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Alternate names: 经始 jīng shǐ, Channel Start; 少冲 shào chōng, Lesser Thoroughfare

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

Modern location: An acupoint located a little more than 1 fēn below the base of the nail on the radial side of the little finger.

Classical location: On the inner side of the little finger, the width of a garlic chive leaf from the corner of the nail. From The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (针灸大成 zhēn jiǔ dà chéng)

Local anatomy: The arterial and venous network formed by the palmar digital proprial artery and vein. The palmar digital proprial nerve derived from the ulnar nerve.

Action: Opens the orifices of the heart: clears the spirit-mind; rouses the brain; discharges evil heat.

Modern indications: Heart palpitation; heart pain; chest and rib-side pain; mania and withdrawal; febrile disease; clouding reversal (loss of consciousness).

Classical indications: Jaundice; throat impediment (hóu bì); febrile disease with vexation and agitation; emergency treatment of wind stroke; pain in the root of the tongue.

Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.1 cùn upward oblique insertion. Moxa: 1 cone; pole 10 min.

Point groups: Well (jǐng) (wood) point.

Point name meaning:

• 少 shào: lesser, minor (also shǎo, few, little
• 冲 chōng: thoroughfare, a hub; to surge, clash

The The Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (针灸甲乙经 zhēn jiǔ jiā yǐ jīng)describes HT-9 as the point where the hand shao yīn heart channel surges forth. The point name is illustrative of the idea that this point is the surging (冲 chōng) point of the hand lesser yīn (shào yīn) channel.

HT-9 is the last point on the heart channel; from here qì travels to the small intestine channel. The point serves as a thoroughfare for the qì of the lesser yīn (shào yīn) channel, a function substantiating the alternate rendering as Lesser Thoroughfare. See acupoint names: origins, meanings, and translations.

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