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Alternate names: 天顶 tiān dǐng, Celestial Summit; 天项 tiān xiàng, Celestial Nape

Channel: LI, hand yáng brightness (yáng míng) large intestine channel

Modern location: An acupoint located on the anterolateral aspect of the neck, superior to the midpoint of the supraclavicular fossa, on the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid (scm) muscle.

Classical location: Above the supraclavicular fossa, one cùn below Protuberance Assistant (LI-18). From The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (针灸大成 zhēn jiǔ dà chéng)

Local anatomy: The external jugular vein. Superficially, the supraclavicular nerve on the posterior border of sternocleidomastoid muscle (m. sternocleidomastoideus) just where the cutaneous cervical nerve emerges; deeper, the phrenic nerve.

Action: Disinhibits the throat and clears lung qì.

Modern indications: Loss of voice; painful swollen throat; scrofula; goiter.

Classical indications: Fulminant loss of voice and qì block; throat impediment (hóu bì); throat rale.

Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.3‒0.5 cùn perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 3‒7 cones; pole 5‒10 min.

Point name meaning:

• 天 tiān: heaven; celestial, of the heavens; Nature
• 鼎 dǐng: an ancient Chinese sacrificial or cooking vessel

The character 鼎 (dǐng) is a pictographic representation of an ancient Chinese sacrificial cooking vessel that had two ear-like extensions for handles and was supported on a stand with three legs. Here it serves as a metaphor for the neck, which supports the head just as the tripod supports the vessel. It is especially suitable for the head to be portrayed as a precious vessel because it houses the brain, the storehouse of the original spirit (李时珍：脑为元神中府). The name Celestial Tripod brings to mind both the location and function of LI-17, which is located at the base of the neck and treats neck and throat disorders. Many points in the upper body are entitled Celestial (天 tiān), but that name is particularly appropriate here because the Celestial Tripod supports the absolute top of the body, the head. A more direct expression of this image is given by the alternate name, Celestial Nape.

The alternate names for LI-17 are interesting. The name 天顶, Celestial Summit, is homophonic with 天鼎 (Celestial Tripod). The character 顶 (dǐng) meaning summit, differs by only one stroke from 项 (dǐng) meaning neck, which occurs in the alternate name 天项 (tiān dǐng) meaning Celestial Nape. Although 顶 and 项 may be the result of mistranscriptions, both contribute toward meaningful alternate names because of the location of the point. See acupoint names: origins, meanings, and translations.

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