承漿 : Chengjiang : Container of Fluids

Classifications:

Sun Si-miao Ghost point (3rd trinity)
Xu Qiufu Ghost point
One of the "59 piercings" for clearing Heat in Ling Shu Ch. 23

Meetings:

Meeting of Conception Vessel with Du Mai, Large Intestine and Stomach

Location:

Above the chin, in the depression in the centre of the mentolabial groove.

Needling:

Transverse-oblique insertion directed superiorly 0.2 - 0.3 cun, or transverse insertion along the lower lip to join with Dicang St-4

Classical Needling:

"Locate it with the" (patient’s) mouth shut.h7 It is needled to a depth of two fen, (the needle) is retained for a duration of six 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:

Extinguishes Wind and benefits the face
Regulates the Ren Mai

TCM Indications:

• Hemiplegia, deviation of the mouth and eye, lockjaw, wind epilepsy, stifness of the head and nape, tetany, Mania-Withdrawal (癲狂, Dian Kuang).
  
• Pain and numbness of the face, swelling of face, pain of the teeth and gums, sudden loss of voice, purple lips, excessive production of watery saliva, dry mouth, wasting and thirsting disorder with great desire to drink, nosebleed.
  
• Dark urine, sweating, Shan (疝) Disorder in men, abdominal (Zheng Jia) masses in women.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: CN V3 mandibular branch of trigeminal

Dermatome Segment: CN V3 mandibular branch of trigeminal

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

One of the 36 vital points of Feng Yiyuan 馮一元 listed in the Wu Bei Zhi 武備志 (Treatise on Armament Technology) by Mao Yuanyi 茅元儀 (1621) (McCarthy, 2016, Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat).

See Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com for explanation of effects.

Major Combinations:

• Deviation of the mouth and eye:
    Chengjiang Ren-24 with Jiache St-6, Dicang St-4, Renzhong Du-26, Tinghui GB-2 and Hegu LI-4
    (Zhang Jiebin, 張景岳, 1624: Lei Jing Tu Yi, 類經圖翼, Illustrated Supplement to the Classic of Categories).
  
  
• Lockjaw following Windstroke:
    Reduce Chengjiang Ren-24, Jiache St-6, Renzhong Du-26, Baihui Du-20 and Hegu LI-4
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Loss of voice:
    Chengjiang Ren-24 with Fengfu Du-16
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Ceaseless nosebleed:
    Chengjiang Ren-24 with Weizhong Bl-40
    (Haungfu Mi, 皇甫謐, 282: Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing, 針灸甲乙經, Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Wasting and Thirsting Disorder with great desire to drink:
    Chengjiang Ren-24 with Yishe Bl-49, Rangu Kid-2 and Guanchong SJ-1
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
  
  
• Wasting and Thirsting Disorder:
    Chengjiang Ren-24 with Jinjin/Yuye Ex-HN-12, Renzhong Du-26, Lianquan Ren-23, Quchi LI-11, Laogong Pc-8, Taichong Liv-3, Xingjian Liv-2, Shangqiu Sp-5, Yinbai Sp-1 and Rangu Kid-2
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Mouth ulcers:
    Chengjiang Ren-24 with Laogong Pc-8
    (Liao Runhong, 廖润鸿, 1874: Zhen Jiu Ji Cheng, 針灸集成, Compilation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Stiffness and pain of the head and nape with difficult rotation:
    Chengjiang Ren-24 with Fengfu Du-16
    (Yu Long Ge, 玉龍賦, Song of the Jade Dragon. First recorded in Wang Guorui, 王國瑞, 1329: Bian Que Shen Ying Zhen Jiu, Yu Long Jing, 扁鵲神應針灸玉龍經, Bian Que's Spiritual Guide to Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Classic of the Jade Dragon).
  
  
• Isolation with extreme rumination, loss of appetite and interest in stimulation, malabsorption and tension in the jaw during the third stage of Ghost Possession:
    Needle Chengjaing Ren-24, bleed Laogong Pc-8 and moxa Jiache St-6
    (Yuen, 2005, 3 Spirits & 7 Souls, see notes below).

Notes:

This point would also be on the upper trajectory of the Chong mai in Jeffrey Yuen's descriptions (Yuen, 2005, The Extraordinary Vessels).

Ghost Points:
The third trinity of Ghost Points, consisting of this point, Jiache St-6 and Laogong Pc-8, is mainly concerned with extreme isolation as the body attempts to deprive itself of any stimulation in order move into a state of suicidal ideation. It generally refers to institutionalised situations, including catatonic states. In a modern clinical setting this trinity is probably better represented by depression with social isolation, loss of appetite, tension in the jaw and extreme rumination. The name "Ghost Market" may represent this tendency to try to bargain oneself out of depression.

The characteristic feature of this point is the person who is drooling or has extremely dry parched mouth and that either lets food drop out of their mouth or it passes through undigested. Fluids and food are not staying in resulting in them becoming parched and wasted. It is another form of being unable to assimilate. Symptoms more likely to be seen in a modern clinic might include a refusal to eat or drink, dry mouth or undigested food in the stool.

This point is generally treated with needling using the Zheng dong method 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 Mao, 卯 and the Large Intestine channel (Ayal, 2021, The 13 Ghost Points 十三鬼穴).

Ling Shu Ch. 23, On Heat Diseases, gives a different list of points for the "59 Piercings" to Su Wen Ch. 61 which includes a point below the mouth that most likely means this point.

Avicenna describes venesection at this point in his treatise On Venesection:

"The area between the lower lip and chin is venesected in cases of foul mouth smell." (Aspects of Treatment According to General Diseases, 21st section in Abu-Asab, Amri & Micozzi, 2013, Avicenna's Medicine)

In Mayan medicine:
Punctured in case of toothache (Garcia, Sierra, Balam, 1999: Wind in the Blood)

Medieval phlebotomy point (John de Foxton, 1408: Liber Cosmographiae, maa.cam.ac.uk; Hans von Gersdorff, 1517: Feldtbüch der Wundartzney, www.nlm.nih.gov) although Gersdorff appears to approach the point from inside the lip.

Lad and Durve (2008) in Marma Points of Ayurveda call this point Hanu and associate it with the doshas: Bodhaka Kapha, Apana Vayu and Sadhaka Pitta.

They give the following functions:
- Regulates bodhaka kapha and salivary secretion
- Relieves pain
- Improves colour complexion of the face and tone of the facial muscles
- Regulates apana vayu
- Relieves stress and unresolved emotions

In Tibetan medicine:
Moxa point (AMNH, Tibetan Medical Paintings)

In Thai massage:
Acupressure point indicated for constipation, mouth disorders and vomiting (Salguero & Roylance, 2011, Encyclopedia of Thai Massage)

Very common piercing, often stretched, in many tribal cultures for various reasons: beauty (Makololo of Malawi), status (Aztecs & Mayans, native Americans and Inuit), religious significance (Dogon of Mali) or betrothal rite (Saras-Djinjas of Chad) (Morrison, 1998: Piercing History, Painful Pleasures)

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