The gatekeeper of breath on the Stomach channel. Qihu (ST-13) sits at the very top of the chest, where the Lung Qi enters and the Stomach channel ascends — a point that opens the chest, settles rebellious Qi downward, and eases cough and breathlessness.
Name & story
The name 气户 Qihu means 'Gate of Qi' — 气 (qì) is Qi itself, and 户 (hù) is a household door or gate. Imagine the chest as a house, and breath as the vital guest that must pass freely in and out. This point sits right at the doorway, just below the collarbone, where the Lung Qi enters the body's upper chamber. When that gate is stuck — chest tight, breath short, Qi surging upward instead of descending — Qihu is the hinge that opens the door again.
Point family & character
Qihu (ST-13) belongs to the Stomach Meridian (ST). It is the point where the Stomach channel descends from the clavicle onto the chest, marking a kind of threshold between the neck and the thorax on the channel's pathway.
Five-element dynamics
The Stomach Meridian (ST) belongs to the Earth element, but here at ST-13 it reaches up to the domain of the Lung — the Metal organ that governs breath and the descending of Qi. This is where Earth and Metal meet at the chest's gateway. The Stomach channel's Qi, traveling downward from the head, passes through this point on its way into the thorax; when that downward flow is interrupted — by Cold, by Phlegm, by rebellious Qi — breath falters and the chest feels locked. Qihu helps restore the natural downward and inward movement of Qi through that upper gate.
Location
On the chest, directly below the midpoint of the clavicle (collarbone), in the depression just beneath it, 4 Cun lateral to the midline of the chest — along the mammillary line.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies in the region of the pectoralis major muscle, just below the clavicle. The lung tissue lies beneath, making depth of needling a critical safety consideration here.
Needling
The needle is inserted obliquely or transversely along the surface of the chest wall, following the direction of the intercostal space. Never insert perpendicularly or deeply here, as the lung lies immediately beneath.
Safe depth
0.3–0.5 Cun, obliquely or transversely only.
Moxa, cupping & Tui Na
Gentle Moxa may be applied here — warming the point helps when Cold or Cold-Phlegm is obstructing the chest and suppressing Lung Qi. Acupressure with a light, circular touch can also be soothing for chest tightness and shallow breathing.
Functions
Opens the chest and benefits the Lung; Descends rebellious Qi and relieves cough and breathlessness; Disperses Cold and resolves Phlegm in the chest; Relieves fullness and oppression of the chest.
Indications
Cough, breathlessness and shortness of breath; fullness, oppression or tightness of the chest; hiccup; pain in the chest and lateral costal region; asthma-like presentations with Qi rising upward rather than descending.
Mind & spirit (Shen)
When the chest is locked and breath is shallow, the mind has no room to settle. The Lung, in Chinese medicine, is the residence of the Po — the corporeal soul — and its connection to grief and sadness. A chest that cannot open freely is often one that is carrying unexpressed emotion: grief that hasn't moved, sadness that has nowhere to go. By opening the Gate of Qi and allowing breath to flow freely again, Qihu gently creates space — not only physical space in the lungs, but a little lightness in the spirit too.
Point combinations
With Lieque LU-7 and Feishu BL-13 — to strengthen the descending of Lung Qi and relieve cough and breathlessness. With Ren-17 (Shanzhong) — to open the chest and release oppression and tightness in the thorax. With ST-40 (Fenglong) — to resolve Phlegm obstructing the chest and Lung.
Clinical spotlight
What makes ST-13 interesting is its position — right at the junction of the Stomach channel's descent and the upper boundary of the chest. The Stomach channel travels a long way from the face down to the foot, and this point is where it crosses the threshold of the thorax. Clinically, this makes it useful not only as a local point for chest and Lung complaints, but as a reminder of how intimately the Stomach and Lung meridians share territory in the upper body. Points in this region of the chest must always be needled with great care and respect for the underlying lung tissue.
The golden tip
To find ST-13, place a finger just below your collarbone, roughly in line with your nipple — you will feel a gentle hollow there. Light fingertip pressure or slow circular massage on this spot, combined with slow deep breathing, can help ease a feeling of tightness or constriction in the chest. Breathe in gently, and as you breathe out, soften the pressure slightly — imagine the gate opening. This is a comfortable self-care practice for moments of chest tension or shallow breathing.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.