Acupuncture points directory
The following directory provides individual profiles for 141 of the most clinically important acupuncture points in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Each page covers the point’s precise location, classical actions, clinical indications, needling method and detailed clinical notes including key point combinations.
Acupuncture points are locations on the body where the Qi (vital energy) of the meridian channels is accessible at the surface. Stimulating these points with fine needles restores the smooth and balanced flow of Qi and Blood, addressing the root cause of illness. To learn more, visit the acupuncture main page.
I am Dr (TCM) Attilio D’Alberto, a member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) with over 25 years of clinical experience, practising at my clinic in Wokingham, Berkshire.
Lung meridian (LU)
- LU 1 — Zhōng Fǔ (中府) — Central Treasury
- LU 5 — Chǐ Zé (尺泽) — Cubit Marsh
- LU 6 — Kǒng Zuì (孔最) — Greatest Hole
- LU 7 — Liè Quē (列缺) — Broken Sequence
- LU 9 — Tài Yuān (太渊) — Great Abyss
Large Intestine meridian (LI)
- LI 1 — Shāng Yáng (商阳) — Metal Yang
- LI 2 — Èr Jiān (二间) — Second Space
- LI 4 — Hé Gǔ (合谷) — Joining Valley
- LI 11 — Qū Chí (曲池) — Pool at the Bend
- LI 15 — Jiān Yú (肩髃) — Shoulder Bone
- LI 20 — Yíng Xiāng (迎香) — Welcome Fragrance
Stomach meridian (ST)
- ST 8 — Tóu Wéi (头维) — Head Corner
- ST 25 — Tiān Shū (天枢) — Heaven’s Pivot
- ST 29 — Guī Lái (归来) — Return
- ST 30 — Qì Chōng (气冲) — Surging Qi
- ST 34 — Liáng Qiū (梁丘) — Beam Hill
- ST 35 — Dú Bí (犊鼻) — Calf’s Nose
- ST 36 — Zú Sān Lǐ (足三里) — Leg Three Miles
- ST 37 — Shàng Jù Xū (上巨虚) — Upper Great Hollow
- ST 38 — Tiáo Kǒ (条口) — Ribbon Opening
- ST 40 — Fēng Lóng (丰隆) — Bountiful Bulge
- ST 44 — Nèi Tíng (内庭) — Inner Courtyard
Spleen meridian (SP)
- SP 1 — Yǐn Bái (隐白) — Hidden White
- SP 3 — Tài Bái (太白) — Supreme White
- SP 4 — Gōng Sūn (公孙) — Grandfather Grandson
- SP 6 — Sān Yīn Jiāo (三阴交) — Three Yin Intersection
- SP 8 — Dì Jī (地机) — Earth’s Crux
- SP 9 — Yīn Líng Quán (阴陵泉) — Yin Mound Spring
- SP 10 — Xuè Hǎi (血海) — Sea of Blood
- SP 21 — Dà Bāo (大包) — Great Embracing
Heart meridian (HT)
- HT 3 — Shào Hǎi (少海) — Lesser Sea
- HT 5 — Tōng Lǐ (通里) — Penetrating the Interior
- HT 7 — Shén Mén (神门) — Spirit Gate
- HT 8 — Shào Fǔ (少府) — Lesser Mansion
- HT 9 — Shào Chōng (少冲) — Lesser Rushing
Small Intestine meridian (SI)
- SI 1 — Shào Zé (少泽) — Lesser Marsh
- SI 3 — Hòu Xī (后溪) — Back Ravine
- SI 8 — Xiǎo Hǎi (小海) — Small Sea
- SI 11 — Tiān Zōng (天宗) — Celestial Gathering
- SI 19 — Tīng Gōng (听宫) — Listening Palace
Bladder meridian (BL)
- BL 13 — Fèi Shū (肺俞) — Lung Back-Transporting Point
- BL 15 — Xīn Shū (心俞) — Heart Back-Transporting Point
- BL 17 — Gé Shū (膈俞) — Diaphragm Back-Transporting Point
- BL 18 — Gān Shū (肝俞) — Liver Back-Transporting Point
- BL 20 — Pí Shū (脾俞) — Spleen Back-Transporting Point
- BL 23 — Shèn Shū (肾俞) — Kidney Back-Transporting Point
- BL 1 — Jīng Míng (睛明) — Bright Eyes
- BL 2 — Cuán Zhú (攒竹) — Gathered Bamboo
- BL 10 — Tiān Zhù (天柱) — Celestial Pillar
- BL 21 — Wèi Shū (胃俞) — Stomach Back-Transporting Point
- BL 25 — Dà Cháng Shū (大肠俞) — Large Intestine Back-Transporting Point
- BL 28 — Páng Guāng Shū (膀胱俞) — Bladder Back-Transporting Point
- BL 32 — Cì Liáo (次髎) — Second Bone Hole
- BL 31 — Shàng Liáo (上髎) — Upper Bone Hole
- BL 33 — Zhōng Liáo (中髎) — Middle Bone Hole
- BL 34 — Xià Liáo (下髎) — Lower Bone Hole
- BL 36 — Chéng Fú (承扶) — Hold and Support
- BL 37 — Yīn Mén (殷门) — Gate of Abundance
- BL 40 — Wěi Zhōng (委中) — Middle of the Crook
