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Alternate names: 五里（足） wǔ lǐ zú, Five Li (foot)

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

Modern location: An acupoint located on the medial aspect of the upper thigh, 3 cùn inferior to the level of ST-30, on the anterior border of the adductor longus muscle.

Classical location: Three cùn below Surging Qì (ST-30) on the inside of the thigh, where a pulsating vessel can be felt. From The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (针灸大成 zhēn jiǔ dà chéng)

Local anatomy: The superficial branches of the medial circumflex femoral artery and vein. The genitofemoral nerve, the anterior femoral cutaneous nerve; deeper, the anterior branch of the obturator nerve.

Action: Soothes the sinews and quickens the network vessels; clears and disinhibits lower burner damp-heat.

Modern indications: Smaller abdominal distension; urinary stoppage; yīn protrusion (prolapse of the uterus); painful swollen testicles; hypersomnia; scrofula.

Classical indications: Wind taxation; cough; panting.

Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.6 cùn perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 5 cones; pole 5‒10 min.

Point name meaning:

• 足 zú: foot, (lower) leg
• 五 wǔ: five, fifth
• 里 lǐ: a measure of distance (360 paces); village

The character 里 (lǐ) can be construed as having the same meaning as 理 lǐ, i.e., to rectify, because these two characters were not always clearly distinguished in classical Chinese. Five (五 wǔ) may be a synonym for center, since in five-phase theory, five corresponds to earth and the central position. It could also reference the five viscera. The name reflects LR-10‘s ability to rectify both the center and the viscera.

If 里 (lǐ) is taken to mean village or ward, the name can be interpreted as a place. This highlights LR-10 as the fifth point from Cycle Gate (LR-14), the channel’s end. See acupoint names: origins, meanings, and translations.

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