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He-Sea and Water point
Child point of the Lung channel
Trigger point (Travell & Simons, 1998, Trigger Point Manual)
On the cubital crease of the elbow, in the depression at the radial side of the tendon of biceps brachii
Perpendicular insertion 0.5 - 1 cun, or transverse needling to Shaohai He-3 combined with Quchi Pc-3 in "Crossed T-Shaped Needling".
"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 three fen and moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).
Clears Heat from the Lung and descends rebellious Qi
Regulates the water passages
Activates the channel
Relaxes the sinews and alleviates pain
Shared with Erjian LI-2. Balanced by ䷕ (Jiexi St-41 or Dadu Sp-2).
Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.
Superficial Innervation: Lateral cutaneous nerve of the forearm from C5 - C6
Dermatome Segment: C6
Muscle:
Supinators
Location Notes:
Same as for Quchi LI-11, but Travell & Simons reach the point from the medial side of the brachioradialis muscle
Pain Referral Pattern:
To lateral elbow and dorsum of base of thumb
Indications:
Aching pain in lateral elbow or dorsum of web of thumb
; Tennis elbow
Listed in the Wu Bei Zhi 武備志 (Treatise on Armament Technology) by Mao Yuanyi 茅元儀 (1621), Article 24: Bronze Man Statue, which divides the body into zones associated with the Twelve-Hour branches (Shichen 時辰) going from top downwards, the lower bicep and elbow (He-3, SJ-10, SI 8, LI 10, LI 11, LI 12 & Lu 5) and the xiphoid process (Juque Ren-14) are the vital points of Wu 午 Horse (11 am - 1 pm) and considered most vulnerable to a palm thrust during this time (McCarthy, 2016, Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat).
As a He-Sea point, a strong strike can take Qi away from the Lungs, causing an immediate loss of power. The whole upper body is put out of balance both physically and energetically. Most commonly it causes a "dead arm" with no tension at all, but can cause knock out or even brain damage (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).
In seizing martial arts (Qin Na) this point is a cavity pressing point (Dian Xue, 點穴). Pressing this point can cause pain and numbness, or even unconsciousness (Yang, 2004, Analysis of Shaolin Chin Na, 2nd Edition).
Ling Shu Ch. 44, On the Qi Moving in Accordance with the Norms, indicates that the He-Sea points should be pierced in autumn or when the disease is a result of immoderate diet. The seasonal aspect should not be interpreted literally as it describes the flavours as "controlled by autumn", probably referring to the mouth, nose and throat where the metal channels run. It also describes the morning, afternoon, evening and night cycle of the day to be like the four seasons of the year with evening corresponding to autumn. Perhaps the most likely interpretation is during middle age, the autumn period of life, when the effects immoderate diet are likely to start to show.
Ling Shu Ch. 71, On Evil Visitors, says that when a depletion evil is in the Lung and Heart it remains in two elbows. Yuen's theory of the Divergent meridians suggests that they store pathogens at the major joints, depleting our resources while they do, which would make this a potential point for for the Lung/Large Intestine Divergent.
"Crossed T-Shaped Needling" involves transverse needling from Quze Lu-5 to Shaohai He-3 combined with perpendicular needling of Quchi Pc-3 for pain or paralysis of the upper limbs and heat in the upper body (Liu Yan, 2008, Diagrams of Acupuncture Manipulations, p.131).
In five element acupuncture this point is reduced to drain excess in the Lung.
Wang Yu-Ji often starts with this point and Yinlingquan Sp-9 as a means of harmonising the Taiyin Qi dynamic and function of fluid transformation. This is due to the Spleen governing the rising of clear Yang and the Lung governing the descent of True Qi creating a cyclical motion (Wang & Robertson, 2008, Applied Channel Theory).
In Tung acupuncture the Qu Ling, Score Mound, point is located here, or 1.5 cun distal. It is often combined with Quchi LI-11 and used for treating a variety of Lung channel problems (Chu, 2015).
Principle Point of the Xing Nao Kai Qiao (醒脑开窍, activating the brain and opening the orifices) method of Dr. Shi Xue-Min for post-stroke sequalae along with Renzhong Du-26, Neiguan Pc-6, Sanyinjiao Sp-6, Jiquan He-1 and Weizhong Bl-40.
