Appendix

Acupoint Name Reference Guide

Following are English translations of the names of all the acupoints on the twelve regular channels as used in the HeartMind Shiatsu school of Asian Bodywork Therapy. Correlate these names with the images presented in Chapters 2 through Chapter 7 in order to develop a more clear picture of the meridian line functions and specific point qualities.

The nomenclature of acupuncture has been developed over thousands of years. I include here a list of translations from the Chinese drawn from a variety of trusted sources and my own clinical applications. The names are true to the original Chinese characters but as with all such translations are subject to great interpretation. In the bibliography, I have listed various sources both on- and offline where you can take your study of point nomenclature deeper if that is your interest. To me, the names are windows into a deep awareness and appreciation for the body’s rich, complex, and beautiful functionality.

The names often evoke and describe the point’s clinical usage. There are many sources and various translations of the points’ names that have appeared in various schools over many years. In addition, many of the points are known to have multiple names. There is an art to the science of the point names, and just reading through the lists can give you a sense for the range and depth of meaning of this powerful system.

By calling to mind the point names as you practice qigong, meditation, or touch therapy you can activate the energy of the point for greater effectiveness. An acupuncturist may use needles, an acupressurist their fingers and thumbs, a shiatsu therapist palms and elbows, knees and feet, as well as thumbs. In all cases, as is true of qigong, we need to use our mind to guide the qi to and through the points and ultimately our spirit to guide the mind. Deep in the work is the understanding that where the mind goes, qi flows.

As you study these point names and correlate them to the place on the body where they are found, bring your mind and imagination to bear upon the discovery of the usefulness of the point. In this way, you exponentially enhance the effectiveness and scope of your self-discovery and healing practice.

Lung—Hand Tai Yin

1. 1. Central Treasury
2. 2. Cloud Gate
3. 3. Palace of Heaven
4. 4. Reaching White
5. 5. Cubit Marsh (In the Groove)
6. 6. Maximum Opening
7. 7. Broken Sequence
8. 8. Channel Gutter
9. 9. Great Abyss
10. 10. Fish Belly
11. 11. Little Merchant

Large Intestine—Hand Yang Ming

1. 1. Yang Merchant
2. 2. Second Space
3. 3. Third Space
4. 4. Meeting Valley
5. 5. Yang Stream (Snuffbox)
6. 6. Veering Passage
7. 7. Warm Flow
8. 8. Lower Angle
9. 9. Upper Angle
10. 10. Arm Three Miles
11. 11. Pool at the Bend
12. 12. Elbow Crevice
13. 13. Arm Five Miles
14. 14. Upper Arm
15. 15. Shoulder Bone
16. 16. Great Bone
17. 17. Heaven’s Tripod
18. 18. Support Prominence
19. 19. Mouth Crevice
20. 20. Welcome Fragrance

Stomach—Foot Yang Ming

1. 1. Tear Receptacle
2. 2. Four Whites
3. 3. Great Crevice
4. 4. Earth Granary
5. 5. Great Welcome
6. 6. Jaw Bone
7. 7. Below the Joint
8. 8. Head Bound
9. 9. Welcome Human
10. 10. Water Prominence
11. 11. Abode of Qi
12. 12. Empty Basin
13. 13. Qi Door
14. 14. Storehouse
15. 15. Room Divider
16. 16. Breast Window
17. 17. Breast Center
18. 18. Breast Root
19. 19. Not Contained
20. 20. Supporting Fitness
21. 21. Beam Gate
22. 22. Pass Gate
23. 23. Supreme Unity
24. 24. Slippery Flesh Gate
25. 25. Celestial Pivot
26. 26. Outer Mound
27. 27. The Great
28. 28. Water Passage
29. 29. Return
30. 30. Qi Thoroughfare
31. 31. Thigh Gate
32. 32. Crouching Rabbit
33. 33. Yin Market
34. 34. Ridge Mound
35. 35. Calf’s Nose
36. 36. Leg Three Miles
37. 37. Upper Great Hall
38. 38. Ribbon Passage Way
39. 39. Lower Great Hall
40. 40. Bountiful Bulge
41. 41. Stream Divide
42. 42. Rushing Yang
43. 43. Sunken Valley
44. 44. Inner Courtyard
45. 45. Severe Mouth

