Lung Meridian Points: Lung Channel points

Lung meridian points lie along the Lung acupuncture meridian or ‘Lung channel’. Actually, its proper name is the Arm Tai Yin (or ‘great’ yin) channel.

There are eleven (11) such acupuncture points on this channel and they include at least three very important ones which treat issues to do with yin and yang, and Qi.

The points listed are where the channel can be reached with acupuncture or massage. However, see below for where the Lung Primary channel goes – far more than just through the points!

Click on each point for a page about it.

Being the ‘Governor’ of Qi in the body, the Lungs are responsible for ensuring you have both enough Spirit and Bounce to live healthily. 

Some of the points are used to clear or strengthen the lungs, others are more for helping you with your outlook on life.

At least one point is really good for sore throats and others are good for coughs!

Bit of Theory on the Lungs

The Lungs work very closely with both the Large Intestine (Arm Yang Ming – ‘bright’ yang – channel) and the Liver (Leg Jue Yin – ‘terminal’ yin) to maintain smooth running of your life and immune system.

For example, if there is stress and Qi Stagnation, Lung points can help balance interfering or ‘over-acting’ Liver energy.

Moreover, your Lungs (Arm Tai Yin) have yet another special relationship with your Spleen (Leg Tai Yin).

Perhaps this is a bit too much detail, so early in the page, but the more you understand Chinese medicine, the more these supposedly abstruse descriptions and relationships make sense and offer extra ways of treating with acupuncture.

The Lungs form part of the Metal Element or Metal Phase.

The Points?

Lung Meridian points shown are only those which are treated directly on the Lung meridian.

Lung Primary Channel

The Lung Primary channel actually goes much deeper. For instance, it starts near or within the stomach, goes downward to enter the large intestine organ, then ascends through the diaphragm, chest and lungs to the throat.

So Ren 12, on the Conception channel, is often treated as an important Lung point. Equally, Lung acupuncture points can treat digestive and bowel problems as well as respiratory issues.

From the throat region the Lung Primary channel traverses the upper chest laterally and only then does it appear on the surface at Lung point 1 – Zhongfu – from where it goes down the arm, ending beside the thumbnail via the points listed above.

The relationship with the digestion works on many levels.

• Good breathing habits and posture help your digestion and bowel movements
• When Qi is weak, besides Lung Primary channel points we often use points on your Stomach and Large Intestine channels
• To digest food and put it to use in your Blood, you need healthy air, which means healthy respiration
• Good breathing technique can overcome indigestion caused by Qi stagnation from emotional tensions
• In the four phase form of the Five Element diagram, Lungs (Metal) and Liver (Wood) balance one another

Control points on the Lung Meridian (Lung Channel)

Some acupuncture points on meridians between elbow and fingertips are particularly important. Since antiquity, acupuncturists have respected them for the special actions they perform. These actions are not just local to the points themselves but affect the metabolism of the body.

These special points are the Five Shu, or Five Element points.

In addition, on the Lung channel, its Luo-Connecting point, Lieque, (Lung Point 7) has influence in many areas far beyond most of the other meridians’ Luo-Connecting points.

Lung Meridian Time

Each channel or meridian has a ‘time’ when the body’s energy pushes through it more vigorously. At that time you may encounter problems if the zang-fu functions of the channel have a problem.

At the opposite time of day (12 hours later) you may find the channel then active is also out of balance.

For your Lung qi, the lung meridian time is 3am – 5am (0300 – 0500).

So, common experiences within those two hours – if your Lung qi is blocked or deficient – might include (all of them being connected with the functions of your Lungs):

• cough or
• breathing difficulty
• perspiration – probably on your chest or upper back
• increased skin irritation or sensitivity
• nasal problems
• low energy or
• low spirits
• depression
• wakefulness when normally you’d be asleep

Connected with this Lung meridian time, but its opposite, is from 3pm to 5pm (1500-1700) and may give you problems then, associated with Water channels, particularly the Bladder, such as:

• Weariness
• Backache (probably lumbar area)
• Hot flushes or ‘flashes’
• Feeling cold, or increased heat loss

Other pages you may like:

• Acupuncture channels – do they exist?
• Yin and/or Yang: concepts for stable wisdom
• The Lungs position within TCM Theory
• Metal Element or Metal Phase