The 'fullness-receiver' of the upper abdomen. Chengman (ST-20) sits just below the stomach's own territory and is called on whenever the middle is overfull, rebellious and uncomfortable — bringing things back down when Qi is rising the wrong way.
Name & story
The name 承満 Chengman carries two ideas side by side: 承 chéng means 'to receive, to support, to take responsibility for', and 満 mǎn means 'full' or 'fullness'. Picture the point sitting just below a stomach that is stuffed and distended — it is as if Chengman is positioned underneath, steadying and receiving all that excess fullness, helping the middle to settle. The name is at once a description of where the point sits and a quiet reminder of what it does: it assumes responsibility for fullness so the stomach does not have to bear it alone.
Point family & character
Chengman (ST-20) belongs to the Stomach Meridian (ST). It is a local abdominal point on the channel, lying on the upper abdomen close to the midline point Zhongwan REN-12.
Five-element dynamics
The Stomach belongs to the Earth element and governs the rotting and ripening of food — it is the body's great receiving vessel. When the stomach is overwhelmed, Qi stops descending and rebels upward, producing the classic picture of fullness, nausea, hiccup and shortness of breath. Chengman (ST-20) stands at the threshold of that space, harmonising the middle Jiao and restoring the natural downward flow. It addresses the Earth element when it is overburdened — not empty and weak, but blocked, full, and unable to move on.
Location
On the abdomen, 2 Cun to the side of the midline and 5 Cun above the navel — or equivalently, 1 Cun directly below Burong ST-19. It sits level with the point one Cun above Zhongwan REN-12.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies on the rectus abdominis muscle in the upper abdomen.
Needling
The needle is inserted perpendicularly (straight in).
Functions
Harmonises the middle Jiao; Descends rebellious Qi of the Lung and Stomach; Alleviates fullness and distension in the epigastrium and abdomen.
Indications
Epigastric pain and fullness; vomiting; vomiting blood; spitting blood; hiccup; difficult ingestion; poor appetite; abdominal distension; borborygmus (rumbling in the belly); diarrhoea; hardness and pain of the lateral costal region. Shortness of breath; wheezing; difficult breathing with raised shoulders.
Point combinations
For difficult ingestion: Chengman ST-20 with Zhongfu LU-1, Kunlun BL-60, Yuji LU-10 and Zhourong SP-20 (from the Supplementing Life). For hardness and pain of the lateral costal region: Chengman ST-20 with Zhongwan REN-12 (from the Thousand Ducat Formulas).
Clinical spotlight
Chengman (ST-20) is a focused upper-abdominal point with a clear specialty: Full Stomach patterns where the stomach cannot contain or process what it has received — fullness, nausea, vomiting and rebellious Qi rising upward. What makes it interesting beyond pure stomach complaints is its reach toward the Lung: the point also descends rebellious Lung Qi, addressing shortness of breath and wheezing alongside the digestive picture. This double action — settling both Stomach and Lung Qi downward — reflects the classical understanding that the Stomach and Lung share the task of keeping Qi flowing in the right direction. The point's name itself, 'assuming fullness', is a practical clinical reminder of when to reach for it.
The golden tip
If you are feeling uncomfortably full after a meal, or troubled by hiccups and nausea, gently press or massage the area 2 Cun to the side of your midline and roughly halfway between the navel and the breastbone. Slow, firm circular pressure for a minute or two can help ease the sensation of heaviness and encourage things to settle. Always breathe slowly while doing so.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.