The great Phlegm-clearing point of Chinese medicine. Fenglong (ST-40) cuts through the sticky, clouding accumulation of Phlegm wherever it settles — in the lungs, the head, or even the heart and mind. When the world feels foggy, heavy and congested, this is the point to reach for.
Contraindications
ST-40 is a safe and very widely used point with no specific contraindications recorded in the sources. No pregnancy restriction, no nearby major vessel at the stated depth of 1–1.5 Cun. Apply clean needle technique and standard lower-limb precautions.
Name & story
The name 丰隆 Fenglong means "Abundant Bulge" — and if you press your fingers into the spot on the outer shin, you will feel exactly that: a satisfying, fleshy mound of the fibularis longus muscle rising up to meet you. But there is a second layer of meaning. The word 丰 feng — "abundant" or "rich in" — also speaks to the nature of the Stomach channel itself, which classical texts describe as the channel most richly endowed with Qi and Blood. So the name quietly tells you two things at once: here is the body's fullest, most generous channel, and here is the point that sits at its most prominent bulge.
Point family & character
ST-40 belongs to the Stomach Meridian (ST). Its defining character is that it is the Luo-Connecting point of the channel — the point where a great branch vessel splits away from the main channel and crosses over to link with the paired Spleen Meridian (SP). This Luo vessel travels all the way up the leg, joins the torso, reaches the nape of the neck and the head, and then descends to the throat. That long, wide-reaching trajectory explains a great deal about what the point can do.
Five-element dynamics
The Stomach Meridian (ST) belongs to the Earth element and is the great Yang channel of that element — the one the classical texts praise as "abundant in Qi and Blood". Earth governs the transformation and transport of fluids; when this function falters, fluids thicken and congeal into Phlegm and Dampness. Fenglong (ST-40) sits precisely at the Earth channel's most muscular point, and through its Luo vessel it reaches the Spleen — Earth's Yin partner and the very organ responsible for transforming fluids. This dual connection makes ST-40 the body's most direct lever for dissolving what the Earth element has failed to transform.
Location
Find the midpoint between the crease at the back of the knee and the tip of the outer ankle bone. At that level, move two finger-breadths away from the sharp front ridge of the shin bone toward the outer side of the leg. The point sits one finger-breadth lateral to Tiaokou ST-38. You are right in the fleshy bulge of the muscle — which is exactly what the name describes.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies in the muscular belly of the fibularis longus muscle on the lateral aspect of the lower leg.
The golden tip
A useful self-care point for anyone who regularly wakes up with a heavy head, produces a lot of mucus, or simply feels mentally foggy and congested. Find the outer shin, measure to the midpoint between the back of the knee and the outer ankle bone, then move two finger-breadths away from the sharp front ridge of the tibia. Press firmly into the muscle belly and hold or massage for 1–2 minutes on each leg. The sensation of heaviness or electric spread means you have found it. For Cold-type Phlegm and a sensation of heavy dampness, warming the point gently with a warm pack adds benefit.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.
