承光 : Chengguang : Receiving Light

Classifications:

One of the "59 piercings" for clearing Heat in Su Wen Ch. 61

Location:

1.5 cun posterior to Bl-5, 2.5 cun within the anterior hairline and 1.5 cun lateral to the midline.

Needling:

Transverse insertion 0.5 - 1 cun

Warnings:

According to several classical and modern texts, this point is contraindicated to moxibustion.

Classical Needling:

"The Taiyang usually has much Blood and little Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be bled.
"The foot Taiyang is to be pierced 5 fen deep and remain inserted for seven exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of three fen and is prohibited to moxibustion.”" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Eliminates Wind and clears Heat
Clears the head and benefits the eyes and nose

TCM Indications:

• Vertex headache, wind dizziness, Superficial Visual Obstruction, blurred vision, short sightedness, copious clear nasal discharge, nasal congestion, inability to distinguish the fragrant from the foul, deviation of the mouth.
  
• Vomiting, agitation of the Heart with vomiting, febrile disease with absence of sweating.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: CN V1 ophthalamic branch of trigeminal

Dermatome Segment: CN V1 ophthalamic branch of trigeminal

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

Common point to injure when standing up and banging your head on a shelf. The pain and Qi drainage can be enough to cause you to sit down until it subsides. It is right over the frontal fontanelle so cause damage to the skull structure too (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).

Major Combinations:

• Wind headache:
    Chengguang Bl-6 with Zanzhu Bl-2, Shenshu Bl-23, Qimai SJ-18, Sizhukong SJ-23 and Erheliao SJ-22
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
  
  
• Obstruction of the nose with inability to distinguish the fragrant from the foul:
    Chengguang Bl-6 with Shangxing Du-23, Baihui Du-20 and Xinhui Du-22
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Vomiting:
    Chengguang Bl-6 with Dadu Sp-2
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Agitation of the Heart:
    Chengguang Bl-6 with Baihui Du-20 and Qiangjian Du-18
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

Notes:

The "59 piercings" are named in the Su Wen Ch. 61 and mentioned in Su Wen Ch. 32 for treating Heat diseases. This point along with Wuchu Bl-5, Tongtian Bl-7, Luoque Bl-8 and Yuzhen Bl-9 clear Heat from counterflow in the foot Taiyang Bladder channel.

Ling Shu Ch. 24, On Counterflow Diseases, seems to employs this set of points in treating headache, dizziness and heaviness of the head. It advises draining from the five points on each of the five channels on the top of the head, including this point, followed by the hand Shaoyin and then foot Shaoyin.

Yue Hanzhen attributes actions on Liver disorders to the points Bl-5 to Bl-8 (Yue, 17th Century, Explanation of Channels and Points Vol. 1, p.272-276). These points connect with the Liver because the Liver channel runs internally upwards to the vertex and connects to the eyes. In terms of indications, the main Liver symptoms associated with these points are eye and visual disorders, and dizziness from ascendant Yang, although Yue attributes these last symptoms to disorders of the Du Mai, with which the Taiyang is closely associated, both anatomically and functionally.

The points Bl-6 and Bl-7 also have indications for Lung disorders. The connection of the Bladder and Lung is that the Bladder is the most Exterior of the Channels while the Lung is the most Exterior Zangfu with both indicated for Exterior Wind invasions.

This point is also unusual among the points of the head for also pacifying the Stomach, indicated for "retching and vomiting with Heart Vexation" caused by Wind Qi (Yue, 17th Century, Explanation of Channels and Points Vol. 1, p.273). Other points on the head with an indication for the stomach include GB-17, GB-8 and GB-9 which can be used for Shaoyang patterns (Yue, 17th Century, Explanation of Channels and Points Vol. 2).

In Tung acupuncture the point Zhou Lun (1010.04), Prefecture Elder, is located close to this point, 1.3 cun lateral and 1.5 cun posterior to Baihui Du-20. It is indicated for indicated for brain tumour, hemiplegia, asthma, fatigue and weakness of the limbs (eLotus, 2022).

The Ling Shu ch. 52 describes four Qi "Streets" (街 Jie, "street or market") on the head, chest, abdomen and shins. The Head Qi Street refers to the points located along the Bladder and Gall Bladder channel of the head and are said to have a special connection with the brain.

This point's name of "Receiving Light" recalls the Yangming meaning of "Brilliance" and its indications for vomiting would make it a suitable candidate for the Bladder Qi Street point relating to the Stomach, Spleen and the nausea aspects of Taiyin and Yangming syndromes.

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