"Lian" (廉) refers to ridge, angle, or side. The point is located on the radial edge of the forearm, just above Xialian (LI8), hence the name. In order to distinguish it from foot Shanglian (Shangjuxu (ST37)), Shengji Zonglu add "hand" as prefix.

bubble_chart Location

Shanglian (LI9) acupoint
(adapted from "Meridians and Acupoints")

• Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing: "One cun below Shousanli (LI10)";
• Xunjing Kaoxue Bian: "Three cun below Quchi (LI11), taken with the elbow flexed; if taken directly, it is four cun."

bubble_chart Anatomy

• Muscles: radial extensor carpi longus and brevis muscles; the deep layer is the supinator muscle.
• Nerves: dorsal cutaneous nerve of the forearm, with deep branches of the radial nerve in the deep layer.
• Vessel: Branch of radial artery.

bubble_chart Manipulation

Perpendicular insertion 0.5~1 cun. Moxibustion with moxa cone 3 ~ 5 rounds, moxibustion with moxa stick 5 ~ 10 minutes.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Soothe yangming meridian heat.

• Classical: brain wind headache, shoulder soreness, numbness in hands and feet, wind edema and swollen knees, bowel sounds and abdominal pain, difficult urination with yellow and red color, hemiplegia, cold bone marrow.
• Modern: periarthritis of shoulder, hemiplegia, elbow strain.

bubble_chart Combinations

• Soreness and numbness of upper limbs: Jianyu (LI15), Shanglian (LI9), Hegu (LI4).