In many cultures, language often reflects our relationship with our body and emotions. We say something “sickens our stomach” or “breaks our heart,” blending physical reactions with emotional experiences. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), like many other holistic systems, traces the connection between emotions and internal organs.
Today’s featured acupoint, Below the Joint (xia guan, ST7), illustrates how ancient TCM practitioners linked decision-making to a specific organ. This acupoint can clear two energetic pathways, or meridians, with just one point.
2 Meridians, 1 Powerful Crossroad
First documented in the ancient acupuncture manual “Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing (A-B Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion),” xia guan holds a structurally and energetically significant role. It’s akin to the pressure valve regulating the vital energy, or “qi,” that flows upward from the face. It is also an intersection of the stomach and gallbladder meridians.
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.
