The Spirit Platform of the upper back. Lingtai (GV-10) sits at the heart level of the spine, clearing Heat from the Lungs, calming the Shen, and relieving pain in the back and chest — a quiet but powerful point on the body's central axis.
Name & story
The name 灵台 Lingtai means "Spirit Platform" or "Altar of the Spirit". In ancient China, a Lingtai was a sacred elevated terrace — a place where the emperor or a sage would stand to observe the heavens and commune with the spiritual world. On the body, this point sits at the level of the heart, on the great central axis of the spine, the Governing Vessel (GV). It is as if the body has its own inner altar, a raised platform where the spirit rests and can be reached. The image is both poetic and exact: when the Shen is disturbed or the chest is congested with Heat, this "platform" helps restore stillness.
Point family & character
Lingtai (GV-10) belongs to the Governing Vessel (GV), the great Yang meridian that runs up the spine and governs all Yang in the body. It sits between its neighbours Zhiyang GV-9 (below, at T7) and Shendao GV-11 (above, at T5), in the thoracic region of the channel.
Five-element dynamics
The Governing Vessel (GV) is the sea of all Yang meridians, and its thoracic points have a special affinity with the Heart and Lungs — the organs that live in the chest. Lingtai (GV-10), sitting at the level of T6, bridges the two: it clears Heat from the Lungs (a descending, cooling action) and at the same time touches the Shen, which is housed in the Heart. In this way it works at the meeting place of Metal and Fire — clearing the Lung's Heat and calming the Heart's spirit from the same point on the spine's central pillar.
Location
Find it on the midline of the upper back, below the spinous process of the 6th thoracic vertebra (T6). It sits one level below Shendao GV-11 and one level above Zhiyang GV-9. A useful landmark: at roughly the level of the inferior angle of the scapula is T7 (GV-9); count one vertebra upward for T6.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies on the midline of the back, over the spinous process of the sixth thoracic vertebra (T6), in the region of the trapezius and rhomboid muscles.
Needling
The needle is inserted obliquely upward along the spine, following the direction of the Governing Vessel (GV). Care should be taken not to needle too deeply, as the spinal cord lies beneath.
Safe depth
0.5–1 Cun, directed obliquely upward.
Moxa, cupping & Tui Na
Moxa is well suited to this point when there is Cold in the back or weakness of Yang; it can be applied with a moxa stick held over the point or with indirect moxa. Cupping over the upper back in the region of GV-10 is traditional for releasing Wind and Heat from the Lungs. Gentle Tui Na massage along the Governing Vessel (GV) in the thoracic region can ease back stiffness and support the point's calming effect.
Functions
Clears Heat from the Lungs; Resolves toxicity and treats skin disorders with Heat. Calms the Shen and settles the spirit. Relieves pain in the upper back and spine. Benefits the thoracic region and opens the chest.
Indications
Cough, asthma and breathing difficulty, especially when there is Heat in the Lungs. Furuncles, boils and skin infections — conditions where Heat and toxicity rise to the surface. Stiffness and pain in the upper and mid back, along the spine. Fever and febrile conditions.
Mind & spirit (Shen)
The name says it all — "Spirit Platform". When the chest feels heavy, the breathing tight, and the mind restless with a kind of inner Heat, Lingtai (GV-10) offers a place of stillness on the body's central axis. It does not shout its action on the Shen the way stronger points do; it works more quietly, like an altar that simply exists — and in existing, creates a space for calm. Clinically it is considered when Heat agitates the spirit, leaving the person anxious, unsettled or unable to find rest.
Point combinations
With BL-13 (Feishu) — to clear Lung Heat and address cough, asthma and skin disorders with a Heat pattern. With GV-9 (Zhiyang) — for pain and stiffness along the thoracic spine. With GV-11 (Shendao) — to strengthen the calming effect on the Shen in the thoracic region of the Governing Vessel (GV).
Clinical spotlight
What makes Lingtai (GV-10) quietly remarkable is its double reach — downward into the body to clear Lung Heat and treat skin conditions driven by internal Heat and toxicity, and upward toward the spirit through its name and location at the Heart level of the spine. Classically it is noted for treating boils and furuncles, a use that reflects its Heat-clearing action. It is not among the most commonly needled Governing Vessel points, but when the clinical picture calls for clearing Heat from the thoracic region while also settling the Shen, it is precisely placed.
The golden tip
A partner or family member can apply gentle pressure or a warm hand along the upper back at the level of GV-10 — roughly between the shoulder blades, on the midline — to ease back stiffness and encourage a sense of calm. Avoid applying strong heat here if there are signs of Heat (fever, inflamed skin); warming is more appropriate for Cold-type back pain or general fatigue. Slow, deep breathing while someone holds this area can amplify its settling effect on the Shen.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.