, Foot-Yangming, and Yin Qiao Mai at Jingming. (22 points on both sides).

Chart of Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Heel Vessel) Points

The Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Heel Vessel, *Yīn Qiāo Mài*) originates in the heel, follows the medial malleolus, ascends, reaches the throat, and crosses/connects with the Chong Meridian.

Disease of the Yin Qiao Mai involves slackness of the Yang side and tension of the Yin side (*Nan Jing*).

The Yin Qiao is at the medial malleolus; disease manifests as tension in this meridian, specifically tense above the medial malleolus and slack above the lateral malleolus. The Yang Qiao is at the lateral malleolus; disease manifests as tension in this meridian, specifically tense below the lateral malleolus and slack above the medial malleolus (*Mai Jing*).

The two foot Qiao meridians are 7 chi 5 cun long. The Yin Qiao originates at Zhaohai, with Jiaoxin as the Xi-Cleft point (*Ling Shu: Mai Du* ○ 8 points on both sides).

Chart of Yang Wei Mai (Yang Linking Vessel) Points

The Yang Wei Mai (Yang Linking Vessel, *Yáng Wéi Mài*) links the Yang aspects. Its pulse originates at the convergence of all Yang meridians. Together with the Yin Wei, it links and networks the whole body. If Yang cannot intermingle with Yang, one feels loose and unable to control oneself. Disease of the Yang Wei involves suffering from chills and fever (*Nan Jing*).

Points where its Qi emerges: Diverges from Jinmen, with Yangjiao as the Xi-Cleft point. Intersects with the Hand-Taiyang and Yang Qiao Mai at Tianliao. Intersects with the Hand-Shaoyang at Yifeng. Intersects with the Hand and Foot Shaoyang at Tiannu. Intersects with the Hand and Foot Shaoyang and Foot-Yangming at Jianjing. In the head, it intersects with the Foot-Shaoyang at Yangbai, ascending to Benshen, Linqi, and Mucuang, further to Zhengying and Chengling, following Naokong, descending to Fengchi. Its intersection with the Du Meridian is at Fengfu and Ya Men (30 points total).

Chart of Yin Wei Mai (Yin Linking Vessel) Points

The Yin Wei Mai (Yin Linking Vessel, *Yīn Wéi Mài*) links the Yin aspects. Its pulse originates at the intersection of all Yin meridians. If Yin cannot link to Yin, one feels lost and dispirited. Disease of the Yin Wei involves suffering from heart pain (*Nan Jing*).

Points where its Qi emerges: The Xi-Cleft point of the Yin Wei is named Zubin. It intersects with the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian at Daheng and Fu'ai. It intersects with the Foot-Taiyin and Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridians at Fushhe (4.3 cun below Daheng) and Qimen. It intersects with the Ren Meridian at Tiantu and Lianquan (12 points total).