Liver MeridianLR13

Zhangmen 章門

For reference only · not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment

Short answer

On the side of the abdomen, just below the free end of the 11th rib.

Front-mu point of the SpleenInfluential point of the zang organs (one of the Eight Meeting Points)Meeting point of the Liver and Gallbladder channels

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

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

Zhangmen — 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.

Zhangmen — ③ Under the skin — **③ Under the skin**
External abdominal oblique muscle · Internal abdominal oblique muscle · Eleventh rib · Transversus abdominis muscle

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

On this page

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

1Where is Zhangmen?

On the side of the abdomen, just below the free end of the 11th rib.

Beneath the point

External abdominal oblique muscle · Internal abdominal oblique muscle · Eleventh rib · Transversus abdominis muscle

Our 3D measurement · In our 3D model: flank skin 3 mm below the lowest point of the free end of the 11th rib (35.5 mm above the navel).

2How do I find it on my body?

Lie on your side and raise the upper arm over your head.
Feel along the lower edge of the rib cage toward the side.
You reach a rib whose tip floats free: the 11th rib. You can also find the short 12th rib further back first, then feel forward and up.
Press just below that tip.

📖 Words explained

external abdominal oblique: The widest, outermost muscle on the side of the belly. Its fibers slant like hands slipped into front pockets (from upper outside to lower inside), and it twists and bends the trunk.
transversus abdominis: The deepest of the three side-belly muscle layers. Its fibers run sideways like a belt and squeeze the belly in.
internal abdominal oblique: The second layer of side-belly muscle, just under the external oblique. Its fibers run roughly crosswise to the external oblique, and it helps twist the trunk.

3Before you press

⚠ Do not press when

Abdominal organs lie close beneath, so do not jab deep with a fingertip.
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 Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing (vol. 3) classifies it as the Front-mu point of the Spleen and a meeting point of the Foot Jueyin and Foot Shaoyang channels — a historical classification, not a claim of effect.
The Nanjing (ch. 45) places the meeting point of the zang organs at the 'end of the lower ribs', read as this point.

From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.

?FAQ

Where exactly is Zhangmen?

On the side of the abdomen, just below the free end of the 11th rib.

How do I find Zhangmen?

Lie on your side and raise the upper arm over your head. Feel along the lower edge of the rib cage toward the side. You reach a rib whose tip floats free: the 11th rib. You can also find the short 12th rib further back first, then feel forward and up. Press just below that tip.

What should I watch out for?

Abdominal organs lie close beneath, so do not jab deep with a fingertip. Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level. Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.

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Sources

Location: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 202
Standard comparison: Chinese national standard GB/T 12346-2021 (Nomenclature and location of meridian points)
Classification source: Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing vol. 3; Nanjing ch. 45

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.