Confluence points of the eight vessels

Also master points of the eight vessels. Any of eight regular channel points located on the four limbs, each linked, via its home channel, with one of the eight extraordinary vessels. The points are listed below:

The Confluence Points of the Eight Vessels

• Yīn linking yīn wéi vessel: PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān)
• Thoroughfare chōng vessel: SP-4 (Yellow Emperor, 公孙 gōng sūn)
• Yáng linking yáng wéi vessel: TB-5 (Outer Pass, 外关 wài guān)
• Girdling dài vessel: GB-41 (Foot Overlooking Tears, 足临泣 zú lín qì)
• Controlling rèn vessel: LU-7 (Broken Sequence, 列缺 liè quē)
• Yīn springing yīn qiāo vessel: KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi)
• Governing dū vessel: SI-3 (Back Ravine, 后溪 hòu xī)
• Yáng springing yáng qiāo vessel: BL-62 (Extending Vessel, 申脉 shēn mài)

Only in one case, that of BL-62, is the confluence point a point of actual intersection with the extraordinary vessel. The confluence points can be employed singly to treat diseases associated with the relevant extraordinary vessels. For example, SI-3 can treat diseases associated with the governing dū vessel vessel such as stiffness of the spine or arched-back rigidity. They may also be used in pairs of diseases of specific areas of the body. PC-6 (YIL) and SP-4 (PV) are combined to treat problems of the heart, stomach, and chest; TB-5 (YAL) and GB-41 (GIV) are used treat problems of the outer canthus, area behind the ear, shoulder, and neck (front); LU-7 (CV) and KI-6 (YIS) address diseases of the diaphragm, throat, and lung; and SI-3 (GV) and BL-62 (YAS) treat problems of the inner canthus, neck (front and back), ear, and shoulders.