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Location Guides: |
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Binding point of the foot Taiyin and hand Shaoyin Sinews
Meeting of Conception Vessel with Destiny Protection Line (Baoming Xian 保命線)
In the centre of the umbilicus
Needling is contraindicated at this point. It is normally treated by moxibustion or massage. Moxibustion can be indirect, by a stick, or mediated by substances such as salt, sliced ginger, crushed garlic or aconite cake
"It may be moxaed with three cones, but needling is contraindicated. Needling may cause malignant sores and ulcerations with fecal incontinence, an incurable and fatal syndrome" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).
Warms the Yang and rescues collapse
Warms and harmonises the Intestines
Superficial Innervation: Anterior cutaneous thoracic nerve from T10
Dermatome Segment: T10
Listed in the Wu Bei Zhi 武備志 (Treatise on Armament Technology) by Mao Yuanyi 茅元儀 (1621), Article 21: Delayed Death Touches with Twelve-Hour (Shichen 時辰) Diagrams. This point, along with Shenting Du-24, Taichong Liv-3, Tianding LI-17 and Shenmai Bl-62, are associated with Chou 丑 Ox (1 - 3 am) and if struck during this time is said to cause death within 14 days from trauma to the coeliac axis artery. Along with Shaohai He-3, Huangshu Kid-16 and Qianding Du-21 it is associated with Wei 未 Ram (1-3 pm) and if struck during this time is said to cause death within one year (McCarthy, 2016, Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat).
See Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com for explanation of effects.
䷖ Bo 剝 Splitting apart, stripping away
Trigrams: Kun (Earth) below, Gen (Mountain) above.
Receptivity within, stillness without — the mountain rests on the earth, but the mountain is above and the earth is below. The mountain is about to fall. This is splitting apart: the stripping away of the yang, the erosion of what was solid.
Nuclear trigrams: Lines 2-3-4 form Kun (Earth). Lines 3-4-5 form Kun (Earth). The nuclear trigrams are both Kun. Beneath the splitting apart, there is pure receptivity — nothing but earth. The yang is not hidden in the nuclear structure. It is genuinely being stripped away.
Judgement:
剝：不利有攸往。
Splitting Apart. Not favourable to have somewhere to go.
The yang is being stripped away. This is not a time for action. It is a time for patience, for preservation, for allowing the cycle to reach its natural conclusion. The last yang line at the top is about to fall. Do not try to save it. Let it go.
Lines:
| Line | Yin/Yang | Image | Literal Translation | Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yin | 劉床以足，蔑貞凶 | Stripping the bed at the feet. Destroying correctness. Loss. | Yin at the bottom. The stripping begins at the foundation. The bed is being dismantled from the feet up. Loss because the foundation is being destroyed and there is no support left. |
| 2 | Yin | 劉床以辨，蔑貞凶 | Stripping the bed at the frame. Destroying correctness. Loss. | Yin at 2, central and correct, but yin in a yin position. The stripping has reached the frame. The support is being undermined. Loss because the structure is failing from within. |
| 3 | Yin | 劉之無咎 | Stripping it. No trouble. | The threshold. The stripping is now at the threshold. But no trouble — because the yin at 3 is responding to the yang at 6. The stripping is part of the cycle, not a disaster. |
| 4 | Yin | 劉床以膚，凶 | Stripping the bed at the skin. Loss. | Yin at 4. The first yin line above the threshold. The stripping has reached the skin — the surface of the body. Loss because the erosion is now personal and cannot be ignored. |
| 5 | Yin | 貫魚，以宮人宸，無不利 | A string of fish. The palace women are favoured. Nothing is unfavourable. | Yin at 5, the place of honour. The yin lines are strung together like fish, led by the yang at 6. The palace women are favoured by the ruler. Nothing is unfavourable because the yin is organised and directed. |
| 6 | Yang | 碩果不食，君子得車，小人劉庐 | The large fruit is not eaten. The gentleman gets a carriage. The small man strips the hut. | Yang at the top. The last yang line. The large fruit is not eaten — the seed is preserved. The gentleman gets a carriage — he is carried forward. The small man strips the hut — he destroys his own shelter. The yang is about to fall, but the seed remains. |
Image:
山附于地，剝。上以厚下安宅。
The mountain rests on the earth: Bo. Thus the superior man strengthens the foundation and secures the dwelling..
The mountain rests on the earth — but it is above, and it is crumbling. The superior man strengthens the foundation (厚下) and secures the dwelling (安宅). In a time of stripping away, you do not try to save what is falling. You strengthen what remains. You secure the base.
Acupuncture Point Connections:
Shared with Taibai Sp-3, and with Shenque Ren-8 in the sequence of moving Qi within the Microcosmic Orbit.
Balanced by ䷪ Taodao Du-13.
Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.
