 |
Location Guides: |
Back Shu point of the Small Intestine
Trigger point (Travell & Simons, 1998, Trigger Point Manual; Melzack, Stillwell & Fox, 1977)
Meeting of Bladder with
1.5 cun lateral to the midline, at the level of the first posterior sacral foramen.
Perpendicular insertion 0.5 - 1 cun
"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).
Separates the pure from the turbid
Regulates the Intestines and Bladder
Drains turbid Dampness and claers Damp-heat
Regulates Small Intestine Qi
Superficial Innervation: Dorsal rami of S1 - S3
Dermatome Segment: S3
Deeper Structures: Dorsal rami of S1
Muscle:
Multifidus
Pain Referral Pattern:
Around the point and radiating down the buttock to the sacrum with some radiation to the posterior aspect of the upper thigh and to the abdomen directly anterior to the point
Indications:
Myalgia of the long extensors of the back
; Paraumbilicai pain.
See Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com for explanation of effects.
Trigrams: Li (Fire) below, Qian (Heaven) above.
Clarity within, strength without — the bright flame rises toward heaven, and all things are illuminated. This is fellowship: the gathering of people around a shared light.
Nuclear Trigrams: Lines 2-3-4 form Xun (Wind). Lines 3-4-5 form Qian (Heaven). Beneath the fellowship, there is gentle penetration (Xun) and creative strength (Qian). The hidden message: the shared light spreads gently, like wind, and is grounded in something universal.
Judgement:
同人：同人于野，亨。利涉大川，利君子貞。
Fellowship with Men. Fellowship with men in the open country. Success. It is favourable to cross the great river. It is favourable for the gentleman to persevere.
Fellowship is good, but only when it is open and universal. The moment it becomes exclusive — "us versus them" — it loses its power. The image of the open country is the key: the widest possible space, the most inclusive gathering.
Lines:
| Line | Yin/Yang | Image | Literal Translation | Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yang | 同人于門，無咎 | Fellowship at the gate. No trouble. | Yang at the bottom. The beginning of fellowship. The gate is the threshold between private and public. No trouble because it is sincere and not yet exclusive. |
| 2 | Yin | 同人于宗，吝 | Fellowship only with one's clan. Regret. | The ruler line. Yin at 2, central and correct, but it is limiting fellowship to the clan. This is the danger of Tong Ren: if it draws only its own kin, it becomes a faction. Regret because the exclusivity destroys the fellowship. |
| 3 | Yang | 伏戎于莽，升其高陵，三歲不興 | Hiding weapons in the thicket. Ascending the high hill. For three years, no rising. | The threshold. The fellowship has become conspiratorial. Weapons are hidden. The high hill is watched. But nothing happens for three years — the conspiracy is exposed to the light and cannot act. |
| 4 | Yang | 乘其墉，弗克攻，吉 | Mounting the wall, cannot attack. Gain. | Yang at 4. The temptation to attack is strong, but the attack cannot succeed. The wall is too high. Gain because the attack is abandoned. |
| 5 | Yang | 同人，先號咷而後笑。大師克相遇 | Fellowship. First weeping and wailing, then laughter. The great army conquers and meets. | Yang at 5, central and correct. The fellowship has been tested. There is weeping first — the pain of separation and struggle. Then laughter — the joy of reunion. The great army is the strength of Qian. It conquers the obstacles and the fellowship meets again. |
| 6 | Yang | 同人于郊，無悔 | Fellowship in the outskirts. No remorse. | Yang at the top. The fellowship has moved to the outskirts — still outside the city, but not as wide as the open country. No remorse because it is still sincere, even if not fully universal. |
Image:
天與火，同人。君子以類族辨物。
Heaven and fire: Tong Ren. Thus the gentleman distinguishes the classes of things and analyzes their natures.
Heaven is above, fire is below. The fire rises toward heaven, and all things are illuminated. The gentleman distinguishes the classes of things (類族, lei zu) and analyzes their natures (辨物, bian wu). Fellowship does not mean blurring all distinctions. It means understanding differences clearly — and then bringing them together in a higher unity. The open country is not a melting pot; it is a gathering of distinct people who share a common light.
Acupuncture Point Connections:
Shared with Xinshu Bl-15.
Inverted into ䷍ (Tongli He-5 or Wangu SI-4).
Balanced by ䷆ (Jingmen GB-25 or Zhongji Ren-3).
Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.
Main function is in regulating water balance with regards to the bladder and intestines.
In Tibetan medicine:
Moxa point (AMNH, Tibetan Medical Paintings)
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
Woodley Bioenergetics
90 Deane Croft Road,
Eascote, Pinner, Greater London. HA5 1SP
Tel/WhatsApp: +44 (0) 7946 174 829
Email: steve@steve-woodley.co.uk