- BL 52 — Zhì Shì (志室) — Will’s Chamber
- BL 57 — Chéng Shān (承山) — Support the Mountain
- BL 60 — Kūn Lún (昆仑) — Kunlun Mountains
- BL 62 — Shēn Mài (申脉) — Extending Vessel
- BL 67 — Zhì Yīn (至阴) — Reaching Yin
Kidney meridian (KD)
- KD 1 — Yǒng Quán (涌泉) — Gushing Spring
- KD 3 — Tài Xī (太溪) — Great Ravine
- KD 6 — Zhào Hǎi (照海) — Shining Sea
- KD 7 — Fù Liū (复溜) — Returning Current
- KD 8 — Jiāo Xìn (交信) — Intersection Reach
- KD 9 — Zhú Bīn (筑宾) — Guest House
- KD 10 — Yīn Gǔ (阴谷) — Yin Valley
- KD 27 — Shū Fǔ (俞府) — Shu Mansion
Pericardium meridian (PC)
- PC 3 — Qū Zé (曲泽) — Marsh at the Bend
- PC 5 — Jiān Shǐ (间使) — Intermediary
- PC 6 — Nèi Guān (内关) — Inner Pass
- PC 7 — Dà Líng (大陵) — Great Mound
- PC 8 — Láo Gōng (劳宫) — Labour Palace
Triple Burner meridian (TB)
- TB 3 — Zhōng Zhǔ (中渚) — Middle Islet
- TB 5 — Wài Guān (外关) — Outer Pass
- TB 6 — Zhī Gōu (支沟) — Branch Ditch
- TB 14 — Jiān Liáo (肩髎) — Shoulder Bone Hole
- TB 17 — Yì Fēng (翳风) — Wind Screen
- TB 21 — Ěr Mén (耳门) — Ear Gate
- TB 23 — Sī Zhú Kōng (丝竹空) — Silk Bamboo Space
Gallbladder meridian (GB)
- GB 1 — Tóng Zǐ Liáo (瞳子髎) — Pupil Bone Hole
- GB 2 — Tīng Huì (听会) — Meeting of Hearing
- GB 8 — Shuài Gǔ (率谷) — Leading Valley
- GB 14 — Yáng Bái (阳白) — Yang White
- GB 20 — Fēng Chí (风池) — Wind Pool
- GB 21 — Jiān Jǐng (肩井) — Shoulder Well
- GB 25 — Jīng Mén (京门) — Capital Gate
- GB 26 — Dài Mài (带脉) — Girdling Vessel
- GB 29 — Jū Liáo (居髎) — Squatting Bone Hole
- GB 30 — Huán Tiào (环跳) — Jumping Circle
- GB 34 — Yáng Líng Quán (阳陵泉) — Yang Mound Spring
- GB 39 — Xuán Zhōng (悬钟) — Suspended Bell
- GB 40 — Qiū Xū (丘墟) — Mound Ruins
- GB 41 — Zú Lín Qì (足临泣) — Foot Above Tears
- GB 43 — Xiá Xī (侠溪) — Clamped Stream
Liver meridian (LV)
- LV 1 — Dà Dūn (大敦) — Great Pile
- LV 2 — Xíng Jiān (行间) — Moving Between
- LV 3 — Tài Chōng (太冲) — Great Rushing
- LV 4 — Zhōng Fēng (中封) — Middle Seal
- LV 5 — Lǐ Gōu (蠡沟) — Woodworm Canal
- LV 8 — Qū Quán (曲泉) — Spring at the Bend
- LV 13 — Zhāng Mén (章门) — Camphorwood Gate
- LV 14 — Qī Mén (期门) — Cycle Gate
Governing Vessel (GV / Du Mai)
- GV 1 — Cháng Qiáng (长强) — Long Strong
- GV 3 — Yāo Yáng Guān (腰阳关) — Lumbar Yang Gate
- GV 4 — Mìng Mén (命门) — Gate of Life
- GV 9 — Zhì Yáng (至阳) — Reaching Yang
- GV 12 — Shēn Zhù (身柱) — Body Pillar
- GV 14 — Dà Zhuī (大椎) — Great Hammer
- GV 15 — Yǎ Mén (哑门) — Gate of Muteness
- GV 16 — Fēng Fǔ (风府) — Wind Palace
- GV 20 — Bǎi Huì (百会) — Hundred Meetings
- GV 24 — Shén Tíng (神庭) — Spirit Court
- GV 23 — Shàng Xīng (上星) — Upper Star
- GV 25 — Sù Liáo (素髎) — White Bone Hole
- GV 26 — Rén Zhōng (人中) — Middle of the Person
Conception Vessel (CV / Ren Mai)
- CV 3 — Zhōng Jí (中极) — Central Pole
- CV 4 — Guān Yuán (关元) — Gate of the Original Qi
- CV 6 — Qì Hǎi (气海) — Sea of Qi
- CV 7 — Yīn Jiāo (阴交) — Yin Intersection
- CV 8 — Shén Què (神阙) — Spirit Gate Tower
- CV 12 — Zhōng Wǎn (中脘) — Middle Cavity
- CV 14 — Jù Quē (巨阙) — Great Deficiency
- CV 17 — Tán Zhōng (膻中) — Chest Centre
- CV 22 — Tiān Tū (天突) — Celestial Chimney
- CV 23 — Lián Quán (廉泉) — Ridge Spring
Extra points
- Bafeng — Bā Fēng (八风) — Eight Winds
- Baxie — Bā Xié (八邪) — Eight Evils
- Dannang — Dǎn Náng (胆囊) — Gallbladder Point
- Lanwei — Lán WǏi (阑尾) — Appendix Point
- Heding — Hè Dǐng (鹤顶) — Crane’s Summit
- Huatuojiaji — Huá Tuó Jiā Jǐ (华佗夹脊) — Hua Tuo’s Paravertebral Points
- Si Shen Cong — Sì Shén Cōng (四神聪) — Four Alert Spirit
- Anmian — Ān Mián (安眠) — Peaceful Sleep
- Taiyang — Tài Yáng (太阳) — Supreme Yang
- Xiyan — Xī Yǎn (膝眼) — Knee Eyes
- Yintang — Yìn Táng (印堂) — Hall of Impression















