A quiet but useful point on the chest wall, Bulang (KI-22) is where the Kidney Meridian (KI) rises to meet the chest and Heart. It opens the chest, calms the breath, and settles rebellious Qi that pushes upward — think coughing, breathlessness, nausea and a tight, uncomfortable chest.
Name & story
The name 步廊 Bulang means "Walking Corridor" or "Stepping Hallway". Picture a long, covered corridor running along the chest wall — this is exactly what the upper section of the Kidney Meridian (KI) forms as it travels upward through the thorax, point by point, like footsteps along a gallery. Bulang is one of those stepping-stones, a passageway through which Qi moves from the lower body up toward the Heart and chest. The image is elegant and precise: a corridor that allows passage, opens space, and keeps the way clear.
Point family & character
Bulang (KI-22) belongs to the Kidney Meridian (KI). It is one of the upper thoracic Kidney points that share the pathway of the Penetrating vessel (Chong Mai), making this cluster of points especially useful for conditions involving rebellious Qi rising upward through the chest.
Five-element dynamics
The Kidney is the Water element — the deep root of the body. Yet in its upper course along the chest, the Kidney Meridian (KI) passes through the domain of the Heart and Lung, Water meeting Fire and Metal. Bulang sits in this transitional zone. When the Kidney's anchoring power weakens, Qi can rebel upward rather than descend — producing coughing, breathlessness and a feeling of fullness or constriction in the chest. Bulang helps restore the natural downward direction of Lung Qi and settles the upward surge, reminding the body that the corridor must flow in the right direction.
Location
Find the fifth intercostal space — three spaces below the second intercostal space, which lies just below the sternal angle. The point sits 2 Cun out from the midline in that space. In men, a useful guide: the nipple lies in the fourth intercostal space, so Bulang is one space below it at the same lateral distance.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies over the fifth intercostal space, in the intercostal muscles, at 2 Cun lateral to the midline.
Needling
The needle is inserted obliquely or transversely along the intercostal space, directed away from the underlying lung tissue.
Moxa, cupping & Tui Na
The golden tip
If you feel tightness or congestion in the chest, or notice a persistent urge to cough or a sensation of Qi rising uncomfortably, you can gently press or massage the area in the fifth intercostal space, about two finger-widths from the breastbone. Breathe slowly and evenly while you do — the point responds well to calm, steady pressure. Warmth (a warm pack held over the chest) may help in cold or damp weather when the chest feels heavy and breathing is laboured.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.