The classical "point groups" cross-referenced across all 12 channels in one place — the Eight Principles (Yin/Yang, Excess/Deficiency), Five Shu, Yuan-Source, Luo-Connecting, Xi-Cleft, Back-Shu, Front-Mu, the Eight Hui and Eight Confluent points, and the Lower He-Sea points. The Four Needle Technique has its own page, linked in the menu above. Use this alongside the per-channel point decks, which cover each point's full clinical detail.
The foundation underneath every pattern in the point decks: Excess (Full) vs. Deficiency (Empty) tells you whether a pathogen is present or something is simply lacking; Yin vs. Yang tells you whether the imbalance leans Hot or Cold. Combined, they give four basic pictures.
A pathogen (Heat, Fire) is actively present and Yang itself is not deficient. Fever, thirst for cold drinks, red face, restlessness, constipation, scanty dark urine.
Not enough Yang to warm and move things — no pathogen, just insufficient Fire. Chronic feeling of cold, cold limbs, bright-pale complexion, tiredness, loose stools, frequent pale urination.
Each channel's flow from fingertip/toe-tip to elbow/knee is likened to a stream: Jing-Well (springs forth) → Ying-Spring (bubbles up) → Shu-Stream (pours through) → Jing-River (flows freely) → He-Sea (enters, converges). On Yin channels the sequence runs Wood-Fire-Earth-Metal-Water; on Yang channels it runs Metal-Water-Wood-Fire-Earth.
| Channel | Jing-Well (Wood) | Ying-Spring (Fire) | Shu-Stream (Earth) | Jing-River (Metal) | He-Sea (Water) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lung | LU-11 | LU-10 | LU-9 | LU-8 | LU-5 |
| Pericardium | P-9 | P-8 | P-7 | P-5 | P-3 |
| Heart | HE-9 | HE-8 | HE-7 | HE-4 | HE-3 |
| Spleen | SP-1 | SP-2 | SP-3 | SP-5 | SP-9 |
| Liver | LIV-1 | LIV-2 | LIV-3 | LIV-4 | LIV-8 |
| Kidney | KI-1 | KI-2 | KI-3 | KI-7 | KI-10 |
| Channel | Jing-Well (Metal) | Ying-Spring (Water) | Shu-Stream (Wood) | Jing-River (Fire) | He-Sea (Earth) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large Intestine | L.I.-1 | L.I.-2 | L.I.-3 | L.I.-5 | L.I.-11 |
| Triple Burner | T.B.-1 | T.B.-2 | T.B.-3 | T.B.-6 | T.B.-10 |
| Small Intestine | S.I.-1 | S.I.-2 | S.I.-3 | S.I.-5 | S.I.-8 |
| Stomach | ST-45 | ST-44 | ST-43 | ST-41 | ST-36 |
| Gall Bladder | G.B.-44 | G.B.-43 | G.B.-41 | G.B.-38 | G.B.-34 |
| Bladder | BL-67 | BL-66 | BL-65 | BL-60 | BL-40 |
Each channel's own element, expressed as one specific Five Shu point on that same channel — the point of choice for tonifying the channel during its own two-hour peak period on the organ clock.
| Channel | Element | Peak Time | Horary Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lung | Metal | 3–5 am | LU-8 |
| Large Intestine | Metal | 5–7 am | L.I.-1 |
| Stomach | Earth | 7–9 am | ST-36 |
| Spleen | Earth | 9–11 am | SP-3 |
| Heart | Fire | 11 am–1 pm | HE-8 |
| Small Intestine | Fire | 1–3 pm | S.I.-5 |
| Bladder | Water | 3–5 pm | BL-66 |
| Kidney | Water | 5–7 pm | KI-10 |
| Pericardium | Fire | 7–9 pm | P-8 |
| Triple Burner | Fire | 9–11 pm | T.B.-6 |
| Gall Bladder | Wood | 11 pm–1 am | G.B.-41 |
| Liver | Wood | 1–3 am | LIV-1 |
Each channel's direct connection to its organ's Source (Yuan) Qi. Used to tonify the organ directly, or diagnostically — tenderness here can indicate that organ's disharmony.
