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Alternate names: 承命 chéng mìng, Life Support; 大阴 dà yīn, Great Yin; 太阴 tài yīn, Greater Yin; 下三里 xià sān lǐ, Lower Three Li; 下之三里 xià zhī sān lǐ, Lower Three Li

Channel: SP, Foot Greater Yīn (tài yīn) Spleen Channel

Modern location: An acupoint located on the medial aspect of the lower leg, 3 cùn superior to the tip of the medial malleolus, on the line connecting the malleolus and SP-9.

Classic location: In the depression beneath the bone, three cùn above the tip of the [inner] anklebone. (Zhēn Jiǔ Dà Chéng)

Local anatomy: The great saphenous vein, the posterior tibial artery and vein. Superficially, the medial crural cutaneous nerve; deeper, in the posterior aspect, the tibial nerve.

Action: Fortifies the spleen and disinhibits dampness; regulates the liver and kidney (regulates the blood chamber and the palace of essence); dispels wind-damp from the channels and network vessels.

Modern indications: Rumbling intestines; abdominal distension; diarrhea; menstrual irregularities; vaginal discharge; yīn protrusion (prolapse of the uterus); infertility; difficult delivery; seminal emission; insomnia; mounting qì (shàn qì, inguinal hernia); enuresis; wilting-impediment (wěi bì) of the lower limbs.

Classic indications: Genital pain; no thought of food and drink; vomiting water after eating; spleen disease with generalized heaviness and impaired movement of the limbs; women's concretions and conglomerations; stirring fetus; retention of lochia; blood dizziness; pain in the penis; white turbidity; mounting (shàn) pain; shank sores and leg qì (jiǎo qì, beriberi); child visiting hostility (kè wǔ); counterflow cold of the limbs; impediment (bì) of the thigh with inability to walk; medial knee pain; diseases of the head; throat impediment (hóu bì); fullness in the neck; pulmonary distension with phlegm cough and inability to lie down.

Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.3‒1.0 cùn perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 3‒7 cones; pole 10‒30 min.

Needle sensation: Localized numbness and distension, often radiating to the sole of the foot or the knee.

Point groups: Intersection point (jiāo huì xué) of the three yīn channels of the foot (spleen, liver and kidney); one of the nine needles for returning yáng.

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