JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE NUMBER 42 MAY 1993 THE FIVE SHU-POINTS by Peter Deadman


Shu-Point Phase


Lung (LU) Spleen (SP) Heart (HE)


Kidney (KID)


Pericardium (P) Liver (LIV)


Shu-Point Phase


Large Intestine (L.I.) Stomach (ST)


Small Intestine (SI) Bladder (BL) Sanjiao (SJ)


Gall Bladder (GB)


Jing-Well Wood


The Five Shu-Points of the Yin Channels Ying-Spring Fire


Shu-Stream Earth


Shaoshang LU-11 Yinbai SP-1


Shaochong HE-9 Yongquan KID-1 Zhongchong P-9 Dadun LIV-1


Jing-Well Metal


Yuji LU-10 Dadu SP-2 Shaofu HE-8 Rangu KID-2 Laogong P-8


Taiyuan LU-9 Taibai SP-3


Shenmen HE-7 Taixi KID-3 Daling P-7


Xingjian LIV-2 Taichong LIV-3


Jing-River Metal


Jingqu LU-8


Shangqiu SP-5 Lingdao HE-4 Fuliu KID-7 Jianshi P-5


Zhongfeng LIV-4


The Five Shu-Points of the Yang Channels Ying-Spring Shu-Stream Jing-River


Water


Shangyang L.I.-1 Lidui ST-45 Shaoze SI-1 Zhiyin BL-67


Guanchong SJ-1 Erjian L.I.-2


Neiting ST-44 Qiangu SI-2


Wood


Sanjian L.I.-3 Xiangu ST-43 Houxi SI-3


Zutonggu BL-66 Shugu BL-65 Yemen SJ-2


Zuqiaoyin GB-44 Xiaxi GB-43


There are many criteria that help determine the actions and indications of the acupuncture points. These in- clude:


i. The channel a point is located on (e.g. points of the Liver channel treat Liver disharmony).


ii. Its related channels (e.g. points of Pericardium Jueyin channel may treat disorders of the Liver Jueyin chan- nel; points of the Large Intestine channel may treat Lung disorders).


iii. Its location on the body (e.g. all points on the chest have some effect on chest disorders).


iv. Its status, for example as a Shu-Point, Xi-Cleft point, Back-Shu or Front-Mu point, Luo-Connecting, Yuan- Source or Hui point, Confluent Point of the 8 extraor- dinary channels or crossing point of more than one channel.


v. Its associated Phase or Element. v. Empirical observations that have been collected on its actions.


This article confines itself to discussing the classical theories concerning the five Shu-Points, and compares these theories with the indications of the points that have accumulated over the centuries in a number of classical clinical manuals. By trying to understand this some- times difficult theory, we can improve our knowledge and understanding of the extraordinary phenomena that are the acupuncture points.


Zhongzhu SJ-3 Fire


Yangxi L.I.-5 Jiexi ST-41 Yanggu SI-5 Kunlun BL-60 Zhigou SJ-6


He-Sea Water


Chize LU-5


Yinlingquan SP-9 Shaohai HE-3 Yingu KID-10 Quze P-3


Ququan LIV-8


He-Sea Earth


Quchi L.I.-11 Zusanli ST-36 Xiaohai SI-8


Weizhong BL-40 Tianjing SJ-10


Zulinqi GB-41 Yangfu GB-38 Yanglingquan GB-34


The five Shu-Points, namely the Jing-Well, Ying-Spring, Shu-Stream, Jing-River and He-Sea points1


, are an im-


portant grouping of acupuncture points of the twelve principal channels. All are located distal to, or at, the elbow and knee joints, and since the Qi flowing in these portions of the channels is passing through a particularly high rate of change in dynamic quality, the five Shu- Points play an important role in the formation of many acupuncture prescriptions. Also located on the portion of the channels distal to the elbows and knees are the Xi- Cleft points, the Luo-Connecting points and the Yuan- Source points. On the Yin channels only, the Yuan- Source points are the same as the Shu-Stream points. Each of the five Shu-Points corresponds to one of the 5 phases (see Tables above).


Historically, the naming of these points first appeared


in the Spiritual Axis (Chapter: 'The Nine Needles and 12 Yuan'):


Each of the five zang have five Shu, so in all there are twenty-five Shu. Each of the six Fu have six Shu, so in all there are thirty-six Shu. There are twelve main channels and fifteen Luo channels - a total of twenty- seven channels of Qi running up and down the body.


1. Literally: Jing = Well; Ying = Spring or Pool; Shu = to transport; Jing (same Jing as channel) = to pass through; He = to unite.


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