ST21 Liangmen (Ridge Gate)

Location

4 thumb widths above the umbilicus 2 thumb widths lateral to the CV12.

Indications

Conditions for which ST21 is listed as indicated. An indication list is a reference index, not a prescription – see the protocols below for sourced treatments.

Protocols using ST21

• Hypertension, Obesity Abdominal, Hyperglycemia, Insulin Resistance, Dyslipidemia, Metabolic Syndrome – ST21, ST25, ST36, SP15, GB26, CV05, CV10, CV12 (doi:10.1155/2017/8598210 ↗)
• Fatigue, Loss of Appetite, Low-back Pain, Cough Chronic Intractable, Throat Dry, Lupus Nephropathy – LU07, LI04, LI20, ST21, ST25, ST36, ST40, ST41, SP04, SP06, SI03, BL13, BL18, BL23, BL62, KD03, KD06, PC06, TB05, GB41, LV03, CV04, CV06, CV22, GV01, GV08, GV14, GV24 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000009309 ↗)
• Overweight, Obesity Simple, Bmi Elevated – LI04, LI11, ST21, ST24, ST25, ST26, ST27, ST28, ST32, ST34, ST36, ST37, ST39, ST40, ST44, SP04, SP06, SP09, SP14, SP15, SP16, BL20, BL21, TB06, GB26, LV13, CV04, CV06, CV07, CV09, CV10, CV12, CV13 (doi:10.1155/2020/2367610 ↗)
• Vomiting, Nausea, Abdominal Pain, Abdominal Bloating, Postprandial Fullness, Satiety Early, Gastroparesis Diabetic, Loss Of Appetite – ST21, ST25, ST36, SP06, BL18, BL20, BL21, BL23, PC06, CV12 (doi:10.1155/2021/6649331 ↗)
• Obesity Abdominal – ST21, ST24, ST25, ST26, ST28, SP15, GB26, CV04, CV06, CV09, CV10, CV12 (doi:10.1111/jocd.70718 ↗)
• Vomiting, Nausea Vomiting – LI04, ST21, ST36, PC06, LV03, CV12 (doi:10.3389/fphar.2026.1693269 ↗)
• Vomiting, Nausea, Belching, Dyspepsia, Ischemic Stroke, Stroke Ischemic Sequela, Dyspepsia Post-stroke – ST21, ST25, CV06, CV12 (doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20240185 ↗)
• Chemotherapy Nausea, Vomiting Chemotherapy-induced – LI04, ST21, ST24, ST25, ST34, ST36, SP15, PC06, CV04, CV06, CV08, CV09, CV10, CV11, CV12, CV13, CV14 (doi:10.13460/j.issn.1005-0957.2024.13.4027 ↗)
• Gastroparesis Postoperative, Digestive Tract Tumor Postoperative – ST21, ST25, ST36, CV12, GV06, GV07, GV08, GV09, GV10, GV11 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250528-k0002 ↗)
• Vomiting, Nausea, Chemotherapy Nausea – LI04, ST21, ST36, PC06, LV03, CV12 (doi:10.3389/fphar.2026.1693269 ↗)
• Obesity, Overweight – ST21, ST25, SP09, SP14, SP15, BL20, LV13, CV04, CV06, CV09, CV12 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20230219-k0001 ↗)
• Chemotherapy Nausea, Vomiting Chemotherapy-induced – ST21, ST25, ST36, PC06, CV04, CV06, CV08, CV10, CV11, CV12, CV13 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20230705-0001 ↗)
• Obesity Abdominal, Insulin Resistance, Dyslipidemia, Appetite Increased – ST21, ST40, BL20, CV04, CV06, CV12 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20240517-k0005 ↗)
• Dyspepsia, Dyspepsia Post-stroke – ST21, ST25, CV12 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20201011-k0001 ↗)
• Ileus Postoperative, Bowel Dysfunction Postoperative, Recovery Postoperative – ST21, SP15 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20220505-0002 ↗)
• Vomiting, Nausea, Lung Cancer – LI04, ST21, ST36, PC06, LV03, CV12 (doi:10.3389/fphar.2026.1693269 ↗)
• Vomiting, Nausea – ST21, ST36, PC06 (Deadman, Al-Khafaji & Baker, A Manual of Acupuncture – point group actions)
• Spleen Qi Deficiency, Spleen Qi Deficiency – ST21, ST31, ST32, ST33, ST34, ST36, SP03, SP05, SP06, SI06, BL20 (Yang Yong-Xuan, clinical point-selection notes)
• Stomach Qi Deficiency, Stomach Qi Deficiency – ST12, ST21, ST30, BL21 (Yang Yong-Xuan, clinical point-selection notes)
• Obesity Abdominal – ST20, ST21, ST25, ST28, ST34, ST36, ST40, ST44, SP06, SP09, SP11, TB06, TB13, GB26, LV03, LV09, CV04, CV06, CV12 (SUN Hong. Relation between Treatment Course and Therapeutic Effects of Acupuncture for Female Obesity of Different Types. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2008, 28(4): 258-261)
• Obesity Symmetrical – ST20, ST21, ST25, ST28, ST34, ST36, ST40, ST44, SP06, SP09, SP11, TB06, TB13, GB26, LV03, LV09, CV04, CV06, CV12 (SUN Hong. Relation between Treatment Course and Therapeutic Effects of Acupuncture for Female Obesity of Different Types. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2008, 28(4): 258-261)
• Gastritis Chronic Atrophic – ST21, ST36, SP06, CV04, CV12, CV17 (赵惠. 灸法治疗慢性萎缩性胃炎体会. 中国中医药现代远程教育 ., 2012 [CNKI])
• Dyspepsia Functional – ST02, ST21, ST36 (Tan Tao et al.. [Brief analysis of professor YAN Jie's academic thought on functional dyspepsia treated with acupuncture and moxibustion].. Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion, 2016)
• Obesity Simple – ST21, ST25, ST28, ST34, SP04 (Zhang Xiaozhe. A Clinical Survey of Acupuncture Slimming. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2008; 28(2): 139-147)
• Obesity Stress-related;hyperphagia;headache;dysphoria – ST21, ST25, ST40, BL18, BL20, BL21, LV03, CV06 (Zhang Xiaozhe. A Clinical Survey of Acupuncture Slimming. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2008; 28(2): 139-147)
• Gastroptosis – ST21, CV14 (Wu Zhong-Chao et al.. [Professor Qiu Mao-Liang's theory of "three benefits" of acupuncture for diseases of digestive system].. Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion, 2012)
• Qi Stagnation, Stasis Blood, Paralysis (infant), Benefit Regulate Yin, Benefit Regulate Wei, Paralysis Abdominal, Qi Stagnation, Stasis Blood, Paralysis (infant), Benefit Regulate Yin, Benefit Regulate Wei, Paralysis Abdominal – ST21, ST25, GB26, CV04 (sacredlotus.com ↗)

Most often selected alongside ST21

How many sourced protocols in the index pair each point with ST21. Corpus frequency, not a combination to use.

• CV12Stomach Centre17 protocols
• ST25Celestial Pivot16 protocols
• ST36Leg Three Miles16 protocols
• CV04Original Qi Gate11 protocols
• CV06Sea Of Qi11 protocols
• PC06Inner Gate8 protocols
• LV03Great Surge7 protocols
• SP06Three Yin Intersection7 protocols
• BL20Spleen Shu Point6 protocols
• GB26Girdle Vessel6 protocols
• LI04Junction Valley6 protocols
• SP15Great Horizontal6 protocols

Other points on the Stomach Meridian