Atlas of Acupuncture

5.2 Ren mai

Location

On the anterior midline, 3 cun inferior to the sternocostal angle.

How to find

The distance between the sternocostal angle (➞3.5) and the

centre of the umbilicus is divided into 8 cun, which can vary

considerably from the patient’s finger cun. Therefore, only pro-

portional cun measurements should be applied here (helpful

device: elastic tape ➞2.3.1). From the sternocostal angle, meas-

ure 3 cun in an inferior direction and there locate Ren-13on the

anterior midline.

Located on the same level are ➞KID-20(0.5 cun lateral to the

midline), ➞ST-20(2 cun lateral to the midline) and ➞G.B.-24

(approximately on this level, in the 7th intercostal space, on the

mamillary line).

Needling

Vertically 0.5–1 cun. Caution: Peritoneum, pregnancy.

Actions/Indications

● Regulates the Stomach and counterflow Qi

● Regulates the Heart

Special features

Meeting point with the ST and S.I. channel

Upper Cavity SHANGWAN Ren-13

Ren-13

8 cun

Umbilicus

Sterno-

costal

angle 3 cun

Sternocostal

angle

Umbilicus

KID-20 Ren-13

KID-19 Ren-12

KID-18 Ren-11

KID-17 Ren-10

8 cun

5 cun

ke

ST-19

ST-20

3 cun

G.B.-24

in the 7th

intercostal space

6

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