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Channel: LU, hand greater yīn (tài yīn) lung channel

Modern location: An acupoint located on the chest, in the depression immediately inferior to the lateral extremity of the clavicle, 6 cùn lateral to the midline.

Classical location: Below the clavicle, in the depression two cùn to the side of Qì Door (ST-13), six cùn from the midline of the chest, where a pulsating vessel can be felt. The point is located with the arm raised. From The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (针灸大成 zhēn jiǔ dà chéng)

Local anatomy: The cephalic vein, the thoracoacromial artery and vein; inferiorly, the axillary artery. The intermediate and lateral supraclavicular nerve, the branches of the anterior thoracic nerve, and the lateral cord of the brachial plexus.

Action: Clears lung heat and eliminates vexation; drains heat in the limbs and disinhibits the joints.

Modern indications: Cough; panting; chest pain; pain in the shoulder and arm.

Classical indications: Throat impediment (hóu bì); vexation and fullness in the chest; cold damage with persistent heat in the limbs; goiter; counterflow cold of the limbs; an intermittent (regularly interrupted) pulse that is not felt at the inch position.

Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.3‒0.5 cùn perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 3‒7 cones; pole 5‒15 min.

Point name meaning:

• 云 yún: cloud
• 门 mén: gate, door

The Nèi Jīng describes the fluids in the upper burner as a fog or mist. The lung is in the upper burner amongst the mist of the heavens or clouds. Furthermore, the lung distributes fluids throughout the body (and is the origin of the qì cycle, which nourishes the whole body) and may therefore be likened to clouds giving rain and nourishment to the earth.

LU-2 is the point where the channel qì cycle begins. The cycle goes through the 12 channels until it reaches LR-14. From there, the cycle begins anew via a branch that reconnects with LU-2. Because it is the entry point of the channel qì, it is called a gate.

As is true of Central Treasury (LU-1), the name Cloud Gate implies a relationship with the qì of the earth. Sù Wèn points this out in the following phrase: Earth’s qì ascends as clouds; heaven’s qì descends as rain. (素问·阴阳应象大论：地气上为云，天气下为雨。 Sù Wèn: Yīn yāng yìng xiàng dà lùn, dì qì shàng wéi yún, tiān qì xià wéi yǔ) the character used for earth in this quote, is the counterpart of heaven, and not the earth of the five phases, 土 (tǔ) In older texts these two characters often imply each other.

The derivation of this name may also have some relation to 云门 (yún mén), the name of an ancient piece of music. See acupoint names: origins, meanings, and translations.

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