Acupuncture Point Categories - Beginner Level

Front 1

Yuan Source Points

Back 1

Principle point to tonify respective organ.

Front 2

Xi-Cleft Points

Back 2

Help with stagnation by moving qi and blood. Moderate acute conditions and pain.

Front 3

Luo-Connecting Points

Back 3

Strengthen relationship (bridge) between yin and yang organs. Energetic, not literal connections. All primary channels have a Luo Point. More superficial than primary or divergent.

Front 4

Back Shu Points

Back 4

Excel at moving qi. Tonify associated organ.

Front 5

Influential Points or Hui Meeting Points

Back 5

Special influence on: zang organs, fu organs, bone, blood, marrow, vessels, sinew, Qi

Front 6

Front Mu Points

Back 6

Alarm points (tender on palpation). Help in diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Generally used for more acute conditions. All on front of body. One for every organ. Always on chest or abdomen, close to associated organ.

Front 7

Five Shu Points

Back 7

Fall between elbows and fingers/knees and toes. Close to end or beginning of channel where qi is more dynamic. Can treat opposite end of channel. Often used in emergency (esp. Jing Well and Ying Spring).

Front 8

Jing Well

Back 8

First or last point of channel. Restore consciousness, rescue collapse, fever, convulsions, clear acute heat/emergency.

Front 9

Ying Spring

Back 9

Second or second to last point of channel. Clear heat.

Front 10

Shu Stream

Back 10

At flex of wrist or knee. On yin channels are also Source Points to tonify. On yang are used to clear painful obstruction (cold Bi).

Front 11

Jing River

Back 11

Proximal to ankle or wrist. Cough, voice disorders, diseases of bone and sinew.

Front 12

He Sea

Back 12

At elbow or knee. Stomach and intestine disorders. Skin disorders. Counterflow qi.