Yin Heel Vessel
A medial channel from the heel to the throat and eyes, associated with rest and sleep.
Pathway
The Yin Heel Vessel (陰蹻脈, Yinqiao Mai) begins at KI-6 Zhaohai on the medial side of the heel. It ascends the medial leg, passes the genital region, continues up the abdomen and chest, and reaches the throat and the inner canthus of the eye.
Where the Yang Heel runs on the outside of the leg and is associated with waking, the Yin Heel runs on the inside and is associated with rest.
Role in TCM theory
- Sleep and rest — The Yin Heel Vessel is traditionally linked with closing the eyes and settling into sleep. Classical insomnia patterns describe an imbalance between the Yin and Yang Heel vessels.
- Medial movement — It is associated with the inner leg and with the body's capacity to relax.
- The throat — Its pathway to the throat links it with dry throat and voice patterns in the tradition.
- Paired with the Conception Vessel — Its confluent point, KI-6, is paired with LU-7 on the Conception Vessel.
Key points associated with the vessel
| Point | Name | Location | Traditional use |
|---|---|---|---|
| KI-6 | Zhaohai (照海) | One cun below the medial malleolus | The confluent point of the Yin Heel Vessel; traditionally used for sleep, the throat, and dryness |
| KI-8 | Jiaoxin (交信) | Two cun above the medial malleolus, posterior to the tibia | The xi-cleft point of the Yin Heel Vessel; classically used for the lower abdomen and menstrual patterns |
| LU-7 | Lieque (列缺) | One and a half cun above the wrist crease, at the styloid process | The paired point on the Conception Vessel; traditionally used for the head, neck, and exterior |
Point locations follow the WHO Standard Acupuncture Nomenclature (1991). The extraordinary vessels borrow points from the primary meridians; the table lists the points most closely associated with this vessel in standard references.
Confluent point
KI-6 Zhaohai is the confluent point of the Yin Heel Vessel; LU-7 Lieque is its paired point on the Conception Vessel. In clinical practice, the confluent point is the main point used when a practitioner wants to influence this vessel through acupressure or needling.
How this is viewed today
KI-6 and LU-7 are among the most frequently used points in clinical practice, and KI-6 appears in trials for insomnia and dry mouth. Evidence remains preliminary. Avoid strong pressure in pregnancy; press the inner ankle gently.
Sources & further reading
- Huangdi Neijing (黃帝內經), c. 2nd century BCE.
- Nanjing (難經), c. 1st–2nd century CE.
- World Health Organization, Standard Acupuncture Nomenclature, 2nd ed., 1991.
- Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Acupuncture: What You Need To Know.
Related: Kidney meridian · Lung meridian · Extraordinary vessels hub · acupoint library