39. Stomach and Spleen points
Stomach points (Table 39.1)
The primary pathway of the Stomach channel
The Stomach channel begins below the eye, travels down the cheek, loops backwards along the angle of the jaw and ascends in front of the ear to the upper corner of the forehead. From the jaw a pathway runs down the side of the throat to travel transversely out along the superior edge of the collarbone, and then to descend down the nipple line, passing through the breast and to the side of the umbilicus, to the groin. Here the channel moves out transversely to continue down the front of the thigh, the lateral border of the patella and tibia, and then over the top of the foot to end at the lateral side of the second toe. It then joins the Spleen channel at Sp 1.
| Yuan source point | Stomach 42 |
| Luo junction point | Stomach 40 |
| Tonification point | Stomach 41 |
| Sedation point | Stomach 45 |
| Back shu point | Bladder 21 |
| Outer Back shu point | Bladder 50 |
| Horary point | Stomach 36 |
| Xi cleft point | Stomach 34 |
| Entry point | Stomach 1 |
| Exit point | Stomach 42 |
| Window of the Sky | Stomach 9 |
Stomach 1 Cheng Qi, Receive Tears: Entry point
Needle depth 0.3–0.5 cun; no moxa
This is the Entry point that receives qi from LI 20, the Exit point of the Large Intestine. It is most commonly used to clear Entry–Exit blocks between these two channels.
The Large Intestine and Stomach channels together constitute the yang ming channel.
Stomach 4 Di Cang, Earth Granary: meeting point of St and LI
Needle depth 0.3–0.5 cun; no moxa
The name of this point alludes to both the Earth Element and a granary, the place where reserves of food are stored. Su WenChapter 8 says that the Stomach and Spleen are responsible for ‘storehouses and granaries’. This point is situated at the corner of the mouth and is used when people are having problems with digestion. More rarely it can be used if people have difficulties with their attitude to food.
Stomach 8 Tou Wei, Corner of the Head: meeting point of St and GB
Needle depth 0.5–0.8 cun; no moxa
This point is used to clear the head if it feels stuffy or congested. It is also used when overthinking (si) has ‘knotted’ (jie) the qi and people are ‘tying themselves up in knots’ (see Chapter 5, this volume). In this case they may be preoccupied or continually worrying about their problems. Another translation of the name of this point is Head Tied.
Stomach 9 Ren Ying, People Welcome: Window of the Sky, point of sea of qi
Needle depth 0.3–0.5 cun; no moxa
This is an extremely powerful point. Chapter 33 of the Ling Shu designates it as one of the ‘seas of qi’ and it can be used to strengthen a person’s qi.
It is the only Window of the Sky on the channels of the Earth Element. One tendency of Earth CFs, or people whose Earth Elements have become distressed, is to find it difficult to experience intimate contact. However much they like the idea of letting people show empathetic concern towards them, in practice they find it hard to allow themselves to soften sufficiently to let it in. ‘People Welcome’ can be used to help people establish more satisfying relationships with those who care for them.
Stomach 12 Qu Pen, Broken Bowl
Needle depth 0.3–0.5 cun; moxa cones 3–5
This point is located in the supraclavicular fossa, which is shaped like a bowl. The name of this point also evokes the Chinese saying, ‘My rice bowl is broken’, which is used when people say that they are no longer able to support or feed themselves. This point can be used when a patient is unable to nourish and sustain themselves physically or spiritually.
An alternative name for this point is Tian Gai, Heaven Cover. This evokes a further image. In ancient times Heaven was visualised as an inverted bowl. This was supported by the four main mountains of China. It was said that if this bowl was broken, then Heaven would be sundered and contact would be broken. The implication is that this point connects people to the heavens and subsequently to their spirit (Hicks, 1999, p.11).
Stomach 14 Ku Fang, Storehouse
Needle depth 0.3–0.5 cun; moxa cones 3–5
This point draws on the reserves of qi that are held in the ‘storehouses and granaries’.
Stomach 19 Bu Rong, Not Contained
Needle depth 0.5–0.8 cun; moxa cones 3–5
This point has also been named ‘not at ease’. It is situated in the stomach region and can be used when the Stomach qi rebels so patients are unable to digest their food. The result may be vomiting, belching or nausea. This may be from a physical cause such as over-eating or for emotional reasons such as anxiety or worry.
