Updated 3 November 2026
Acupressure points are spots on the body's meridians that you press with a finger or thumb. The most useful ones to learn first are He Gu on the hand, Nei Guan on the wrist, Zu San Li below the knee, Tai Chong on the foot, Yin Tang between the eyebrows, Bai Hui on the crown, and Lao Gong and Yong Quan in the palms and soles.
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What are acupressure points?
Acupressure points are small spots where a meridian, a channel of qi, comes close to the surface of the body. You can reach them with pressure from a finger, with heat, or with a needle in acupuncture.
In Chinese a point is called 穴位 (xuewei, say "shweh-way"). 穴 means a hollow or cavity, and 位 means a place. That is a good clue: most points sit in a small dip between a bone, a tendon or a muscle. The right spot often feels a little tender.
Chinese medicine names 12 main meridians, and each one links to an organ. So a point on the foot can sit on a line that runs up to the liver or the kidneys.
Does qigong use acupressure points?
Yes. Many qigong forms press or focus on named points such as Lao Gong, Yong Quan and Bai Hui. Others work on whole meridians instead. For the history and Chinese sources, read Does qigong use acupuncture points? This post is the hands-on part.
Where are the 8 acupressure points to know first?
Here are 8 well-known points. The locations follow the standard references. A "finger width" means the width of your own thumb or finger, so the map fits your body.
| Point | Code | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| He Gu (Joining Valley) | LI4 | Back of the hand, between the thumb and index finger bones. Squeeze your thumb against your index finger. The point is at the top of the muscle bump, next to the middle of the index finger bone. |
| Nei Guan (Inner Gate) | PC6 | Inside of the forearm, about three finger widths above the wrist crease, between the two tendons in the middle of the wrist. |
| Zu San Li (Leg Three Miles) | ST36 | Front of the lower leg, about four finger widths below the dip on the outer side of the kneecap, and one finger width out from the shin bone. |
| Tai Chong (Great Surge) | LV3 | Top of the foot. Slide a finger up the gap between the big toe and second toe until it stops where the two bones meet. The point is in the dip just before that spot. |
| Yin Tang (Hall of Impression) | EX-HN3 | Between the inner ends of the eyebrows. |
| Bai Hui (Hundred Meetings) | GV20 | Top of the head, on the center line, where a line over the head from the tip of one ear to the other crosses it. |
| Lao Gong (Palace of Toil) | PC8 | Center of the palm. Make a loose fist. The point is where the tip of your middle finger touches the palm. |
| Yong Quan (Bubbling Spring) | KI1 | Sole of the foot. Curl your toes. The point is in the deepest dip that forms, about one third of the way from the base of the second toe to the heel. |
A safety note on He Gu: Chinese medicine traditionally avoids pressing He Gu during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, skip it.
How do you press an acupressure point the qigong way?
Press slowly and in time with your breath. In our practice you press as you breathe out and ease off as you breathe in, with your attention on the point. This joins the Three Harmonies of White Tiger Qigong:
| Harmony | Chinese name | How it shows up in acupressure |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Jing | Finding the exact spot and pressing with the right depth |
| Breath | Qi | Press on the out-breath, release on the in-breath |
| Spirit | Shen | Your attention moves from the center of your palm out to your fingertip and into the point |
Start gently. A little ache is fine. Sharp pain is not, so press more lightly. Don't press on broken skin, bruises or swollen veins.
What are the best acupressure points for stress?
For stress, start with Yin Tang, Nei Guan, Tai Chong and Yong Quan. Yin Tang is the point used most in studies on anxiety.
Here is a 5-minute routine. Sit on the edge of a chair, feet flat, legs uncrossed.
- Warm your hands (30 seconds). Rub your palms together until they feel warm. This wakes up Lao Gong, the center of the palm. In qigong it is the easiest place to feel qi.
- Yin Tang (1 minute). Rest one fingertip between your eyebrows. Press as you breathe out. Ease off as you breathe in. Do 6 to 8 slow breaths.
- Nei Guan (1 minute). Place your thumb three finger widths above the inside of your wrist, between the tendons. Press on each out-breath for 5 breaths. Switch sides.
- Tai Chong (1 minute). Find the dip on the top of each foot between the big toe and second toe bones. Press on the out-breath for 5 breaths each side. In our tradition this point helps release irritability and frustration held in the liver.
- Yong Quan (1 minute). Press your thumb into the sole of each foot, 5 breaths each side. Yong Quan is the first point of the kidney channel, and the kidneys link to fear. We press it to build courage and willpower.
- Close (30 seconds). Rest both hands over your lower belly, just below the navel. Take five slow breaths. In our classes we call this storing the energy.
For more ways to settle the nervous system, read 3 easy qigong exercises to reduce stress and anxiety.
How do the points link to your organs and emotions?
Chinese medicine pairs each main organ with an element and an emotion.
| Organ | Element | Emotion |
|---|---|---|
| Lungs | Metal | Grief |
| Kidneys | Water | Fear |
| Liver | Wood | Anger |
| Heart | Fire | Desire |
| Spleen | Earth | Worry |
So Tai Chong, on the liver channel, is a point we use when anger and irritability build up. Yong Quan, on the kidney channel, is the one we use for fear. In Five Element Qigong, each animal form works one of these organ, element and emotion pairs.
How does qigong use these points while you move?
In qigong you often work the points without your fingers. You use stance, breath and attention instead.
- Bai Hui and Yong Quan. In standing practice, you feel Yong Quan press into the ground and let Bai Hui float up, as if a string lifts the top of your head. Bai Hui connects you to heaven and Yong Quan connects you to the earth. You want both at once: rooted below and light above.
- The Four Gates. The two Lao Gong points and the two Yong Quan points are the Four Gates. In Four Gate Breathing, you breathe qi in through the palms and soles to the lower dantian, then send it back out to the hands and feet.
White Tiger Qigong also looks at points through modern movement science. Twisting and coiling the body out to the hands and feet wrings out the meridians and frees the fascia, the web of connective tissue that wraps every muscle. A 2002 study by Langevin and Yandow mapped points through sections of the human arm and found that about 80 percent of the points lined up with connective tissue planes between or inside muscles. The authors put this forward as an idea to test, not as final proof.
What does the research say about acupressure?
The research is promising for a few uses, but much of it is small.
- Anxiety. A 2015 review in Acupuncture in Medicine (Au and colleagues) pooled trials that compared acupressure with a fake version. Acupressure gave a greater drop in anxiety before surgery or treatment. Yin Tang and HT7 were the points used most often. The authors called for better-run trials.
- Nausea. A 2015 Cochrane review (Lee and colleagues) looked at 59 trials of stimulating Nei Guan, by acupressure and other methods. Compared with a fake treatment, it lowered nausea and vomiting after surgery. Many of the trials had quality problems.
Acupressure and qigong are complementary practices. Use them alongside regular medical care, never instead of it. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or have an injury, check with your doctor first.
How often should you practice acupressure?
A few minutes a day is plenty. Use the routine above once a day, or when you feel tense. New to qigong? Start with our 15-minute beginner routine.
Where to go next
- Want to understand the map behind the points? Chinese Medicine Fundamentals for Qigong Practitioners teaches yin and yang, the Five Elements and the meridians, the map that every point sits on.
- Want to keep going every week? The White Tiger Qigong Membership gives you four qigong systems on one clear path, with live classes every week.
Keep reading: Does qigong use acupuncture points? · Four Gate qigong breathing · Beginner's guide to Meridian Qigong