大腸俞 : Dachangshu : Large Intestine Shu

Location Guides:

Classifications:

Back Shu point of the Large Intestine

Meetings:

Meeting of Bladder with Large Intestine Divergent and Lung Divergent

Location:

1.5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the fourth lumbar vertebra (L4).

Needling:

Perpendicular insertion 1 - 1.5 cun

Classical Needling:

"The Taiyang usually has much Blood and little Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be bled.
"The foot Taiyang is to be pierced 5 fen deep and remain inserted for seven exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of three fen, (the needle) is retained for a duration of six exhalations, and it is moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Regulates the Intestines
Transforms stagnation and alleviates pain
Strengthens the lumbar region and legs

TCM Indications:

• Borborygmus, cold or damp (dong) diarrhoea, undigested food in the stool, Dysenteric Disorder (痢疾, Li Ji), blood in the stool, internal abscess, difficulty urination and defecation, constipation, prolapse of the rectum.
  
• Distension and pain of the abdomen, hypogastric pain, distension and fullness of the hypogastrium, twisting pain of the lower abdomen, cutting pain of the umbilical region, inability to eat and drink, remains thin despite much eating.
  
• Lumbar pain, stiffness and rigidity of the lumbar spine, pain and Painful Obstruction (痹, Bi) of the lower limbs, atrophy disorder, dysmenorrhoea.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Dorsal rami of S1 - S3

Dermatome Segment: S3

Deeper Structures: Dorsal rami of L4

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

See Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com for explanation of effects.

Major Combinations:

• Cold or Damp diarrhoea with undigested food in the stool:
    Dachangshu Bl-25 with Shenshu Bl-23
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Undigested food in the stool:
    Dachangshu Bl-25 with Sanjiaoshu Bl-22, Liangmen St-21, Zusanli St-36, Sanyinjiao Sp-6, Xiawan Ren-10 and Xuanshu Du-5
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Incontinence of faeces:
    Dachangshu Bl-25 with Guanyuan Ren-4
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Borborygmus:
    Dachangshu Bl-25 with Taibai Sp-3, Gongsun Sp-4 and Sanjiaoshu Bl-22
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Prolapse of the rectum:
    Dachangshu Bl-25 with Baihui Du-20, Changqiang Du-1, Jianjing GB-21, Hegu LI-4 and Qichong St-30
    (Liao Runhong, 廖润鸿, 1874: Zhen Jiu Ji Cheng, 針灸集成, Compilation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Prolapse of the rectum in children:
    Dachangshu Bl-25 with Baihui Du-20, Changqiang Du-1
    (Liao Runhong, 廖润鸿, 1874: Zhen Jiu Ji Cheng, 針灸集成, Compilation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Pain of intestinal abscess:
    Dachangshu Bl-25 with Xiangu St-43 and Taibai Sp-3
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Difficult ingestion with desire to drink fluids:
    Dachangshu Bl-25 with Zhourong Sp-20
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).

Zhou Yi Hexagram:

䷉ Lu 履 Treading.

Trigrams: Dui (Lake) below, Qian (Heaven) above.

Openness within, strength without — the gentle and joyful treads carefully among the powerful. This is treading the path of conduct in a world of greater forces.

Nuclear Trigrams: Lines 2-3-4 form Li (Fire). Lines 3-4-5 form Xun (Wind). Beneath the treading, there is clarity (Li) and gentle penetration (Xun). The hidden message: treading correctly requires both clear sight and gentle persistence.

Judgement:
履虎尾，不咥人，亨。
Treading on the tiger's tail. It does not bite the man. Opening.
Caution is needed when treating this Shu point as mistreatment can easily backfire and lead to a superficial condition deeper, rapidly becoming a serious threat. If you treat with clarity and care, danger can be avoided and the Yangming can be opened safely.

Overall: You are walking among forces greater than yourself. The situation is dangerous. But if you tread carefully — with joy, openness, and respect — you will not be harmed and the way can be opened.

Lines:

Image:
上天下澤，履。君子以辨上下，定民志。
Heaven above, lake below: Lü. Thus the gentleman distinguishes high and low and settles the will of the people.

Heaven is above, the lake is below — a clear hierarchy. The gentleman distinguishes high and low and settles the will of the people. Treading correctly means knowing your place in the order of things. Not grovelling, not rebelling — walking with dignity within the structure.

Acupuncture Point Connections:
Shared with Feishu Bl-13.
Inverted into ䷈ (Neiguan Pc-6 or Yangchi SJ-4).
Balanced by ䷎ (Zhongwan Ren-12 or Zhangmen Liv-13).

Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.
Translations are my own, assisted by DSeek and compared to Richard Rutt's interpretion (2002).

Notes:

As the back-shu of the Large Intestine this is an important point for disorders of defecation when combined with other points for correcting the underlying issues.

In Mayan medicine:
Used to treat manu jana or "the sounding of indigestion" by pinching between the fingers or piercing (Garcia, Sierra, Balam, 1999: Wind in the Blood)

In Tibetan medicine:
Moxa point (AMNH, Tibetan Medical Paintings).

In Thai massage:
Acupressure point along the Itha (left) and Pingala (right) sen lines running from the navel Shenque Ren-8 to the knee and up the back to the neck and head.
Indicated for back, hip and sacroiliac joint pain/injury/arthritis, menstruation difficulties, PMS and reproductive system ailments.
(Salguero & Roylance, 2011, Encyclopedia of Thai Massage)

Reference Notes:

Basic information on location, needle depth, TCM actions, indications and combinations is taken from Deadman et al (2001): A Manual of Acupuncture with additional anatomical information researched by reference to Gray's Anatomy (38th Ed., 1995) unless otherwise referenced. Images were found on acupunctureschoolonline.com and can be traced back to Claudia Focks (2008) Atlas of Acupuncture originally. I cannot claim any credit or rights over them. Other sources should be quoted in the text.

For some of the more unusual terms I have created a glossary here