The quiet, steady point of the Lung channel. Jingqu (LU-8) is the Jing-River point of the Lung Meridian (LU) — a point that keeps Lung Qi moving smoothly, clears Heat from the lungs, and eases cough and breathlessness. It sits at the wrist, where the river of the channel runs deep and purposeful.
Name & story
The name 经渠 Jingqu means "Channel Ditch" or "River Furrow" — a picture of water running steadily through a carved channel. Where other points on the arm might surge or pool, this one flows with quiet persistence, like an irrigation ditch that keeps the field alive. And indeed the point belongs to the Jing-River category — the point where the Qi of the meridian moves most like a river: deep, constant, and directed.
Point family & character
Jingqu (LU-8) belongs to the Lung Meridian (LU). In character it is the Jing-River point of the channel, and its elemental nature makes it the Metal point of the Metal channel — a pure concentration of the Lung's own element. This double-Metal quality gives it a focused, clarifying action directly on the Lung organ and its Qi.
Five-element dynamics
The Lung is the Yin organ of the Metal element, and Jingqu is its Metal point — "Metal upon Metal", the most direct expression of the Metal element within the Lung channel. Metal, in Chinese medicine, is associated with refinement, descent, and the capacity to let go. The Lung's job is to receive clean air, send Qi downward and outward, and release what is no longer needed. When that descent is disrupted — by Heat, by rebellious Qi rising upward as cough — the Metal point helps restore the natural downward flow.
Location
It sits on the inner (palmar) side of the wrist, 1 Cun above the radiocarpal crease, in the depression between the radial artery and the styloid process of the radius. It is found just proximal to Taiyuan LU-9.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies just above the wrist, over the radial artery. Care is taken to avoid the artery when needling.
Needling
The needle is inserted perpendicularly, with care to avoid the radial artery which runs close by.
Safe depth
0.1–0.3 Cun.
Moxa, cupping & Tui Na
Gentle acupressure or massage around the wrist crease can be used at home. Because the radial artery lies directly beneath, Moxa is generally preferred in the form of a moxa stick held at a comfortable distance rather than direct cone moxa, to avoid risk to the vessel.
Functions
Clears Heat from the Lungs; Descends Lung Qi and relieves cough and wheezing; Regulates the Lung Meridian (LU) and benefits the throat and chest.
Indications
Cough — especially cough with fever or with a sensation of Heat; wheezing and shortness of breath; fullness and pain in the chest; sore throat; febrile conditions affecting the Lung. Wrist pain along the channel pathway.
Mind & spirit (Shen)
The Lung, in Chinese medicine, is the organ that houses the Po — the corporeal soul, the part of our spirit that is tied to the body and to breathing. When the Lungs are burdened with Heat or blocked Qi, breathing becomes effortful, the chest tightens, and a subtle anxiety can settle in — the kind that comes simply from not being able to breathe freely and easily. By clearing Heat and restoring the smooth descent of Lung Qi, Jingqu helps the chest open, the breath deepen, and with it, a quiet release of held tension.
Point combinations
With Taiyuan LU-9 — the neighbouring Yuan Source point — to address Lung Qi disorders affecting both the channel and the organ. With LU-5 (Chize) to clear Heat from the Lungs and bring down rebellious Qi in cough with fever.
Clinical spotlight
Jingqu (LU-8) carries a special distinction: it is one of the very few acupoints that is classically listed as contraindicated for Moxa directly on the point itself, because the radial artery runs directly beneath it. This anatomical proximity to a major vessel makes it a point that demands careful, precise technique — a reminder that even small, seemingly simple wrist points carry real clinical responsibility. Its Metal-on-Metal character makes it particularly direct in its action on the Lung: focused, refining, and clarifying.
The golden tip
To support the Lungs at home, gently press or rub the inner wrist about 1 Cun above the wrist crease, just to the thumb side of the central crease line. Use light, steady pressure for a minute or two — do not press hard, as the pulse artery runs just beneath. This can be soothing during a cough or when the chest feels tight and the breathing a little laboured.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.