LU3 (Tianfu, “Celestial Palace”) is the Window of Heaven point of the Lung Channel of Hand Taiyin Meridian. It is located on the anteromedial aspect of the upper arm, 3 cun inferior to the anterior axillary fold, on the radial side of the biceps brachii muscle, in a palpable depression over the brachial artery. It clears Lung heat, cools the blood, calms the spirit, and pacifies wind.
On the anteromedial aspect of the upper arm, 3 cun inferior to the anterior axillary fold, on the radial side of the biceps brachii muscle, in a palpable depression over the brachial artery.
Perpendicular insertion 0.5 to 1 cun. Avoid the brachial artery by palpating and displacing it before needling.
Clears Lung heat, cools the blood, calms the spirit, and pacifies wind.
Sudden attack of pernicious wind and evil qi, possession by ghosts and spirits (feishi, guizhu), ghost talk (guiyu), corpse collapse (dunshi), inability to rest peacefully, weeping with sorrow and ghost talk, sudden bleeding from the nose and mouth due to conflict between Liver and Lung, persistent nosebleed, wind-induced sweating, body swelling, wheezing, inability to catch one's breath, malaria with chills and fever, dizziness, forgetfulness, excessive weeping, goiter, far-sightedness, drowsiness, mental confusion.
Classically, Tianfu is a primary point for sudden, severe conditions with a spiritual or psychological component, such as spirit possession, mania, and sudden collapse. It is also a key point for acute bleeding disorders, especially nosebleeds, by cooling the blood and descending Lung Qi. Its designation as a Window of Heaven point underscores its ability to regulate the flow of Qi and spirit between the head and the body, treating conditions like forgetfulness, weeping, and goiter.
Classical text; the translation was prepared with AI and is not clinical advice.
《醫學綱目·刺灸》 Yīxué Gāngmù · Cìjiǔ — Outline of Medicine: Needling and Moxibustion, Lou Ying, 1565 · 卷之八·陰陽臟腑部 · 穴法下 · Source: jicheng.tw ↗
天府二穴，在腋下三寸，臑臂內廉動脈中。 針入四分，留三呼，不可灸According to this text, LU3 (two points) lies 3 cun below the armpit on the inner side of the upper arm at the pulsing vessel; it is needled 4 fen with the needle retained for three breaths, and moxibustion must not be applied.
《針方六集》 Zhēnfāng Liùjí — Six Collections on Needling, Wu Kun, 1618 · 卷之五·紛署集 · 手太陰及臂凡一十八穴第二十三 · Source: jicheng.tw ↗
天府二穴，禁不可灸。 治氣喘逆，目紅腫翳障，吐衄，飛屍惡疰，鬼語妄見，癭瘤瘰癧，咽腫According to this text, moxibustion must not be applied at LU3 (two points); it was used for panting with counterflow qi, red swollen eyes with screens, vomiting and nosebleed, 'flying corpse' malign infixations, ghost talk and seeing things, goitre and scrofula, and swollen throat.
LU3 is one of 11 points on the Lung Channel of Hand Taiyin Meridian. Nearby points:
LU3 (Tianfu) is located on the anteromedial aspect of the upper arm, 3 cun inferior to the anterior axillary fold, on the radial side of the biceps brachii muscle, in a palpable depression over the brachial artery.
LU3 clears Lung heat, cools the blood, calms the spirit, and pacifies wind. Common clinical indications include sudden attack of pernicious wind and evil qi, possession by ghosts and spirits (feishi, guizhu), ghost talk (guiyu), corpse collapse (dunshi), inability to rest peacefully, weeping with sorrow and ghost talk, sudden bleeding from the nose and mouth due to conflict between Liver and Lung, persistent nosebleed, wind-induced sweating, body swelling, wheezing, inability to catch one's breath, malaria with chills and fever, dizziness, forgetfulness, excessive weeping, goiter, far-sightedness, drowsiness, mental confusion.
Perpendicular insertion 0.5 to 1 cun. Avoid the brachial artery by palpating and displacing it before needling. Caution: Moxibustion is contraindicated as it may cause rebellious Qi (Jia Yi Jing, Tong Ren, Qian Jin Yao Fang). The Huangdi Neijing mentions a major prohibition point 'at Tianfu, five cun below'.
LU3 is a point on the Lung Channel of Hand Taiyin Meridian (Shǒu Tàiyīn Fèijīng).