Tong Guan, Tong Shan and Tong Tian
Star通關通山通天 (Tōng Guān Tōng Shān Tōng Tiān)
Master Tung Ching Chang, Tung's Extraordinary Points.
Points
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Lowest; the principal point
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Middle
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Uppermost
Treatment Principle
Strengthen and regulate the Heart, and open the chest.
Indications
Method
Needle two of the three — Tong Guan with either Tong Shan or Tong Tian — perpendicular, 0.5 to 1.0 cun. Retain 30 minutes.
⚠ Cautions
Tung's texts are explicit that no more than two of the three may be needled at once, and that they should not be needled bilaterally at full depth in frail patients. Chest pain of new onset is a medical emergency until proven otherwise — this group is an adjunct to cardiological care, never a substitute for it.
About
The three Tong points run up the rectus femoris on the anterior thigh. They are the Tung system's cardiac group, and one of the few carrying an explicit restriction on how many may be used together.
Rationale
Tung placed the Heart correspondence on the anterior thigh. The restriction on using all three reflects his view that the group acts strongly on the Heart and that over-stimulation is a real risk rather than a theoretical one — a caution worth honouring even where the mechanism is unclear.
Clinical Notes
Used supportively in stable cardiac disease alongside conventional management. Any change in the pattern or severity of angina is a reason to refer, not to treat.
Sources
- Young, Wei-Chieh. Lectures on Tung's Acupuncture: Points Study. Blue Poppy Press.
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