Spleen—Foot Tai Yin

1. 1. Hidden White
2. 2. Great Metropolis
3. 3. Supreme White
4. 4. Grandfather Grandson (Yellow Emperor)
5. 5. Trade Winds Mound
6. 6. Three Yin Meeting
7. 7. Granary Hole
8. 8. Earth’s Crux
9. 9. Yin Mound Spring
10. 10. Sea of Blood
11. 11. Winnower’s Gate
12. 12. Rushing Gate
13. 13. Abode of the Yin Organs
14. 14. Abdomen Knot
15. 15. Great Horizontal
16. 16. Abdomen Sorrow
17. 17. Food Cavity
18. 18. Heavenly Stream
19. 19. Chest Village
20. 20. Encircling Glory
21. 21. Great Embracement

Heart—Hand Shao Yin

1. 1. Highest Spring
2. 2. Cyan Spirit
3. 3. Lesser Sea
4. 4. Spirit Path
5. 5. Penetrating the Interior
6. 6. Yin Cleft
7. 7. Spirit Gate
8. 8. Lesser Palace
9. 9. Lesser Rushing

Small Intestine—Hand Tai Yang

1. 1. Lesser Marsh
2. 2. Front Valley
3. 3. Back Stream
4. 4. Wrist Bone
5. 5. Yang Valley
6. 6. Support the Aged
7. 7. Upright Branch
8. 8. Small Sea
9. 9. Correct Shoulder
10. 10. Upper Arm Transport
11. 11. Heavenly Gathering
12. 12. Grasping the Wind
13. 13. Crooked Wall
14. 14. Outer Shoulder Transport
15. 15. Middle Shoulder Transport
16. 16. Heavenly Window
17. 17. Divine Appearance
18. 18. Cheek Bone Hole
19. 19. Palace of Hearing

Bladder—Foot Tai Yang

1. 1. Bright Eyes
2. 2. Silk Bamboo Bone
3. 3. Eyebrows’ Pouring
4. 4. Crooked Curve
5. 5. Fifth Palace
6. 6. Receiving Light
7. 7. Heavenly Connection
8. 8. Declining Connection
9. 9. Jade Pillow
10. 10. Celestial Pillar
11. 11. Great Shuttle
12. 12. Wind Gate
13. 13. Lung Transporter
14. 14. Pericardium Transporter
15. 15. Heart Transporter
16. 16. Governor Transporter
17. 17. Diaphragm Transporter
18. 18. Liver Transporter
19. 19. Gall Bladder Transporter
20. 20. Spleen Transporter
21. 21. Stomach Transporter
22. 22. Triple Warmer Transporter
23. 23. Kidney Transporter (Vitality Gate)
24. 24. Sea of Qi Transporter
25. 25. Large Intestine Transporter
26. 26. Origin Gate Transporter
27. 27. Small Intestine Transporter
28. 28. Bladder Transporter
29. 29. Mid Spine Transporter
30. 30. White Ring Transporter
31. 31. Upper Crevice
32. 32. Second Crevice
33. 33. Middle Crevice
34. 34. Lower Crevice
35. 35. Meeting of Yang
36. 36. Brings Relief
37. 37. Gate of Abundance
38. 38. Floating Cleft
39. 39. Outside the Crook
40. 40. Middle of the Crook
41. 41. Attached Branch
42. 42. Door of the Corporeal Soul
43. 43. Vital Region Transporter
44. 44. Hall of the Spirit
45. 45. Yi Xi
46. 46. Diaphragm Gate
47. 47. Gate of the Ethereal Soul
48. 48. Yang’s Key Link
49. 49. Abode of Consciousness
50. 50. Stomach Granary
51. 51. Vitals Gate
52. 52. Residence of the Will
53. 53. Bladder’s Vitals
54. 54. Order’s Limit
55. 55. Confluence of Yang
56. 56. Support the Sinews
57. 57. In the Mountains
58. 58. Flying Yang
59. 59. Instep Yang
60. 60. Kunlun Mountains
61. 61. Servant’s Respect
62. 62. Extending Vessel
63. 63. Golden Gate
64. 64. Capital Bone
65. 65. Restraining Bone
66. 66. Foot Connecting Valley
67. 67. Extreme Yin