| Channel | Yuan-Source Point |
|---|---|
| Lung | LU-9 |
| Large Intestine | L.I.-4 |
| Stomach | ST-42 |
| Spleen | SP-3 |
| Heart | HE-7 |
| Small Intestine | S.I.-4 |
| Bladder | BL-64 |
| Kidney | KI-3 |
| Pericardium | P-7 |
| Triple Burner | T.B.-4 |
| Gall Bladder | G.B.-40 |
| Liver | LIV-3 |
Where a channel's Connecting (Luo) vessel branches off to link with its paired channel — used to treat disharmony spreading between paired Yin/Yang channels, and to treat the Luo vessel's own pathway.
| Channel | Luo-Connecting Point |
|---|---|
| Lung | LU-7 |
| Large Intestine | L.I.-6 |
| Stomach | ST-40 |
| Spleen | SP-4 |
| Heart | HE-5 |
| Small Intestine | S.I.-7 |
| Bladder | BL-58 |
| Kidney | KI-4 |
| Pericardium | P-6 |
| Triple Burner | T.B.-5 |
| Gall Bladder | G.B.-37 |
| Liver | LIV-5 |
| Ren Mai (Directing Vessel) | Ren-15 |
| Du Mai (Governing Vessel) | Du-1 |
| Spleen's Great Luo | SP-21 |
SP-21), together with the Luo points of Ren-15 and Du-1, are sometimes grouped as the "Three Great Luo" — they connect and gather all the Blood vessels of the body, distinct from the twelve regular channel Luo points above.Where a channel's Qi and Blood gather most deeply. First choice for acute conditions and acute pain on that channel or in its organ.
All located on the Bladder channel's inner line along the back, each Back-Shu point directly overlies its organ and carries that organ's Qi to the body's surface — used to tonify or regulate the organ, especially in chronic disease.
Located on the chest/abdomen close to their organ, Front-Mu points tend to become tender or reactive when that organ is in Excess — used diagnostically, and to treat acute conditions of that organ.
| Organ | Front-Mu Point |
|---|---|
| Lung | LU-1 |
| Pericardium | Ren-17 |
| Heart | Ren-14 |
| Liver | LIV-14 |
| Gall Bladder | G.B.-24 |
| Spleen | LIV-13 |
| Stomach | Ren-12 |
| Triple Burner | Ren-5 |
| Kidney | G.B.-25 |
| Large Intestine | ST-25 |
| Small Intestine | Ren-4 |
| Bladder | Ren-3 |
Each point is where the Qi of one substance or tissue type gathers most strongly throughout the whole body — the go-to point for that substance regardless of which channel or organ pattern is involved.
Each of the eight Extraordinary Vessels has one regular-channel point that "opens" it. The eight pair up into four couples, conventionally needled together (one point on each side of the body per pair, or as clinically indicated).
| Opening Point | Extraordinary Vessel | Paired With | Paired Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|
SP-4 | Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) | P-6 | Yin Wei Mai (Yin Linking Vessel) |
G.B.-41 | Dai Mai (Girdle Vessel) | T.B.-5 | Yang Wei Mai (Yang Linking Vessel) |
BL-62 | Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Heel Vessel) | S.I.-3 | Du Mai (Governing Vessel) |
KI-6 | Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Heel Vessel) | LU-7 | Ren Mai (Directing Vessel) |
Every Yang (Fu) organ has a Lower He-Sea point, all located on the leg — the primary point category for treating Fu-organ Excess patterns. Three coincide with that channel's own Five Shu He-Sea point; the other three (for the Large Intestine, Small Intestine and Triple Burner) sit instead on the Stomach or Bladder channel.