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All lessons   Module 6: Points   Lesson 13

Module 6   Lesson 13   Zu Taiyang, Bei Shu

Bladder 1: from the eye to the sacrum, and the Back-Shu points

Why does an acupuncturist choose a point on the back for an organ, and how do they know which point belongs to which organ?

After this lesson you can name the Back-Shu points in order with their organ, place the five spirits on the outer Bladder line, know the points of the head and upper back by name and category, and explain when a back point helps in diagnosis.

Head and neck BL-1 and BL-2 eyes, forehead; BL-3 to BL-9 over the skull; BL-10 neck Upper back BL-11 Hui of bones; BL-12 Wind Gate outer line: BL-41 Du inner line: Back-Shu outer line BL-13 FeishuLungs BL-42 Pohu, Po BL-14 JueyinshuPericardium BL-43 Gaohuangshu BL-15 XinshuHeart BL-44 Shentang, Shen BL-16 DushuDu Mai BL-45 Yixi BL-17 Geshudiaphragm; Hui of Blood BL-46 Geguan BL-18 GanshuLiver BL-47 Hunmen, Hun BL-19 DanshuGall-Bladder BL-48 Yanggang BL-20 PishuSpleen BL-49 Yishe, Yi BL-21 WeishuStomach BL-50 Weicang BL-22 SanjiaoshuTriple Burner BL-51 Huangmen BL-23 ShenshuKidneys BL-52 Zhishi, Zhi BL-24 QihaishuSea of Qi BL-25 DachangshuLarge Intestine BL-26 GuanyuanshuGuanyuan BL-27 XiaochangshuSmall Intestine BL-28 PangguangshuBladder BL-53 Baohuang BL-29, BL-30sacrum BL-54 Zhibian Zang Fu key point spirit beside its organ order, not location
Schematic, not a location guide: only the order from top to bottom counts. Outlined in red: the three key points from module 1, lesson 16. Outer line as in the standard textbooks; check the names in ch. 60.

Know by heart

  • Back-Shu in order. BL-13 Lungs, BL-14 Pericardium, BL-15 Heart, BL-16 Du, BL-17 diaphragm, BL-18 Liver, BL-19 Gall-Bladder, BL-20 Spleen, BL-21 Stomach, BL-22 Triple Burner (San Jiao), BL-23 Kidneys, BL-25 Large Intestine, BL-27 Small Intestine, BL-28 Bladder. mnemonic: as they lie in the trunk: chest, diaphragm, upper abdomen in pairs (Liver with Gall-Bladder, Spleen with Stomach), then Triple Burner, Kidneys, intestines, Bladder.
  • Five spirits on the outer line. BL-42 Pohu (Po, Lungs), BL-44 Shentang (Shen, Heart), BL-47 Hunmen (Hun, Liver), BL-49 Yishe (Yi, Spleen), BL-52 Zhishi (Zhi, Kidneys). mnemonic: Back-Shu plus 29: 13, 15, 18, 20, 23 become 42, 44, 47, 49, 52.
  • Three key points. BL-17 Geshu: Back-Shu of the diaphragm; Hui of Blood; nourish and move Blood. BL-20 Pishu: Back-Shu of the Spleen; tonify the Spleen, Dampness. BL-23 Shenshu: Back-Shu of the Kidneys; tonify the Kidneys, lower back.
  • What a Back-Shu point does. A back point per organ; mainly for chronic Deficiency; becomes tender with a problem of its organ and so helps in diagnosis. mnemonic: the back is chronic and empty, the front is acute and full.
  • Head and upper back. BL-1 Jingming: eyes. BL-2 Zanzhu: forehead and eyes. BL-10 Tianzhu: back of the head and neck; Window of Heaven. BL-11 Dazhu: Hui of the bones; Sea of Blood. BL-12 Fengmen: Wind Gate, the Exterior.
  • Limits. Back-Shu points over the rib cage lie above the lung: pneumothorax with depth. BL-1 lies by the eye. Lumbosacral area: pregnancy.

The rest of this lesson is reference.

Bladder 1: BL-1 to BL-30, the Back-Shu points: Why does an acupuncturist choose a point on the back for an organ, and how do they know which point belongs to which organ?
The chart as an image, to save or share

Three practice questions from this lesson

Which organ belongs to BL-18 Ganshu?
  1. Liver
  2. Gall-Bladder
  3. Spleen
  4. Heart

Answer: Liver. Gan is the Liver. BL-19 Danshu is the Gall-Bladder, BL-20 Pishu the Spleen, BL-15 Xinshu the Heart.

What is the correct order from top to bottom?
  1. Lungs, Pericardium, Heart
  2. Heart, Lungs, Pericardium
  3. Pericardium, Heart, Lungs

Answer: Lungs, Pericardium, Heart. BL-13 Lungs, BL-14 Pericardium, BL-15 Heart.

Which point is the Back-Shu of the diaphragm and also the Hui of Blood?
  1. BL-11 Dazhu
  2. BL-17 Geshu
  3. BL-23 Shenshu

Answer: BL-17 Geshu. BL-17 Geshu. BL-11 is the Hui of the bones, BL-23 the Back-Shu of the Kidneys.

The rest of this lesson

In the course you get the step-by-step explanation, 16 case-based practice questions, 20 spaced-repetition flashcards, the pitfalls and the bridge to physiology with evidence grades. This lesson belongs to module 6: Points.

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