Some eye problems feel too trivial for a doctor’s visit, yet too irritating to ignore. Rubbing your eyes isn’t a good fix—it can invite bacteria and leave you worse off. However, an acupoint massage might be just the right fix.
Tear Container (Cheng Qi, ST1) sits under your eye and starts off the Stomach meridian, which may sound like an odd place to treat the eyes—but read on.
How Ancient Medicine Framed Cheng Qi
Cheng Qi was first mentioned in the “Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing” (“A-B Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion”), a classical text that many practitioners still reference today. This acupoint holds special importance because it is the entry point of the Stomach meridian, which means its location is where energy from the external environment begins to flow through this particular energy pathway.
In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acupoints treat the place they are located and the organs they’re connected to. Since Cheng Qi is physically near the eye, it plays a role in regulating eye health. Think of it as a gate between the body’s inner landscape and the outer world—especially useful when external elements like wind or cold trigger tear flow.
What Cheng Qi Can Do for You
Cheng Qi is best known for its direct benefits to eye health. It is commonly used to support conditions such as nearsightedness, night blindness or poor low-light vision, eyelid twitching, and excessive tearing when exposed to wind or cold. In addition to these functional concerns, it is also a go-to acupoint for cosmetic issues like dark circles under the eyes. Regular stimulation of Cheng Qi can enhance local circulation, improve energy flow in the area, and help maintain clearer vision, particularly for those experiencing age-related decline or prolonged screen time.
What Research Says
Direct human studies are limited due to the sensitive location of this point—right under the eye socket. However, researchers have explored animal models to safely test its effects.
One recent study used rabbits with a vision-threatening condition called nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. The rabbits received acupuncture either inside the eye socket (including Cheng Qi), outside the socket, or both. The study found that the combination approach reduced cell death in the retina and helped increase the levels of protective proteins. This points to a potential role for Cheng Qi in slowing or even preventing degeneration in delicate eye tissues.
While we can’t generalize these findings to humans just yet, they highlight how Cheng Qi may be more than just a surface-level massage point—it could be involved in deeper cellular protection mechanisms in the eyes.
How to Locate and Activate Cheng Qi
To locate Cheng Qi, look straight ahead and trace a line straight down from the center of your pupil. You’ll find the point just beneath the eyeball and above the cheekbone’s ridge. Press gently, and if you feel a sore or tender spot, you’ve found the right place.
Once located, activate it by:
- Firm pressure: Press firmly for three to five seconds, then relax for three seconds. Repeat for one to three minutes on each side.
- Circular massage: Massage in small circles with your index finger or thumb for one to three minutes on each side.
Precautions
Avoid this acupoint if you have injuries near your eye. Due to the sensitive location, moxibustion (a gentle heat therapy with dried mugwort) is not performed at Cheng Qi, and acupuncture should only be performed by highly trained professionals with the utmost care.
A Daily Practice
Next time you feel the urge to rub your eyes out of frustration, screen fatigue, or stress, pause and reach for Cheng Qi instead. This small act of care takes less than five minutes, helps alleviate eye discomfort, improves circulation, and may even reduce dark circles. Think of it as a pocket-sized wellness ritual—a way to center yourself while supporting your vision, with no doctor appointment needed.
TCM expert Shihhsiang Hung reviewed this article for accuracy and clarity.
Originally published in Epoch Times on 23 June 2025
