Tianfu
天府 · Tiān Fǔ
Tianfu (LU3, 天府) is a point on the Lung meridian. Location, functions, classical indications, and needling reference.
Last reviewed May 2026
About Tianfu (LU3)
The name Tianfu, “Heavenly Palace” or “Celestial Storehouse,” places this point in the upper, heaven-facing region of the body. In the classical scheme, the highest reaches of the trunk and the upper arm belong to tian, heaven, and a palace there is a seat of refinement and spirit.
LU3 is counted among the Window of the Sky points — a small group on the neck and upper body said to govern the passage of qi between the trunk and the head, and to influence the spirit as well as the body. This lifts it above an ordinary arm point: classical sources reach for it not only for cough and nosebleed but for states where the Lung’s qi and the po, the corporeal soul it houses, have lost their settled relationship.
Its character on the channel is therefore distinctive. Set on the inner upper arm, far from the organ itself, it nonetheless carries one of the channel’s more refined indications — a point where the Lung’s downward, clarifying movement is tied to the clarity of the head and the steadiness of the spirit.
Window of the Sky point
What are the functions of Tianfu in TCM?
In TCM this point is classically described as descending Lung qi, clearing heat from the Lung, cooling the blood to stop bleeding, and — as a Window of the Sky point — regulating the relationship between the chest and the head and settling the corporeal soul (po).
What is Tianfu classically indicated for?
Classically indicated for asthma, cough, nosebleed (epistaxis) and coughing of blood, as well as pain along the inner aspect of the upper arm; as a Window of the Sky point it is also cited for disturbances reaching upward to the head and for emotional disquiet.
Where is Tianfu located?
The WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations places LU3 on the anterolateral aspect of the upper arm, just lateral to the border of the biceps brachii muscle, 3 cun inferior to the anterior axillary fold.
Lies on the radial side of the biceps brachii in the upper arm, near the lateral cutaneous nerve of the forearm and the cephalic vein; the brachial vessels run deep and medial.
Needling reference
Educational reference only — describing how classical and standard texts characterize this point, not clinical instruction.
Standard references describe perpendicular insertion to roughly 0.5–1.0 cun. The point is well away from the thorax, so the chest-wall cautions of LU1 and LU2 do not apply here.
What are the cautions for Tianfu?
No pneumothorax risk at this site. General needling cautions apply; deep insertion is described with awareness of the neurovascular bundle of the upper arm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Tianfu (LU3) acupoint located?
Tianfu (LU3, 天府) is a point on the Lung meridian, in the arm region. The WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations places LU3 on the anterolateral aspect of the upper arm, just lateral to the border of the biceps brachii muscle, 3 cun inferior to the anterior axillary fold.
What does the Tianfu acupoint do in TCM?
In TCM this point is classically described as descending Lung qi, clearing heat from the Lung, cooling the blood to stop bleeding, and — as a Window of the Sky point — regulating the relationship between the chest and the head and settling the corporeal soul (po).
What is Tianfu (LU3) classically indicated for?
Classically indicated for asthma, cough, nosebleed (epistaxis) and coughing of blood, as well as pain along the inner aspect of the upper arm; as a Window of the Sky point it is also cited for disturbances reaching upward to the head and for emotional disquiet.
What is the Chinese name for LU3?
LU3 is Tianfu — 天府, pinyin Tiān Fǔ. Classical category: Window of the Sky point.
How is Tianfu (LU3) needled?
Standard references describe perpendicular insertion to roughly 0.5–1.0 cun. The point is well away from the thorax, so the chest-wall cautions of LU1 and LU2 do not apply here.