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Location Guides: |
Jing-River and Metal point
Group Luo Point for the Three Arm Yin (Lung, Heart & Pericardium)
Xu Qiufu Ghost point
On the flexor aspect of the forearm, 3 cun proximal to Daling P-7, on the line connecting Daling P-7 with Quze P-3, between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor carpii radialis.
Perpendicular insertion 0.5 - 1 cun, or oblique proximal insertion 1 - 1.5 cun.
"The Jueyin usually has much Blood and little Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be 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 six fen, (the needle) is retained for a duration of seven exhalations, and it is moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).
Transforms Phlegm
Settles and calms the Shen
Descends rebellious Qi and regulates the Stomach
Regulates menstruation
䷼ Zhong Fu 中孚 Inner Conviction
Shared with Guanchong SJ-1. Balanced by ䷽ (Taichong Liv-3 or Yanglingquan GB-34).
Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.
Superficial Innervation: Border of lateral and medial cutaneous nerves of the forearm (C5 - C6 and C8 - T1)
Dermatome Segment: C6, T1 on ventral axial line
Deeper Structures: Median nerve from C5 - T1
Adversely affects the Heart causing the mind to become scattered and tense while draining Qi and causing great weakness and digestive issues. In conjunction with Ximen Pc-4 and Neiguan Pc-6 it can stop the heart (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).
Main use is transforming phlegm in the upper jiao, especially the Heart (Deadman et al, 2001)
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 shoulder, elbow and wrist.
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 palmaris longus or flexor carpii radialis in incidences of injury to these tendons or straight in cases of bone injury (although this point goes between the radius and ulnar). Alternatively they may be read separately, using these as local techniques to remove the blockage 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). Only five channels are discussed so this point must have served for the Heart too.
There is little written about the Group Luo except that they are used in cases where 3 related meridians are imbalanced. The only detailed protocol that could be found was from Pialoux (2008), Guide to Acupuncture and Moxibustion, where it states that they can "switch the energies from one side to the other by tonifying deficiencies and dispersing excesses".
To do this, the Group Luo relating to the type of energy (Yin or Yang) in excess is reduced on the affected side after the opposite Group Luo is tonified on the opposite side. Alternatively a trauma affecting all three channels on one limb could be resolved tonifying all its paired opposites - arm/leg and yin/yang on the same side, the same point on the opposite side, and then reducing the affected Group Luo point (i.e. an injury causing swelling affecting all three leg Yang channels can be resolved by tonifying the Group Yang Luo on the affected side arm and opposite leg, and the Group Yin Luo on the affected side, then reducing the the Group Yang Luo on the affected side).
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.
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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