The aim of these points are to use the Yin meridians and the Du meridian to activate the brain and open the orifices and nourish the liver and kidney. This point dredges the channels, moves Qi and Blood, and improves the function of the limbs. Each point is usually manipulated for 1-3 minutes with one treatment course constituting 10 days of twice daily treatments 3-6 hours apart; 3-5 treatment courses are used continuously.
Liu, J. & Liu, K. (2012). Dr. Shi Xue-Min and the Xing Nao Kai Qiao Legacy. Acupuncture Today 13(3).
The alchemical text Zhouyi Cantong Qi (周易參同契 attributed to Wei Boyang, 2nd century CE) represents the lunar cycle in sequence of 6 groups of 5 days governed by the waxing and waning trigrams. These correspond to a rotating cycle of the Early Heaven sequence, with Kan in the west and Li in the east governing the whole Yin and Yang parts of the cycle respectively.
These attributions can be mapped onto the body with the inner trigram representing the Early Heaven trigram that rules the period of 5 days and the outer trigram being its Late Heaven pair, corresponding to the Channel that governs that period. This results in a sequence that has relevance to the menstrual cycle which also corresponds to the moon.
䷭ Xun within Kun : Days 1-5 : Danzhong Ren 17
Front Mu of Pericardium, Hui of Qi and Sea of Qi point. Gathers Qi to make Blood.
䷠ Gen within Qian : Days 6-10 : Pishu Bl-20
Back Shu of the Spleen. Raises and holds the Blood by strengthening the Spleen, completing the endometrial lining and holding it in place.
䷇ Kun within Kan: Days 11-15 : Taixi Kid-3
Yuan-Source of Kidney, Kidneys govern fertility and this point in particular tonifies Kidney Yang as well as Yin, initiating the return of Yang from within Yin, representing ovulation and the start of the Yang part of the cycle.
䷚ Zhen within Gen: Days 16-20 : Yinbai Sp-1
Return of Yang. This point has many indications for stopping bleeding, especially uterine bleeding which would indicate a disorder of Yang failing to uphold the Blood. It is also a Ghost Point so has an influence on the Shen.
䷼ Dui within Xun: Days 21-25 : Jianshi Pc-5
Strong regulator of the Shen and menstruation for the pre-menstrual phase.
䷍ Qian within Li: Days 26-30 : Tongli He-5
Luo of the Heart, a strong invigorating Blood point to govern the days of the period.
One notable pattern that emerges is that the points which govern the 5 day periods corresponding to the ordinal directions only involve the Spleen and Pericardium, which are the channels that were chosen to open the Chong Mai and Yin Wei Mai. The cardinal directions of north and south are governed by the Heart and Kidneys that make up the Shaoyin Axis.
Another pattern is that the Yin part of the cycle draws upon the Ren, Du and Kidneys that connect to the Jing, while the Yang half of the cycle comprises of points that affect the Shen. This connects them to the principle of the Curious Organs, where Jing and Shen combine, and includes the uterus.
The two directions that are not part of the waxing and waning trigrams are Kan and Li. These govern the 15 day Yin and Yang halves of the cycle as a whole and correspond to:
䷮ Kan within Dui: Days 1-15 : Chize Lu-5
Water point of Taiyin, which is a term for the moon, thus representing the moon's influence on the tides and its corresponding influence on Yin aspects of the body.
䷶ Li within Zhen: Days 16-30 : Xingjian Liv-2
Fire point of Jueyin, reverting Yin, representing the return of Yang. Clinically this point clears Liver Fire, spread Liver Qi and stops bleeding due to Heat and so is appropriate for any number of issues stemming from overactive Yang in this half of the cycle.
Medieval phlebotomy point (John de Foxton, 1408: Liber Cosmographiae, maa.cam.ac.uk; Hans von Gersdorff, 1517: Feldtbüch der Wundartzney, www.nlm.nih.gov).
Galen (Brain, 1986, Galen on Bloodletting) also advised bleeding at the elbow for pleuritic pain (p.23) and for unrelenting nosebleed (p.84). See notes to Quze Pc-3 which seems a better location but the median cubital vein could be found here also.
Galen also mentions the cephalic (humeral) vein and therefore this point specifically for pain in the eye and disorders of the upper neck, face and head, while the basilic vein on the inside of the elbow, near Shaohai He-3 for disorders of the lower neck (ibid.: p.91). At another point he says to bleed this point in any disorders above the level of the chest (ibid.: p.93).
In Tibetan medicine:
Moxa point (AMNH, Tibetan Medical Paintings)
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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