REN13 (Shangwan, “Upper Stomach Cavity”) is an acupuncture point on the Conception Vessel Meridian. It is located on the anterior midline, 5 cun superior to the umbilicus and 3 cun inferior to the sternocostal angle. This is 1 cun superior to Zhongwan (REN12). It harmonizes the stomach, descends rebellious Qi, transforms food stagnation, calms the spirit, and resolves phlegm.
On the anterior midline, 5 cun superior to the umbilicus and 3 cun inferior to the sternocostal angle. This is 1 cun superior to Zhongwan (REN12).
Perpendicular insertion 0.5 to 1.2 inches. Deep insertion carries a risk of penetrating the peritoneal cavity or injuring the liver, especially in cases of hepatomegaly.
Harmonizes the stomach, descends rebellious Qi, transforms food stagnation, calms the spirit, and resolves phlegm.
Stomach pain, heart pain, inability to lie down, vomiting, food not transforming, abdominal distension, abdominal fullness, borborygmus, abdominal stabbing pain, cholera with vomiting and diarrhea, body heat with no sweating, reversal cold of the limbs, phlegm and excess saliva, sudden heart pain, wind-epilepsy, heat disease, jaundice (mahuang), palpitations and fright, vomiting blood, accumulation and aggregation as large as a plate, consumptive disease with vomiting blood, inability to eat, five types of poison vexation, phlegm accumulation in the upper diaphragm causing dizziness and tidal fever, undigested food in the stool, hiccup, belching, stomach repletion, stomach cold, stomach heat, food stagnation.
Shangwan is a primary point for disorders of the upper stomach, particularly those involving rebellious Qi such as vomiting, nausea, hiccup, and reflux. It is effective for both acute conditions like food stagnation and cholera, and chronic issues like poor digestion and stomach pain. Its ability to address phlegm and calm the spirit makes it useful for conditions where digestive disharmony leads to mental-emotional symptoms like anxiety or insomnia.
Classical text; the translation was prepared with AI and is not clinical advice.
《針灸甲乙經》 Zhēnjiǔ Jiǎyǐ Jīng — Systematic Classic of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, c. 256–282 · 卷07 · Source: Wikisource ↗
熱病胸中淡淡，腹滿暴痛，恍惚不知人，手清（《千金》作煩滿汗不出），上脘主之The text records that REN13 was used for febrile disease with a restless feeling in the chest, abdominal fullness with sudden pain, confusion with loss of consciousness, and cold hands.
《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 ↗
上脘一穴，在巨闕下一寸五分，去鳩骨下三寸，任脈足陽明手太陽之會。 針入八分，日灸二七壯According to this text, REN13 (a single point) lies 1.5 cun below Juque and 3 cun below the xiphoid, and is a meeting of the Ren vessel, foot Yangming and hand Taiyang; it is needled 8 fen with 14 moxa cones daily.
《黃帝內經》 Huángdì Nèijīng — The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, c. 2nd–1st c. BCE · si-shi-qi · Source: Wikisource ↗
飲食不下，膈塞不通，邪在胃脘，在上脘，則刺抑而下之，在下脘，則散而去之The text records that when food will not go down and the diaphragm is blocked, the evil is in the stomach cavity: if at the upper cavity (REN13), one needles to press it down; if at the lower cavity, one disperses it.
《扁鵲心書》 Biǎn Què Xīnshū — Bian Que's Heart Book, Dou Cai, 1146 · 卷中 · 邪祟 · Source: jicheng.tw ↗
一婦人因心氣不足，夜夜有少年人附著其體，診六脈皆無病，余令灸上脘穴五十壯The text records a case of a woman with insufficient heart qi who each night felt a young man clinging to her body; the six pulses showed no illness, and the author had 50 moxa cones applied at REN13.
REN13 is one of 24 points on the Conception Vessel Meridian. Nearby points:
REN13 (Shangwan) is located on the anterior midline, 5 cun superior to the umbilicus and 3 cun inferior to the sternocostal angle. This is 1 cun superior to Zhongwan (REN12).
REN13 harmonizes the stomach, descends rebellious Qi, transforms food stagnation, calms the spirit, and resolves phlegm. Common clinical indications include stomach pain, heart pain, inability to lie down, vomiting, food not transforming, abdominal distension, abdominal fullness, borborygmus, abdominal stabbing pain, cholera with vomiting and diarrhea, body heat with no sweating, reversal cold of the limbs, phlegm and excess saliva, sudden heart pain, wind-epilepsy, heat disease, jaundice (mahuang), palpitations and fright, vomiting blood, accumulation and aggregation as large as a plate, consumptive disease with vomiting blood, inability to eat, five types of poison vexation, phlegm accumulation in the upper diaphragm causing dizziness and tidal fever, undigested food in the stool, hiccup, belching, stomach repletion, stomach cold, stomach heat, food stagnation.
Perpendicular insertion 0.5 to 1.2 inches. Deep insertion carries a risk of penetrating the peritoneal cavity or injuring the liver, especially in cases of hepatomegaly.
REN13 is a point on the Conception Vessel Meridian (Rèn Mài).