Conception Vessel 24, Ren-24 Chengjiang

Conception Vessel 24, Ren-24 Chengjiang, ‘Receiving Fluid’, is the 24th and last point on the Conception Vessel, one of the so-called ‘Extraordinary’ acupuncture channels.

• Meeting point with Governor Vessel, Stomach and Large Intestine channels
• Exit point of the Conception Vessel Channel

Location of Ren 24

On the face, under the lower lip in the mid-line, in the depression (the mento-labial groove) between the point of the chin and the lower lip.

One source suggests that you stand the patient up, relaxed, mouth slightly open, to locate the point, but I haven’t found this necessary.

Needling and Moxa Chengjiang

Needle depth no more than 0.5 cun, directed obliquely upwards.

Needle Sensation at Conception Vessel 24

Local and towards the lip.

Moxa on Conception Vessel 24

Up to 7 cones.

However, you need to make sure your patient has confidence in you. Facial skin can mark easily even if it soon heals again. 

If you are treating someone here with moxa whose appearance is very important to them (and most of us are a little vain!), especially if their income depends on an unblemished skin, I would suggest you don’t moxa this point.

If they insist, I think you should get a written waiver from them – and no, don’t ask me what I would use, because I’ve never needed it – I just wouldn’t moxa the point with direct moxa!

And if did, I would definitely use something like Shiunko cream first.

ACTIONS of Conception Vessel 24

• Dispels Wind locally
• Sedative eg for local pain
• Meeting point with Stomach, Large Intestine and Governor channels
• Exit point

Dispels Wind

• Facial paralysis, deviation or numbness
• Facial swelling
• Mouth and eyes awry
• Stiff neck or head

Sedative eg for local pain

• Toothache
• Mouth ulcers and abscess
• Trigeminal neuralgia (partly because the point is a meeting point with other channels, see below)
• Controls over-salivation

Conception Vessel 24 is a Meeting point with

• Governor channel
• Large Intestine channel
• Stomach channel
• As such, Conception Vessel 24 works on those other channels too, hence its ability to clear obstruction (eg from Wind) in the whole face area, including oedema and aphasia.
• Equally, it makes this a point able to help develop better coordination, because the Large Intestine channel crosses from one side to the other side of the face and, physically, from side to side in the abdomen.
• This is also where the Conception Vessel, a yin channel, meets three yang channels (Governor, Stomach and Large Intestine). Hence it can help to alleviate yin deficiency situations like wasting and thirsting disorders.

Exit point of the Conception Vessel

• The Governor vessel exits above the upper lip at Governor 26. These two vessels, Conception and Governor, create a cycle of flow of Qi.
• However, for this to work, this would mean that one of them actually changes direction and it is generally considered that this should be the Conception Vessel. So, for the flow to proceed smoothly, the Conception Vessel would actually start at Conception Vessel 24 and take energy downwards to Conception Vessel 1 where it would exit and then enter the Governor Vessel at Governor Vessel 1.
• From there it would rise up the back culminating at Governor 26 again, above the lip, to repeat the cycle.
• However, all is not agreed. Why? Because all the Yang channels flow downwards while all the Yin channels flow upwards. For example, the (Yin) Kidney channel flows from the foot to the chest then transposes to the Pericardium channel which flows from the chest to the fingertips. (You have to imagine someone standing with their arms upraised to get the  point of this.)
• Similarly, the Small Intestine channel (yang) commences at the fingertips, flows to the head where it joins via its exit point to the entry point of the Bladder channel which then flows down the back to the small toe.
• So that means that actually, it’s the Governor channel one might expect to flow, not up but down the back, from Governor Vessel 26 to Governor 1.
• You may think this not too important. Probably you’re right, but some people would strongly disagree.
• Anyway, be all this as it may, everyone agrees that the mouth is where the Qi cycle crosses between Conception and Governor channels.

Meditation, Channel Flow and Conception Vessel 24

• Those who practise meditation to move the Qi in the direction of flow explained above find that it works, whatever the theory says.
• Personally, I do it almost daily. If it looks easy, I advise you to get someone to teach you because it is more profound in effect than perhaps you realise.
• If you plan to explore this, which unless you are fairly committed I don’t recommend, to see if you can negotiate the flow from one to the other, place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, then sit down and concentrate on moving your Qi, for an indefinite period of time.

To access other points on the Conception Vessel, click below:

Click to return from Conception Vessel 24 to Acupuncture Points.