"Tian" (天) refers to a high place; "ding" (鼎) is an ancient cooking vessel with a round belly and three legs, used here to describe the head, the cervical spine, and the sternocleidomastoid muscles on both sides. The acupoint is located on the neck, hence the name. In Taiping Shenghui Fang, it is referred to as "Tianding"(天頂), a homophonic borrowing.

bubble_chart Location

Tianding (LI17) acupoint
(adapted from "Meridians and Acupoints")

Located on the lateral side of neck, at the posterior border of sternocleidomastoid muscle, beside the Adam's apple, at the midpoint of the line connecting Futu (LI18) and Quepen (ST12 ).

• Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing: " Located above Quepen (ST12), directly in line with Futu (LI18), 1.5 cun posterior to Qishe (ST11)";
• Tongren acupoint acupuncture and moxibustion Illustration Book: "1 cun directly posterior to Futu (LI18) ";
• Zhenjiu Zisheng Jing: "1 cun posterior to Qishe (ST11)".

bubble_chart Anatomy

• Muscles: platysma, anterior to the sternocleidomastoid muscle; deep to the origin of the middle scalene muscle.
• Nerves: supraclavicular nerve, cervical cutaneous nerve; the deep layer is the starting point of the phrenic nerve (cervical 3-5), and the brachial plexus is below.
• Vessel: There is the ascending carotid artery deep inside.

bubble_chart Manipulation

In a seated position, turn the head to the opposite side. Insert the needle shallowly 0.2-0.5 cun; avoid deep insertion downward to prevent causing a pneumothorax. When pressing on Tianding (LI 17), the upper trunk of the brachial plexus can be compressed between the finger and the anterior border of the transverse process of the 6th-7th cervical vertebrae, causing the patient to feel numbness in the shoulder top and the ipsilateral upper limb. Apply moxibustion with 3-5 moxa cones or use a moxa stick for 5-10 minutes.

Benifit pharynx, clear lung qi.

• Classical: sudden loss of voice with qi blockage, pharyngitis, sore throat and inability to breathe, inability to consume food or drink, gurgling sounds in the throat.
• Modern: tonsillitis, laryngitis, hiccup, numbness of upper limbs.

bubble_chart Combinations

• Aphonia and hesitant speech: Tianding (LI17), Jianshi (PC5).
• Throat obstruction and dysphagia, persistent throat swelling, and inability to swallow food or drink: Tianding (LI17), Qishe (ST11), Geshu (BL17).