Governor VesselGV4

Mingmen 命門

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 L2 spinous process (second lumbar vertebra).

Also called Shulei (屬累)

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

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

Mingmen — 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.

Mingmen — ③ Under the skin — **③ Under the skin**
Vertebra l2 · Vertebra l3 · Interspinales lumborum muscles · Interspinales lumborum muscles

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

On this page

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

1Where is Mingmen?

On the lower back, on the back midline: the hollow just below the L2 spinous process (second lumbar vertebra).

Beneath the point

Vertebra l2 · Vertebra l3 · 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 L2 spinous process and the top of the next one (4.4 mm below the L2 tip).

2How do I find it on my body?

First find GV3 (below L4).
Count two spinous processes up (L3, then L2).
Press the hollow just below L2.

📖 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 'gate of life'. It carries no special category in the classical lists.

From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.

?FAQ

Where exactly is Mingmen?

On the lower back, on the back midline: the hollow just below the L2 spinous process (second lumbar vertebra).

How do I find Mingmen?

First find GV3 (below L4). Count two spinous processes up (L3, then L2). Press the hollow just below L2.

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.

← PreviousYaoyangguan · GV3 Next →Xuanshu · GV5

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)
Alternative name: Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing vol. 3
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.