Zhongfu 中府
Upper front chest, level with the first intercostal space, 6 cun from the front midline.
Open the 3D Acupoint Map →
🖼See it in pictures
Location and structures come from our 3D model; only the drawing style was refined with AI. Labels are added by us.
Pectoralis major · First rib · Second rib
Rendered straight from the 3D model at the computed location. The glowing ring marks Zhongfu.
On this page
1Where is Zhongfu?
Upper front chest, level with the first intercostal space, 6 cun from the front midline.
It sits just outside the infraclavicular fossa, where Yunmen (LU2) lies.
Pectoralis major · First rib · Second rib
2How do I find it on my body?
- Find Yunmen (LU2) first. Run a fingertip along the underside of the clavicle toward the shoulder until you meet the coracoid process; LU2 is the hollow just inside it.
- Find the height. The horizontal ridge near the top of the sternum (sternal angle) marks the second rib. The rib gap just above it is the first intercostal space.
- Find the width. Go out 1.5 times the midline-to-nipple distance (4 cun) and stop where this line meets the gap. In women, use the midclavicular line as the 4-cun line instead of the nipple, as the standard does for other chest points.
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.
- intercostal space
- The gap between two ribs, felt with a fingertip as a slight groove between bone and bone. It is named after the rib above it (the gap below the first rib is the first intercostal space).
- midclavicular line
- A vertical line dropped straight down from the midpoint of the collarbone, usually passing near the nipple in men. It is used instead of the nipple when locating chest points in women.
- infraclavicular fossa
- The hollow below the outer part of the collarbone, between deltoid and pectoralis major. The coracoid process can be felt deep in its floor.
- midclavicular line
- A vertical line dropped straight down from the midpoint of the collarbone, usually passing near the nipple in men. It is used instead of the nipple when locating chest points in women.
- sternal angle
- The slight horizontal ridge where the manubrium meets the body of the breastbone; slide a finger down from the notch at the base of the neck and it catches on it. The second rib attaches right beside it, so it is the starting mark for counting ribs.
- coracoid process
- A hook of bone curving forward from the shoulder blade like a bird's beak. You feel its hard tip deep in the hollow below the outer part of the collarbone, at the front of the shoulder.
- pectoralis major
- The large fan-shaped muscle covering the front of the chest. It runs from the collarbone, breastbone and rib cartilages to the top of the humerus, and it tightens when you bring the arm forward or hug.
- chest wall
- The wall around the chest organs, made of skin, muscle, ribs and the muscles between them. In places it is thinner than you might think.
3Before you press
- The pleura and lung lie just beneath the chest wall here.
- Do not jab with pointed tools or dig in deeply.
- If you suddenly become short of breath or have chest pain, do not try acupressure — call emergency services or get medical care.
- 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?
- Classed in traditional Chinese medicine theory as the front-mu (alarm) point of the Lung — a historical classification, not a claim of effect.
From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.
5Alternative location
Chinese standard (2021) differs · The Chinese standard (GB/T 12346-2021) adds a second chest ruler — 12 cun between the inner edges of the two coracoid processes — and describes the four points on this level (LU1, ST14, KI26, CV20) as following the slight curve of the first intercostal space rather than a straight line.
?FAQ
Where exactly is Zhongfu?
Upper front chest, level with the first intercostal space, 6 cun from the front midline. It sits just outside the infraclavicular fossa, where Yunmen (LU2) lies.
How do I find Zhongfu?
Find Yunmen (LU2) first. Run a fingertip along the underside of the clavicle toward the shoulder until you meet the coracoid process; LU2 is the hollow just inside it. Find the height. The horizontal ridge near the top of the sternum (sternal angle) marks the second rib. The rib gap just above it is the first intercostal space. Find the width. Go out 1.5 times the midline-to-nipple distance (4 cun) and stop where this line meets the gap. In women, use the midclavicular line as the 4-cun line instead of the nipple, as the standard does for other chest points. it lies roughly a short way straight below LU2.
What should I watch out for?
The pleura and lung lie just beneath the chest wall here. Do not jab with pointed tools or dig in deeply. If you suddenly become short of breath or have chest pain, do not try acupressure — call emergency services or get medical care. Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level. Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.
Sources
- Location: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 26
- Standard comparison: Chinese national standard GB/T 12346-2021 (Nomenclature and location of meridian points)
- Locating tips: KMCRIC Standard Acupoint DB (Korea)
- Classification cross-check: AcuAtlas dataset (CC BY 4.0)
- Safety: Ma et al., eCAM 2015 (chest CT depths, children) · CCAOM Clean Needle Technique Manual, 7th ed. (rev. 2024)
- Classification source: Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing, vol. 3 (front-mu point)
- 3D: computed on Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0) · BodyParts3D © DBCLS
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.