太沖 : Taichong : Great Rushing

Liv-3 : Foot Jueyin Liver 3

Location Guides:

Classifications:

Shu-Stream and Earth point
Yuan-Source point
Ma Dan-yang Heavenly Star point
Shokanten Nine continents Pulse for Upper Jiao, Taiyin and Liver
Homeostatic point 5 (Ma, Ma & Cho, 2005, Biomedical Acupuncture for Pain Management)
Trigger point (Travell & Simons, 1998, Trigger Point Manual)

Location:

On the dorsum of the foot, in the hollow distal to the junction of the first and second metatarsal bones.

Needling:

In the direction of Yongquan Kid-1, 0.5 - 1.5 cun.


Classical Needling:

"The Jueyin usually has much Blood and little Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be bled.
"The foot Jueyin is to be pierced 1 fen deep and remain inserted for two exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of three fen, (the needle) is retained for a duration of ten exhalations, and it is moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Spreads Liver Qi
Subdues Liver Yang and extinguishes Wind
Clears the head and eyes
Regulates menstruation
Regulates the Lower Jiao

TCM Indications:

I Ching Hexagram:

䷽ Xiao Guo 小過 Slight Excess & ䷏ Yu 豫 Enthusiasm

䷽ is shared with Yanglingquan GB-34 and balanced by ䷼ (Jianshi Pc-5 or Guanchong SJ-1).

䷏ is shared with Guangming GB-37 and balanced by ䷈ (Neiguan Pc-6 or Yangchi SJ-4).

Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Deep fibular (peroneal) from common fibular nerve (L4 - S2)

Dermatome Segment: L4, L5


Trigger Point Associations:

Muscle:
Dorsal interossei

Myotome Innervation:
Lateral plantar nerve, from tibial nerve (L5 - S2)

Pain Referral Pattern:
To second toe and sole of foot directly beneath point

Indications:
Diseases of the foot

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

One of the 36 vital points of Feng Yiyuan 馮一元 listed in the Wu Bei Zhi 武備志 (Treatise on Armament Technology) by Mao Yuanyi 茅元儀 (1621). Also listed in Article 21: Delayed Death Touches with Twelve-Hour (Shichen 時辰) Diagrams. This point, along with Shenting Du-24, Tianding LI-17, Shenque Ren-8 and Shenmai Bl-62, are associated with Chou 丑 Ox (1 - 3 am) and if struck during this time is said to cause death within 14 days from trauma to the anterior tibial artery and deep fibular nerve (McCarthy, 2016, Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat).

Striking this point causes so much local pain and Qi drainage right up to the forehead that the recipient feels disorientated (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).

Major Combinations:


Notes:

Main point for moving stagnation anywhere in the body and pacifying the Liver. Often reinforced with Hegu LI-4 to form the 4 gates.

It is noteworthy than the transverse Luo points which connect to these points, Guangming GB-37 and Lieque Lu-7, are the only two Luo whose longitudinal directions travel distal across the hands and feet.


The Su Wen Ch. 20, Discourse on the Three Sections and Nine Indicators, describes "The heaven [indicator] of the lower section: the foot ceasing yin [locations]... the heaven [indicator] serves to examine the liver". Wang Bing's commentary says this means "This is to say: the liver vessels. Their movement can be felt. it should be taken while the person lies down - at the 'five miles' section in the hollow one and a half inches below the Sheep Droppings (羊矢) [piercing hole] outside the [pubic] hair line" (Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen, trans. Unschuld & Tessenow, 2011). Wang (2019, Daoist Internal Mastery) interprets this to mean Jimen Liv-12 or Zuwuli Liv-10. For women he suggests using this point. Wang et al. (2012) suggest that this was originally located at "upper surface of the great toe of the foot," where it is possible to feel the pulse of the first dorsal metatarsal artery.

Ling Shu Ch. 1, On the Nine Needles and the Twelve Origins, describes this point as the origin of the Shaoyang in the Yin.

Ling Shu Ch. 6 suggests piercing the Ying and Shu points of the Yin channels if a disease is in the Yin of the Yin realm. (e.g. the Zang organs) suggesting this point and Xingjian Liv-2 in diseases of the Liver.

