ST13 (Qihu, “Qihu”) is an acupuncture point on the Stomach Meridian. It is located on the upper chest, in the depression directly below the clavicle, 4 cun lateral to the anterior midline. It descends rebellious Lung and Stomach Qi, unbinds the chest, and alleviates cough and wheezing.
On the upper chest, in the depression directly below the clavicle, 4 cun lateral to the anterior midline.
Oblique or transverse-oblique insertion 0.5 to 1.0 cun. Perpendicular insertion carries a high risk of causing a pneumothorax and should be avoided.
Descends rebellious Lung and Stomach Qi, unbinds the chest, and alleviates cough and wheezing.
Chest and rib-side fullness, cough with rebellious upward-surging Qi, shortness of breath, inability to catch one's breath, wheezing, asthma, chest pain, hiccup, loss of appetite, breathing difficulty that prevents lying down.
As its name 'Qi Door' implies, this point is a crucial local point for opening the chest and descending rebellious Qi from the Lungs and Stomach. It is primarily used for acute or chronic respiratory conditions characterized by cough, wheezing, and a sense of oppression or fullness in the chest. Its ability to treat hiccup and poor appetite also reflects its action on descending Stomach Qi.
Classical text; the translation was prepared with AI and is not clinical advice.
《針方六集》 Zhēnfāng Liùjí — Six Collections on Needling, Wu Kun, 1618 · 卷之五·紛署集 · 胸自氣戶夾輸府兩旁各二寸下行至乳根凡十二穴第十六 · Source: jicheng.tw ↗
氣戶二穴，治咳逆上氣，肩息咳嗽，胸脅脹滿，背痛，不知食味，乳癰The text records that ST13 was used for cough with rising qi, breathing with the shoulders and coughing, distension and fullness of chest and ribs, back pain, loss of taste, and breast abscess.
《千金翼方》 Qiānjīn Yìfāng — Supplement to the Thousand Gold Prescriptions, c. 682 · 卷26 · Source: Wikisource ↗
氣戶在巨骨，夾俞府兩旁各二寸陷中According to this text, ST13 lies at the clavicle, in the depression 2 cun on each side of Shufu (KI27).
《醫學入門》 Yīxué Rùmén — Introduction to Medicine, Li Chan, 1575 · 经穴起止 · Source: Wikisource ↗
气户巨骨下侠俞府旁二寸陷中，仰而取之，针入四分，灸五壮。 主胸胁胀满，喘气有声，不知食味According to this text, ST13 lies below the clavicle, in the depression 2 cun beside Shufu (KI27), located with the face upward; needle 0.4 cun, moxibustion 5 cones. It was used for distension and fullness of chest and ribs, wheezing with noise, and loss of taste.
《類經圖翼》 Lèijīng Túyì — Illustrated Wings to the Classified Canon, Zhang Jiebin, 1624 · 卷六 · 經絡（四） · 足陽明胃經穴 · Source: jicheng.tw ↗
氣戶 在巨骨下，挾俞府兩旁各二寸，去中行四寸陷中，仰而取之。 刺三分，灸三壯、五壯。 主治咳逆上氣，胸背痛，支滿喘急不得息，不知味According to this text, ST13 lies below the clavicle, 2 cun beside Shufu (KI27), 4 cun from the midline, located with the face upward; needle 0.3 cun, moxibustion 3 or 5 cones. It was used for cough with rising qi, pain of chest and back, propping fullness with urgent wheezing and inability to breathe, and loss of taste.
ST13 is one of 45 points on the Stomach Meridian. Nearby points:
ST13 (Qihu) is located on the upper chest, in the depression directly below the clavicle, 4 cun lateral to the anterior midline.
ST13 descends rebellious Lung and Stomach Qi, unbinds the chest, and alleviates cough and wheezing. Common clinical indications include chest and rib-side fullness, cough with rebellious upward-surging Qi, shortness of breath, inability to catch one's breath, wheezing, asthma, chest pain, hiccup, loss of appetite, breathing difficulty that prevents lying down.
Oblique or transverse-oblique insertion 0.5 to 1.0 cun. Perpendicular insertion carries a high risk of causing a pneumothorax and should be avoided. Caution: Overlies the thoracic cavity — risk of PNEUMOTHORAX. Needle obliquely or transversely, never deeply or perpendicularly toward the chest wall. Deep perpendicular needling is strictly contraindicated due to the risk of puncturing the lung (pneumothorax).
ST13 is a point on the Stomach Meridian (Zú Yángmíng Wèijīng).