What Zhongji does
Zhongji is treated here as a practical point rather than a curiosity: where it sits, how it is needled, what the tradition says it does, and the skin conditions in this database that name it.
Actions
- Clears Dampness from the Lower Burner
- Benefits the Bladder and its Qi transformation
- Benefits the Uterus and regulates menstruation
- Strengthens the Kidneys and nourishes the Essence
Location
Four cun measured from the landmark shown in the diagram and the location text, on the anterior midline, 4 cun below the umbilicus, 1 cun above Qugu REN-2, which is located at the upper border of the symphysis pubis.
How to find it
Find the bony landmark first, then feel for the hollow or tender spot the location describes. The point is usually sensitive when pressed.
Deqi
De qi at this point is felt as local distension, heaviness or aching, and may travel a short way along the channel.
A cun is a proportional body measurement, not a fixed length: one cun is about the width of the thumb at the knuckle, 1.5 cun about two finger widths, and 3 cun about the width of four fingers. On an average adult one cun is roughly one inch, but it scales with the person, which is why the texts measure in cun rather than centimetres.
Technique
Needling
Angle: 90 degrees, perpendicular Depth: Standard depth half a to one cun. Direction: Needle in the direction the location describes.
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is used with the same restrictions as needling at this point.
Skin uses
Zhongji is a Conception Vessel point on the lower abdomen, recorded to clear Dampness from the lower burner, benefit the bladder and uterus, and strengthen the Kidneys and Essence. Its skin relevance is indirect and regional: where a damp, itchy picture is understood as lower-burner Dampness, the recorded action of clearing that Dampness is the traditional basis for considering it, and the classical passage names genital itching among gynaecological signs. That is a genital symptom in a broader context rather than a skin indication. Because no skin-specific classical indication is recorded, the link remains an indirect rationale, not trial evidence.
No skin-specific classical indication is recorded for this point. The rationale above is an indirect, traditional reading of the point, not a promise of benefit.
Point classifications
| Classification | Value |
|---|---|
| Channel | Meridian |
Classical record
Zhongji treats deficiency-cold of the lower origin; all chronic cold conditions are suitable.
Classical citation for this point.
Safety
Who should treat this point
Acupuncture and moxibustion are practitioner procedures. This page is educational and is not a guide to self-treatment.
Caution
Safety flags: contraindicated or restricted in pregnancy; the reference marks it as a dangerous point. Needle with care, adjust depth to the patient's build, and modify or avoid the point where a flag applies.
Deficiency and constitution
In a depleted patient the point is worked gently and briefly.
Before treatment
Educational reference only. Skin that is spreading, painful, blistering or accompanied by fever needs medical assessment.
Modern evidence and safety
General references for acupuncture safety and skin evidence. They are not specific to this point, and they are not a claim that needling it treats any condition.
- Acupuncture-related adverse events: systematic review and meta-analyses of prospective clinical studies. BMJ Open, 2021. PMID: 34489268.
- Acupuncture for atopic dermatitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open, 2024. PMID: 39638592.
- Manual acupuncture for the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Surgery, 2025. PMID: 40696933.
- Acupuncture in Dermatology: An Update to a Systematic Review. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2021. PMID: 32955916.
Evidence note
No controlled trial of this treatment in skin conditions was identified for this entry. What is described here rests on the classical and later materia medica record and on traditional clinical use, not on controlled trial evidence, and it is not a prediction of benefit. Where skin-specific research does exist it is linked above.
Common questions
What does Zhongji do in skin practice?
It is used where the skin picture includes tinnitus dizziness dark urine amenorrhea weak knees infertility shan disorder genitalia pain lower back pain abdominal masses lochia retention genitalia itching urinary retention painful urination frequent urination placenta retention irregular menstruation abnormal uterine bleeding excessive vaginal discharge, always as part of a combination chosen for the pattern.
How is it needled?
90° (Perpendicular). Standard depth 0.5 - 1.0 cun. De qi: Distension and soreness in the lower abdomen, often radiating to the perineum or external genitalia. In some patients, the sensation may extend along the urethra or toward the umbilicus. Women may feel warmth spreading through the uterine region.