Small Intestine MeridianSI3

Houxi 後谿

For reference only · not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment

Short answer

Outer edge of the back of the hand, in the hollow just on the wrist side of the fifth knuckle joint, on the skin-colour boundary.

Shu-stream point (Wood)Eight confluent points — Governing Vessel, paired with Shenmai (BL62)

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

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

Houxi — 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.

Houxi — ③ Under the skin — **③ Under the skin**
Fifth metacarpal bone · Abductor digiti minimi of hand

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

On this page

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

1Where is Houxi?

Outer edge of the back of the hand, in the hollow just on the wrist side of the fifth knuckle joint, on the skin-colour boundary.

With the hand half-closed, it is at the outer end of the palm's distal crease.

Beneath the point

Fifth metacarpal bone · Abductor digiti minimi of hand

Our 3D measurement · In our 3D model: just behind the 5th metacarpal head (14.0 mm from its end), on the ulnar edge where back-of-hand and palm skin meet.

2How do I find it on my body?

Make a loose fist.
Follow the palm crease nearest the fingers (distal transverse crease) to its little-finger end.
Press where that crease meets the skin-colour boundary on the edge of the hand.

Check · it is the hollow just on the wrist side of the little finger's knuckle.

📖 Words explained

Yixue Rumen: An introductory medical book published by Li Chan in Ming China in 1575, widely read in Joseon Korea as well.

3The classical posture

Make a fist (the Yixue Rumen's "closed hand").
Follow the crease behind the little finger's knuckle to the outer edge of the hand.
Press where the crease runs out.

Check · WHO 2008 and China's GB/T 12346-2021 use a half-closed hand and place it at the outer end of the palm's distal crease, on the skin-colour boundary.

4Before you press

⚠ Do not press when

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

5How has it been used traditionally?

Classified as the Shu-stream (Wood) point of the Small Intestine meridian and as the confluent point of the Governing Vessel, traditionally paired with Shenmai (BL62) — a historical classification, not a claim of effect.
The name means 'back stream'.
The Ming-dynasty Yixue Rumen (1575) locates it with the hand closed into a fist.

From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.

6Classical text

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

在手小指外側本節後陷中《銅人》
本節後橫文尖盡處握掌取之《入門》
手太陽脈之所注爲腧 …《銅人》

①On the outer side of the little finger, in the hollow behind the base joint (benjie). Tongren Shuxue Zhenjiu Tujing
②Where the pointed end of the crease behind the base joint runs out; take it with a closed fist. Yixue Rumen
③Where the Hand Taiyang channel pours in, which makes it the Shu-stream point. Tongren Shuxue Zhenjiu Tujing

Source tags as given in the Donguibogam: Tongren = Tongren Shuxue Zhenjiu Tujing (1026), Rumen = Yixue Rumen (1575).
The garbled glyph 杮 in the Wikisource text has been corrected to 腧.
Benjie ("base joint") is the old name for the knuckle (metacarpophalangeal) joint.
"…" 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 Houxi?

Outer edge of the back of the hand, in the hollow just on the wrist side of the fifth knuckle joint, on the skin-colour boundary. With the hand half-closed, it is at the outer end of the palm's distal crease.

How do I find Houxi?

Make a loose fist. Follow the palm crease nearest the fingers (distal transverse crease) to its little-finger end. Press where that crease meets the skin-colour boundary on the edge of the hand. it is the hollow just on the wrist side of the little finger's knuckle.

What should I watch out for?

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. 89
Standard comparison: Chinese national standard GB/T 12346-2021 (Nomenclature and location of meridian points), p. 15
Korean anatomical terms: KMLE medical dictionary (Korean Medical Association terms)
Classification source: Lingshu ch. 2 (Ben Shu) for the five transport points; Nanjing ch. 64 for the phases
Eight confluent points source: Zhenjiu Daquan (Xu Feng, 1439), 'Song of the Eight Confluent Points' (Wikisource edition)
Posture and traditional use: Hyeoljari Seodang (Bookdramang, 2015; Korean), ch. 6 "Houxi" and appendix (Yixue Rumen indications)
Classical text: Donguibogam, Acupuncture and Moxibustion, "Houxi" — Wikisource public edition (garbled glyph 杮 corrected to 腧)
Indications: Yixue Rumen vol. 1 (Wikisource)
Classification and traditional-use cross-check: AcuAtlas dataset (CC BY 4.0)

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.