The lower gateway of the stomach. Xiawan (CV-10) is the point where food begins its descent — when the lower stomach is sluggish, bloated or failing to pass food downward, this is the place to address it.
Contraindications
Xiawan (CV-10) is a safe and straightforward abdominal point. Use standard clean needling technique and keep to the recommended depth.
Name & story
The name 下脘 Xiawan means simply "Lower Stomach" or "Lower Epigastrium" — Xia (下) means lower, and Wan (脘) refers to the stomach cavity. It is the lowest of three points along the midline that map the stomach from top to bottom: Shangwan (CV-13) at the top, Zhongwan (CV-12) in the middle, and Xiawan (CV-10) at the lower end. Each marks a different layer of the stomach's work, and Xiawan governs the very threshold where the stomach hands food down to the small intestine. When that passage is blocked or sluggish, Xiawan is the first place to look.
Point family & character
Xiawan (CV-10) belongs to the Conception Vessel (CV). It is also the meeting point of the Conception Vessel with the Spleen Meridian (SP) — a connection that underlines its close relationship with the Spleen's role in transforming and transporting food.
Five-element dynamics
In Chinese medicine, the stomach's job is to receive food and begin sending it downward — what is called "descending the turbid". When this downward movement fails, food sits and stagnates in the lower stomach, producing bloating, pain, and that heavy, full feeling that does not go away. Xiawan sits right at the lower gate of the stomach, where its contents should pass on. By stimulating this point, the descending movement of Stomach Qi is encouraged, and stagnation in the lower epigastric region is gently dispersed.
Location
On the midline of the abdomen, 2 Cun above the navel — halfway between the navel and Zhongwan (CV-12), which sits 4 Cun above the navel.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies on the midline of the abdomen, in the region of the rectus abdominis muscle.
Needling
The needle is inserted perpendicularly, straight into the abdomen.
Safe depth
1–1.5 Cun.
Moxa, cupping & Tui Na
Moxa and gentle warmth suit this point well, particularly when the underlying pattern involves Cold or Yang Deficiency causing sluggish digestion. Massage and acupressure on the lower epigastric area around CV-10 can also help ease bloating and stagnation.
Functions
Harmonises the Stomach and descends Stomach Qi; Disperses food stagnation and accumulation in the lower Stomach; Strengthens the Spleen and supports transformation and transportation; Stops pain in the epigastric region.
Indications
Pain or discomfort in the lower epigastric region; bloating and distension of the abdomen; food stagnation — a heavy, full sensation that lingers after eating; nausea and vomiting; poor digestion and slow gastric emptying; rumbling in the intestines; diarrhoea with undigested food.
Mind & spirit (Shen)
When food stagnates in the lower stomach and cannot move downward, a quiet but real unease builds — a sense of being blocked, heavy and uncomfortable that colours the whole mood. In Chinese medicine, a troubled Middle Burner disturbs the Shen: restlessness, foggy thinking and low spirits often trail alongside chronic digestive stagnation. By helping the lower stomach release and move on, Xiawan can quietly lift that fog and restore a sense of lightness and ease.
Point combinations
With Zhongwan (CV-12) and Shangwan (CV-13) — to address the entire stomach from top to bottom, especially for pain, bloating and food stagnation throughout the epigastric region. With ST-36 (Zusanli) — to strengthen the Stomach and Spleen and encourage the downward movement of Qi. With SP-6 (Sanyinjiao) — to support transformation and resolve Dampness contributing to stagnation.
Clinical spotlight
Xiawan (CV-10) is particularly valued when the problem is clearly located in the lower part of the stomach — that lingering fullness and discomfort below the centre of the abdomen, often with undigested food still felt hours after a meal. As a meeting point of the Conception Vessel with the Spleen Meridian (SP), it bridges two of the most important systems for digestion, making it a focused and efficient choice when food simply fails to move on.
The golden tip
If you feel a persistent heavy, full or bloated sensation in the lower part of the upper abdomen — especially after meals — gently press or massage the point 2 Cun (roughly two finger-widths) above your navel, on the midline. Circular massage for 1–2 minutes, or a warm pack placed over the area, can help the stomach release and settle. Best used after, not during, a large meal.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.