Stomach 20 Cheng Man, Receiving Fullness
Needle depth 0.5–1.0 cun; moxa cones 3–5
The name of this point has implications concerning the tendency of people whose Earth Element is distressed to feel dissatisfied and deprived. Using this point may help to fill the void they feel in their centre.
Stomach 21 Liang Men, Beam Gate
Needle depth 0.5–1.0 cun; moxa cones 5–15
This point is at the level of Ren 12 and is an important point for digestion. Opening this gate can enable people to digest and assimilate thoughts as well as food, especially if their thoughts are stuck or obsessive.
Stomach 22 Guan Men, Border Gate
Needle depth 0.8–1.0 cun; moxa cones 5–15
This point is similar to the previous point and encourages physical, mental and spiritual digestion.
Stomach 23 Tai Yi, Supreme Unity
Needle depth 0.7–1.0 cun; moxa cones 5–15
The name Tai Yi refers to the state of undifferentiated unity that existed before the arising of yin and yang and the division of Heaven and Earth. Located in the middle of the torso, the name refers to the age-old division of the body between the upper part, resonant with Heaven, and the lower, resonant with Earth. 1
It has a long recorded history of being used to treat problems that arise in a person’s spirit (Chan, 1963, p. 281). This point is especially useful for Earth CFs who are either excessively ‘grounded’ in the material world or ‘ungrounded’ and internally unstable, making it hard for them to cope effectively with day-to-day life. This point can balance these aspects and bring people stability and harmony within.
Stomach 25 Tian Shu, Heavenly Pivot: Large Intestine front mu point, point to release Internal Dragons
Needle depth 0.7–1.2 cun; moxa cones 5–15
Tian Shu is the name of the central star in the Northern Dipper, around which the other six stars revolve. This point lies at the intersection of Heaven and Earth in the body:
As the body resembles heaven and earth, the waist serves as a sash … What is above the sash is all yang and what is below the sash is all yin, each with its own function.
The yang is the material force of heaven, and the yin is the material force of earth.
(Tung Chung-Shu; Chan, 1963, p. 281)
Certainly the name implies that it is a point of special importance, and few points have so many alternative names. It is situated on the lower dan tian and can enable a person to have both stability and a connection to the earth as well as an ability to contact the heavens and reconnect the spirit. It is especially useful when people are mentally unstable and prone to emotional swings.
This point is particularly useful for Earth CFs who feel insecure and unstable. This point is often paired with Spleen 15, Great Horizontal, the Spleen point alongside it. This implies that the vertical connection between Heaven and Earth is complemented by the horizontal movement generated by Spleen 15.
This point is one of those used when releasing the ‘Internal Dragons’.
A woman in her late fifties had an extremely worried disposition and she found it difficult to feel internally secure and stable. At the root of this characteristic was her extremely depleted Earth Element. Treatment on ‘command points’ and the back shu points brought some improvement to her symptoms, pulses and colour, but she did not seem to be changing in herself. Tonifying St 25 and Sp 15 together initiated a more profound change in her state of mind and mood than any of the other point combinations.
Stomach 27 Da Ju, Great Fullness
Needle depth 0.7–1.2 cun; moxa cones 5–10
This point is mainly used for its local effect, especially when the Stomach Organ causes symptoms lower down in the digestive tract. It is also sometimes used to fill an internal void in a similar way to St 20.
Stomach 28 Shui Dao, Water Way
Needle depth 0.7–1.2 cun; moxa cones 5–10
This point is used for problems with fluids in the lower burner. It is often combined with Ren 4 and sometimes with Spleen 13.
Stomach 29 Gui Lai, The Return
Needle depth 0.7–1.2 cun; moxa cones 5–10
The name of this point probably refers to the menstrual cycle. Regulating the menstrual cycle is one of the main uses for this point.
Stomach 30 Qi Chong, Surging Qi
Needle depth 0.5–1.0 cun; moxa cones 7
This is an extremely powerful point, as the name implies. It can be used to treat both the jing via the Chong mai (one of the Eight Extraordinary Channels) and the Earth qi via its connection to the Stomach and the Sea of Nourishment (Ling Shu, Chapter 33). Using this point can therefore strongly invigorate a person’s qi and enhance the Stomach and Spleen. This point is underused owing to its location in the groin.
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