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Channel: HT, hand lesser yīn (shào yīn) heart channel

Modern location: An acupoint located on the palmar aspect of the forearm, 1.5 cùn proximal to the wrist crease, on the radial side of the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon.

Classical location: One cùn and five fēn behind the palm. From The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (针灸大成 zhēn jiǔ dà chéng)

Local anatomy: The ulnar artery. The medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve; on the ulnar side, the ulnar nerve.

Action: Nourishes the heart and quiets the spirit; soothes the sinews and quickens the network vessel.

Modern indications: Heart pain; tugging and slackening (convulsions); fulminant loss of voice; hypertonicity of the elbow and arm.

Classical indications: Visceral agitation (zàng zào); tugging and slackening; sorrow and fear.

Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.3‒0.5 cùn perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 1‒3 cones; pole 10‒20 min.

Point groups: River (jīng) (metal) point.

Point name meaning:

• 灵 líng: spirit, supernatural power
• 道 dào: pathway

HT-4 is the river (jīng) (metal) point of the heart channel. The qì at river points (jīng xué) moves as a mighty river moves along its broad path. Because this particular point is related to the heart, which stores the spirit, it is called Spirit Pathway. Spirit is a reference to the heart, and pathway is a reference to the channel. The point name thus reveals that HT-4 is a point on the heart channel and is a point that is itself a pathway for treatment of the spirit. See acupoint names: origins, meanings, and translations.

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