Governor VesselGV15

Yamen 瘂門

For reference only · not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment

Short answer

On the back of the neck, on the midline, in the hollow just above the C2 spinous process.

Meeting point of the Governor Vessel and the Yang Linking VesselAlso called Sheheng (舌橫) and Sheyan (舌厭)

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

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

Yamen — 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.

Yamen — ③ Under the skin — **③ Under the skin**
Axis c2 · Atlas c1 · Rectus posterior minor capitis muscle · Rectus posterior minor capitis muscle

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

On this page

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

1Where is Yamen?

On the back of the neck, on the midline, in the hollow just above the C2 spinous process.

It is 0.5 B-cun below GV16 (Fengfu).

Beneath the point

Axis c2 · Atlas c1 · Rectus posterior minor capitis muscle · Rectus posterior minor capitis muscle

Our 3D measurement · In our 3D model: on the posterior midline skin at the level of the hollow between the lower edge of the atlas's posterior tubercle and the top of the C2 spinous process. We followed the bones first — this body has a long back of the neck, so it lies 1.46 cun (53.4 mm along the skin) below Fengfu (GV16), not the standard 0.5 cun (still to be verified).

2How do I find it on my body?

First find GV16.
Go 0.5 B-cun straight down.
Press the hollow just above the first large bone you feel at the top of the neck (the C2 spinous process).

Check · China's standard adds that it is 0.5 B-cun above the middle of the back hairline.

What is a “cun”?

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.

📖 Words explained

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 medulla oblongata lies deep to this area (WHO safety guidelines, 1999).
Do not press hard or jerk the neck backwards.
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?

Ya means 'mute'. The Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing (vol. 3) classifies it as a meeting point of the Governor Vessel and the Yang Linking Vessel and notes that it connects to the root of the tongue — a historical classification, not a claim of effect.

From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.

?FAQ

Where exactly is Yamen?

On the back of the neck, on the midline, in the hollow just above the C2 spinous process. It is 0.5 B-cun below GV16 (Fengfu).

How do I find Yamen?

First find GV16. Go 0.5 B-cun straight down. Press the hollow just above the first large bone you feel at the top of the neck (the C2 spinous process). China's standard adds that it is 0.5 B-cun above the middle of the back hairline.

What should I watch out for?

The medulla oblongata lies deep to this area (WHO safety guidelines, 1999). Do not press hard or jerk the neck backwards. Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level. Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.

← PreviousDazhui · GV14 Next →Fengfu · GV16

Sources

Location: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 211
Standard comparison: Chinese national standard GB/T 12346-2021 (Nomenclature and location of meridian points)
Classification source: Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing vols. 3, 5 and 12
Safety: WHO Guidelines on Basic Training and Safety in Acupuncture (1999), p. 25

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.