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Alternate names: 曹溪路 cáo xī lù, Cao's Ravine Road; 朝天巅 cháo tiān diān, Heavenward Looking Summit; 骶骨 dǐ gǔ, Sacral Bone; 骶上 dǐ shàng, Sacrum Above; 骨骶 gǔ dǐ, Sacral Bone; 龟尾 guī wěi, Tortoise Tail; 龟尾长疆 guī wěi cháng jiāng, Tortoise Tail Long Border; 河车路 hé chē lù, River Cart Road; 脊骶端 jǐ dǐ duān, End of the Sacral Spine; 厥骨 jué gǔ, Jué Bone; 橛骨 jué gǔ, Peg Bone; 龙虎 lóng hǔ, Dragon Tiger; 龙虎穴 lóng hǔ xué, Dragon and Tiger Point; 气郄 qì xī, Qi Cleft; 气之阴郄 qì zhī yīn xī, Yin Cleft of Qi; 穷骨 qióng gǔ, End Bone; 三分闾 sān fēn lǘ, Three Fen From the Gate; 伤山 shāng shān, Damage Mountain; 上天梯 shàng tiān tī, Stairway to Heaven; 为之 wéi zhī, That's It; 尾翠骨 wěi cuì gǔ, Tail Kingfisher Bone; 尾骨下空 wěi gǔ xià kōng, Hollow Below the Tail Bone; 尾榈 wěi lǘ, Tail Palm; 尾蛆骨 wěi qū gǔ, Tail Maggot Bone; 阴郄 yīn xī, Yin Cleft; 鱼尾 yú wěi, Fish Tail

Channel: GV, governing (dū) vessel

Modern location: An acupoint located in the anal cleft, midway between the tip of the coccyx and the anus.

Classical location: Three fēn below the tip of the tail bone. The point is found in prostrate posture. From The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (针灸大成 zhēn jiǔ dà chéng)

Local anatomy: The branches of the inferior hemorrhoid artery and vein. The posterior ramus of the coccygeal nerve, the hemorrhoid nerve.

Action: Courses and regulates localized channel qì; harmonizes yīn and yáng; rectifies intestinal qì and arrests diarrhea; disperses swelling and relieves pain.

Modern indications: Diarrhea; bloody stool; constipation; hemorrhoids; prolapse of the rectum.

Classical indications: Throughflux diarrhea (dòng xiè); bloody stool and the five hemorrhoids; seminal emission; fright epilepsy (jīng xián); tugging and slackening; mania and withdrawal; retching of blood; strangury-turbidity (lìn zhuó); lumbar pain and stiffness of the spine; difficult defecation and difficult urination; red and white dysentery.

Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.5‒1.0 cùn upward oblique or perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 3‒15 cones; pole 10‒30 min.

Needle sensation: Localized pain and distension, sometimes extending down to the anus.

Point groups: Network (luò) point; intersection point (jiāo huì xué) of the governing vessel and the kidney and gallbladder channels.

Point name meaning:

• 长 cháng1: long (in space or time); zhǎng: to grow; to excel; to lead
• 强 qiáng: strong, forceful; stiff

Being associated with yang, the governing vessel is both long and strong. As this is the first point on the vessel, it can represent the entirety of it. Thus it is known as Long Strong.

The kidney is the organ of strength. GV-1 can be used to extend the strength of the kidney since it treats seminal emission, premature ejaculation, and impotence. Thus the name of this point could also be rendered as Strength Extender. In addition, needling of this point can cause the penis to become long and strong.

The governing vessel can be said to lead the yáng of the body. If the governing vessel is weak, the whole body is weak. If it is replete, the spine is stiff. By treating such conditions, GV-1 controls or leads the strength of the entire body. If the character 长 is read as zhǎng, the point name could be rendered as Strength Leader. See acupoint names: origins, meanings, and translations.

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