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SP-11 Winnower Gate
箕门 〔箕門〕 jī mén
Alternate names: 太阴内市 tài yīn nèi shì, Greater Yin Inner Market
Channel: SP, foot greater yīn (tài yīn) spleen channel
Modern location: An acupoint located on the anteromedial aspect of the thigh, 6 cùn superior to SP-10 (xuè hǎi), on the line connecting SP-10 (xuè hǎi) and SP-12 (chōng mén).
Classical location: Moving up from Sea of Blood (SP-10), on to the fish’s belly and between the two sinews, a pulse can be felt at the point. From
Local anatomy: Superficially, the great saphenous vein; deeper, on the lateral side, the femoral artery and vein. The anterior femoral cutaneous nerve; deeper, the saphenous nerve.
Action: Clears the head and disinhibits dampness; promotes the waterways.
Modern indications: Inhibited urination; enuresis; painful swelling of the groin.
Classical indications: Dribbling urine with inhibited urination;
Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.3‒0.5 cùn perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 3 cones; pole 3‒10 min.
Point name meaning:
The pictograph 箕 (jī) translates as winnowing basket. A classical Chinese term for squatting with the legs spread open, exposing the inner thighs, is 箕坐 jī zuò (literally, winnow-sit,
the position taken while winnowing). The point can be located in this position, and so the name is a reminder of the site of the point. As is often the case, 门 (mén), gate or door, is a reference to an acupuncture point: a place where the qì enters and leaves.
As a further locational reminder, the space between the two sinews of the inner thigh can be seen as wide at the front and narrowing as it approaches the groin, a configuration that resembles a dustpan. The point name, if rendered as Dustpan Gate,
serves to remind the practitioner that the point lies within the border of the two sinews.
It is also worth noting that in ancient Chinese astronomy, one of the 28 constellations was a dustpan-shaped one called 箕 (jī). See