Ren

Ren8

神阙 · Shenque

Spirit Gateway

The navel. Palm warmth only. Not a needle point in modern teaching.

Navel point, generally not needled

Use caution

System

Channel: Ren (Ren)
Element: Not one of the five
Yin or yang: yin
Organ system: Sea of yin
Region: Abdomen
Limb rule: Anterior midline

Open the Ren page

Where it is

In the center of the navel.

Nearby: The umbilicus. Most modern teaching says do not needle it. Historical practice discusses moxa around it, which is also not a home fire treatment.

Traditionally said to

A point for yang collapse and cold diarrhea in classical emergency language. For learning, it is a place to rest a warm palm. It is not first aid.

What people look up

Digestion Energy and fatigue

Acupressure

Warm palm over the navel, 60 seconds. No oil, no probing, no heat packs hot enough to burn.

When not to press: Do not press an “outie,” a hernia, or a painful navel. Do not apply moxa or a flame.

About 30–90 seconds is the usual window, unless the step above is shorter. Stop if pain, dizziness, or anything unusual shows up.

Licensed practice only

Needle depth, angle, electroacupuncture

Textbook language for students. Not instructions. A cun is a body-inch on that person, not a ruler inch. Do not needle yourself.

Depth

Generally taught as contraindicated to needle. No depth is listed, on purpose.

Angle

Not applicable in ordinary modern teaching.

Electroacupuncture

Introductory charts rarely assign a standard electroacupuncture setting here. Clinics that use current choose frequency and intensity for that person. No milliamp figure is given, because copying one would be misleading.