Alchemical texts place this as the true location of the lower dan tian or lower cinnabar field, instead of Qihai Ren-6 or Guanyuan Ren-4 (Wang Mu, 2011, Foundations of Internal Alchemy)
The Illustration of Time in the Principles of the Innate Disposition and the Lifespan (Xingming Guizhi, 性命圭旨) describes the movement of prenantal Qi through the microcosmic orbit in terms of the I Ching Hexagrams and the twelve Earthly Branches. It says that:
The prenatal Qi of human beings follows the course of the day:
during the Zi (11 pm - 1 am), the Fu (Turning Back, ䷗) Qi arrives at Caudal Defile (GV 1);
during the Chou (1-3 am), the Lin (Approaching, ䷒) Qi arrives at Kidney Hall [maybe GV 4];
during the Yin (3-5 am), the Tai (Advance, ䷊) Qi arrives at the Mystic Pivot [maybe GV 5 based on name, or GV 7 based on location];
during the Mao (5-7 am), the Dazhuang (Great Strength, ䷡) Qi arrives at the Spinal Handle [possibly GV 10 or GV 11];
during the Chen (7-9 am), the Guai (Eliminating, ䷪) Qi arrives at the Kiln Path (GV 13);
during the Si (9-11 am), the Qian (Initiating, ䷀) Qi arrives at the Jade Pillow (Bl 9 [or GV 17]);
during the Wu (11 am -1 pm), the Gou (Encountering, ䷫) Qi arrives at the Mud Pill (GV 20);
during the Wei (1-3 pm), the Dun (Retreating, ䷠) Qi arrives at Hall of Brilliance (GV 23);
during the Shen (3-5 pm), the Pi (Hindrance, ䷋) Qi arrives at the Centre of the Chest (CV 17);
during the You (5-7 pm), the Guan (Watching, ䷓) Qi arrives at the Central Venter (CV 12);
during the Xu (7-9 pm), the Bo (Falling Away, ䷖) Qi arrives at Spirit Gate (CV 8);
during the Hai (9-11 pm), the Kun (Responding, ䷁) Qi returns to the Sea of Qi (CV 6).
(translated in Liu Lihong, 2019, Classical Chinese Medicine).
Based on some considerations of the hexagram associations given here, the attributions of ䷁ and ䷀ to Huiyin Ren-1 and Baihui Du-20, and a desire to make ䷊ and ䷋ oppose one another at the centre of the body, it would seem that these attributions are where the Qi of a particular hexagram start, and finish at the start of the next, similar to how an hour continues until the next begins. Hence ䷖ governs the region between Shenque Ren-8 and Qihai Ren-6.
Therapeutically, it would make sense that these points are associated with certain aspects of pre-natal Qi and its relation to the associated Zangfu of its Earthly Branch.
The hexagram associated with this point represents the Yang falling away as Yin ascends to near complete dominance and is associated with the Earthly Branch of Xu, 7 - 9 pm, and the Pericardium.
Based on the Hexagram attributions of the Antique Points, this would correspond to Taibai Sp-3 or Fenglong St-40 which share the Hexagram Bo (Falling Away, ䷖), also associated with the Earthly Branch of the Pericardium. The location of this point with the umbilicus, through which the foetus is nourished, and its connection to the Spleen Source point, Stomach Luo and the Earthly Branch of the Pericardium, all suggest this point is related to nourishment of the Spiritual Embryo and its growth. The Pericardium's connection with the Heart, this points association with the Kidneys and the role of the Spleen and Stomach in producing Post-Natal Qi suggest that Heaven, Man and Earth are represented at this stage, providing the Pre- and Post-Natal Qi necessary for the formation of an Embryo.
The Destiny Protection line (Baoming Xian 保命線) is an internal line used in inner cultivation arts (Neigong Shu 內功術) that connects this point with Mingmen Du-4 (Wang, 2019, Daoist Internal Mastery ).
Classical texts such as the Nei Jing and Ling Shu which considered the Dai mai as simple a circle around the waist would include this a point on the Dai mai along with others level to this and Mingmen Du-4 instead of the traditional points (Yuen, 2005, The Eight Extraordinary Vessels).
In the Vedic tradition the Manipura Chakra would be located between this point and Mingmen Du-4. Sometimes it is located or slightly higher, just below the solar plexus at Zhongwan Ren-12.
In Ayurvedic medicine:
Nabhi marma point
Size: 4 angula (cun)
Structure: Ligament
Effect of Injury: Fatal (sadhyapranahar marma)
(Harish Johari, 1996, Ayurvedic Massage, Sanatan Society; Anupama Bhattacharya, n.d. Marma Shastra)
Lad and Durve (2008) in Marma Points of Ayurveda locate a group of five points here and at Taiyi St-23 and slightly medial to Fujie Sp-14 called Nabhi Marmani. They are all associated with Prana Vayu, Samana Vayu, Apana Vayu, Vyana Vayu, Pachaka Pitta, Ranjaka Pitta and Kledaka Kapha.
They all have the following actions:
- Enkindles agni, regulates samana vayu
- Stimulates digestion and absorption in stomach, small intestine and colon
- Regulates functions of liver, gallbladder, spleen, intestines
- Regulates function of kidneys, pancreas, and adrenals
- Relieves congestion in these associated organs
- Relieves stagnation locally caused by vyana vayu
- Relieves abdominal pain and distension
This point is especially connected to the small intestine, mesenteric lymph nodes, peritoneum fold (omentum) and abdominal aorta.
In Tibetan medicine:
Moxa point (AMNH, Tibetan Medical Paintings)
In Thai massage:
Origin of all ten major sen lines, the Itha, Pingala, Kalatharee, Sahatsarangsi, Tawaree, Sumana, Lawusang, Ulanga, Nantakawat and Kitcha (Salguero & Roylance, 2011, Encyclopedia of Thai Massage).
In the Qabalah this point could be a valid consideration for the location of would be the location of Netzach, Eternity, along Qihai Ren-6 suggested by Farrow, 2007 (The Psychology of the Body).
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
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