The back-Shu point of the Pericardium — BL-14 (Jueyinshu) sits quietly between the great Heart and Lung points on the upper back, offering direct access to the Pericardium and, through it, to the Heart itself. It is the go-to point when the chest feels tight, the heart feels unsettled, and emotions need room to breathe.
Name & story
The name 厥阴俞 Jueyinshu carries two ideas: 厥阴 (Jueyin) is the name of the meridian system that pairs the Pericardium with the Liver — the "Absolute Yin" — and 俞 (Shu) simply means "transport" or "infusion point". So the name tells us exactly what the point does: it is the place on the back where the Qi of the Pericardium channel is transported inward to nourish its organ. Think of it as a direct door into the Pericardium — a door that opens on the upper back, close to the heart.
Point family & character
BL-14 belongs to the Bladder Meridian (BL), which carries all the back-Shu points along its inner line on the back. Jueyinshu is specifically the back-Shu point of the Pericardium — making it the only Shu point on the back dedicated to the Pericardium channel. It sits between Feishu BL-13 (the Lung Shu, at T3) and Xinshu BL-15 (the Heart Shu, at T5), at the level of the fourth thoracic vertebra — right in the neighbourhood of the heart.
Five-element dynamics
The Pericardium is the Fire element's protective envelope around the Heart. In Chinese medicine, the Pericardium is sometimes called the "Heart Protector" — its job is to stand between the Heart and the world, absorbing emotional shocks so the Heart's Shen is not overwhelmed. The Jueyin (Absolute Yin) pairing of Pericardium and Liver means that when either emotions (Liver) or the heart itself (Pericardium) are disturbed, the two channels resonate with each other. Jueyinshu, as the back-Shu of the Pericardium, reaches directly into this protective Fire and can regulate it — calming the Heart, easing the chest, and giving the Shen a safe place to rest.
Location
Find the fourth thoracic vertebra (T4) by counting down from the prominent C7 vertebra. The point sits 1.5 Cun lateral to the lower edge of the spinous process of T4 — on the inner line of the Bladder Meridian (BL), one level below Feishu BL-13 and one level above Xinshu BL-15.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies in the upper back musculature, approximately over the trapezius and the deeper erector spinae group, at the level of the fourth thoracic vertebra. The lung tissue lies beneath — this is why depth must be respected.
Needling
Insert the needle obliquely, angled slightly toward the spine. The needle should not be driven straight in perpendicularly, as the chest cavity lies close beneath.
The golden tip
Because the point is on the upper back between the shoulder blades, it is not easy to reach yourself — but a partner can apply firm, gentle thumb pressure or a warm compress over it. A warming heat pad placed over the upper back, spanning BL-13 through BL-15, will cover this point and can ease chest tightness, palpitations, or upper back tension after a stressful day. Professional Tui Na or cupping along the inner Bladder line is a very worthwhile complement to acupuncture treatment.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.