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Alternate names: 大冲 dà chōng, Large Surge; 太冲 tài chōng, Great Thoroughfare; 足厥阴之源 zú jué yīn zhī yuán, Source of Foot Reverting Yin

Channel: LR, foot reverting yīn (jué yīn) liver channel

Modern location: An acupoint located on the dorsal aspect of the foot, in the space between the first and second metatarsal bones, slightly distal to their tarsometatarsal articulations.

Classical location: One and a half to two cùn below the base of the great toe, in the depression where the pulsating vessel can be felt. From The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (针灸大成 zhēn jiǔ dà chéng)

Local anatomy: The dorsal venous network of the foot, and the first dorsal metatarsal artery. The branch of the deep peroneal nerve.

Action: Extinguishes liver fire and clears liver yáng; discharges damp-heat in the lower burner; soothes the liver; rectifies qì; courses the network vessels and quickens the blood.

Modern indications: Headache; dizzy vision; painful red swollen eyes; deviated mouth; rib-side; enuresis; mounting qì (shàn qì, inguinal hernia); flooding and spotting; menstrual irregularities; epilepsy; retching counterflow; child fright wind; wilting-impediment (wěi bì) of the lower limbs.

Classical indications: Genital pain; retracted genitals; saber and pearl-string lumps; fright wind; food diarrhea; painful swollen throat; dryness of the upper esophageal opening; lateral knee pain; limp aching lower legs; painful red eyes; lumbar pain; smaller abdominal fullness; pain in the umbilical region; cold feet; difficult defecation; jaundice; thunderous rumbling in the intestines; retching counterflow with no food intake; strangury (lìn); vacuity taxation water swelling; profuse, incessant postpartum sweating; amenorrhea.

Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.3‒0.5 cùn perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 3 cones; pole 3‒7 min.

Needle sensation: Localized numbness and distension.

Point groups: Stream (shù) (earth) and source (yuán) point; one of Mǎ Dān-Yáng’s twelve heavenly star points.

Point name meaning:

• 太 tài: great, supreme; too, excessive
• 冲 chōng: surge, rush; flush; empty; 〔衝〕 thoroughfare, hub, key position, hub

The character 太 (tài) is similar to 大 (dà) in both form and meaning. Here it is a reference to the large toe. The ideograph 冲 (chōng) refers to the surging of the pulse located at this point.

Sù Wèn calls LR-3 the place where the thoroughfare vessel (冲脉 chōng mài) and the kidney channel show great (大 dà) exuberance, and states that this is the reason that the point is called 太冲 tài chōng.

LR-3 is the source (yuán) point of the liver channel. It can be said to be in a key position where the source qì gathers or along a thoroughfare of qì activity. For these reasons, Great Thoroughfare or Supreme Position would also be appropriate renderings for this name. See acupoint names: origins, meanings, and translations.

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