Acupuncture Point Bl-64: Jinggu (京骨, Capital Bone)

Classifications:

Location:

On the lateral side of the foot, in the depression anterior and inferor to the tuberosity of the fifth metatarsal bone.

Needling:

Perpendicular insertion 0.3 - 0.5 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 seven 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:

Clears the head and eyes and eliminates Wind
Calms the Shen
Relaxes the sinews, activates the channel and alleviates pain

TCM Indications:

Painful and heavy head with cold feet, splitting headache, heat in the head, shaking of the head, redness of the inner canthus, Superficial Visual Obstruction, Visual Dizziness, rhinitis with ceaseless nosebleed, chills and fever, Malarial (瘧, Nue) Disorders, no pleasure in eating.
Palpitations, Heart pain, Mania-Withdrawal (癲狂, Dian Kuang), propensity to fright, epilepsy.
Stiff neck, pain of the back and sides of the body, lumbar pain, aversion to cold and pain of the back, cracked and dry feet, cold damp Leg Qi (腳氣, Jiao Qi).

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Sural nerve (L5 - S2)

Dermatome Segment: S1

Deeper Structures: Sural nerve (L5 - S2)

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

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

Major Combinations:

Heart pain that feels like being struck with a bent and painful back, associated with the Kidneys:
Jinggu Bl-64 with Kunlun Bl-60
(Anon, 400BC-260AD: Huang Di Nei Jing Ling Shu, 黃帝內經靈樞, Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic: Spiritual Pivot Ch. 24, On Counterflow Diseases).
Heat in the head and rhinitis with nosebleed:
Jinggu Bl-64 with Kunlun Bl-60, Feiyang Bl-58, Chengshan Bl-57 and Yinbai Sp-1
(Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
Redness and erosion of the inner canthus:
Jinggu Bl-64 with Shugu Bl-65
(Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
Superficial Visual Obstruction:
Jinggu Bl-64 with Qiangu SI-2
(Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
Cold of the lower extremities:
Jinggu Bl-64 with Rangu Kid-2 and Shenshu Bl-23
(Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
Contraction of the legs:
Jinggu Bl-64 with Chengjin Bl-56, Chengshan Bl-57 and Shanqiu Sp-5
(Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
Pain of the genitals:
Jinggu Bl-64 with Shenshu Bl-23, Zhishi Bl-52 and Taichong Liv-3
(Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

I Ching Hexagram:

䷄ Xu 需 Patience.

Trigrams: Qian (Heaven) below, Kan (Water) above.

Strength within, danger without — the powerful impulse to act meets a perilous environment, and so must wait. This is not passive resignation but active patience.

Nuclear Trigrams: Lines 2-3-4 form Dui (Lake). Lines 3-4-5 form Li (Fire). Beneath the waiting, there is openness and joy (Dui) and clarity (Li). The hidden message: waiting is not empty. It is filled with pleasure and understanding if you attend to it properly.

Judgement:
有孚，光亨，貞吉。
Possessing captives. Brilliant opening. Augury brings gain.
Xie Qi is held at this point. Bleeding is possible. This point opens the channel brilliantly. Moxa is beneficial.
利涉大川。
It is favourable to cross the great river.
Great danger can be avoided with treatment at this point.

Strength within, danger without. Do not act rashly. Wait with sincerity and clarity. When the moment comes, you will be ready to cross into the dangerous territory and succeed.

Lines:

Line	Yin/Yang	Image	Literal Translation	Commentary
1	Yang	需于郊，利用恆，無咎	Waiting on the outskirts. It is favourable to be constant. No trouble.	The Xie Qi is held easily. With patience, the body can resolve itself.
2	Yang	需于沙，小有言，終吉	Waiting in the sand. There is some small criticism, but it ends with gain.	The Xie Qi is being held effectively. It causes some problems, but can be released easily.
3	Yang	需于泥，致寇至	Waiting in the mud. This invites robbers.	Waiting too long to release the Xie Qi results in the Zheng Qi becoming bogged down and the holding capacity of the Luo to be exhausted. This invites the Xie Qi to steal our resources.
4	Yin	需于血，出自穴	Waiting in blood. Emerging from the cave.	Waiting for too long results in a place of danger. Bleeding the point (穴 Xue) can still save the channel by removing the Xie Qi as it emerges.
5	Yang	需于酒食，貸吉	Waiting with wine and food. Augury brings gain.	The Luo is exhausted and the channel is affected. The Luo needs nourishment with moxa to lure the Xie Qi back into confinement.
6	Yin	入于穴，有不速之客三人來，敬之終吉	Entering the cave. Three uninvited guests arrive, respect them; and it will end in gain.	The Xie Qi has exhausted the channel and it is no longer possible to wait. The channel points (穴 Xue) must be entered and cleared no matter the danger. Yang Qi, represented by the three yang lines of Qian below, will arrive to help, if it is shown respect with moxa, resulting in success.

Image:
雲上於天，需。君子以飲食宴樂。
Clouds rise up to heaven: Xu. Thus the gentleman feasts and is joyful.

The clouds are gathering but rain has not yet fallen. The gentleman waits with enjoyment, not anxiety. He nourishes himself — food and drink, joy and music — while waiting for the right time. This is the secret of waiting: make it a feast, not a famine.

Acupuncture Point Connections:
Shared with Dazhong Kid-4.
Inverted into ䷅ (Shenshu Bl-23 or Pangguangshu Bl-28).
Opposed by ䷢ (Shenmen He-7 or Zhizheng SI-7).

Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.

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

京 骨  : Jinggu : Capital Bone

Bl-64 : Foot Taiyang Bladder 64