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Alternate names: 地箕 dì jī, Earth Winnower; 脾舍 pí shè, Spleen Abode

Channel: SP, foot greater yīn (tài yīn) spleen channel

Modern location: An acupoint located on the medial aspect of the lower leg, slightly behind the posterior edge of the tibia, 3 cùn inferior to SP-9 on the line connecting the medial malleolus and SP-9.

Classical location: In the depression by the bone five cùn above Leaking Valley (SP-7) and five cùn below the knee on the inner side. The point is found with the leg outstretched. From The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (针灸大成 zhēn jiǔ dà chéng)

Local anatomy: Anteriorly, the great saphenous vein and branch of the genu suprema artery; deeper, the posterior tibial artery and vein. Superficially, the medial crural cutaneous nerve; deeper, in the posterior aspect, the tibial nerve.

Action: Harmonizes the spleen and rectifies the blood; harmonizes the uterus.

Modern indications: Abdominal distension; diarrhea; inhibited urination; water swelling; menstrual irregularities; menstrual pain; seminal emission.

Classical indications: Qì distension of the abdomen and rib-side; no desire to eat; inhibited urination; visceral impediment (zàng bì); hemorrhoids; concretions and conglomerations in women.

Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.3‒1.0 cùn perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 3 cones; pole 5‒10 min.

Point groups: Cleft (xī) point of the spleen channel.

Point name meaning:

• 地 dà: earth
• 机 j1: crucial point; to cure; machine

As the Ode to Elucidate Mysteries says: Man consists of top, middle and bottom. The major points for these three areas are Great Embracement (SP-21), Celestial Pivot (ST-25), and Earth’s Crux (SP-8) [respectively]. To the Chinese, it is obvious that top, middle, and bottom are parallel with the concepts of heaven, man, and earth. It can thus be seen that SP-8 is an essential point for the treatment of diseases of the earth portion of the body. It is also an important point in the treatment of splenogastric (earth) disorders, and is furthermore the cleft (xī) point of the earth channel (where earth qì gathers). SP-8 is therefore the Earth’s Crux.

The character 机 (jī) can mean to cure (淮南：精神，机,喻疾也). SP-8 can treat disorders of the earth phase (spleen-stomach) such as lack of appetite and thin stool diarrhea; therefore the name 地机 (dì jī) could also be rendered as Earth’s Cure.

The alternate name 地箕 (dì jī) is homophonic with 地机 . This is a good example of how the primarily oral transmission of acupuncture through the ages led to alternate names. See acupoint names: origins, meanings, and translations.

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