Chize 尺澤
Front of the elbow, on the elbow crease, in the hollow on the thumb (lateral) side of the biceps brachii tendon.
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.
Biceps brachii · Brachioradialis · Humerus
Rendered straight from the 3D model at the computed location. The glowing ring marks Chize.
On this page
1Where is Chize?
Front of the elbow, on the elbow crease, in the hollow on the thumb (lateral) side of the biceps brachii tendon.
Biceps brachii · Brachioradialis · Humerus
2How do I find it on my body?
- Palm up, bend the elbow slightly and tense the arm. The biceps tendon stands out in the middle of the elbow crease.
- At the level of the crease, find the thumb-side edge of that tendon.
- Slide off the edge toward the thumb into the soft hollow.
- biceps brachii
- The 'biceps' at the front of the upper arm; its two heads join on the radius to bend the elbow and turn the palm up. Bend the arm and you feel its thick tendon in the crook of the elbow.
- brachioradialis
- A muscle running from above the outer elbow to the lower end of the radius. Bend the elbow with the thumb pointing up and it bulges on the thumb side of the upper forearm.
- Yixue Rumen
- An introductory medical book published by Li Chan in Ming China in 1575, widely read in Joseon Korea as well.
- bloodletting
- A procedure that pricks the skin to let out a little blood. It is done by professionals and must not be done on yourself.
3Before you press
- Superficial veins run just under the skin of the elbow crease.
- Bloodletting is a professional procedure, so do not prick this area.
- One classical text advises against moxibustion here (Yixue Rumen).
- 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?
- Classified as the He-sea (Water) point of the Lung meridian — a historical classification, not a claim of effect.
- The name joins chi (the forearm near the elbow, as opposed to cun near the wrist) and ze (marsh): the elbow hollow pictured as a pool.
From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.
5Classical text
Donguibogam (Heo Jun, 1613), Acupuncture and Moxibustion, "Chize"
在肘約文中《銅人》
肘中之動脈也又云肘中約文上動脈中《綱目》
在臂屈伸橫文中筋骨罅陷中又云肘中約上兩筋動脈中《資生》
手太陰脈之所入爲合 …《銅人》
一云不宜灸《入門》
- ①In the middle of the elbow crease. Tongren Shuxue Zhenjiu Tujing
- ②At the pulsing vessel in the middle of the elbow; also given as the pulsing vessel on the elbow crease. Yixue Gangmu
- ③In the middle of the crease made by bending and straightening the arm, in the hollow in the gap between tendon and bone; also given as the pulsing vessel between two tendons on the elbow crease. Zhenjiu Zisheng Jing
- ④Where the Hand Taiyin channel enters, which makes it the He-sea point. Tongren Shuxue Zhenjiu Tujing
- ⑤One text says moxibustion is better avoided here. Yixue Rumen
- Source tags as given in the Donguibogam: Tongren = Tongren Shuxue Zhenjiu Tujing, Gangmu = Yixue Gangmu, Zisheng = Zhenjiu Zisheng Jing, Rumen = Yixue Rumen (1575).
- Garbled glyphs in the Wikisource text have been corrected: 狪 to 肘 (elbow, 4 places) and 禲 to 罅 (gap).
- Lingshu ch.
- 2 reads 'enters at Chize … the pulsing vessel in the middle of the elbow … the He-sea point'.
- "…" marks the needling depth and moxa count, left out because they are for licensed practitioners.
- The moxibustion caution in line ⑤ is kept and carried into the Caution section.
Original text as written · translation is ours.
?FAQ
Where exactly is Chize?
Front of the elbow, on the elbow crease, in the hollow on the thumb (lateral) side of the biceps brachii tendon.
How do I find Chize?
Palm up, bend the elbow slightly and tense the arm. The biceps tendon stands out in the middle of the elbow crease. At the level of the crease, find the thumb-side edge of that tendon. Slide off the edge toward the thumb into the soft hollow. Quze (PC3) is on the other side of the tendon, and Quchi (LI11) is further out at the end of the crease. Chize sits between them.
What should I watch out for?
Superficial veins run just under the skin of the elbow crease. Bloodletting is a professional procedure, so do not prick this area. One classical text advises against moxibustion here (Yixue Rumen). 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. 28
- Standard comparison: Chinese national standard GB/T 12346-2021 (Nomenclature and location of meridian points)
- Locating tips: KMCRIC Standard Acupoint DB (Korea)
- Traditional use: Hyeoljari Seodang (Bookdramang, 2015; Korean), ch. 1 "Chize" and appendix (Yixue Rumen indications)
- Classical text: Donguibogam, Acupuncture and Moxibustion, "Chize" — Wikisource public edition (garbled glyphs 狪 corrected to 肘, 禲 corrected to 罅)
- Indications: Yixue Rumen vol. 1 (Wikisource)
- Classification source: Lingshu ch. 2 (Ben Shu) for the five transport points; Nanjing ch. 64 for the phases
- 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.