The gateway of the face. Dicang (ST-4) is the classic point for everything that goes wrong around the mouth — drooping, deviation, drooling, numbness — and it sits right at the corner of the lips, where the Stomach Meridian (ST) meets the face.
Contraindications
Dicang (ST-4) is a facial point suitable for regular clinical use. No special contraindications are noted in the sources; simply observe appropriate depth and clean technique, and remember that the needle here is directed transversely, not perpendicularly.
Name & story
The name 地仓 Dicang means "Earth Granary" or "Earth Storehouse". Earth, in Chinese medicine, is the element of nourishment and the Spleen-Stomach pair — and the mouth is where all nourishment enters. A granary is where grain is received and held before it feeds the people. So this point, sitting right at the corner of the mouth, is the earthly gate through which food and drink pass into the body — the very opening of the storehouse of life. A simple, beautiful image: the mouth as the granary door, and Dicang as its guardian.
Point family & character
Dicang (ST-4) belongs to the Stomach Meridian (ST). It is a Meeting point — one of those special points where several channels converge. Specifically, it is the meeting of the Stomach and Large Intestine channels (ST and LI) with the Yang Motility vessel (Yangqiao Mai) and the Conception vessel (Ren Mai). This rich convergence gives it influence over a wide stretch of the face.
Five-element dynamics
The Stomach Meridian (ST) belongs to the Earth element — the element of reception, transformation and nourishment. The mouth is the Earth element's opening on the face, the place where food enters and speech emerges. Dicang (ST-4) sits right at the corner of that opening, making it the most immediate expression of Earth on the face. When Wind invades the channels of the face or the channel loses its smooth flow of Qi, the muscles around the mouth suffer — they droop, deviate or go numb. Dicang brings the Stomach channel's warmth and movement back to this gateway.
Location
Dicang (ST-4) is found 0.4 Cun to the side of the corner of the mouth. If the naso-labial groove is not clearly visible, ask the patient to smile gently — the point lies in the continuation of that groove.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies at the corner of the mouth, in the region of the orbicularis oris muscle.
Needling
The needle is inserted transversely (horizontally, just under the skin) — not straight in. From this point, the needle can be threaded along the face to connect with neighbouring points such as Jiache ST-6, Yingxiang LI-20, or Chengjiang REN-24. This subcutaneous joining technique is one of the hallmarks of facial acupuncture.
The golden tip
If you notice any stiffness, numbness or weakness around the mouth — or simply want to keep the facial channels moving — gently press or massage the corner of the mouth area with a fingertip for a minute or two on each side. This can be a helpful self-care habit especially during recovery from facial nerve issues, always alongside professional treatment.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.