地機 : Diji : Earth Pivot

Location Guides:

Classifications:

Xi-Cleft point

Location:

On the medial side of the lower leg, 3 cun inferior to Yinlingquan Sp-9, or at the junction between the upper third and lower two-thirds of a line drawn between the popliteal crease and the prominence of the medial malleolus.

Needling:

Perpendicular or oblique insertion 1 - 1.5 cun

Classical Needling:

"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 three fen and moxaed with five cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Regulates menstruation and invigorates Blood
Harmonises the Spleen and resolves Dampness
Moderates acute conditions

TCM Indications:

• Irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhoea, abdominal (Zheng Jia) masses in women.
  
• Distension of the abdomen and lateral costal region, pain of the abdomen, poor appetite, diarrhoea with thin stools, Dysenteric Disorder (痢疾, Li Ji), difficult urination, oedema, leucorrhoea, seminal emission, lumbar pain, insufficiency of essence.

I Ching Hexagram:

䷑ Gu 蠱 Decaying, cursed, poison

Shared with Liangqiu St-34. Balanced by ䷐ (Sanjian LI-3 or Shaoshang Lu-11).

Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Saphenous nerve, from femoral nerve (L2 - L4)

Dermatome Segment: L4

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

When struck, this point will cause an immediate numbing of the lower leg is the with a full feeling around the point, local pain and an obstruction in the meridian and thus Spleen problems such as stomach disorders, varicose veins and bladder problems.

Often used as a set up point for a strike to ‘the third eye point’ just between the eyebrows where it
is said that this combination will ‘explode the head’ (direct translation) but requires a high level of fighting skills to use (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).

Major Combinations:

• Irregular menstruation:
    Diji Sp-8 with Xuehai Sp-10
    (Gao Wu, 高武, 1529: Bai Zheng Fu, 百症賦, Ode of a Hundred Symptoms).
  
  
• Cold-Damp Shan Disorder:
    Diji Sp-8 with Daju St-27 and Zhongdu Liv-6
    (Haungfu Mi, 皇甫謐, 282: Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing, 針灸甲乙經, Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• No pleasure in eating:
    Diji Sp-8 with Yinlingqian Sp-9, Shuifen Ren-9, Youmen Kid-21 and Xiaochangshu Bl-27
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Acute dysmenorrhoea:
    Diji Sp-8 with Hegu LI-4 (Deadman, Al-Khafaji and Baker, 2001, A Manual of Acupuncture).

Notes:

In Tung acupuncture point Shen Guan, Kidney Gate, or Tian Huang Fu, Heavenly Emperor Appendage (77.18) is located 1.5 cun above this point, midway between here and Yinlingquan Sp-9. It can be used singly for shoulder pain or in combination with Di Huang (1 cun above Lougu Sp-7) and Ren Huang (at Sanyinjiao Sp-6) for a variety of symptoms relating to Kidney Qi deficiency (Chu, 2015)

The Hexagram associated with this point is ䷑ 蠱 Gu, referring to a worm or insect that causes spoilage and was used as a means of cursing enemies. This point's grouping as a Xi-Cleft point on the Stomach channel gives it actions on acute gastrointestinal symptoms common in Gu illness.

Lad and Durve (2008) in Marma Points of Ayurveda call this point medial Indrabasta and associate it with the doshas: Apana Vayu, Vyana Vayu, Ranjaka Pitta and Sadhaka Pitta.

They give the following functions:
- Promotes circulation in the lower extremities
- Benefits the legs and relaxes the muscles
- Regulates menses

A posterior Indrabasta is located at Chengjin Bl-56.

In Thai massage:
Acupressure point (Salguero & Roylance, 2011, Encyclopedia of Thai Massage)

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