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Jing-Well and Wood point
Sun Si-miao Ghost point (1st Trinity)
On the extensor aspect of the thumb, at the junction of the lines drawn along the radial border of the nail and the base of the nail, approximately 0.1 cun from the corner of the nail
Perpendicular or oblique insertion directed proximally 0.1 - 0.2 cun, or prick to bleed
"The Taiyin usually has much Qi and little Blood" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be needled.
"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 one fen and (the needle) is retained for a duration of one exhalation. It is moxaed with one cone" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).
Revives consciousness
Clears Heat and benefits the throat
Shared with Sanjian LI-3. Balanced by ䷑ (Liangqiu St-34 or Diji Sp-8).
Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.
Superficial Innervation: Median nerve branch to thumb from C6 - C8
Dermatome Segment: C6
As a Jing-Well and Wood point, if struck hard it will drain Qi from the upper body and can cause emotional problems later in life. Not realistic as a striking point and likely to be injured while using a hammer (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).
In seizing martial arts (Qin Na) this point is a cavity pressing point (Dian Xue, 點穴). Both sides of the nail are pinched to obstruct the Qi and cause serious pain. If the pain is significant it can cause fainting. Sometimes the top of the nail bed is pressed instead. (Yang, 2004, Analysis of Shaolin Chin Na, 2nd Edition).
Along with Yuji Lu-10 this is the main point for sore throats.
Ling Shu Ch. 19, on the Four Seasonal Qi, advises selecting the Jing-Well and Ying-Spring openings in winter, piercing deeply and retaining for a while. However, the character for "retain" 留 is a combination of 田 "a field," possibly referring to the idea of waiting for things to grow, and 卯 which is the 4th Earthly Branch (Mao, Rabbit, ䷡, 5-7 am, Large Intestine) and said to derive from a Shang Dynasty glyph, originally referring to a blood sacrifice (a person or animal cut in half) before coming to mean bloodletting and "pouring out" (Smith, 2011). This might suggest it was actually referring to bleeding these points, and maybe even letting the points bleed for a time rather than retaining the needle.
Ling Shu Ch. 22, On Mania and Madness, advises that when Wind invasion and counterflow causes the limbs to become swollen, profuse sweating, a feeling of cold and to be irritated when hungry, then blood is removed from the outer and inner sections of the hand Taiyin and foot Shaoyin and Yangming. If the flesh is cool then it is be done through the Ying-Spring points and if the bones are cold it is to be done through the Jing-Well and Jing-River points.
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.
Ghost Points:
The first trinity of ghost points, consisting of this point, Yinbai Sp-1 and Renzhong Du-26, represent the initial stages of being taken over. Being at the peripheries of the body they are aimed at expelling the influence before it takes hold.
As the second point in the first trinity, the name of this point, Guixin, Ghost Trust, reflects that the ghost gains your trust and you stop noticing the change as different or usual. Its other name, Guiyan, Ghost Talk, refers to the main symptom of this stage being changes in the throat and voice, a rattling or crackling and continual need to clear or cough (Phlegm). Other symptoms include susceptibility to changes in the exterior, especially Yang factors such as wind, heat and light, as you take on the a Yin nature of the Ghost.
This point should be needled rather than treated with moxa. The needle technique is usually Zheng Dong, to "rattle" the needle as if to shake someone into waking up (Yuen, 2005, 3 Spirits & 7 Souls).
In the Twelve Branches the Ghost Points follow a cycle from top to bottom with this point representing Wu, 午 and the Heart channel (Ayal, 2021, The 13 Ghost Points 十三鬼穴).
Five Corpse Possession is a collection of five different disorders which can all be treated with either 7 cones of moxa at this point, 14 cones 3 cun posterior to the nipple (Zhejin GB-23, left for men, right for women), or 10 cones 3 cun below the heart or 1 cun below the nipple (Rugen St-18) (Wang Zhizheng, 1220, Supplementing Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Trans. Lu & Wilcox, 2014).
In Tung acupuncture the Wu Hu, Five Tigers, are located near this point, on the proximal segment of the thumb along the palmar aspect. They are collection of five points for treating Cold-Damp Bi syndromes. In order of distal to proximal:
1 treats pain of the fingers
2 treats pain of the hand
3 treats pain of the toes
4 treats pain of the dorsal foot
5 treats pain of the heel and plantar region of the foot
They are often combined with GB channel points to expel Wind and promote movement (Chu, 2015).
A sixth point, Xiao Je, Small Joint, is located below these, at the junction of the base of the thumb and the first metacarpal, indicated for pain of the ankle, neck or wrist (ibid.)
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 thumb nail called Hasta Kshipra and associate it with the doshas: Prana Vayu, Vyana Vayu and Tarpaka Kapha.
They give the following functions:
- Benefits the hand
- Relieves headaches
- Enhances flow of prana to the lungs and brain
In Tibetan medicine:
Moxa point (AMNH, Tibetan Medical Paintings)
In Thai massage:
Acupressure point indicated for fever and neck pain/injury/arthritis (Salguero & Roylance, 2011, Encyclopedia of Thai Massage)
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
Steve Woodley Acupuncture & Traditional Medicine
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