The face's great eye-and-head point. Zanzhu (BL-2) clears the eyes, lifts the brow and melts away frontal headaches — sitting right where the eyebrow begins, it is one of the most reached-for local points on the whole face.
Contraindications
This is a facial point near the eye — care and clean technique are always important. No specific contraindications beyond standard caution for the periorbital area.
Name & story
The name 攒竹 Zanzhu means something like "Gathered Bamboo" — and if you look at the eyebrow, you can see exactly why. The fine hairs of the brow cluster together at the inner end, just as young bamboo shoots gather tightly at the base of a clump. The point sits precisely at that gathering, that little ridge where the eyebrow begins. It is a quietly poetic name: something delicate and numerous, pulling together at one point — which is exactly what the eyebrow looks like.
Point family & character
Zanzhu (BL-2) belongs to the Bladder Meridian (BL), the longest channel in the body, which begins its journey at the inner corner of the eye. As the second point on the channel, BL-2 sits just one step from the start — close to Jingming BL-1, the channel's very origin. It is a local point of great practical importance and is frequently used as a gentler, more accessible alternative to Jingming BL-1 for eye disorders.
Five-element dynamics
The Bladder Meridian (BL) belongs to the Water element, and Water in Chinese medicine governs the deepest reserves of the body — Jing, willpower, and the clarity of the sense organs. The eyes, though classically paired with the Liver, depend on all the channels that flow through them — and the Bladder channel begins right at the inner canthus. Zanzhu BL-2, sitting at the eyebrow's root, is where the channel's Water energy surfaces on the face, close enough to the eye to influence it directly. When Wind or Heat disturbs the eyes, or when the channel is obstructed in the head, this is where you go.
Location
Find the inner end of the eyebrow — where it begins, closest to the nose. Press gently and you will often feel a small notch in the bone (the supraorbital notch). That hollow is Zanzhu BL-2. It sits directly above the inner corner of the eye.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies in the supraorbital notch, at the medial end of the eyebrow, in the corrugator supercilii and frontalis muscles.
Needling
The needle can be inserted perpendicularly, or directed horizontally along the eyebrow — either toward the outer brow or downward toward Jingming BL-1, depending on the intention. In heat patterns, the point may be pricked to bleed. It can also be needled through to join with Jingming BL-1.
Moxa, cupping & Tui Na
Firm acupressure or gentle massage at this point is a simple and effective home technique — easy to reach and often immediately relieving for eye strain or a frontal headache. Bleeding with a fine lancet (by a trained practitioner) is a traditional approach for acute red, hot eye conditions.
Functions
Expels Wind and clears Heat from the eye region. Benefits the eyes and improves vision. Relieves pain in the forehead, eyebrow and sinus area. Clears the nose and stops sneezing. Calms Wind in the head and relieves headache. Supports treatment of facial paralysis as a local point.
Indications
Eye disorders of many kinds: redness, itching, tearing, blurred vision, pain in the eye — especially those caused by exterior Wind or Heat. Frontal headache and pain or heaviness in the eyebrow region. Sinus pain and pressure. Rhinitis and sneezing, making it especially useful in hay fever (combined with its ability to treat both the eyes and the nose). Facial paralysis. One-sided or general head Wind. Headache following alcohol. Stiffness and pain of the neck. Manic behaviour and loss of consciousness are also listed among its classical indications, reflecting the broader reach of the Bladder divergent channel.
Mind & spirit (Shen)
The eyes in Chinese medicine are said to be the windows of the Shen — they reflect the state of the spirit, whether calm or disturbed. When the mind is overworked, overstimulated or agitated, the eyes are often the first to show it: they feel strained, dry, and restless. Zanzhu BL-2, sitting at the brow's root above the eye, can help quieten this surface agitation — easing eye tension that carries with it some of the day's mental strain.
Point combinations
With Jingming BL-1 — needled through to join, or used as a substitute, for a wide range of eye disorders, especially when Wind or Heat is involved. With local sinus and nasal points — for rhinitis, sneezing and hay fever, where eye symptoms and nasal symptoms combine. With other local points along the brow and temple — for frontal headache and facial paralysis. Pricked to bleed in heat patterns affecting the eye.
Clinical spotlight
One of Deadman's most striking observations about Zanzhu BL-2 is how it can serve as a practical substitute for Jingming BL-1 — the channel's starting point — particularly for practitioners less experienced in needling directly beside the eyeball. This is genuinely useful: BL-1 is effective but technically demanding, while BL-2 is easily accessible and covers much of the same ground for exterior eye disorders. The combination of eye and nasal action also makes BL-2 a standout point for hay fever, treating the itchy, watering eyes and the sneezing at the same time. Classically, the Bladder divergent channel winds around the anus, which gives BL-2 an unexpected reach into conditions far from the face — a reminder of how broad classical channel theory can be.
The golden tip
For tired, strained eyes or a frontal headache, try pressing gently but firmly at the inner edge of each eyebrow — right where the brow begins, above the inner corner of the eye. Hold the pressure or make small circles for one to two minutes. Many people feel an immediate sense of relief and release. This is also a classic technique for hay fever season: pressing BL-2 on both sides can ease itchy eyes and calm sneezing within moments.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.