Dynamic Points

The term "动穴“ (dynamic points) was created by Jiangxi TCM College professor Wei Jia (魏稼) to describe a class of acupoints that have no fixed name, location, or number, and are often in a hidden or mobile state, requiring special diagnostic techniques to identify.

In two articles published in 2008*, Professor Wei Jia introduced the term and its definition, as well as the historical usage of such points, different types of identification techniques, and numerous anecdotal examples of their use from his personal experience.

In 2009 Prof Wei came to my campus to give a lecture on the topic. I had never heard of him before, and the material he presented was interesting, but completely new to me. I was impressed by Prof Wei's background, his questioning attitude, and his strong criticism of the overwhelming emphasis on "static points" in acumoxa education. At the lecture I asked him how, if dynamic points were made part of a school curriculum, would he suggest testing the students' understanding, and he replied simply that this was a difficult problem, and one that had not been addressed yet. This answer greatly impressed me, as it is a rare professor who will cheerfully admit to not knowing the answer to something (especially in public).

The ideas presented in his lecture and articles allowed my thinking to expand in new ways. The disconnect between the authoritative listing of indications for each "static point" in my textbooks (described by Prof Wei as "philological summarization") and clinical reality still remained, but I felt as if I was suddenly given the tools to begin my own re-discovery of the channels and points. My new understanding was that the clinical usage of the static information presented in textbooks required examination of the dynamic body. And how could it be examined? Through touch, through visual observation, through application of heat . . . through attentive communication with the patient.

What a delight! To know that this was indeed "Real Chinese Medicine", to know that it produced obvious therapeutic effects, to know that I would have to palpate and observe and listen to each patient before needling them . . . this is why I came to study this art!

In these pages I hope first to introduce the concepts of dynamic and static points as described by Professor Wei Jia, then broaden out to include related ideas and work by other authors.

*”动穴疗效钩玄“ 中医药通报 2008年 第7卷 第1期，”动穴定位钩玄“ 中医药通报 2008年 第7卷 第4期