REN-05 (Shi Men) Stone Gate

What does REN-05 Shi Men do?

REN-05 moves and benefits the water passages, regulates qi and alleviates pain, and regulates the uterus — and it is the Front-Mu (alarm) point of the San Jiao.

• Moves and benefits the water passages — the fluid action, fitting its role as the San Jiao’s Mu point (the San Jiao governing the body’s waterways)
• Regulates qi and alleviates pain — for lower-abdominal pain and stagnation
• Regulates the uterus — the gynaecological action

Its classification: the Front-Mu point of the San Jiao. Each organ has a Front-Mu (alarm) point on the chest or abdomen where its qi gathers, and REN-05 is the San Jiao’s. The San Jiao (Triple Burner) governs the passage of fluids and qi through the body’s three divisions — which is why its Mu point carries the water-passages action. Our REN-12 Zhong Wan (Stomach Mu) and REN-04 Guan Yuan (Small Intestine Mu) records set out the neighbouring Mu points on the same midline.

A classical caution the name itself carries. “Shi Men” means Stone Gate — and the classical texts attach a striking warning to it: that strong stimulation of Shi Men in women could cause infertility (a “stone” or sealed gate, hence “barren gate”). Whatever its basis, this historical caution is part of the point’s identity and is why many texts advise care here in women of childbearing age. We record it honestly as a classical association, not as an established fact.

On the name. “Shi Men” — Stone Gate, the sealed or barren gate, as noted above; other readings tie “stone” to hardness or accumulation in the lower abdomen.

Source: Sacred Lotus sources & references (channel, Front-Mu, action and translation records; the REN-04 and REN-12 Mu points queried against our own data), cross-referenced against multiple online sources; the “Stone Gate” fertility caution from the classical point literature.

What is REN-05 Shi Men used for?

REN-05 is used for abdominal pain, diarrhoea, edema, hernia, inability to pass urine, involuntary urination, absent periods, abnormal vaginal discharge, uterine bleeding, and postpartum haemorrhage. Our own indication record is reproduced here in full.

• Abdominal pain and diarrhoea
• Edema (fluid swelling)
• Hernia
• Anuria (inability to pass urine) and enuresis (involuntary urination)
• Amenorrhoea (absent periods), morbid leucorrhoea, uterine bleeding, postpartum haemorrhage

Fluid, bowel, and the uterus. Edema, the urinary entries and diarrhoea are the water-passages action (the San Jiao Mu); the gynaecological entries are the uterus action. It is a broad lower-jiao list, weighted to fluid and to women’s health.

An honest note. Inability to pass urine is a medical emergency (acute retention). Edema requires medical assessment — cardiac, renal and hepatic disease are among the causes. Abnormal or heavy uterine bleeding, and any postpartum haemorrhage, require urgent assessment — postpartum haemorrhage is life-threatening. This record documents classical use only.

How it is combined. With REN-04 Guan Yuan and REN-06 Qi Hai on the midline (its close neighbours) and SP-06 San Yin Jiao for the lower jiao. All held here.

Source: Sacred Lotus sources & references (indication and action records; the REN-04, REN-06 and SP-06 records queried from our own data), cross-referenced against multiple online sources.

Where is REN-05 Shi Men located?

REN-05 is on the midline of the lower abdomen, two cun below the navel.

• On the anterior midline (the front centre line of the body)
• 2 cun below the umbilicus (navel)
• Between REN-04 Guan Yuan (3 cun below the navel) and REN-06 Qi Hai (1.5 cun below)

The midline points are stacked by measurement from the navel. The lower Conception-vessel points run down the midline below the navel: REN-06 at 1.5 cun, REN-05 at 2 cun, REN-04 at 3 cun, REN-03 at 4 cun. REN-05 sits at 2 cun. The navel and the pubic bone are the two fixed ends the measurements run between.

On the name. “Shi Men” — Stone Gate, as noted above.

Source: Sacred Lotus sources & references (location and translation records, retained unchanged; the REN-04 and REN-06 records queried from our own data).

• A Manual of Acupuncture (p. 503): On the midline of the lower abdomen, 2 cun inferior to the umbilicus and 3 cun superior to the pubic symphysis.
• Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion (p. 237): On the anterior midline, 2 cun below the umbilicus.

How is REN-05 Shi Men needled, and what cautions apply?

Our own record states perpendicular insertion of 0.5–1.0 inch, with moxibustion applicable — and it carries an explicit pregnancy caution. What follows is a neutral record of what the reference literature documents. It is not instruction, and this page does not teach technique.

• Angle and depth as recorded: perpendicular, 0.5–1.0 inch.
• Moxibustion: recorded as applicable.
• Pregnancy caution (recorded verbatim): our record states that “great care should be taken to puncture the points from Qugu (REN-02) to Shangwan (REN-13) in pregnant women” — the whole lower-and-middle abdominal run of the Conception vessel, REN-05 among them.
• The “Stone Gate” fertility caution: as noted in the actions, classical texts warn that strong stimulation here in women may affect fertility — a further reason for care.
• Regional anatomy: the point overlies the lower abdominal wall on the midline; deep to it lie the small intestine, the bladder when full, and in pregnancy the uterus.

Hazard, stated plainly. The consideration is the organs beneath — bladder, bowel, and the uterus in pregnancy; the bladder is emptied before needling, and the recorded pregnancy caution is followed. Our record carries no arterial caution at REN-05, and it is not among the nine points that do. A practitioner’s point, not one for self-treatment.

What is not claimed. No study measuring a safe depth at REN-05 could be located, and none is borrowed; the empty-bladder and pregnancy cautions stand in its place. No case report naming REN-05 was located.

Source: Sacred Lotus sources & references (needling record, retained unchanged including the pregnancy caution; the nine arterial cautions queried from our own data), cross-referenced against multiple online sources; regional anatomy from standard anatomical description; the fertility caution from the classical point literature.

Is there research on REN-05, and what should a reader know?

No trial isolates REN-05. Where the point appears it is one component of a protocol, and a study that includes a point in a protocol is not evidence about that point.

What this page can state with confidence. REN-05 Shi Men (“Stone Gate”) is the Front-Mu (alarm) point of the San Jiao, which is why its actions centre on the water passages; it also regulates qi and the uterus. It sits on the midline 2 cun below the navel. Two cautions attach to it: the recorded pregnancy caution covering REN-02 to REN-13, and the classical “Stone Gate” fertility caution in women — both noted honestly.

A safety note. Urinary retention, edema and postpartum bleeding are matters for medical care; this page records classical use and says so.

A note on searching for it. “REN 5”, “CV 5”, “Ren-5” and “Shimen” searches return protocol trials and a large volume of unrelated material — this vessel is coded REN, RN, CV (Conception Vessel) and VC across the literature, and “Shimen” is a common Chinese place name. Any claim attached to this point should be checked against what a study actually used.

Source: Sacred Lotus sources & references (Front-Mu, action, indication and needling records; the San Jiao Mu status confirmed and the neighbouring Mu points queried, against our own data).