Gallbladder MeridianGB33

Xiyangguan 膝陽關

For reference only · not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment

Short answer

Outer side of the knee, in the hollow separating the iliotibial band (in front) from the biceps femoris tendon (behind).

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

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

Xiyangguan — 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.

Xiyangguan — ② Up close — **② Up close**

Xiyangguan — ③ Under the skin — **③ Under the skin**
Femur · Iliotibial tract · Short head of biceps femoris

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

On this page

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

1Where is Xiyangguan?

Outer side of the knee, in the hollow separating the iliotibial band (in front) from the biceps femoris tendon (behind).

It lies above and behind the femur's lateral epicondyle.

Beneath the point

Femur · Iliotibial tract · Short head of biceps femoris

Our 3D measurement · In our 3D model: skin between the iliotibial band and the biceps femoris at the level of the upper border of the femur's lateral epicondyle (18.0 mm above the epicondyle), 3.9 mm in front of its most lateral point — slightly off the standard 'posterosuperior' (still to be verified).

2How do I find it on my body?

Feel the bony bump on the upper outer knee (lateral epicondyle of the femur).
Bend the knee a little: the biceps femoris tendon stands out behind and the iliotibial band in front.
Press the hollow between them, above and behind the bump.

📖 Words explained

short head of biceps femoris: The head of biceps femoris that starts from the back of the femur.

3Before you press

⚠ Do not press when

This is beside the knee joint — do not press a swollen or hot knee.
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?

A Gallbladder meridian point at the knee; the Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing calls it Yangguan and places it 3 B-cun above GB34.
The name is usually translated as 'Knee Yang Gate'.

From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.

?FAQ

Where exactly is Xiyangguan?

Outer side of the knee, in the hollow separating the iliotibial band (in front) from the biceps femoris tendon (behind). It lies above and behind the femur's lateral epicondyle.

How do I find Xiyangguan?

Feel the bony bump on the upper outer knee (lateral epicondyle of the femur). Bend the knee a little: the biceps femoris tendon stands out behind and the iliotibial band in front. Press the hollow between them, above and behind the bump.

What should I watch out for?

This is beside the knee joint — do not press a swollen or hot knee. Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level. Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.

← PreviousZhongdu · GB32 Next →Yanglingquan · GB34

Sources

Location: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 188
Standard comparison: Chinese national standard GB/T 12346-2021 (Nomenclature and location of meridian points)
Korean anatomical terms and point names: KMCRIC Standard Acupoint DB (Korea)
Traditional use cross-check: AcuAtlas dataset (CC BY 4.0)

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.