Xiyan 膝眼
On the front of the knee, in the hollows on both sides of the patellar ligament — two on each knee, four in all.
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Patella · Tibia
Rendered straight from the 3D model at the computed location. The glowing ring marks Xiyan.
On this page
1Where is Xiyan?
On the front of the knee, in the hollows on both sides of the patellar ligament — two on each knee, four in all.
Locate them with the knee bent, below the kneecap.
The inner one is Neixiyan (EX-LE4); the outer one is the same spot as ST35.
Patella · Tibia
2How do I find it on my body?
- Sit and bend the knee; China's 2021 standard (for ST35) and Korea's KMCRIC give 45°.
- Find the thick band running from the lower tip of the kneecap to the shinbone (patellar ligament).
- Press the hollow on its inner side and the hollow on its outer side.
- patellar ligament
- The thick, tough band from the lower tip of the kneecap to the bump on the front of the tibia. Bend the knee and you feel it as a tight cord below the middle of the knee, with a hollow on each side.
3Before you press
- If the knee is swollen, hot or freshly injured, see a clinician before pressing.
- 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 'knee eyes': the two hollows below the bent knee are likened to a pair of eyes.
- Its outer spot is ST35, whose own name compares the same hollows to a calf's nostrils — two pictures of one place.
From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.
?FAQ
Where exactly is Xiyan?
On the front of the knee, in the hollows on both sides of the patellar ligament — two on each knee, four in all. Locate them with the knee bent, below the kneecap. The inner one is Neixiyan (EX-LE4); the outer one is the same spot as ST35.
How do I find Xiyan?
Sit and bend the knee; China's 2021 standard (for ST35) and Korea's KMCRIC give 45°. Find the thick band running from the lower tip of the kneecap to the shinbone (patellar ligament). Press the hollow on its inner side and the hollow on its outer side. the outer hollow is the ST35 spot; the inner one is Neixiyan.
What should I watch out for?
If the knee is swollen, hot or freshly injured, see a clinician before pressing. Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level. Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.
Sources
- Location: Chinese national standard GB 12346-90 (Location of points), 'Standard location of extra points', p. 24
- Name and code: WHO, A Proposed Standard International Acupuncture Nomenclature (1991), pp. 15-16
- Current Chinese standard: interpretation of GB/T 40997-2021 (Nomenclature and location of extra points), SAMR 2022 — only Dagukong and Pigen had their locations revised
- Locating tips and Korean terms: KMCRIC Standard Acupoint DB (Korea), extra points
- Outer spot (ST35) check: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 63 · GB/T 12346-2021 5.3.35 (45° flexion)
- Classical text: Zhenjiu Dacheng (1601) — Wikisource public edition, 'vol. 4' (Shengyu verse) and 'vol. 7' (Yang's indications)
- 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.