PC 8: LAOGONG (Labor's Palace)
When the hand is placed palm upwards, the point is between the 2nd and 3rd metacarpal bones, proximal to the metacarpophalangeal joint, on the radial side of the 3rd metacarpal bone. With the fingers cupped in the palm in a half fist, this point can be found in front of the tip of the middle finger between the 2nd and 3rd metacarpal bones. Below the point are the aponeurosis, the 2nd lumbrical and the superficial and deep tendons of the flexor digitorum muscles, in it's deep position are the origin of the transverse head of the adductor hallucis muscle and the interossei muscle. Lao means labour and Gong means centre, the hand is for labour so here Lao refers to the hand. The point is in the centre of the palm
A fire and yong point. When this point is struck, it heats the heart. When used in healing, it cools the heart. This point is however, more known as the point where the Qi emanates from, either for the healing or for the martial arts. This is where the Qi comes from when we put in either healing Qi or disruptive Qi. The hand can be open or closed, it doesn’t matter, the Qi still comes from this point. It can also be used as a ‘balancing’ point for when we do ‘meridian balancing’ on someone to balance the yin/yang energy in the body. This point on only the left hand is held over the ‘earth’ point on each meridian and then the other PC 8 is rubbed down the length of the meridian.