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CV-16 Center Palace

中庭 〔中庭〕 zhōng tíng

Channel: CV, controlling (rèn) vessel

Modern location: An acupoint located on the chest, at the substernal angle, level with the fifth intercostal space on the midline.

Classical location: In the depression one cùn directly above Turtledove’s Tail (CV-15). From The Golden Mirror of Medicine (医宗金鑑 yī zōng jīn jiàn)

Local anatomy: The perforating branches of the internal mammary artery and vein. The anterior cutaneous branch of the sixth intercostal nerve.

Action: Loosens the chest and rectifies qì; downbears counterflow and harmonizes the center.

Modern indications: Distension and fullness in the chest; heart pain; retching and vomiting; vomiting of milk in infants.

Classical indications: Fullness in the chest and rib-side; painful pharynx; inability to get food and drink down; esophageal blockage; retching and vomiting and stomach reflux; vomiting of breast milk; heart pain.

Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.3 cùn downward oblique insertion. Moxa: 3‒5 cones; pole 5‒20 min.

Point name meaning:

The chest is the abode of the heart; the heart is the sovereign organ (emperor). The sternum and rib cage are like a palace that surrounds and protects the emperor. At the center of this area is CV-16, the Center Palace.

A Daoist text, Classic of the Yellow Court, (黄庭内景经), names the central cinnabar field (or heart field) the central palace: The three fields are the upper [or] celestial field, the central [or] heart field, and the lower [or] cinnabar field. The upper palace receives the essential qì from below, the central palace receives essential qì from above, and the lower palace receives essential qì from the center. CV-16 is in the region of the central cinnabar field and is thus named Central Palace.

Within the palace of the rib cage is the Jade Hall (CV-18); CV-16 is like a courtyard in front of that hall. The word central can refer to both the midline location and a central position in the upper burner. The name could thus be rendered as Central Courtyard in keeping with these ideas.

The Spirit Courtyard (CV-24) is above (on the head) and the Inner Courtyard (ST-44) is below (on the foot). CV-16 then is the Central Courtyard. See acupoint names: origins, meanings, and translations.

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