Conception Vessel 15: Ren-15 Jiuwei – Dovetail

Conception Vessel 15 - Ren 15 - Jiuwei - Dovetail
Conception Vessel 15 - Ren 15 - Jiuwei - Dovetail

Conception Vessel 15, Ren-15, is the fifteenth acupuncture point on the Conception Vessel, one of the body’s ‘Extraordinary’ channels.

Reasons for the Name of the point?

Its location, at the base of the zyphoid process, looks like the tail of a turtledove, with the bank of ribs on either side resembling the bird’s wings. 

However, I think the Chinese may have chosen its name because the tail of the bird suggest that it is ascending, that it has a strong affect on the mind (as it does), with the wings beating downwards to push the bird upwards. Also of course, the back-end of the bird faces the stomach and abdomen, where food goes to power the flight. 

All these images suggest uses for the point.

It is also:

  • The ‘luo-Connecting‘ Point or ‘Junction’ Point of the Conception Vessel
  • the Source point of the 5 Yin organs (the Heart, Lung, Spleen, Kidney and Liver energy organs)
 

Location

1 cun down the mid-line from the sternocostal angle, or 7 cun above the centre of the umbilicus. Traditionally this is supposed to be at the tip of the zyphoid process, but in practice it isn’t, because the zyphoid process can be so long that it reaches almost to Conception Vessel 14, the next point. So the point can lie above, on or below the tip of the zyphoid process. You just have to feel for it!

I find it’s usually sore on pressure if you need to use it. When you do the right treatment, the soreness on pressure disappears. Before using it, if it’s sore, find a point on the Pericardium channel distal to P3 which, when pressed, clears the discomfort at Ren 15. The point you need could be several inches distal to P3.  Needle this point (distal to P3) in the exact direction and place that eased the discomfort. You’ll find that Ren 15 will now work better.

Needling Conception Vessel 15

Diagonally downwards, up to 1 cun. If needling below the tip of the ziphoid process, take care not to penetrate too deep, especially in thin people, in case of puncturing the peritoneal cavity. 

If the point is inferior to the tip of the zyphoid process, never needle this point obliquely upwards towards the heart.

Needle Sensation

Locally and upwards, inside the chest.

Moxa

Up to 5 cones. However, some texts forbid moxa here.

ACTIONS of Conception Vessel 15

  • Clears, Calms and Strengthens the Mind and Heart
  • Steadies the 5 Yin 
  • Helps Descend Lung Qi and fullness in the lungs
  • Regulates Digestion, the functions of the Spleen and Stomach

 

Clears, Calms and Strengthens the Mind and Heart

The point is one example of points for opening the orifices of the Heart, meaning it helps to clear Phlegm from the Heart. That means it helps many situations of unclear mind, including:

  • Fits 
  • Mania
  • Crazy, foolish behaviour, singing and dancing, prancing inappropriately
  • Hatred or disgust for the sound of human voices
  • Manic-depression
  • Mental illness
  • Excessive anxiety
 

Physically, it helps 

  • Palpitations
  • Angina Pectoris
  • Full, heavy sensation in the chest and heart region

Steadies the 5 Yin

In the above situations Conception Vessel 15 is used to dissipate excess or fullness. However, it can be used to strengthen Yin and Blood, to provide a stronger basis for the personality.

  • As source point for the five Yin organs (these are the Heart, Liver, Kidneys, Lungs and Spleen), it brings to them deep reserves of the body. So this point, when used appropriately, can give you a new lease of life
  • Itching of the skin of the abdomen 

 

Helps Descend Lung Qi and fullness in the lungs

  • Asthma
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Fullness in the chest
  • Cough and haemoptysis (coughing up blood)
  • Sore throat
  • Swollen throat and inability to swallow
  • Deficient Qi
  • Sighing excessively
 

Regulates Digestion, the functions of the Spleen and Stomach

  • Gastric or abdominal pain
  • Hiccup
Usse Ren 15 for nausea
Photo by Daniel Olah on Unsplash
  • Motion sickness
  • Nausea
  • Poor digestion
  • Dysentery and weakness of the digestion
  • As the ‘luo-connecting’ point of the Conception Vessel, it reaches all over the abdomen so can be used with other treatments for a range of conditions, including infertility and menstrual problems

 

The point is also used, with Governor 20, for anal prolapse. For example one might moxa Governor 20 and this point. 

However, some people have both manic conditions and anal prolapse in which case probably their condition is more one of excess. In that case one might initially calm or dissipate energy at these or other points. 

Later when yin and yang are more balanced, you might strengthen these points, perhaps with moxa.

You ask – perhaps – how can it be right to dissipate energy at the point then to strengthen it? Well … Take a child having a tantrum! First you have to let it blow it off, then steady and comfort it until it is calm again. After it has calmed down, you can give it the food (and possibly a good talking-to) that it needs.

Comment on Conception Vessel 15

The point is also listed as being for the results of excessive sex causing exhaustion in youths, perhaps because it helps to tonify yin and Blood via the 5 Yin, at the same time as regulating them mentally to adopt a steadier approach to life.

I don’t know why they single out youths (presumably male?), however. I’ve had patients of other ages also suffering from exhaustion from excessive sex! However, it seldom occurred to me to use this point, though perhaps it should have.

 

To access other points on the Conception Vessel, click below:

 

Ren-1HuiyinYin Meeting PlaceRen-13ShangwanUpper Stomach Duct
Ren-2QuguCrooked BoneRen-14JuqueGreat Palace Gateway
Ren-3ZhongjiUtmost MiddleRen-15JiuweiDovetail
Ren-4GuanyuanSource GateRen-16ZhongtingCentral Hall
Ren-5ShimenStonegateRen-17ShangzhongMiddle of the Chest
Ren-6QihaiSea of QiRen-18YutangJade Hall
Ren-7Yin JiaoYin Intersection/td>Ren-19ZigongPurple Palace
Ren-8ShenqueSpirit Palace PathwayRen-20HuagaiFlower Covering
Ren-9ShuifenWater SeparationRen-21XuanjiJade Pearl
Ren-10XiawanLower Stomach DuctRen-22TiantuHeavenly Rushing
Ren-11JianliEarthing WithinRen-23LianquanClear Spring
Ren-12ZhongwanUtmost MiddleRen-24ChengjiangFluid Contain
Jonathan Brand colours

Stay in Touch!

No spam, only notifications about new articles and updates.

The latest books
Book a Consultation
Book Consultation
Acupuncture consultation

Book a Video consultation if you want to know more about your symptoms

 
$MMT = window.$MMT || {}; $MMT.cmd = $MMT.cmd || [];$MMT.cmd.push(function(){ $MMT.display.slots.push(["d2755178-d048-4d00-aedf-899470b89852"]); })

Related Articles

photo of person showing silver-colored ring
Causes of disease

Knee Pain

Knee pain has five main causes. It’s certainly worth trying acupuncture before you resort to surgery!

Read More »

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *