Conception Vessel 14: Juque : Great Palace Gateway

Conception Vessel 14 is the 14th acupuncture point on the Conception Vessel, also known as Ren-14 or Juque, Great Palace Gateway, meaning the ‘Gateway to the Heart’. 

• Alarm or Front-Mu (Collecting) point of the Heart.

Location of Juque

6 cun above the umbilicus on the midline, ie 2 cun inferior to the sterno-costal notch. 

Finding this point isn’t always easy as people’s body shape and zyphoid processes vary in length.

 

If you can find the zyphoid process tip, the point is usually just inferior to it, and when the point is in need of treatment, it may be a little tense, or knotted, or slack, or it may feel ‘podgy’.

In each case it may be slightly sore. Also try gently pinching it. 

However, in very ticklish people, any probing or pinching here can too uncomfortable and a firm, gentle touch is needed: easier said than done.

Descends Heart Qi

This point is the Front Mu or Collecting point for the Heart, the point where the heart organ condition can be most easily revealed and treated. By ‘revealed’ I mean that pain at this point suggests some kind of tension or disharmony in the heart organ. Careful examination of the tongue and reading of the pulse may tell you more. 

Emotional Strain

In treating the Heart and the heart organ, we must think about it from the Chinese medical point of view. 

Firstly, the Heart seldom goes out of order on its own. There is almost always some other factor, frequently emotional, underlying Heart disharmony. 

If emotional, that disharmony may have occurred suddenly, as after a great shock or fright, but is much more likely to have arisen following a long period of other emotional turmoil, typically of fear, anger or suppression of feelings or needs.

Heart Qi ascending

Heart Qi should descend. When it rises, various mental conditions can arise such as agitation, mania, seizures, mental disease and over-revelatory behaviour. As Heart Qi descends, perhaps through use of Conception Vessel 14, the patient becomes calmer and clearer-headed. 

Heart Qi deficiency

When Heart Qi is deficient, the symptoms are those of

• low spirits,
• possibly depression, and
• low energy. There may be
• palpitations, and/or slow heartbeat
• causing anxiety.
• … and circulation may be poor.

Tonifying this point, perhaps with moxa and needle, can have an immediate revitalising effect on mind and body.

Insomnia can also be treated here, although use other points should too. Insomnia can arise from a range of Heart disorders such as deficiency of Heart Blood or of Heart Yin, Heart Yin deficiency with empty Heat, or Phlegm-Fire harassing the Heart. This point can help to harmonise all these issues. 

Lung Qi

Conception Vessel 14 is also important in treating Lung Qi and the Lung organ. The Lung meridian starts in the epigastrium and with Conception Vessel 12, this point has a major role in strengthening and harmonising the Lung. 

Poor breathing patterns, asthma, fullness in the chest with difficulty breathing, or chest pain and cough may all respond to this point. For cough without other obvious cause, needling this point with gentle dispersing method for a while has been known to stop the cough.

Juque is specifically very effective for Phlegm patterns, particularly with other points, such as Kidney 9 on the Yin Linking channel.

Conception Vessel 14 helps clear phlegm and calm the Shen.

NB Please don’t needle this point on yourself! It’s not easy to find the point accurately and needling too deep could cause you problems. See an acupuncturist!