Governor VesselGV13

Taodao 陶道

For reference only · not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment

Short answer

In the upper back region, on the back midline: the hollow just below the T1 spinous process (first thoracic vertebra).

Meeting point of the Governor Vessel and the Bladder (Foot Taiyang) channel

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

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

Taodao — 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.

Taodao — ③ Under the skin — **③ Under the skin**
Vertebra t1 · Vertebra t2 · Interspinales thoracis muscles · Interspinales thoracis muscles

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

On this page

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

1Where is Taodao?

In the upper back region, on the back midline: the hollow just below the T1 spinous process (first thoracic vertebra).

Beneath the point

Vertebra t1 · Vertebra t2 · Interspinales thoracis muscles · Interspinales thoracis muscles

Our 3D measurement · In our 3D model: on the posterior midline skin at the level of the hollow between the lower tip of the T1 spinous process and the top of the next one (4.9 mm below the T1 tip).

2How do I find it on my body?

Find the most prominent bone at the back of the neck (the C7 spinous process), the site of GV14.
The next spinous process down is T1.
Press the hollow just below T1.

📖 Words explained

interspinales thoracis: Tiny muscles linking the spinous processes of neighboring back bones. They are often present only at the top and bottom of the thoracic spine.
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

The point is the hollow just below a spinous process, so do not press hard on the bone or knock it.
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?

Classified in the Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing (vol. 3) as a meeting point of the Governor Vessel and the Foot Taiyang channel — a historical classification, not a claim of effect.

From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.

?FAQ

Where exactly is Taodao?

In the upper back region, on the back midline: the hollow just below the T1 spinous process (first thoracic vertebra).

How do I find Taodao?

Find the most prominent bone at the back of the neck (the C7 spinous process), the site of GV14. The next spinous process down is T1. Press the hollow just below T1.

What should I watch out for?

The point is the hollow just below a spinous process, so do not press hard on the bone or knock it. Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level. Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.

← PreviousShenzhu · GV12 Next →Dazhui · GV14

Sources

Location: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 210
Standard comparison: Chinese national standard GB/T 12346-2021 (Nomenclature and location of meridian points)
Traditional-use cross-check: AcuAtlas dataset (CC BY 4.0)
Classification source: Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing vol. 3

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.