Conception VesselCV17

Danzhong 膻中

For reference only · not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment

Short answer

On the front of the chest, on the midline over the breastbone, level with the fourth intercostal space.

Influential point of qi (one of the Eight Meeting Points)Also called Yuan'er (元兒)

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

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

Danzhong — 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.

Danzhong — ③ Under the skin — **③ Under the skin**
Body of sternum · Costal cartilage of fourth rib · Costal cartilage of fifth rib · Costal cartilage of fourth rib · Costal cartilage of fifth rib

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

On this page

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

1Where is Danzhong?

On the front of the chest, on the midline over the breastbone, level with the fourth intercostal space.

Beneath the point

Body of sternum · Costal cartilage of fourth rib · Costal cartilage of fifth rib · Costal cartilage of fourth rib · Costal cartilage of fifth rib

Our 3D measurement · In our 3D model: on the skin over the sternum, at the height of the fourth intercostal space read at the edge of the sternum (left–right difference 0.6 mm, averaged) and carried to the midline.

2How do I find it on my body?

The hollow just below the collarbone is the first intercostal space.
Count down beside the breastbone to the fourth space. In men it is usually at nipple height.
Press the middle of the breastbone at that height.

📖 Words explained

intercostal space: The gap between two ribs, felt with a fingertip as a slight groove between bone and bone. It is named after the rib above it (the gap below the first rib is the first intercostal space).
body of sternum: The long middle part of the breastbone. Where it meets the manubrium there is a raised horizontal ridge (sternal angle), and the xiphoid process hangs from its lower end.
costal cartilage: The firm cartilage that joins the front end of a rib to the breastbone. It is a little softer and more bendy than bone, so the chest can expand when we breathe.

3Before you press

⚠ Do not press when

Crushing or squeezing pain in the centre of the chest needs emergency help: call emergency services at once and do not try acupressure.
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) places the meeting point of qi 'between the two nipples', read as this point — a historical classification, not a claim of effect.

From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.

?FAQ

Where exactly is Danzhong?

On the front of the chest, on the midline over the breastbone, level with the fourth intercostal space.

How do I find Danzhong?

The hollow just below the collarbone is the first intercostal space. Count down beside the breastbone to the fourth space. In men it is usually at nipple height. Press the middle of the breastbone at that height.

What should I watch out for?

Crushing or squeezing pain in the centre of the chest needs emergency help: call emergency services at once and do not try acupressure. Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level. Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.

← PreviousZhongting · CV16 Next →Yutang · CV18

Sources

Location: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 228
Standard comparison: Chinese national standard GB/T 12346-2021 (Nomenclature and location of meridian points)
Korean point names: KMCRIC standard acupoint database
Traditional-use cross-check: AcuAtlas dataset (CC BY 4.0)
Classification source: Nanjing ch. 45; Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing vol. 3
Safety: CCAOM Clean Needle Technique Manual, 7th ed. (rev. 2024), p. 13

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.