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Module 6   Lesson 7   Shou Taiyin Fei Jing

The Lung channel, LU-1 to LU-11

Eleven points on one arm: why does an acupuncturist choose a different Lung point for a fresh cold than for someone who always has a cold?

After this lesson you can follow the Lung channel from the Middle Burner to the thumb, you know the name, category and main task of each of the eleven points, you can work out LU-7 and LU-9 with actions, indications and combinations, and you can choose between acute, chronic and Heat.

throat Lungs diaphragm Middle Burner Large Intestine LU-1, start LU-5, He-Sea LU-7 and LU-9 LU-11, end branch to LI-1 Eleven points, chest to thumb LU-1 Zhongfu Front-Mu, Lungs LU-2 Yunmen local point LU-3 Tianfu Window of Heaven LU-4 Xiabai minor point LU-5 Chize He-Sea, Water LU-6 Kongzui Xi-Cleft LU-7 Lieque Luo; opens Ren; command LU-8 Jingqu Jing-River, Metal LU-9 Taiyuan Shu-Stream, Yuan; Hui vessels LU-10 Yuji Ying-Spring, Fire LU-11 Shaoshang Jing-Well, Wood branch to LI-1 key point, module 1, lesson 16 often used on this channel internal or branch
Schematic, not a location guide. Pathway after Ling Shu 10 as the textbooks give it; compare the drawing in ch. 54 from p. 949. Categories from module 1, lesson 15.

Know by heart

  • Pathway. Starts in the Middle Burner, descends to the Large Intestine, rises through the diaphragm to the Lungs and the throat, emerges in the chest (LU-1) and runs along the thumb side of the arm to the thumb (LU-11); at LU-7 a branch goes to the index finger, to LI-1. mnemonic: start in the stomach, dip to the bowel, climb to the lung, out to the thumb.
  • What the channel points to. Cough, wheezing, a full chest, throat and nose, catching colds easily, spontaneous sweating; pain at the front of the shoulder and on the thumb side of the arm.
  • Five Shu points. LU-11 Jing-Well, LU-10 Ying-Spring, LU-9 Shu-Stream and Yuan, LU-8 Jing-River, LU-5 He-Sea. mnemonic: eleven, ten, nine, eight, then the jump to five.
  • The other categories. LU-1 Front-Mu, LU-6 Xi-Cleft, LU-7 Luo, LU-9 Hui of the vessels, LU-3 Window of Heaven; the Back-Shu point is BL-13. mnemonic: one is the front, six the cleft, seven the bridge.
  • LU-7 Lieque. Luo; opening point of the Ren; command point for head and neck. Exterior, descending of Lung-Qi, head and neck. Opening partner KI-6.
  • LU-9 Taiyuan. Shu-Stream, Yuan; Hui of the vessels. Tonifies Lung-Qi; the Earth point, the mother of Metal.
  • Acute, chronic, Heat. LU-6 acute (Xi); LU-9 chronic (Yuan); LU-5 and LU-10 Heat (He-Sea and Ying-Spring); LU-11 the acute throat. mnemonic: six is swift, nine is for the long haul, five and ten run hot.

The rest of this lesson is reference.

Lungs: LU-1 to LU-11: Eleven points on one arm: why does an acupuncturist choose a different Lung point for a fresh cold than for someone who always has a cold?
The chart as an image, to save or share

Three practice questions from this lesson

Which Lung point is the Xi-Cleft point?
  1. LU-7 Lieque
  2. LU-5 Chize
  3. LU-6 Kongzui
  4. LU-11 Shaoshang

Answer: LU-6 Kongzui. LU-6 Kongzui. LU-5 is He-Sea, LU-7 Luo, LU-11 Jing-Well.

Which point is Shu-Stream, Yuan and Hui of the vessels?
  1. LU-7
  2. LU-8
  3. LU-9

Answer: LU-9. LU-9 Taiyuan. LU-8 is Jing-River, LU-7 Luo.

Which category does LU-1 have?
  1. Luo of the Lungs
  2. Front-Mu of the Lungs
  3. Back-Shu of the Lungs

Answer: Front-Mu of the Lungs. LU-1 is the Front-Mu point; the Back-Shu point of the Lungs is BL-13.

The rest of this lesson

In the course you get the step-by-step explanation, 16 case-based practice questions, 22 spaced-repetition flashcards, the pitfalls and the bridge to physiology with evidence grades. This lesson belongs to module 6: Points.

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