Bladder MeridianBL11

Dazhu 大杼

For reference only · not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment

Short answer

Upper back, 1.5 cun out from the back midline at the level of T1.

Influential point of the bones (one of the Eight Meeting Points)Crossing point of the Foot and Hand Taiyang channels (Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing)

See it in 3DRotate the body and peel back the skin to see the bones and muscles beneath.
Open the 3D Acupoint Map →

🖼See it in pictures

Dazhu — ① Where on the body? — **① Where on the body?**

Dazhu — Textbook view — skin on the left, muscle and bone underneath on the right — **Textbook view — skin on the left, muscle and bone underneath on the right**
Location and structures come from our 3D model; only the drawing style was refined with AI. Labels are added by us.

Dazhu — ③ Under the skin — **③ Under the skin**
Vertebra t1 · Transverse part of trapezius muscle · Rhomboid minor muscle · Serratus posterior superior muscle

Rendered straight from the 3D model at the computed location. The glowing ring marks Dazhu.

On this page

Where is Dazhu?
How do I find it on my body?
Before you press
How has it been used traditionally?
FAQ

1Where is Dazhu?

Upper back, 1.5 cun out from the back midline at the level of T1.

The level is set by the lower edge of the T1 spinous process.

Beneath the point

Vertebra t1 · Transverse part of trapezius muscle · Rhomboid minor muscle · Serratus posterior superior muscle

Our 3D measurement · In our 3D model: level with the lower tip of the T1 spinous process, 1.5 cun (30.9 mm; 1 cun = 20.63 mm) from the back midline.

2How do I find it on my body?

At the base of the neck, find the most prominent spinous process — the one that moves when you turn your head (C7). The next one down is T1.
Take the height of the lower edge of that spinous process.
Press 1.5 cun out from the midline, over the erector spinae muscle. With the arms hanging, the midline-to-shoulder-blade distance (to its inner border) is 3 cun, or 6 cun between the two; this is half of it.

Check · it is level with Taodao (GV13) on the midline.

What is a “cun”?

A cun is a body-scaled unit of length. The precise way is to divide a bone length into equal parts (proportional bone cun); finger widths are a quick estimate.

📖 Words explained

transverse part of trapezius: The middle part of trapezius. It runs sideways from the upper back bones to the shoulder blade and pulls the blades toward the middle of the back.
serratus posterior superior: A thin muscle deep in the upper back, under the rhomboids. It runs from the lower neck and upper back bones to the 2nd–5th ribs and is thought to help breathing in.
rhomboid minor: A thin muscle just above rhomboid major. It runs from the lower neck and first back bone to the upper inner edge of the shoulder blade and helps the same job.
erector spinae: The group of long muscles up both sides of the spine that straighten the back and hold the body upright. Lie face down and lift your back a little, and they bulge as thick cords on each side.
spinous process: The bony spike sticking backward from the middle of each spine bone. The row of bumps you feel down the middle of the back is these, and they serve as the counting marks for back points.

3Before you press

⚠ Do not press when

Do not bear down hard on the spine or ribs with an elbow or a tool.
Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level.
Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.

4How has it been used traditionally?

The Nanjing (ch. 45) names it the meeting point of the bones — a historical classification, not a claim of effect.
The name means 'great shuttle'; zhu (杼) is read as an old name for the first thoracic vertebra.

From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.

?FAQ

Where exactly is Dazhu?

Upper back, 1.5 cun out from the back midline at the level of T1. The level is set by the lower edge of the T1 spinous process.

How do I find Dazhu?

At the base of the neck, find the most prominent spinous process — the one that moves when you turn your head (C7). The next one down is T1. Take the height of the lower edge of that spinous process. Press 1.5 cun out from the midline, over the erector spinae muscle. With the arms hanging, the midline-to-shoulder-blade distance (to its inner border) is 3 cun, or 6 cun between the two; this is half of it. it is level with Taodao (GV13) on the midline.

What should I watch out for?

Do not bear down hard on the spine or ribs with an elbow or a tool. Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level. Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.

← PreviousTianzhu · BL10 Next →Fengmen · BL12

Sources

Location: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 105
Standard comparison: Chinese national standard GB/T 12346-2021 (Nomenclature and location of meridian points), p. 17 — same location
Korean anatomical terms: KMLE medical dictionary
Traditional-use cross-check: AcuAtlas dataset (CC BY 4.0)
Classification source: Nanjing ch. 45 (meeting point of the bones); Lingshu ch. 51; Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing vol. 3, sec. 8

Positions computed from the WHO standard locations (2008) on Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0) · BodyParts3D © DBCLS. For reference only — not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. See a clinician if you are unwell.