Acu-moxa chart, front of thorax, Chinese woodcut

This text was composed in the Yuan period (1206-1368). The illustration shown here is taken from an edition of 1515 (10th year of the Zhengde reign period of the Ming dynasty). It depicts the upper half of a male body, naked to the waist. The names of the acu-moxa locations are inscribed in the corresponding locations on his chest in two-character columns - a central column with three columns to either side. Charts of this kind served as an aid to the practitioner in visually locating the acu-moxa points. (See 'Lettering' for list of point names).

Picture title: Frontal chart of the thorax. Other lettering (acu-moxa locations): Tiantu (Celestial Prominence); shaoyin (Lesser Yin); zhongfeng (Middle Seal); zhongfu (Middle Palace); zhongtu (Middle Prominence); kufang (Granary); huagai (Magnificent Canopy); zhourong (Encircling Glory); yutang (Jade Hall); ruzhong (Middle of the Breast); rugen (Root of the Breast); yunmen (Cloud Portal); tianxi (Celestial Stream); shidou (Food Cavity)…