LV13

Zhangmen

Star

章門 (Zhāngmén) — Completion Gate

Liver channel · point 13

Not yet clinically reviewed

Front-Mu point of the SpleenHui-Meeting point of the Zang organsMeeting point of the Liver and Gallbladder channels

Traditionally used for

Digestion
Bowel health
Energy & fatigue
Liver & jaundice

Cautions & contraindications

Liver conditions
No deep needling

Location

On the lateral abdomen, just below the free end of the eleventh rib.

How to locate: Have the patient flex the elbow and press it against the side of the chest: the tip of the elbow points to the free end of the 11th rib, which can be confirmed by tracing the lower costal margin laterally. The point is just below the free end.

Regional anatomy: Beneath the skin and subcutaneous tissue the needle passes through the external oblique, internal oblique and transversus abdominis toward the transversalis fascia; the liver on the right and the spleen on the left lie deep, especially when enlarged.

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

Body map, front: LV13 · Upper abdomen — Fig. — LV13 · Upper abdomen After Albinus, 1747

The abdominal regions — Gray's Anatomy plate — The abdominal regions Gray's Anatomy, 1918

3D view

3D view not available for this point: its position on the 3D model couldn't be checked against its location text, so it is not shown. The 2D maps above show it.

Needling

Cited needling

Techniques — the source gives these as alternatives:

Transverse insertion — medially or laterally (along the line of the rib)

Depth 0.5–1 cun

skindeeper
Oblique insertion — medially or laterally (along the line of the rib)

Depth 0.5–1 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)

Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. Hove: Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications; 1998 — p. 489 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

Liver conditions
No deep needling

Depth: 0.5–0.8 cun

Angle: Oblique

⚠ Cautions: The spleen lies deep on the left and the liver on the right — do not needle deeply or perpendicularly.

Functions

Harmonises the Liver and Spleen
Spreads Liver qi in the middle and lower burners
Strengthens the Spleen and resolves food stagnation
Dissipates masses and accumulations
Benefits all the Zang organs

Indications

Abdominal distension and borborygmuspoor appetite and undigested food in the stoolhypochondriac painabdominal massesvomiting and diarrhoeajaundicefatigue

Clinical Notes

The Front-Mu of the Spleen and the Hui-Meeting of the Zang organs: the classical point for Liver overacting on the Spleen, which is one of the most common patterns in practice.

Combinations Using This Point

Qimen, Zhangmen and Jingmen

The Front-Mu points of the Liver, Spleen and Kidney — LV14, LV13 and GB25 — used to free Liver qi, support the Spleen and ease pain.

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.)

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