Ling Shu Ch. 9, On Ends and Beginnings, advises that in the case of Heat associated with receding Yin Qi the Yang conduit should be pierced once and the Yin conduits twice. Based on other recommendation to use the He-Sea of the Yang conduits (Ch. 19) and the Yuan-Source with the Ying-Spring points (Chs. 6, 19 and 24) to clear Heat from the Zangfu, that would suggest this point, Yanglingquan GB-34 and Xingjian Liv-2 as a protocol to clear Heat in the Liver/Gall Bladder. Next it advises that in Cold associated with receding Yang Qi the Yang should be pierced twice and the Yin once but no such obvious protocol is evident for this situation. Another interpretation that would match with common practice today, based on the idea of odd numbers being Yang/moving/clearing while even numbers are Yin/tonifying/reinforcing, is that the points on the channel to be cleared are pierced on one side only while those on the channel to be tonified are pierced bilaterally.

Ling Shu Ch. 19, on the Four Seasonal Qi, advises using the Shu-Stream points, unless the diseases are in the Fu organs, in which case the He-Sea points are chosen.

Ling Shu Ch. 24, On Counterflow Diseases, employs the point combination mentioned in Ch. 6 for the treatment of Heart pain. It advises piercing this point and Xingjian Liv-2 when treating a Heart pain accompanied by ash-grey corpse-like complexion and inability to breathe deeply, associated with the Liver.

Ling Shu Ch. 44, On the Qi Moving in Accordance with the Norms, indicates that the Shu-Stream points should be pierced in summer or when the disease becomes milder and then more severe again. The seasonal aspect should not be interpreted literally as it describes the time periods of weakness and severity as "controlled by summer". It also describes the morning, afternoon, evening and night cycle of the day to be like the four seasons of the year with afternoon corresponding to summer.


Shang Han Lun, line 343, advises using moxa on Jueyin if a Jueyin pattern has lasted 6 or 7 days and is accompanied by faint pulse, reversal cold of the extremities, vexation and agitation. If it fails to restore the reversal the condition was considered fatal. Chang Qi-Zhi suggests this means using moxa on this point. Zhang Xi-Ju suggests Xingjian Liv-2 and Zhangmen Liv-13 (Mitchell, Ye and Wiseman, 1999, Shang Han Lun).


In Tung acupuncture the Huo Zhu (66.04), Fire Ruler, point is located 0.5 cun proximal to this point. It is indicated for Liver patterns with Heat presenting as cardiac, gastrointestinal, neurological or gynaecological disorders. It is often combined with Huo Ying (66.03), Fire Hard, 0.5 cun proximal to Xingjian Liv-2 (Chu, 2015; eLotus, 2022).


In early Chinese medicine, the pulse felt near the original location for this point, on the upper surface of the great toe of the foot (between Dadu Liv-1 and Xingjian Liv-2), was taken as an indication of the health of the Liver channel (Wang et al., 2012).


In reflexology this area relates to the breast, lung, chest and upper lymphatics.



Medieval phlebotomy point (John de Foxton, 1408: Liber Cosmographiae, maa.cam.ac.uk; Hans von Gersdorff, 1517: Feldtbüch der Wundartzney, www.nlm.nih.gov)


A Shokanten pulse is used to assist in diagnosis where the radial pulse is unclear, or in the comparative analysis of meridians in the upper and lower portions of the body. They are particularly used in psycho-emotional disorders. This point relates to the Upper Jiao, Taiyin and Liver.

In ayurvedic medicine:
Kurcha marma point
Size: 4 angula (cun)
Structure: Tendon
Effect of Injury: Disability (vaikalyakar marma)
(Harish Johari, 1996, Ayurvedic Massage, Sanatan Society; Anupama Bhattacharya, n.d. Marma Shastra)


Sieler (2015,Lethal Spots, Vital Secrets,p.121) describes this point as titavarmam "sturdy vital spot" in Siddha martial arts which if injured causes the foot to swell, a blood clot to form and pain, which can be severe enough to cause unconsciousness.


In Tibetan medicine:
Bleeding point (AMNH, Tibetan Medical Paintings)


In Thai massage:
Acupressure point (Salguero & Roylance, 2011, Encyclopedia of Thai Massage)


Reference Notes:

Basic information on location, needle depth, TCM actions, indications and combinations is taken from Deadman et al (2001): A Manual of Acupuncture with additional anatomical information researched by reference to Gray's Anatomy (38th Ed., 1995) unless otherwise referenced. Images were found on acupunctureschoolonline.com and can be traced back to Claudia Focks (2008) Atlas of Acupuncture originally. I cannot claim any credit or rights over them. Other sources should be quoted in the text.

For some of the more unusual terms I have created a glossary here

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