Large Intestine MeridianLI3

Sanjian 三間

For reference only · not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment

Short answer

On the back of the hand, in the hollow on the thumb side just behind the head of the second metacarpal.

Shu-stream point (Wood)

See it in 3DRotate the body and peel back the skin to see the bones and muscles beneath.
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🖼See it in pictures

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

Sanjian — 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.

Sanjian — ③ Under the skin — **③ Under the skin**
Second metacarpal bone

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

On this page

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

1Where is Sanjian?

On the back of the hand, in the hollow on the thumb side just behind the head of the second metacarpal.

It sits just on the wrist side of the second metacarpophalangeal joint.

Beneath the point

Second metacarpal bone

Our 3D measurement · In our 3D model: 13 mm proximal to the second metacarpophalangeal joint (the hollow just behind the metacarpal head), angled between the radial side and the back of the hand.

2How do I find it on my body?

Make a loose fist.
Run a fingertip along the thumb side of the second metacarpal from the wrist toward the knuckle.
Stop at the bony bump of the metacarpal head and press the hollow just on its wrist side.

Check · the hollow on the far side of the joint is LI2.

📖 Words explained

metacarpophalangeal joint: The joint where a metacarpal meets the first bone of a finger, the root joint of the finger. It is the knuckle that rises on the back of the hand when you make a fist.

3Before you press

⚠ Do not press when

Avoid broken, bruised 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 classical theory as the Wood (Shu-stream) point of the Large Intestine channel.
An alternative name is Shaogu (少谷).

From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.

5Classical text

Donguibogam (Heo Jun, 1613), Acupuncture and Moxibustion, "Sanjian"

一名少谷在手大指次指本節後內側陷中手陽明脈之所注爲腧 …《銅人》

① Also called Shaogu. In the hollow on the inner side of the index finger, behind its base joint. Where the Hand Yangming channel pours in, which makes it the Shu-stream point (Tongren Shuxue Zhenjiu Tujing).

Source tag as given in the Donguibogam: Tongren = Tongren Shuxue Zhenjiu Tujing.
'Behind the base joint' means on its wrist side, and 'inner' means the thumb side.
The garbled glyph 杮 in the Wikisource text has been corrected to 腧 (Lingshu ch.
2 and the Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing write 俞).
Lingshu ch.
2 reads 'pours into Sanjian behind the base joint … the Shu-stream point'.
"…" marks the needling depth and moxa count, left out because they are for licensed practitioners.

Original text as written · translation is ours.

?FAQ

Where exactly is Sanjian?

On the back of the hand, in the hollow on the thumb side just behind the head of the second metacarpal. It sits just on the wrist side of the second metacarpophalangeal joint.

How do I find Sanjian?

Make a loose fist. Run a fingertip along the thumb side of the second metacarpal from the wrist toward the knuckle. Stop at the bony bump of the metacarpal head and press the hollow just on its wrist side. the hollow on the far side of the joint is LI2.

What should I watch out for?

Avoid broken, bruised or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level. Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.

← PreviousErjian · LI2 Next →Hegu · LI4

Sources

Location: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 35
Korean anatomical terms: KMCRIC standard acupoint database · KMLE medical dictionary
Traditional use: Hyeoljari Seodang (Bookdramang, 2015; Korean), ch. 2 "Sanjian" and appendix (Yixue Rumen indications)
Classical text: Donguibogam, Acupuncture and Moxibustion, "Sanjian" — Wikisource public edition (garbled glyph 杮 corrected to 腧)
Indications: Yixue Rumen vol. 1 (Wikisource)
Classification source: Lingshu ch. 2 (Ben Shu) for the five transport points; Nanjing ch. 64 for the phases

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.