Some bodily functions are harmless but can be painfully awkward in the wrong setting—hiccups top that list. One moment, you’re calm, and the next, you’re spasming mid-sentence in a quiet meeting or just before a big speech. Most people have their go-to hacks—chugging water, holding their breath, or even asking a friend to startle them.
There’s a far more elegant option rooted in the body’s energy system: Qi Abode (Qi She, ST11), an acupoint near your clavicle. Beyond its ability to quickly settle hiccups, it offers additional benefits when your system goes a little haywire.
Why Qi She Matters
Qi She was first documented in the “Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing” (“A-B Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion”), a foundational text in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In its name, “abode” signifies a source, and qi in Chinese can mean both “vital energy” and “air.” Positioned along the Stomach meridian, Qi She is thought to draw in Heaven Qi—a form of clean, external energy—and direct it into the meridian.
Qi She’s Practical Power
Qi She is best known in daily practice for its ability to stop stubborn hiccups, especially those that don’t respond to conventional tricks. It works by restoring the proper flow of qi in cases where the stomach energy, in TCM terms, is rebellious or moving upward. This condition can cause hiccups, nausea, acid reflux, or even vomiting.
Moreen Liao
R.Ph. of TCM (Taiwan)
Moreen was born into a family with a lineage of four generations of traditional Chinese medicine doctors and professors.
She was Dean of the Natural Therapies Institute in Sydney, Australia.
Drawing on her family heritage, she created a certified organic wellness brand, and co-founded the largest Chinese medical image encyclopedia online.
