Verscienta
GB31

Fengshi

Star

風市 (Fēngshì) — Wind Market

Gallbladder channel · point 31

Not yet clinically reviewed

Traditionally used for

  • Nerves & recovery
  • Pain & joints
  • Skin

Location

On the lateral aspect of the thigh, in the depression just posterior to the iliotibial band, where the tip of the middle finger rests when standing with the arms hanging at the sides.

Focks' Atlas of Acupuncture gives it as about 7 cun above the popliteal crease, the level WHO assigns to GB32.

How to locate: Stand the patient upright with arms hanging; the point lies where the tip of the middle finger rests against the thigh.

Regional anatomy: Skin, subcutaneous tissue and the iliotibial tract, then vastus lateralis into vastus intermedius.

Distances are in cun, a proportional unit — how to measure.

Body map, front: GB31 · Thigh
Fig. — GB31 · Thigh After Albinus, 1747
Body map, front: GB31 · Thigh

GB31 · Thigh · Albinus, Tabulae sceleti et musculorum, 1747

The femur — Gray's Anatomy plate
The femur Gray's Anatomy, 1918 Marker hidden while its position on this plate is re-checked.
The femur — Gray's Anatomy plate

The femur · Gray's Anatomy, 1918

3D view

3D view not available for this point: its position can't be carried onto the 3D model reliably (it failed a placement check). The 2D maps above show it.

Needling

Cited needling

Techniques — the source gives these as alternatives:

  1. Perpendicular insertion
    Depth 1–2 cun
    skindeeper
  2. Slightly oblique insertion — posteriorly
    Depth 1–2 cun
    skindeeper
  3. Oblique insertion — directed proximally or distally
    Depth 1.5–2.5 cun
    skindeeper

Depths describe average adult habitus in the cited population, never a single safe number for the patient in front of you. Palpate and adjust.

Sources (1)
  1. Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. Hove: Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications; 1998 — p. 449 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

Depth: 1.0–2.0 cun
Angle: Perpendicular

Functions

  • Expels wind and damp from the leg and clears heat
  • Relieves itching and benefits the skin
  • Activates the channel and relieves pain

Indications

Generalised itching and urticarianumbness and weakness of the legsciatica and lateral thigh painhemiplegiaberiberi

Balance Method partners

Under Dr. Tan's six systems, GB31 at the thigh balances these channels at the regions its segment images.

  • 1. Same Chinese name
    Triple Energiser channel
    Upper arm · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
    Forearm · Reversed mirror
    Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head at the hand/foot
    Solve for the Triple Energiser channel →
  • 2. Branching (Bie Jing / Zang Fu Bie Tong)
    Heart channel
    Upper arm · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
    Forearm · Reversed mirror
    Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head at the hand/foot
    Solve for the Heart channel →
  • 3. Interior–exterior pair
    Liver channel
    Thigh · Same segment, opposite side
    Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head at the hand/foot
    Solve for the Liver channel →
  • 4. Chinese clock opposite
    Heart channel
    Upper arm · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
    Forearm · Reversed mirror
    Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head at the hand/foot
    Solve for the Heart channel →
  • 5. Chinese clock neighbour
    Triple Energiser channel
    Upper arm · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
    Forearm · Reversed mirror
    Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head at the hand/foot
    Solve for the Triple Energiser channel →
  • 6. Same channel
    Gallbladder channel
    Thigh · Same segment, opposite side
    Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head at the hand/foot
    Solve for the Gallbladder channel →

Clinical Notes

A useful point for itching — the 'wind' of its name being the wandering, changeable quality of pruritus as much as an external pathogen.

Combinations Using This Point

Yinshi and Fengshi

ST33 and GB31 on the thigh — for a cold, painful, weak or numb leg and knee, and for generalised itching.

Similar Points

Ranked by shared patterns and conditions

Yinlingquan how are these connected? (Yinlingquan) Fengmen how are these connected? (Fengmen) Hegu how are these connected? (Hegu) Waiguan how are these connected? (Waiguan) Baihui how are these connected? (Baihui) Chize how are these connected? (Chize)

Sources

  • World Health Organization. WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region. Manila: WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2008. (Location.)
  • Focks C, ed. Atlas of Acupuncture. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2008. (Locating method and actions.)

📝 Notes

Public notes from the community and your own private notes on GB31 Fengshi.

No notes yet.

Log in or register to add your own notes.

Back to Points