A quiet but capable point tucked into the side of the chest. Yuanye (GB-22) opens the lateral costal region, moves Qi along the Gallbladder Meridian (GB), and reaches the axilla — useful wherever the ribs feel tight, the arm cannot lift freely, or swelling gathers under the arm.
Name & story
The name 渊腋 Yuanye means something like "Abyss of the Armpit" — 渊 (yuān) is a deep pool or abyss, and 腋 (yè) is the armpit or axilla. Picture a still, deep hollow beneath the arm, where the channel dips into the body like water into a gorge. The name both describes where the point sits and hints at its depth of reach into the lateral chest and the structures nestled in the axillary hollow.
Point family & character
Yuanye GB-22 belongs to the Gallbladder Meridian (GB), running along the side of the body. It sits on the mid-axillary line in the fifth intercostal space, approximately 3 Cun below the apex of the axilla, at the level of the nipple.
Five-element dynamics
The Gallbladder is the Yang channel of the Wood element, and it governs the smooth, free flow of Qi along the sides of the body. When Wood energy stagnates — from stress, frustration or constraint — the lateral ribs tighten and the chest fills with a sense of pressure or fullness. Yuanye GB-22, sitting right on that lateral channel pathway, helps restore the natural, free movement of Qi through the flanks and chest, allowing the Wood element to breathe again.
Location
Find the apex of the armpit (axilla) and draw a vertical line straight down — this is the mid-axillary line. Count down to the fifth intercostal space (the gap between the fifth and sixth ribs), which is roughly at the level of the nipple. The point sits approximately 3 Cun below the apex of the axilla along this line.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies on the mid-axillary line, in the fifth intercostal space, over the intercostal muscles of the lateral chest wall.
Needling
The needle is inserted obliquely along the intercostal space, with care not to go too deep into the chest cavity.
Safe depth
0.3–0.5 Cun, obliquely along the intercostal space.
Moxa, cupping & Tui Na
Gentle massage or acupressure along the lateral rib cage, following the path of the Gallbladder Meridian (GB), can complement needling. Careful warming with moxa may be used where Cold or stagnation is present in the lateral ribs, though needling is more commonly reported for this point.
Functions
Moves Qi and relieves fullness of the lateral costal region and chest. Opens the axilla and reduces swelling and lumps in the axillary region. Supports the free flow of Gallbladder Qi along the flanks. Relieves pain of the shoulder and arm and helps restore the ability to raise the arm.
Indications
Pain, tightness or fullness in the lateral costal region and chest. Cough. Chills and fever. Swelling of the axilla. Scrofula of the axilla and sabre lumps (firm, hard swellings along the neck and under the arm). Pain of the shoulder and arm; inability to raise the arm.
Mind & spirit (Shen)
The Gallbladder channel governs decisiveness and the courage to act — and when Qi stagnates along its pathway, a kind of inner tightness can settle in, a sense of being constricted or hemmed in. While Yuanye GB-22 is primarily a physical point for the lateral chest and axilla, freeing the flow of Qi through the flanks can ease the felt sense of pressure and constraint that often accompanies Qi Stagnation in the Wood element.
Point combinations
With Zhigou SJ-6, Waiguan SJ-5 and Zulinqi GB-41 — for sabre lumps of the axilla (from the Illustrated Supplement).
Clinical spotlight
Yuanye GB-22 is a specialised local point for the lateral chest and axillary region. Its most striking traditional use is for "sabre lumps" — firm, swollen nodules in the axilla and along the neck (what classical texts called scrofula), where it is combined with Triple Burner and Gallbladder distal points. It is also one of the points to consider when a patient cannot raise the arm freely because of pain radiating through the lateral shoulder and rib area.
The golden tip
If the sides of the chest feel tight or the ribs feel constricted, try gently pressing along the mid-axillary line, between the ribs, with your fingertips. Slow, deep breathing while pressing the lateral rib cage can help encourage Qi to move more freely through the flanks. Always consult a qualified practitioner before self-treating any persistent lumps or swellings in the axilla.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.