Kidney—Foot Shao Yin

1. 1. Bubbling Spring
2. 2. Blazing Valley
3. 3. Supreme Stream
4. 4. Great Bell
5. 5. Water Spring
6. 6. Shining Sea
7. 7. Returning Current
8. 8. Exchange Belief
9. 9. Guest House
10. 10. Yin Valley
11. 11. Pubic Bone
12. 12. Great Luminance
13. 13. Qi Cave
14. 14. Fourfold Fullness
15. 15. Middle Flow
16. 16. Vitals Transporter
17. 17. Trade Winds Bend
18. 18. Stone Pass
19. 19. Yin Metropolis
20. 20. Abdomen Connecting Valley
21. 21. Mysterious Gate
22. 22. Walking Corridor
23. 23. Spirit Seal
24. 24. Spirit Ruin
25. 25. Spirit Storehouse
26. 26. Comfortable Chest
27. 27. Transporter (Elegant) Mansion

Pericardium—Hand Jue Yin

1. 1. Heaven’s Pond
2. 2. Heavenly Spring
3. 3. Marsh at the Crook
4. 4. Xi-Cleft Gate
5. 5. Intermediate Messenger
6. 6. Inner Frontier Gate
7. 7. Great Mound
8. 8. Palace of Toil
9. 9. Central Rushing

Triple Warmer—Hand Shao Yang

1. 1. Rushing Pass
2. 2. Fluid Gate
3. 3. Central Islet
4. 4. Yang Pool
5. 5. Outer Frontier Gate
6. 6. Branch Ditch
7. 7. Ancestral Meeting
8. 8. Three Yang Meeting
9. 9. Four Rivers
10. 10. Heavenly Will
11. 11. Clear Cold Abyss
12. 12. Dispersing River
13. 13. Upper Arm Meeting
14. 14. Shoulder Crevice
15. 15. Heavenly Crevice
16. 16. Window of Heaven
17. 17. Wind Screen
18. 18. Spasm Vessel
19. 19. Skull’s Rest
20. 20. Minute Angle
21. 21. Ear Gate
22. 22. Ear Harmony Crevice
23. 23. Silk Bamboo Hollow

Gall Bladder—Foot Shao Yang

1. 1. Seeing the World
2. 2. Meeting of Hearing
3. 3. Above the Joint
4. 4. Jaw Serenity
5. 5. Wild Skull
6. 6. Wild Tuft
7. 7. Crook of the Temple
8. 8. Leading Valley
9. 9. Heavenly Rushing
10. 10. Many Voices
11. 11. Inner Listening
12. 12. Getting into Action
13. 13. Root of the Spirit
14. 14. Yang White (Third Eye Opening)
15. 15. Head Overlooking Tears
16. 16. Window of the Eyes (See the Face of God)
17. 17. Upright Nourishment (God Sees You)
18. 18. Supporting Spirit
19. 19. Brain Hollow
20. 20. Pond of Wind
21. 21. Well in the Shoulder
22. 22. Armpit Abyss
23. 23. Flank Sinews
24. 24. Sun and Moon
25. 25. Capital Gate
26. 26. Girdling Vessel
27. 27. Five Pivots
28. 28. Linking Path
29. 29. Stationary Crevice
30. 30. Jumping Pivot
31. 31. Market of Wind
32. 32. Middle Ditch
33. 33. Knee Yang Gate
34. 34. Yang Mound Spring
35. 35. Yang Intersection
36. 36. Outer Hill
37. 37. Bright Light
38. 38. Yang Assistance
39. 39. Suspended Bell
40. 40. Mound of Ruins
41. 41. Foot Overlooking Tears
42. 42. Earth Five Meetings
43. 43. Clamped Stream
44. 44. Foot Yin Portal

Liver—Foot Jue Yin

1. 1. Great Pile
2. 2. Between Columns
3. 3. Great Rushing
4. 4. Middle Seal
5. 5. Shell Groove
6. 6. Middle Capital
7. 7. Knee Pass
8. 8. Spring at the Bend
9. 9. Yin Envelope
10. 10. Leg Five Miles
11. 11. Yin Screen
12. 12. Rapid Pulse
13. 13. Camphorwood Gate
14. 14. Gate of the Cycle

Major Acupoint Quick
Reference Names and Applications

Here is a compendium of the major points and a shorthand reference to how they might be used in treatment. There are some alternate names in this list. Do not be thrown by that. There are many traditions and lineages that have worked with these points, and different names can give you additional information on how they might be used.

