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Jing-Well and Wood point
Father point of the Spleen channel
Sun Si-miao Ghost point (1st Trinity)
Xu Qiufu Ghost point
Entry point from Chongyang St-42
Binding point of the foot Taiyin Sinews
On the dorsal aspect of the big toe, at the junction of lines drawn along the medial 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 foot Taiyin is to be pierced 3 fen deep and remain inserted for four exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of one fen, (the needle) is retained for a duration of three exhalations, and it is moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).
Stops bleeding
Regulates the Spleen
Unbinds the chest
Calms the Heart and Shen and restores consciousness
Shared with Xiangu St-43. Balanced by ䷚ (Wenliu LI-7 or Kongzui Lu-6).
Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.
Superficial Innervation: Superficial peroneal nerve from L4 - S1
Dermatome Segment: L4
As the root of Taiyin, striking this point drains Qi from the Lungs and Spleen causing a downwards rushing feeling, followed by nausea and loss of power when struck. Also, as a reverse to its healing functions it will also make bleeding worse and disrupt the communication between Heaven and Earth, making the shock caused by any strike to the head worse and disrupt sleep afterwards (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).
In five element acupuncture, as father point of the Lung channel this can control excesses in the Lung.
This point is also on the 5th trajectory of the Chong mai relating to digestive functions (Yuen, 2005, The Extraoridinary Vessels).
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. 23, On Heat Diseases, recommends using this point in cases of Heat disease when the patient pants and coughs. If it is Cold Qi then the needle is retained, if it is Heat Qi it is removed quickly.
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, Shaoshang Lu-11 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.
Its Ghost Point name, Guilei, Ghost Fortress, indicates that at this stage is when depression and withdrawal begins to settle in as the ghost erects a barrier to the outside world. Its other name Guiyan, Ghost Eye, reflects this depressive phase in that you now start to see like the ghost.
Other symptoms may include a heaviness on the chest causing sleepiness but restless dreaming when asleep, known as Guiza, the Ghost sitting on your Chest.
This is the first of the Ghost Points that is treated with moxa, due to the ghosts Yin nature (Yuen, 2005, 3 Spirits & 7 Souls).
In the Twelve Branches the Ghost Points follow a cycle from top to bottom with this point representing Hai, 亥 and the San Jiao channel (Ayal, 2021, The 13 Ghost Points 十三鬼穴).
Ge Hong (4th century) mentions inserting a needle into this point if the patient has a sudden outbreak of madness and "speaks demon language" to stop the attack (Strickmann, M, 2002, Chinese Magical Medicine, p. 241, Stanford University Press).
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.
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).
Lad and Durve (2008) in Marma Points of Ayurveda locate a point at the midpoint of the base of the nail on the big toe, between this point and Dadun Liv-1, called Pada Kshpira and associate it with the doshas: Prana Vayu, Udna Vayu, Apana Vayu, Vyana Vayu, Tarpaka Kapha and Shleshaka Kapha.
They give the following functions:
- Relieves headaches
- Activates prana
- Regulates kundalini
- Benefits shukra and artava dhatus
In Siddha medicine this is the origin of the Nati channels. The Itakalai (Ida) Nati begins on the big toe of the right foot, ascends to the pelvic region, alternates to the left side of the spine towards the left nostril (Yingxiang LI-20) where it moves down the left arm the tip of the middle finger (Zhongchong Pc-9). The Pinkalai (Pingala) Nati does the reverse, starting on the left toe at this point and ending at the tip of the right middle finger (Sieler, 2008, Lethal Spots, Vital Secrets).
In Tibetan medicine:
Can be treated with cones of dried edelweiss flowers (Trah-wah) on crushed garlic for stiffness of neck and swollen testicles (Bradley, 2000: Principles of Tibetan Medicine).
In Thai massage:
Acupressure point (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
90 Deane Croft Road,
Eascote, Pinner, Greater London. HA5 1SP
Tel/WhatsApp: +44 (0) 7946 174 829
Email: steve@steve-woodley.co.uk
