Atlas of Acupuncture

5 The Eight Extraordinary Vessels (qi jing ba mai) with Points

Connections with other channels/Organs

● BL, G.B., ST, S.I., T.B. and L.I. primary channels, du mai

Clinical importance

● Connectsand regulatesall Yang channelsof the body. It

connects the BL, G.B., ST, S.I., T.B. and L.I. channels as well

as the du maiand controls the Exterior of the whole body

(especially the taiyangand shaoyangchannels)

● Harmonises the Nutritive Qi (ying qi) and the Defensive Qi

(wei qi)

● Expels Exterior Wind-Cold, especially with shaoyang-

syndrome.

Du-17

External

occipital

protuberance

2.25 cun

G.B.-19 1,5 cun

G.B.-19(naokong): On the occiput, level with the upper border

of the external occipital protuberance (➞ Du-17), 2.25 cun

lateral to the midline

BL-10

Occipital

bone

Axis

G.B.-20

G.B.-20 Lower

border of

the occiput

Sternocleido-

mastoid

G.B.-20(fengchi): On the lower border of the occipital bone, in

the depression between the origins of the sternocleidomastoid

and trapezius

Atlas

Du-16

G.B.-20

Occipital G.B.-20

bone

Lower

border of

the occiput

External

occipital

protuberance

Du-16(fengfu): On the posterior midline, directly below the

external occipital protuberance, in the depression between

the origins of the trapezius

BL-10

Du-15

Axis

G.B.-20

Occipital G.B.-20

bone

Lower

border of

the occiput

Sternocleido-

mastoid

Du-15(yamen): On the occiput, on the posterior midline, in

the depression between the 1st (atlas) and 2nd cervical

vertebrae, approximately 0.5 cun below ➞ Du-16

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