A gathering point on the belt of the body. Wushu (GB-27) sits right where the Gallbladder Meridian (GB) crosses the Dai Mai — the Belt Vessel — making it one of the key points for regulating the lower abdomen, relieving pain in the groin and flanks, and bringing the body's horizontal "girdle" back into balance.
Contraindications
Standard clean needling technique applies. As with all lower abdominal points, extra care is appropriate during pregnancy.
Name & story
The name 五枢 Wushu means "Fifth Pivot" or "Fifth Axis". Five — the number of transformation and the centre in Chinese cosmology — hints at this point's role as a kind of hinge or turning point on the body's girdle. A pivot is what allows rotation and free movement; when the Belt Vessel is knotted and stuck, nothing below can move freely. Wushu is one of the places where that knot can be loosened — a pivot restored to its turning.
Point family & character
Wushu (GB-27) belongs to the Gallbladder Meridian (GB). Its special distinction is that it is one of the points where the Gallbladder Meridian meets the Dai Mai — the Belt Vessel — making it an intersection point of two channels. The Dai Mai is the only horizontal channel in the body, encircling the waist like a belt and binding all the vertical channels together.
Five-element dynamics
The Gallbladder Meridian (GB) belongs to the Wood element — the element of movement, spreading and free flow. When Wood is obstructed, Qi Stagnation settles in the flanks, groin and lower abdomen. The Belt Vessel, the Dai Mai, meanwhile governs the waist and the lower Jiao as a whole: when it is lax or congested, leukorrhoea, abdominal distension and weakness of the lumbar region follow. Wushu (GB-27) stands at the crossing of these two — and so it can both move stagnant Wood Qi and regulate the Belt Vessel, releasing what is stuck and binding what is lax.
Location
Wushu (GB-27) is found on the side of the lower abdomen, in front of the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS). It lies 3 Cun below the level of the navel, just medial and slightly superior to the ASIS — in the soft tissue just before the bony crest of the hip.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies in the lateral abdominal wall, in the region of the iliac fossa, over the iliac crest.
Needling
The needle is inserted perpendicularly.
Moxa, cupping & Tui Na
Moxa is suitable at this point, particularly for Cold-type conditions in the lower abdomen and groin, or for lax, deficient presentations of the Belt Vessel. Gentle massage and acupressure along the course of the Belt Vessel — from GB-26 through GB-27 and GB-28 — can also help relieve tension and stagnation in the lower lateral abdomen.
The golden tip
To find Wushu (GB-27), place your hands on your hips and locate the bony prominence at the front of each hip — the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS). The point is found just in front of that bony crest, in the soft tissue of the lower lateral abdomen. Gentle circular massage here, for one to two minutes on each side, can help relieve lower abdominal tension, groin tightness and a heavy, dragging feeling in the pelvis. Warmth — a warm pack or gentle heat — is a welcome addition, especially when there is Cold or a sense of weakness in the lower back.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.