A quiet but important point on the inner thigh, Yinbao (LR-9) is the Liver channel's specialist for the lower abdomen and urogenital region — regulating menstruation, relieving urinary difficulty and moving stagnant Qi where it is most needed.
Contraindications
LR-9 is a safe point on the inner thigh with no special contraindications. As with all points in the thigh region, care should be taken to avoid large blood vessels; keep to the stated depth and use clean technique.
Name & story
The name 阴包 Yinbao means 'Yin Wrapping' or 'Yin Enclosure'. Yin here refers both to the inner (Yin) side of the thigh where the point sits, and to the Yin organs and passages of the lower body — the uterus, the bladder, the genital region. Bao means to wrap, to embrace, to hold. The point is imagined as a gentle enclosure that gathers and regulates the Yin of the lower body — calming what is disordered, moving what is stuck. It wraps around the Yin passages below, the way a careful hand steadies something that has become unsettled.
Point family & character
LR-9 belongs to the Liver Meridian (LR), which flows along the inner thigh precisely through this point on its way upward to the lower abdomen and genitals. It is not classified among the five Shu points or the Yuan Source points, but it is valued as a local and pathway point with a strong regional action over the lower abdomen and urogenital system.
Five-element dynamics
The Liver belongs to the Wood element, whose nature is to move freely and spread smoothly. When the Liver's Qi flows without obstruction, menstruation is regular, urination is easy and the lower abdomen is at peace. When Wood's movement is blocked — whether by Cold, Dampness, or Qi Stagnation — the lower abdomen tightens, the urine stalls and the cycle becomes irregular or painful. Yinbao (LR-9) sits right on the Liver channel's path through the thigh, in the territory it governs, and acts as a local gateway: opening the channel, moving Qi and restoring the smooth flow that the Wood element depends on.
Location
On the inner thigh, 4 Cun above the medial end of the popliteal crease (the crease behind the knee). To find it: with the knee slightly bent, measure 4 Cun straight upward along the inner thigh from the medial end of the knee crease. The point lies between the sartorius and gracilis muscles.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies on the medial surface of the thigh, between the sartorius muscle and the gracilis muscle, in the region of the adductor muscles.
Needling
The needle is inserted perpendicularly (straight in).
Safe depth
The golden tip
Find the inner thigh, roughly 4 Cun (about three to four finger-widths) above the inner side of the knee crease. Massage or press the area with firm, slow circular pressure for one to two minutes on each side. Warming the inner thigh with a hot pack or gentle moxa — especially in cold weather or when the lower abdomen feels cold and tight — can help ease discomfort and support regularity. This is a safe area for daily self-massage.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.