陰都 : Yindu : Yin Metropolis

Location Guides:

Classifications:

Shokanten Nine Continents Point of the Lower Jiao, Jueyin and chest

Meetings:

Meeting of Kidney with Chong Mai

Location:

On the upper abdomen, 4 cun above the umbilicus, 0.5 cun lateral to the midline (Zhongwan Ren-12). Note: The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion locates this 1.5 cun from the midline.

Needling:

Perpendicular insertion 0.5 - 1 cun

Warnings:

Deep needling may penetrate the peritoneal cavity.

Classical Needling:

"The Shaoyin usually has little Blood and much Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be needled.
"The foot Shaoyin is to be pierced 2 fen deep and remain inserted for three exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of one cun and moxaed with five cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Regulates Qi and harmonises the Stomach
Lowers rebellion and alleviates chough and wheezing

TCM Indications:

• Epigastric pain, counterflow qi, vomiting, nausea, fullness and agitation below the Heart, distension and pain of the abdomen, twisting pain in the abdomen, borborygmus, difficult defecation, infertility, malign blood in the uterus.
  
• Cough, distension of the chest, pain and heat of the lateral costal region, Malarial (瘧, Nue) Disorders, eye pain, redness and pain of the eye originating at the inner canthus.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Anterior cutaneous thoracic nerve from T8

Dermatome Segment: T8

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

See Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com for explanation of effects.

Major Combinations:

• Nue (Malaria) with generalised fever:
    Yindu Kid-19 with Shaohai He-3, Shangying LI-1, Sanjian LI-3 and Zhongzhu SJ-3
    (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 and fullness of the Heart:
    Yindu Kid-19 with Juque Ren-14
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Nine Flowers:
    Yindu Kid-19 with Youmen Kid-21, Shenfeng Kid-23, Burong St-19 and Juque Ren-14
    (Jeffrey Yuen protocol, learned via discussion group. See note below.)

Notes:

The "Nine Flowers" is a combination of points that aims to open the Diaphragm and allow new life to enter (Jeffrey Yuen protocol, learned via discussion group).

Shokanten points are often used in Japanese acupuncture to treat conditions arising from a psycho-emotional background. This point affects the Lower Jiao, Jueyin and chest area.

The top point of Tung's Stomach Hair Seven (Wei Mao Qi) is located at the tip of the xiphoid process, equivalent to Ren-15, with two below it at 1 cun intervals. Two more are located 1.5 cun lateral to the inferior two on either side. The upper lateral points would be at the location given in the Great Compendium for this point. They are treated using Tung's method of pricking for "wool-like furuncles", stomach diseases, stomach bleeding, enteritis, palpitations and various types of sudden turmoil (McCann, 2014, Pricking the Vessels).

In nine palaces abdominal acupuncture, this point is located in the region associated with ☲ Li, Fire, the south and the Heart and Small Intestine organs (Schelbert, 2014, Ryan, 2009).

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