A quiet guardian of the chest. Kufang (ST-14) sits on the upper chest along the Stomach Meridian (ST), where it helps move stagnant Qi, ease chest fullness and support the lungs — a local point for tightness, coughing and pain in the breast region.
Name & story
The name 库房 Kufang means "Storehouse" or "Treasury Room" — the place where valuable goods are kept. In the body, the chest is indeed the great storehouse: it holds the Heart, the Lungs, the ancestral Qi, and the very breath of life. This point sits right at that treasure chest, helping to keep its doors open and the contents flowing freely. When Qi stagnates in the storehouse and the chest feels locked and tight, Kufang reminds the body to let things move again.
Point family & character
Kufang (ST-14) belongs to the Stomach Meridian (ST). It is a local point on the upper chest, lying along the course of the channel as it descends from the clavicle toward the abdomen.
Location
On the chest, in the 1st intercostal space (between the first and second ribs), directly below the clavicle, along the nipple line — 4 Cun lateral to the midline.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies on the upper chest, in the intercostal space between the ribs, in the region of the pectoral muscles.
Needling
The needle is inserted obliquely or at an angle along the intercostal space, directed outward. Never insert perpendicularly or deeply, as the lung lies just beneath.
Safe depth
0.5–0.8 Cun, obliquely along the intercostal space.
Moxa, cupping & Tui Na
Gentle acupressure or massage over the point can help ease local chest tightness and encourage the flow of Qi. Moxa may be applied with care in Cold presentations involving the chest.
Functions
Moves Qi and relieves chest fullness and distension. Descends rebellious Qi and stops coughing. Benefits the Lungs and eases breathing. Reduces local pain and swelling in the chest and breast region.
Indications
Chest fullness, tightness and distension. Coughing, shortness of breath. Pain in the chest and costal region. Local breast pain or swelling.
Clinical spotlight
Kufang (ST-14) is primarily valued as a local point for problems in the upper chest — fullness, tightness, pain and cough. Its position on the Stomach Meridian (ST) is a reminder that the channel travels all the way from the face down through the chest and abdomen: even on the chest, Stomach channel points can help move Qi downward and relieve the sensation of things being stuck or congested in the upper body.
The golden tip
If you feel tightness or fullness in the upper chest, you can gently press or rub the area just below the collarbone, 4 Cun out from the midline (roughly along the nipple line). Use soft, circular pressure for a minute or two. Slow, deep breathing at the same time helps the chest open further. Always be gentle on the chest — this is not a point for vigorous self-massage.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.