鳩尾 : Jiuwei : Turtledove Tail

Location Guides:

Classifications:

Luo-Connecting point of the Ren Mai
Master Tung's Stomach Hair Seven
Binding point of the hand Jueyin Sinews

Meetings:

Meeting of Conception Vessel with Strength line (Zhuangli Xian 壯力線) and Uterus Vessel (Bao Mai 胞脉)

Location:

On the midline of the abdomen, 7 cun above the umbilicus and 1 cun below the sternocostal angle.

Needling:

Oblique insertion directed inferiorly 0.5 - 1 cun

Warnings:

According to several classical texts this point is contraindicated to moxibustion. Deep insertion, especially in thin subjects, may damage the left lobe of the liver or the heart if either are enlarged. Oblique superior insertion towards the heart is contraindicated in all cases. No perpendicular needling in advanced pregnancy.

Classical Needling:

"Both needling and moxibustion are prohibited" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Regulates the Heart and calms the Shen
Descends Lung Qi and unbinds the chest

TCM Indications:

• The five types of epilepsy, mania, mad walking, mad singing, aversion to the sound of people talking, fright palpitations.
  
• Oppressive sensation in the Heart, chest pain, excessive sighing, pain radiating from the Heart to the back.
  
• Pain of the skin of the abdomen, itching of the skin of the abdomen.
  
• Wheezing, dyspnoea, fullness of the chest, cough, coughing blood, diminished qi, rattling sound in the throat, Throat Painful Obstruction (喉痹, Hou Bi), swelling of the throat.
  
• Difficult ingestion, Stomach reflux, prolapse of the rectum, febrile disease, one-sided headache extending to the outer canthus, excessive sexual activity leading to exhaustion in youths.

I Ching Hexagram:

䷊ Tai 泰 Peace

This point is unusual in that no other point in the standard sequence shares this hexagram. Its complementary opposite is ䷋ which is attributed to the Luo of the Du Mai, Changqiang Du-1. A connection between these two points is referred to as the Bao Mai, Uterus Vessel, described in Su Wen ch. 47 (see note below).

Among the rising and falling hexagram sequence, it shares the same hexagram as Xuanshu Du-5 or Zhongshu Du-7.

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

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Anterior cutaneous thoracic nerve from T6

Dermatome Segment: T6

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

In seizing martial arts (Qin Na) this point is a breath sealing point (Bi Qi, 閉氣). It is struck with the wrist, palm or fist causing the muscles around the lung to contract and seal the breath, or a potential heart attack (Yang, 1995, Tai Chi Chin Na; Yang, 2004, Analysis of Shaolin Chin Na, 2nd Edition).

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). Also listed in Article 21: Delayed Death Touches with Twelve-Hour (Shichen 時辰) Diagrams.This point along with Taixi Kid-3, Kunlun Bl-60 and Baihui Du-20 it is associated with Si 巳 Snake (9-11 am) and causes death within 3 years and if struck during this time is said to cause death within 3 days from trauma to the tip of the xiphoid process (McCarthy, 2016, Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat).

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

Major Combinations:

• The five types of epilepsy:
    Jiuwei Ren-15 with Houxi SI-3 and Shenmen He-7
    (Song More Precious than Jade).
  
  
• Coughing and spitting blood:
    Jiuwei Ren-15 with Juque Ren-14, Ganshu Bl-18, Xinshu Bl-15 and Quepen St-12
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Prolapse of the rectum in children:
    Moxa Jiuwei Ren-15 and Baihui Du-20
    (Xi-Hong Fu, 席弘賦, Ode of Xi-Hong. First recorded in: Xu Feng, 徐鳳, 1439: Zhen Jiu Da Quan, 針灸大全, Complete Collection of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Prolapse of the rectum:
    Jiuwei Ren-15 with Baihui Du-20
    (Gao Wu, 高武, 1529: Bai Zheng Fu, 百症賦, Ode of a Hundred Symptoms).
  
  
• Dysenteric Disorder:
    Jiuwei Ren-15 with Baihui Du-20
    (Ling Guang Fu, 靈光賦, Ode of Spiritual Brightness. First recorded in Xu Feng, 徐鳳, 1439: Zhen Jiu Da Quan, 針灸大全, Complete Collection of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Febrile disease with one-sided headache:
    Jiuwei Ren-15 with Xuanli GB-6
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).

Notes:

The Strength line (Zhuangli Xian 壯力線) is an internal line used in inner cultivation arts (Neigong Shu 內功術) that connects the xiphoid process at this point or Zhongting Ren-16 with T11 at Jizhong Du-6 or Zhongshu Du-7. It is used to strengthen the tendons in the body and used more in the hard, external forms of Qigong and martial arts (Wang, 2019, Daoist Internal Mastery ).

One of the points in the Internal Dragons protocol in five element acupuncture is located 1/4" inch below this point, along with Tianshu St-25, Futu St-32 and Jiexi St-41, for eliminating a blockage between the therapist and patient, or a disconnection from themselves, due to internal causes.

Ling Shu Ch. 1, On the Nine Needles and the Twelve Origins, describes this point as the origin of the 膏 Gao. Unschuld translates this as "Fatty Membrane" but it generally referred to the fatty point at the tip of the heart.

Ling Shu Ch. 10 describes the diseases relating to the Luo emanating from this point as:
Repletion: Abdominal skin aches
Depletion: Itching
(Unschuld, 2016).

Also from Yuen's school, this point along with Changqiang Du-1, as the Luo points relating the Jing level of emotion, are the activation points for the Po and used in treatments relating to the levels of manifestation of the soul.

Berardinis & Navarra (2017). The succession of Po in the ladder of life. https://www.acupuncturesida.com/The-succession-of-Po-in-the-ladder-of-life.aspx

The top point of Tung's Stomach Hair Seven (Wei Mao Qi) is located at the tip of the xiphoid process, equivalent to this point's location, with two below it at 1 cun intervals. Two more are located 1.5 cun lateral to the inferior two on either side. They are treated using Tung's method of pricking for "wool-like furuncles", stomach diseases, stomach bleeding, enteritis, palpitations and various types of sudden turmoil (McCann, 2014, Pricking the Vessels).

The Uterus Vessel Bao Mai connects the Heart to the Uterus explaining emotional effects on menstruation. It runs from this point to Changqiang Du-1. The Sun Wen, ch. 47 says: "the Uterus Vessel pertains to the Heart and extends to the Uterus... When the period does not come it means the Uterus Vessel is obstructed".

Lad and Durve (2008) in Marma Points of Ayurveda call this point Agra Patra and associate it with the doshas: Prana Vayu, Udana Vayu, Vyana Vayu, Pachaka Pitta and Sadhaka Pitta.

They give the following functions:
- Regulates cardiac function and heart rate
- Enhances lung functions
- Relieves pain locally
- Releases suppressed emotions

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

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