Qihai 氣海
On the lower abdomen, on the front midline, 1.5 B-cun below the centre of the navel.
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Linea alba · Rectus abdominis muscle · Rectus abdominis muscle
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On this page
1Where is Qihai?
On the lower abdomen, on the front midline, 1.5 B-cun below the centre of the navel.
Linea alba · Rectus abdominis muscle · Rectus abdominis muscle
2How do I find it on my body?
- Treat the distance from the centre of the navel to the top edge of the pubic symphysis as 5 B-cun.
- Measure 1.5 B-cun down from the navel: one and a half of the five equal parts.
- Press on the front midline.
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.
- pubic symphysis
- Where the two pubic bones join with cartilage at the bottom middle of the belly; going straight down from the navel you meet it as a hard bony edge. The center of the navel to its upper edge is taken as 5 cun.
- rectus abdominis
- The long vertical muscle on each side of the middle of the belly, from the pubic bone to the rib cartilages, that bends the trunk forward. It makes the 'six-pack' blocks when tightened.
- linea alba
- A white line of tendon down the middle of the belly where the sheets of the belly muscles from both sides meet, from the bottom of the breastbone to the pubic bone. The navel lies on it.
- lower abdomen
- The belly below the navel, down to the pubic bone.
3Before you press
- The Ming-dynasty Leijing Tuyi (1624) says this point should not receive moxa in pregnancy.
- Do not press during pregnancy.
- WHO's acupuncture safety guidelines (1999) note that abdominal points are traditionally avoided in pregnancy (the lower abdomen in the first three months, the upper abdomen from the fourth month).
- 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 name means 'sea of qi'. The Lingshu (ch. 1) names Boyang as the source point of the huang, and the Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing (vol. 3) gives Boyang as another name of this point — a historical classification, not a claim of effect.
From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.
?FAQ
Where exactly is Qihai?
On the lower abdomen, on the front midline, 1.5 B-cun below the centre of the navel.
How do I find Qihai?
Treat the distance from the centre of the navel to the top edge of the pubic symphysis as 5 B-cun. Measure 1.5 B-cun down from the navel: one and a half of the five equal parts. Press on the front midline.
Can I press it during pregnancy?
The Ming-dynasty Leijing Tuyi (1624) says this point should not receive moxa in pregnancy.
What should I watch out for?
The Ming-dynasty Leijing Tuyi (1624) says this point should not receive moxa in pregnancy. Do not press during pregnancy. WHO's acupuncture safety guidelines (1999) note that abdominal points are traditionally avoided in pregnancy (the lower abdomen in the first three months, the upper abdomen from the fourth month). Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level. Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.
Sources
- Location: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 222
- 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: Lingshu ch. 1 (Jiu Zhen Shi Er Yuan); Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing vol. 3; pregnancy note: Leijing Tuyi vol. 8
- Safety: WHO Guidelines on Basic Training and Safety in Acupuncture (1999), p. 20
- 3D: computed on Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0) · BodyParts3D © DBCLS
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.