The gateway of the lower spine. Yaoshu (GV-2) sits right at the base of the sacrum, where the Governing Vessel (GV) rises from the earth of the body. It is the go-to point for sacral and lumbar pain, and for conditions of the lower back, legs and urogenital region that trace back to Cold, Dampness or weakness in the spine's root.
Contraindications
Standard clean needling technique applies. As with all points on the Governing Vessel along the spine, careful attention to needle angle and depth is important to work safely within the sacral canal.
Name & story
The name 腰俞 Yaoshu means something like "the Shu point of the lower back" — 腰 (yāo) is the waist and lumbar region, and 俞 (shū) means a transport or gathering point, a place where Qi infuses and collects. So this is simply and honestly "where the Qi of the lower back gathers". The name tells you exactly what the point does: it receives, stores and moves the Qi that governs the lumbar spine and sacrum. There is no legend here, just a straightforward promise — come to me when the lower back is in trouble.
Point family & character
Yaoshu (GV-2) belongs to the Governing Vessel (GV), the great Yang meridian that travels along the spine and governs all Yang in the body. GV-2 is located at the very base of the Governing Vessel's spinal course, at the sacral hiatus — making it a foundational entry point into the channel itself.
Five-element dynamics
The Governing Vessel is the sea of all Yang channels, and GV-2 sits at its lowest spinal gateway — the point where Yang Qi begins its long ascent up the spine toward the head. In Chinese medicine, the lower back is the "mansion of the Kidneys", and the sacrum is the foundation of the spine's Yang. When Cold or Dampness lodge in this region, or when Kidney Yang fails to warm and support the lumbar area, GV-2 becomes an essential address — it opens the base of the channel, expels pathogenic Cold and Dampness, and helps Yang Qi flow freely upward through the spine.
Location
Find the very base of the sacrum, at the lower end of the spine. There is a small natural depression there — the sacral hiatus — between two bony prominences called the sacral cornua. Yaoshu (GV-2) is right in that depression, on the midline.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies at the sacral hiatus, in the depression at the lower end of the sacral canal, between the two sacral cornua.
Needling
The needle is inserted obliquely, directed upward along the sacral canal. The sensation typically spreads locally into the sacral and lumbar region.
Moxa, cupping & Tui Na
Moxa is well suited to this point, particularly when the presentation involves Cold or Dampness in the lower back or legs. Warming the sacral region with a moxa stick or warm compress is also a gentle and effective home-care option. The point also responds well to acupressure and cupping over the sacral area.
The golden tip
For lower back and sacral aching, gentle self-massage or firm thumb pressure over the depression at the base of the sacrum can provide real relief. Warmth is especially welcome here — a warm pack or heat pad placed over the sacral region is soothing, particularly in cold or damp weather when the lumbar area feels stiff and heavy. Avoid sitting for long periods on hard, cold surfaces, which can aggravate Cold and Dampness in this region.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.