上廉 : Shangliang : Upper Angle

Location:

On the radial side of the forearm, 3 cun distal to Quchi L.I.-11 on the line connecting Quchi L.I.-11 with Yangxi L.I.-5

Needling:

Perpendicular or oblique insertion, 0.5 - 1.5 cun

Classical Needling:

"The Yangming usually has much Qi and much Blood" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel can normally be needled or bled.
"The hand Yin and Yang receive their Qi via nearby paths so their Qi arrive swiftly. The depth of piercing must not exceed 2 fen and must not remain inserted for longer than one exhalation" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of five fen and moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Harmonises the Large Intestine
Activates the channel and alleviates pain

TCM Indications:

• Borborygmus, Large Intestine qi stagnation, abdominal pain, difficult and dark urination.
  
• Chest pain, dyspnoea, Brain Wind, headache.
  
• Pain or numbness of the shoulder, elbow and arm, numbness of the limbs, hemiplegia from Windstroke (中風, Zhong Feng), cold sensation in the bone marrow.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Posterior cutaneous nerve of the forearm from C5 - C8

Dermatome Segment: C6

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

A strike here will cause paralysis of the hand and arm. If used along with Zhongfu Lu 1, it will cause such power loss that the fight is over (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).

Major Combinations:

• Fullness of the abdomen and lateral costal region:
    Shanglian LI-9 with Yanglingquan GB-34 and Zulinqi GB-41
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Dyspnoea with inability to walk:
    Shanglian LI-9 with Qimen Liv-14 and Zhongwan Ren-12
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

Notes:

Avicenna describes venesection along the accessory cephalic vein that runs approximately along the course of the arm Yangming Large Intestine channel in his treatise On Venesection:

"The cephalic vein drains more blood from the neck and above, and little from below the neck, but it does not exceed the epigastrium, and it does not significantly cleanse the lower parts... The accessory cephalic vein is similar to the cephalic." (Aspects of Treatment According to General Diseases, 21st section in Abu-Asab, Amri & Micozzi, 2013, Avicenna's Medicine).

The median cubital or basilic veins are used for the lower body.

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