大敦 : Dadun : Big Mound

Location Guides:

Classifications:

Jing-Well and Wood point
Entry point from Zulinqi GB-41
Horary point of the Liver channel
Binding point of the foot Taiyin and foot Jueyin Sinews

Location:

On the dorsal aspect of the big toe, at the junction of lines drawn along the lateral border of the nail and the base of the nail, approximately 0.1 cun from the corner of the nail. Some sources, including the Spiritual Pivot, locate this point midway between the point above and the interphalangeal joint, 0.4 cun from the corner of the nail.

Needling:

Perpendicular or oblique insertion directed proximally 0.1 to 0.2 cun, or prick to bleed.

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:

Regulates Qi in the Lower Jiao, treats shan disorder and alleviates pain
Benefits the genitals and adjusts urination
Regulates Liver Qi and stops mentrual bleeding
Revives consciousness and calms the Shen

TCM Indications:

• Shan (疝) Disorder, sudden Shan (疝) Disorder, the seven kinds of Shan (疝) Disorder, hypogastric pain, pain of the umbilicus, abdominal distension and swelling, constipation, heat of the lower abdomen.
  
• Swelling and pain of the genitals, pain of the head of the penis, retraction of the genitals, swelling of the testicles.
  
• Painful retention of urine, blood in the urine, painful urinary dysfunction, the five types of painful urinary dysfunction, enuresis, frequent urination.
  
• Irregular menstruation, ceaseless uterine bleeding, menorrhagia, metrorrhagia, uterine prolapse.
  
• Epilepsy, loss of consciousness from Windstroke (中風, Zhong Feng), loss of consciousness, acute and chronic Childhood Fright Wind, excessive fright and little strength, great fear as if seeing ghosts, Mania-Withdrawal (癲狂, Dian Kuang), worry and oppression, bitter taste in the mouth, sighing, somnolence, sudden Heart pain, tetany, ceaseless nosebleed, copious sweating.

I Ching Hexagram:

䷲ Zhen 震 Thunder

Shared with Zulinqi GB-41. Balanced by ䷸ (Ximen Pc-4 or Huizhong SJ-7).

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

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Superficial fibular (peroneal) nerve (L4 - S1)

Dermatome Segment: L4

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

Stomping on the big toe causes great local pain, nausea and damages the ability to send out Qi, immobilising the attacker for another attack, especially on Zangmen Liv-13 which can be fatal. Damaged sufficiently the Qi obstruction will impair health long afterwards (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).

Major Combinations:

• Cold Shan Disorder:
    Dadun Liv-1 with Zhaohai Kid-6
    (Gao Wu, 高武, 1529: Bai Zheng Fu, 百症賦, Ode of a Hundred Symptoms).
  
  
• The seven kinds of Shan Disorder:
    Dadun Liv-1 with Taichong Liv-3
    (Anon, nd, Shi Si Jing Yao Xue Zhu Zhi Ge, 十四經要穴主治歌, Song of the Points of the Fourteen Primary Channels).
  
  
• Adbominal fullness that radiates to the back, one-sided swelling and sagging of the testicle:
    7 cones of moxa on Dadun Liv-1 and 3 cones of moxa on Guanyuan Ren-4
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Sagging and swollen testicle without pain:
    Dadun Liv-1 with Guilai St-29 and Sanyinjiao Sp-6
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Involuntary erection with difficult urination:
    Dadun Liv-1 with Weiyang Bl-39, Yingu Kid-10, Qimen Liv-14 and Weizhong Bl-40
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Enuresis:
    Dadun Liv-1 with Jimen Sp-11, Pangguangshu Bl-28, Weizhong Bl-40, Taichong Liv-3, Tongli He-5 and Shenmen He-7
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• The five types of painful urinary dysfunction:
    Dadun Liv-1 with Xuehai Sp-10
    (Anon, nd, Shi Si Jing Yao Xue Zhu Zhi Ge, 十四經要穴主治歌, Song of the Points of the Fourteen Primary Channels).
  
  
• The five types of urinary dysfunction with inability to urinate:
    Dadun Liv-1 with Qihai Ren-6
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
  
  
• Uterine prolapse:
    Dadun Liv-1 with Ququan Liv-8 and Zhaohai Kid-6
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Hot constipation, Qi constipation:
    First needle Changqiang Du-1, then Dadun Liv-1 and Yanglingquan GB-34
    (Anon, nd, Shi Si Jing Yao Xue Zhu Zhi Ge, 十四經要穴主治歌, Song of the Points of the Fourteen Primary Channels).
  
  
• Somnolence:
    Dadun Liv-1 with Lidui St-45
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Loss of consciousness:
    Dadun Liv-1 with Yinbai Sp-1
    (Haungfu Mi, 皇甫謐, 282: Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing, 針灸甲乙經, Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

Notes:

This point is also on the 5th trajectory of the Chong mai relating to digestive functions (Yuen, 2005, The Extraoridinary Vessels).

Ling Shu Ch. 19, on the Four Seasonal Qi, advises opening the Jing-Well and Ying-Spring openings in winter, piercing deeply and retaining the needle for a while.

Ling Shu Ch. 23, On Heat Diseases, recommends using the Yin Qiao Mai along with this point and bleeding the Luo for dysuria from a bulging disease (maybe prostate?).

Ling Shu Ch. 44, On the Qi Moving in Accordance with the Norms, indicates that the Jing-Well points should be pierced in winter or when the disease is in the Zang organs. The seasonal aspect should not be interpreted literally as it describes the nature of winter as the the time of storage and the Zang as "controlled by winter" (i.e. to be storage depots by nature). It also describes the morning, afternoon, evening and night cycle of the day to be like the four seasons of the year with night corresponding to winter.

In Maoshan Daoism the character for Jing 井 is used to trap disease, ghosts and demons. It is drawn in the air invoking the "three mountains" mudra (index, middle and ring finger extended) with the bent line continuing in a circle (usually clockwise), or with ash and sprayed on with water held in the mouth, and sometimes on talismans (Read, 2020, FB Post, 1 Sep 2020). This may explain why the Jing-Well points are so often used to expel pathogens.

Lad and Durve (2008) in Marma Points of Ayurveda locate a point at the midpoint of the base of the nail on the big toe, between this point and Yinbai Sp-1, called Pada Kshpira and associate it with the doshas: Prana Vayu, Udna Vayu, Apana Vayu, Vyana Vayu, Tarpaka Kapha and Shleshaka Kapha.

They give the following functions:
- Relieves headaches
- Activates prana
- Regulates kundalini
- Benefits shukra and artava dhatus

In Tibetan medicine:
This point, or Yinbai Sp-1, or between the two can be treated by burning cones of dried edelweiss flower (Trah-wah) for stiffness of the neck and swollen genitals (Bradley, 2000: Principles of Tibetan Medicine)

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