Governor VesselGV3

Yaoyangguan 腰陽關

For reference only · not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment

Short answer

On the lower back, on the back midline: the hollow just below the L4 spinous process (fourth lumbar vertebra).

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

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

Yaoyangguan — 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.

Yaoyangguan — ② Up close — **② Up close**

Yaoyangguan — ③ Under the skin — **③ Under the skin**
Vertebra l4 · Vertebra l5 · Interspinales lumborum muscles · Interspinales lumborum muscles

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

On this page

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

1Where is Yaoyangguan?

On the lower back, on the back midline: the hollow just below the L4 spinous process (fourth lumbar vertebra).

Beneath the point

Vertebra l4 · Vertebra l5 · Interspinales lumborum muscles · Interspinales lumborum 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 L4 spinous process and the top of the next one (2.5 mm below the L4 tip).

2How do I find it on my body?

Put your hands on the highest points of both iliac crests.
The horizontal line joining them crosses the spine at the L4 spinous process.
Press the hollow just below it.

📖 Words explained

interspinales lumborum: Tiny muscles linking the spinous processes of neighboring lumbar bones. They help straighten the lower back.
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

Do not press during pregnancy.
WHO's acupuncture safety guidelines (1999) note that lumbosacral points are traditionally avoided in pregnancy.
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?

The name means 'lumbar yang gate'. It is not in the main text of the Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing (vol. 3), only in a later note, so it is regarded as a later addition to the channel.

From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.

?FAQ

Where exactly is Yaoyangguan?

On the lower back, on the back midline: the hollow just below the L4 spinous process (fourth lumbar vertebra).

How do I find Yaoyangguan?

Put your hands on the highest points of both iliac crests. The horizontal line joining them crosses the spine at the L4 spinous process. Press the hollow just below it.

Can I press it during pregnancy?

Do not press during pregnancy.

What should I watch out for?

Do not press during pregnancy. WHO's acupuncture safety guidelines (1999) note that lumbosacral points are traditionally avoided in pregnancy. 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.

← PreviousYaoshu · GV2 Next →Mingmen · GV4

Sources

Location: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 205
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)
Safety: WHO Guidelines on Basic Training and Safety in Acupuncture (1999), p. 20

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.