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KI-26 Lively Center

彧中 〔彧中〕 yù zhōng

Alternate names: 或中 huò zhōng, Possible Center; 域中 yù zhōng, Within Bounds

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

Modern location: An acupoint located on the chest, in the first intercostal space, 2 cùn lateral to the midline.

Classical location: One cùn and six fēn above Spirit Storehouse (KI-25), in the depression two cùn either side of the midline. The point is found in supine posture. From The Golden Mirror of Medicine (医宗金鑑 yī zōng jīn jiàn)

Local anatomy: The 1st intercostal artery and vein. The anterior cutaneous branch of the 1st intercostal nerve, the medial supraclavicular nerve; deeper, the 1st intercostal nerve.

Action: Loosens the chest and promotes smooth flow of qì; calms panting and relieves cough.

Modern indications: Cough; panting; distension and fullness in the chest and rib-side distension.

Classical indications: Propping fullness in the chest and rib-side; phlegm congestion; no pleasure in eating.

Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.3‒0.5 cùn oblique or perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 3‒5 cones; pole 5‒20 min.

Point name meaning:

KI-26 is located where the heart fire flourishes and so is called Lively Center. In this point name (zhōng), meaning center, may be considered as a reference to the center of the chest, which is the seat of the emotions. The epithet Lively is attached because the point has the function of causing the qì in the chest to flow smoothly in the chest, thus lifting the spirits.

The character () originally meant patterned. If understood in this sense, it may be seen as a reference to the pattern of veins on the lung. The name thus becomes locational and could be rendered as Patterned Center. Possible Center and Within Bounds probably evolved from mistranscriptions of the character 彧. See acupoint names: origins, meanings, and translations.

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