Acupoints of the Five Viscera: A Guide to Their Locations and Treatments

The Yellow Emperor asked Qi Bo: “I wish to know the locations of the acupuncture points for the five viscera on the back.”

Qi Bo replied: “The main acupoint of the back, Dazhu, is located on either side of the first vertebra below the nape. The Lung Shu point is on either side of the third vertebra, the Heart Shu point on either side of the fifth vertebra, the Diaphragm Shu point on either side of the seventh vertebra, the Liver Shu point on either side of the ninth vertebra, the Spleen Shu point on either side of the eleventh vertebra, and the Kidney Shu point on either side of the fourteenth vertebra. All these acupoints for the five viscera are located on either side of the spine, spaced three cun apart on each side.

To accurately locate and verify these acupoints, one can press the points with the hand. If the patient feels sensations of soreness, numbness, distention, or pain, or if the original pain is alleviated, it indicates the correct location of the acupoint. For these acupoints, moxibustion is recommended; needling should not be applied recklessly. For excess pathogenic Qi, the dispersing method should be used, while for deficient vital Qi, the tonifying method is appropriate. When using moxa to tonify, do not blow on the moxa fire; let it extinguish naturally. When using moxa to disperse, quickly blow on the fire to intensify it, then pat the moxa stick to make it burn rapidly and extinguish swiftly.”