A Proposed Standard International Acupuncture Nomenclature: Report of a WHO Scientific Group: 3. Proposed standard international acupuncture nomenclature: 3.6 Scalp acupuncture lines

A Proposed Standard International Acupuncture Nomenclature: Report of a WHO Scientific Group
(1991; 36 pages)

Table of Contents

	WHO Scientific Group on International Acupuncture Nomenclature
	1. Introduction
	2. Background
		2.1 Historical perspective
		2.2 Towards a standard nomenclature²
		2.3 Essential elements of a standard nomenclature⁴
		2.4 Nomenclature proposals to date⁵
		2.5 The importance of a common language
	3. Proposed standard international acupuncture nomenclature
		3.1 Structure of the proposed nomenclature
		3.2 The 14 main meridians
		3.3 The 361 classical acupuncture points
		3.4 The 8 extra meridians
		3.5 The 48 extra points
		3.6 Scalp acupuncture lines
	4. Recommendations for further action by WHO in the field of acupuncture
		4.1 Dissemination of the proposed standard international acupuncture nomenclature
		4.2 Further standardization of nomenclature
		4.3 Regulation by health authorities
		4.4 Basic training
		4.5 Safety
		4.6 Indications and contraindications
		4.7 Acupuncture equipment
		4.8 Education of the public
		4.9 Clinical and basic research
	Acknowledgements
	Back cover

3.6 Scalp acupuncture lines

The Scientific Group considered the scalp acupuncture lines (Fig. 1-5) as well as the underlying functional zones of the brain (Fig. 6-7). It proposed the following nomenclature, using the alphabetic code MS (derived from “micro-system” and “scalp point”).

English name and location	Pinyin name	Han character name	Alphanumeric code
middle line of forehead 1 cun from GV24 straight down along the meridian	ézhongxiàn		MS1
lateral line 1 of forehead 1 cun from BL3 straight down along the meridian	épángxiàn I		MS2
lateral line 2 of forehead 1 cun from GB15 straight down along the meridian	épángxiàn II		MS3
lateral line 3 of forehead 1 cun from the point 0.75 cun medial to ST8 straight down	épángxiàn III		MS4
middle line of vertex from GV20 to GV21 along the midline of head	dingzhongxiàn		MS5
anterior oblique line of vertex-temporal from qiánshéncong (one of the four acupuncture points collectively designated as Ex-HN1, 1 cun anterior to GV20) obliquely to GB6	dingniè qiánxiéxiàn		MS6
posterior oblique line of vertex-temporal from GV20 obliquely to GB7	dingniè hòuxiéxiàn		MS7
lateral line 1 of vertex 1.5 cun lateral to middle line of vertex, 1.5 cun from BL6 backward along the meridian	dingpángxiàn I		MS8
lateral line 2 of vertex 2.25 cun lateral to middle line of vertex, 1.5 cun from GB17 backward along the meridian	dingpángxiàn II		MS9
anterior temporal line from GB4 to GB6	nièqiánxiàn		MS10
posterior temporal line from GB8 to GB7	nièhòuxiàn		MS11
upper-middle line of occiput from GV18 to GV17	zhenshàng zhèngzhongxiàn		MS12
upper-lateral line of occiput 0.5 cun lateral and parallel to upper-middle line of occiput	zhenshàng pángxiàn		MS13
lower-lateral line of occiput 2 cun from BL9 straight down	zhenxià pángxiàn		MS14

Fig. 1. Scalp acupuncture lines MS1, MS2, MS3 and MS4 (anterior view)

Fig. 2. Scalp acupuncture line MS5 (vertex view)

Fig. 3. Scalp acupuncture lines MS6 and MS7 (lateral view)

Fig. 4. Scalp acupuncture lines MS8, MS9, MS10 and MS11 (lateral view)

Fig. 5. Scalp acupuncture lines MS12, MS13 and MS14 (posterior view)

Fig. 6. Scalp acupuncture lines MS6, MS7, MS8, MS9, MS10 and MS11 superimposed on functional zones of the brain*

* These scalp acupuncture lines were formerly named in functional terms. The proposed standard international nomenclature is based on surface anatomy so as to facilitate localization of the lines, but their relationship to the underlying functional structures has not changed.

Fig. 7. Scalp acupuncture lines MS12, MS13 and MS14 superimposed on functional zones of the brain*

* These scalp acupuncture lines were formerly named in functional terms. The proposed standard international nomenclature is based on surface anatomy so as to facilitate localization of the lines, but their relationship to the underlying functional structures has not changed.