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Alternate names: 太钟 tài zhōng, Great Goblet

Channel: KI, foot lesser yīn (shào yīn) kidney channel

Modern location: An acupoint located on the medial aspect of the heel, in the angle formed by the anterior edge of the Achilles tendon (t. calcaneus) and the superior edge of the calcaneum.

Classical location: At the back of the heel, between the two sinews above the large bone. From The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (针灸大成 zhēn jiǔ dà chéng)

Local anatomy: The medial calcaneal branch of the posterior tibial artery. The medial crural cutaneous nerve, on the course of the medial calcaneal ramus derived from the tibial nerve.

Action: Regulates the kidney and harmonizes the blood; supplements essence-spirit.

Modern indications: Dribbling urinary block; enuresis; constipation; coughing of blood; panting; feeble-mindedness; heel pain.

Classical indications: Urinary block; constipation; lumbar pain; feeble-mindedness; hypersomnia; abdominal fullness; susceptibility to fright or anger; heat in the mouth; vexation and oppression; bleeding from the root of the tongue; insufficiency of spirit qì; painful pharynx; malarial disease.

Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.3 cùn oblique or perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 3 cones; pole 5‒20 min.

Point groups: Network (luò) point.

Point name meaning:

• 大 dà: large, great
• 钟 zhōng: a handleless cup; a bell; to gather

The kidney is said to store essence, and its related organ, the bladder, holds fluids until they are released from the body. KI-4 is the network (luò) point of the kidney channel, which connects to the bladder channel. The point name helps recall this connection by invoking the image of a Large Goblet, which serves to represent the storing functions of both the kidney and bladder.

In classical Chinese, the homophones 钟 and 钟 (both pronounced zhōng) were often used interchangeably, referring to either a liquor goblet or a bell. The character 踵, which means heel, is quite similar to 钟 in appearance, differing only in respect to the radicals on the left, which in the former character is foot, 足 (zú), and in the latter is metal, 金 jīn. The bell or goblet-like shape of the heel bone likely resulted in the formation of the character 踵. Thus, the name Large Goblet may further serve to remind the practitioner of the location of the point at the heel. See acupoint names: origins, meanings, and translations.

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