ST-30 Qichong (气冲) — Acupuncture Point — Qiniusway
ST-30
气冲Qichong
The gateway where the Penetrating Vessel meets the Stomach channel. Qichong (ST-30) moves Qi and Blood through the lower abdomen, regulates the uterus and genitals, and subdues rebellious Qi that rises upward — a powerful and dynamic crossroads point in the pelvis.
Meridian
Stomach channel
Pinyin name
Qichong
Contraindications
⚠️ The femoral artery and vein run in the region of this point; care must be taken during needling to avoid them. Use caution in pregnancy, given the point's strong action on the Uterus and the Penetrating Vessel.
Name & story
The name 气冲 Qichong means "Rushing Qi" or "Surging Qi". The image is vivid: a forceful current of Qi that surges upward from the lower abdomen. And that is precisely what the point both reflects and corrects — when Qi in the lower belly rebels and rushes upward, disturbing the Heart or harassing the chest, Qichong is called upon to bring it back down. The name also captures the point's dynamic nature: it is a place of convergence and powerful movement, where the great currents of the body meet and can be redirected.
Point family & character
ST-30 belongs to the Stomach Meridian (ST) and sits at the very base of the abdomen, level with the top of the pubic bone. Its most important character is that it is a crossing point with the Penetrating Vessel (Chong Mai) — in fact, it is described as the point from which the Penetrating Vessel emerges from the Interior. It is also counted as a point of the Sea of Food (Sea of Water and Grain). Through it, the Girdle Vessel and Governing Vessel are also said to converge, making it a remarkable meeting place of several great vessels.
Five-element dynamics
The Stomach channel belongs to the Earth element — the great centre of nourishment and transformation. ST-30 stands at the lower boundary of the abdomen, where the Earth element's nourishing power reaches down into the pelvis and genitals. But what truly sets this point apart is its relationship with the Penetrating Vessel (Chong Mai), the Sea of Blood and Sea of the Twelve Channels. It is through ST-30 that the Penetrating Vessel distributes the nutritive substances of the Stomach downward to irrigate all the channels, muscles and the reproductive organs. When the Bright Yang (Yang Ming) is strong, this flow is smooth; when it weakens, the Girdle Vessel loosens, the sinews of the pelvis lose their nourishment, and weakness or Atrophy Syndrome may follow.
Location
Find the upper border of the pubic symphysis (the joint at the very bottom of the abdomen, in the midline). Qichong (ST-30) is 2 Cun lateral to the midline at that level — level with Ren-2 (Qugu).
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies on the lower abdomen, over the region of the inguinal canal, where the femoral artery and vein pass nearby.
Needling
The golden tip
ST-30 is a deep abdominal point and is best left to a qualified acupuncturist for needling. However, gentle acupressure — a slow, firm press with the fingertips — over the lower abdomen at this location can help ease abdominal fullness, mild cramping, or a sense of upward-surging tension. Use light, mindful pressure and avoid vigorous manipulation in this sensitive area.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.
The needle is inserted perpendicularly. The femoral artery runs in this region, so care should be taken to avoid it.
Safe depth
Safe depth — 1–1.5 Cun.
Functions
Regulates Qi in the Lower Burner; Regulates the Penetrating Vessel (Chong Mai); Subdues rebellious Qi; Tonifies the Sea of Food; Invigorates Blood (Xue) in the Uterus; Moves Qi and Blood (Xue) in the lower abdomen and genitals; Strengthens the Stomach and Penetrating Vessel; Nourishes the original sinews.
Indications
Lower abdominal pain, abdominal fullness and distension, twisting or cramping pain in the abdomen, hardness below the navel. Heat in the body with abdominal pain. Sensation of energy rushing upward to the chest and Heart; fetal Qi surging upward to disturb the Heart during pregnancy. Irregular menstruation, painful periods, amenorrhoea (from Blood Stasis), excessive uterine bleeding, infertility, retention of placenta. Swelling and pain of the vagina, swelling and pain of the penis, testicle pain, retraction of the testicles, impotence. Hernia. Weakness and atrophy of the legs (Atrophy Syndrome) when the Bright Yang is deficient.
Mind & spirit (Shen)
When rebellious Qi surges upward from the lower abdomen — as can happen in anxiety, during pregnancy, or when pelvic tension grips the body — it can climb all the way to disturb the Heart and the Shen. The person may feel a strange rushing or fluttering sensation in the chest, restlessness, or a sense that something is pushing upward from within. By anchoring that upward surge and restoring the downward flow of Qi, Qichong (ST-30) helps the Shen settle and the Heart regain its calm.
Point combinations
With points on the Penetrating Vessel (Chong Mai) — to regulate the vessel and address menstrual disorders. With local lower abdominal points — for abdominal pain, distension, and hernia. In deficiency of the Bright Yang causing Atrophy Syndrome — reinforcing ST-30 is classically recommended to nourish the original sinews and strengthen the legs, often combined with Stomach channel tonic points such as Zusanli (ST-36).
Clinical spotlight
What makes Qichong (ST-30) truly distinctive is its dual identity: it belongs to the Stomach Meridian (ST) — the great channel of post-natal nourishment — and it is simultaneously the point where the Penetrating Vessel (Chong Mai), the Sea of Blood and Sea of the Twelve Channels, emerges from the Interior. As Maciocia notes, reinforcing ST-30 strengthens not only the Stomach but also the Penetrating Vessel and the "original sinews" that gather around the pubic bone and rise to the spine. This makes it uniquely suited for reproductive and pelvic disorders, and gives it a reach that extends far beyond its location. The classical text Simple Questions describes the Penetrating Vessel meeting the Bright Yang here, where Yin and Yang channels converge — a philosophical and clinical crossroads in one small point.