Lecture on Point Categories (Antique Points)

Introduction

• Categories discussed: five shoe transport points, yuan source points, she cleft points, lull connecting points.
• Purpose: Make it easier to learn and memorize acupuncture points.
• Not all points are equally important; categories help prioritize.

Types of Point Categories

1. Exist on Every Channel

   • Five shoe transport points
   • She cleft points
   • Yuan source points
   • Lull connecting points
   • Lower Hussi points

2. Collections of Important Points

   • Eight-way meeting points
   • Modanayng heavenly star points
   • Window of heaven points

Five Shoe Transport Points

• Exist on every channel: Lung, Large Intestine, Stomach, Spleen, etc.
• Function: Related to movement of qi along the channel.
• Image: Channel starts narrow at fingertips/toes, gets wider and deeper towards trunk.
• Analogy: Flow of water (e.g., spring, stream, river, sea).
• Points & Functions:
  • Jing Well Points: Superficial, clear heat, restore consciousness, treat upper end of channel, disorders of the spirit.
  • Ying Spring Points: Clear heat, treat complexion, young channels (organs), yin channels (organs).
  • Shu Stream Points: Treat heaviness and joint pain, intermittent diseases (e.g., malaria), disorders of young channels, yin organs.
  • Jing River Points: Treat cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, change in voice, disease of sinews and bones.
  • He Sea Points: Treat rebellious qi, diarrhea, and young organs.

Mnemonic Device

• Most Sane Families Are Against Insects
  • Most Superficial: Jing Well Points
  • Families (Fire): Ying Spring Points
  • Arthritis: Shu Stream Points (heaviness in body, joint pain)
  • Asthma: Jing River Points (cough, shortness of breath)
  • Intestines: He Sea Points (treat diarrhea, rebellious qi)

Five Phase Correspondences

• Yin Channels: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water
  • Relation to Shung cycle (generation cycle): e.g., Wood -> Fire -> Earth
• Yang Channels: Sometimes differ, starting with metal (wood, fire, earth).
• Nan Jing Classic (Chapters 63-65): Explanation of cycle, relations, and relevance to channels

Yuan Source Points

• Exist on each of the 12 channels.
• Yin Channels: Usually 3rd point (e.g., Lung 9), overlap with Shu Stream Points.
• Yang Channels: Usually 4th point (e.g., LI4).
• Yin Channels: Tonify organ (Lung, Spleen).
• Yang Channels: Treat excess conditions, expel pathogens.
• Nan Jing: (Chapter 66) Explanation of Yuan Source Points.
• List: Points for each of the primary channels.
• Host & Guest Method: Yuan Source point with paired channel's lower connecting point.

She Cleft Points

• She (Cleft): Points where qi and blood gather before going deeper.
• All Channels: Treat acute conditions and pain.
• Yin Channels: Also treat blood disorders (bleeding, stagnation).
• Phrase in Deadman: "Moderates acute conditions."
• List: Points for each of the primary channels.

Lull Connecting Points

• Points where channel branches off the primary channel.
• Functions:
  • Connect yin-yang paired channels.
  • Treat disorders of paired channels (e.g., LI6 treats lung disorders).
  • Treat regions reached by lower connecting channels.
  • Treat psycho-emotional disorders.
• List: Points for 12 channels + REN and DU, and Great Dal of the Spleen.

Lower He Sea Points

• Exception to C-points treating organs.
• 3 Yang Channels on Arm: Additional points treat the organ (LI11 does not reach LI organ; instead, Stomach 37 is used).
  • Stomach Channel, UB Channel & GB Channel: Lower points already in lower body, treating respective organs.
• List: Lower HU-C points for LI, SI, and Sanjiao (Stomach 37, 39, UB39).

Final Notes

• Channels get wider and deeper as they move towards the trunk.
• Points below elbow/knee: Very channel-specific.
• Points above elbow/knee: Related to location, not just the channel.

Further Study

• Practice test available on the website.
• Other point categories: Front move and back shoe points, gaowoo command points, madanyan heavenly star points, eight-way meeting points.

Supporting the Channel

• Patreon, one-time donations, merchandise store.

Conclusion

• Part 1: Focused on categories with points on every channel
• Stay tuned for part 2 covering other categories (e.g., front move, back shoe points).