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LR-6 Central Metropolis
中都 〔中都〕 zhōng dū
Alternate names: 大阴 dà yīn, Great Yin; 太阴 tài yīn, Supreme Yin; 中髎 zhōng xī, Central Cleft
Channel: LR, foot reverting yīn (jué yīn) liver channel
Modern location: An acupoint located on the medial aspect of the lower leg, 7 cùn superior to the tip of the medial malleolus, in a small groove or dishlike depression on the tibia.
Classical location: Seven cùn above the inner anklebone, at the midpoint of the shinbone, parallel to the lesser yīn (shào yīn). From
Local anatomy: The great saphenous vein. The branch of the saphenous nerve.
Action: Frees the channels and network vessels; regulates qì and blood; relieves pain.
Modern indications: Mounting qì (shàn qì, inguinal hernia); flooding and spotting; abdominal pain; diarrhea;
Classical indications: Profuse flooding and spotting; abdominal pain; persistent flow of lochia; cold in the lower leg; damp impediment (shī bì) with an inability to walk; fulminant pain of the genitalia.
Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.2‒0.5 cùn backward oblique insertion. Moxa: 5 cones; pole 5‒10 min.
Point groups: Cleft (xī) point of the liver channel.
Point name meaning:
This point is the cleft (xī) point of the liver channel, at which qì and blood gather just as people gather in a large metropolis (都 dū). The character 中 (zhōng), meaning center,
is probably a reference to the point’s central location along the length of the shinbone, or to the fact that the point is found in the middle of a hollow. See