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Alternate names: 上气海 shàng qì hǎi, Upper Sea of Qi; 胸堂 xiōng táng, Chest Hall; 元儿 yuán ér, Original Child; 元见 yuán jiàn, The Source

Channel: CV, controlling (rèn) vessel

Modern location: An acupoint located on the chest, level with the fourth intercostal space on the midline.

Classical location: One cùn and six fēn directly above Central Palace (CV-16). 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 fourth intercostal nerve.

Action: Regulates qì and downbears counterflow; clears the lung and transforms phlegm; loosens the chest and disinhibits the diaphragm.

Modern indications: Cough; panting; chest pain; heart palpitation; scant breast milk; retching and vomiting; dysphagia-occlusion (yē gé).

Classical indications: Panting, shortness of breath, or cough with counterflow qì ascent; chest pain; goiter; vomiting of foamy drool; deathlike reversal; sudden pain and vexation; heart palpitation with sorrow and fear.

Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.3‒0.5 cùn downward oblique insertion. Moxa: 5‒9 cones; pole 3‒5 min.

Needle sensation: Localized distension.

Point groups: Alarm point (mù xué) of the pericardium; meeting (huì) point of qì.

Point name meaning:

• 膻 dàn: the central area of the chest
• 中 zhōng: center, central, middle (also zhòng, to strike)

This point is named after its location in the center of the chest. The Líng Shū calls this area of the body the palace of the heart governor [pericardium]. (心主之宫城) This may explain the imperial nature of the point names in the region. See acupoint names: origins, meanings, and translations.

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