Lung

1 Center of Gathering	Respiratory Health
2 Cloud Gate	Moistening
5 In the Groove	Holding on Too Tightly
9 Great Abyss	Letting Go
11 Little Merchant	Energy Exchange

Large Intestine

1 Yang Merchant	Material Exchange
4 Joining Valleys	Elimination, Well-Being
10 Arm Three Miles	Keeping your Grip
15 Corner of the Shoulder	Shoulder Pain
20 Welcome Fragrance	Sinus Congestion

Stomach

8 Head Band	Mental Faculties
9 Man’s Prognosis	General Health
25 Celestial Pivot	Intestinal Health
30 Qi Thoroughfare	Energy to Lower Extremities
36 Leg Three Miles	Endurance, Well-Being
40 Bountiful Bulge	Clearing Excesses
41 Shoelace	Ankle Strength

Spleen

4 Yellow Emperor	Digestive Health
6 Three Yin Meeting	Menstrual Cycle
9 Yin Mound Spring	Bodily Dampness
10 Sea of Blood	Vital Energy
11 Winnower’s Gate	Separating Pure from Impure
20 Great Embracement	Harmonizing Energy

Heart

1 Highest Spring	Relieving Heart Congestion
2 Cyan Spirit	Opening Circulation
3 Lesser Sea	Calming Nerves
7 Gate of God	Soothing Spirit
9 Lesser Surge	Steady the Heart

Small Intestine

4 Wrist Bone	Balance the Opposites
6 Curing the Aged	Steady the Hand
11 Center of Heaven	Clear the Mind
12 Grasping the Wind	Common Cold
19 Palace of Hearing	Opening the Ears

Bladder

1 Bright Eyes	Open and Close the Eyes
10 Pillar of Heaven	Occipital Headache
13 Lung associated	Breathing
14 Pericardium associated	Circulation
15 Heart associated	Communication
18 Liver associated	Addictions
19 Gall Bladder associated	Responsibility
20 Spleen associated	Digestion
21 Stomach associated	Appetite
22 Triple Warmer associated	Immune System
23 Kidney associated	Vitality
25 Large Intestine associated	Elimination
27 Small Intestine associated	Assimilation
28 Bladder associated	Drive
57 In the Mountains	Frustration, Fatigue
67 Extreme Yin	Labor Pains

Kidney

1 Gushing Spring	Revitalize
3 Great Ravine	Trauma
10 Yin Valley	Constitutional Issues
13 Infant’s Door	Fertility
21 Dark Gate	Inner Resources
27 Elegant Mansion	Vital Reserves

Pericardium

1 Heaven’s Pond	Lactation
3 Marsh at the Bend	“Tennis” Elbow
6 Inner Gate	Self-Love
8 Palace of Anxiety	Easing Nerves
9 Central Nexus	Developing Strategy

Triple Warmer

5 Outer Gate	Love of Others
10 Heaven’s Well	Cooling Tempers
15 Heaven’s Bone	Burdens
23 Silk Bamboo Hollow	Heat Strain Headache

Gall Bladder

20 Pond of Wind	Whirlwind Headache
21 Well in the Shoulder	Responsibility
24 Sun and Moon	Gall Bladder Illness
25 Capital Gate	Kidney Illness
30 Jumping Pivot	Hip Challenges, Sciatica
31 Market of Wind	Over-Responsibility
34 Yang Mound Spring	Sinews, Muscles
41 Foot Overlooking Tears	Releasing Excess Holding

Liver

3 Excessive Rush	Slowing Down
4 Middle Seal	Muscle Relaxer
10 Leg Five Miles	Stamina
13 Camphorwood Gate	Digestive Issues
14 Gate of the Cycle	Completion

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