Chest Village

胸乡Xiōng Xiāng

Anatomical location

In the third intercostal space, 6 cun lateral to the anterior midline.

Main function

Regulates the Qi of the chest, relieves chest pain, promotes the descent of Qi.

Therapeutic indications

Chest pain
cough
dyspnea
scapular pain
chest and costal pain
chest fullness

Name and classical tradition

Xiongxiang, 胸乡, is the “Chest Village.” 胸 is the thorax; 乡 (鄉) is the village or district, and here the broad region of the ribs, the space between two of them. That is the anatomical reading. The other, modern one imagines the Qi arriving from SP18 moving away from the channel like someone leaving for a distant village. It is a gloss without a citation.

Sources refer it back to the Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing (Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion), with no literal citation located. No alternative names or distinctive historical data are known for it.

Location of point SP19, Chest Village — Reusable plate · CC BY-ND 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

View point on the 3D modelSP19 on the anatomy

Needling techniqueOblique insertion 0.5-0.8 cun, directed laterally.

Depth0.5-0.8 cun

MoxibustionApplicable (3-5 minutes, indirect moxa)

PrecautionsAvoid deep needling so as not to injure the lung.

Protocols for the 20 patterns you see most in practice

Each pattern with its tongue, its pulse, the treatment principle and the points to tonify and disperse. Made for the treatment table, not the bookshelf.