Atlas of Acupuncture

8 Point Categories and Point Selection

8.2.5 Point Selection According to the

Five Phases (Elements)

While the Five Phase points are identical to the shu-transporting

points in location, their function and application differ from the lat-

ter (for more detail ➞8.1.6). There exist various very specific

methods regarding diagnosis, point selection and therapy based on

the Five Phases, which are practised by several different schools of

thought. Within the framework of this Atlas, only a simplified

overview of the possible clinical applications is listed below.

Cycles

The Five Phases influence each other both physiologically

(sheng and kecycle) as well as pathologically (cheng,wuand to

some extent also shengcycle). If the balance between the Five

Phases is disturbed, pathological syndromes will appear.

● Shengcycle (generating cycle, mother–son cycle): a phase

generates and nourishes the following phase. Each phase

nourishes (as mother) and is nourished (as son) at the same

time. Fire nourishes Earth, Earth nourishes Metal, Metal

nourishes Water, Water nourishes Wood, and Wood nourishes

Fire. In a pathological condition either the mother is too weak

to nourish the son sufficiently or the son is too strong, draining

his mother and weakening her.

● Kecycle (controlling cycle): one phase controls another and

is itself controlled by yet another phase.

● Cheng cycle (overacting cycle): The controlled phase is

pathologically suppressed or weakened.

● Wucycle (insulting cycle): A phase is pathologically stronger

than its controlling phase.

Shu-transporting points of the Yin channels

Phase/ Wood Fire Earth Metal Water

channel point point point point point

LU LU-11 LU-10 LU-9 
 LU-8 LU-5 

SP SP-1 SP-2 
 SP-3 SP-5  SP-9

HE HE-9 
 HE-8 HE-7  HE-4 HE-3

KID KID-1  KID-2 KID-3 KID-7 
 KID-10

P P-9 
 P-8 P-7  P-5 P-3

LIV LIV-1 LIV-2  LIV-3 LIV-4 LIV-8 


Channel Jing-well Ying- Shu- Jing- He-sea

Qi flow point spring stream river point

point point point

Shu-transporting points of the Yang channels

Phase/ Metal Water Wood Fire Earth

channel point point point point point

L.I. L.I.-1 L.I.-2  L.I.-3 L.I.-5 L.I.-11 


ST ST-45  ST-44 ST-43 ST-41 
 ST-36

S.I. S.I.-1 S.I.-2 S.I.-3 
 S.I.-5 S.I.-8 

BL BL-67 
 BL-66 BL-65  BL-60 BL-40

T.B. T.B.-1 T.B.-2 T.B.-3 
 T.B.-6 T.B.-10 

G.B. G.B.-44 G.B.-43
 G.B.-41 G.B.-38G.B.-34

Channel Jing-well Ying- Shu- Jing- He-sea

Qi flow point spring stream river point

point point point

Fire

Wood

Earth

Metal

Water

LIV G.B.

12 3

8 4

38

34

4344

41

67

SP ST

1

2

3

9 5

36

4445

4341

1

8

5

3

2

3 4

9 7

8

HE S.I.

LU L.I.

(^109)
85
11
5
11
2 1
3
Wu
Cheng Pathological
Ke
Sheng Physiological
Fire
Wood
Water
Earth
Metal
KID BL
1 3
2
10 7
66
65 40
60
2 1
3
6
10
3 5
79
8
P T.B.

, tonification point; , sedation point
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