Back to search result Previous Next
Search in acupoints

LR-1 Large Pile

大敦 〔大敦〕 dà dūn

Alternate names: 大顺 dà shùn, Great Favorableness; 水泉 shuǐ quán, Water Spring; 足厥阴井 zú jué yīn jǐng, Foot Reverting Yin Well; 足厥阴所出 zú jué yīn suǒ chū,

Channel: LR, foot reverting yīn (jué yīn) liver channel

Modern location: An acupoint located midway between a little more than 1 fēn below the base of the nail and the interphalangeal joint on the lateral side of the big toe.

Classical location: On the great toe, a little more than the width of a garlic chive leaf away from the nail, on the outer side amid the three hairs. From The Golden Mirror of Medicine (医宗金鑑 yī zōng jīn jiàn)

Local anatomy: The dorsal digital artery and vein. The dorsal digital nerve derived from the deep peroneal nerve.

Action: Regulates the liver and rectifies qì; settles tetany and quiets the spirit.

Modern indications: Mounting qì (shàn qì, inguinal hernia); enuresis; flooding and spotting; amenorrhea; yīn protrusion (prolapse of the uterus); epilepsy.

Classical indications: Profuse, incessant flooding and spotting; absence of menses; retracted genitals; swelling of one testicle; pain in the yīn head (glans penis); the five stranguries; the seven mountings (qī shàn); epilepsy; urinary incontinence in children; anxiety and oppression; profuse sweating; pain in the umbilical region.

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

Needle sensation: Localized pain.

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

Point name meaning:

LR-1 is the wood point of the wood channel. Since wood restrains earth this point can be used to treat an overabundance (i.e., a Large Pile) of earth. The point name reminds us of this function. This explanation is supported by a line in Sù Wèn where an excess of earth is called a 敦阜 (dūn fù), mound.

This point is located in the thick flesh of the large toe, which could be said to resemble a Large Pile. See acupoint names: origins, meanings, and translations.

Back to search result Previous Next