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Location Guides: |
Jing-River and Metal Point
Father point of the Liver channel
Binding point of the foot Jueyin Sinews
On the ankle, anterior to the prominence of the medial malleolus, in the significant depression just medial to the tendon of tibialis anterior when the ankle is extended (dorsiflexed, by pulling the toes upwards)
Perpendicular insertion 0.3 - 0.5 cun, or oblique insertion medially towards Shangqiu Sp-5, or laterally towards Jiexi St-41.
"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 four fen, (the needle) is retained for seven exhalations, and it is moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).
Spreads Liver Qi and regulates the Lower Jiao
Clears Liver channel stagnant Heat
䷵ Gui Mei 歸妹 Marrying the Maiden
Shared with Zuqiaoyin GB-44 and balanced by ䷴ (Daling Pc-7 or Tianjing SJ-10).
Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.
Superficial Innervation: Saphenous nerve (L3 - L4)
Dermatome Segment: L4
Relatively difficult to strike but if managed the effect is local pain similar to a groin strike and ankle damage. It can be used as a set up point for a groin strike, or a strike to Qimen Liv-14 (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).
In the Five Element tradition Metal controls Wood which makes this point the Father point, capable of "cutting" through Stagnation of Qi and Blood in the Liver, especially in the lower Jiao.
Ling Shu Ch. 2 says that needling this point contrary to the flow of the channel will cause blockage while needling in accordance with the direction of the channel enable unimpeded flow. It is the only point in this chapter in which a specific action is given.
Ling Shu Ch. 6 suggests piercing the Jing points of the Yin channels if a disease is in the Yin of the Yang realm (e.g. the sinews and bones). This would mean using this point to treat disorders of the hip, knee and ankle.
Ch. 7 then suggests using paired needles either side of the tendon to remove a tendon blockage illness, and straight needling to the bone for bone blockage illness. This could be interpreted as using these technique on this point, on either side of the tibialis anterior in incidences of injury to this tendon or straight in cases of ankle injury, or using them as local techniques while Ch. 6 is a distal point suggestion.
Ling Shu Ch. 44, On the Qi Moving in Accordance with the Norms, indicates that the Jing-River points should be pierced in late summer or when the disease affects the voice. The seasonal aspect should not be interpreted literally as it describes the voice and musical notes as "controlled by late summer". It also describes the morning, afternoon, evening and night cycle of the day to be like the four seasons of the year although late summer is not included in this comparison but presumably has some correlate (maybe late afternoon).
Ling Shu Ch. 52, On the Wei Qi, considers this to be the root of the foot Jueyin meridian with the tip being at Ganshu Bl-18.
In reflexology the band across the ankle, including this point, relates to the lymph and groin.
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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