Yongquan（涌泉) literally means the spring water where water gushes out of the earth. As mentioned before, this point belongs to the kidney meridian’s beginning point. The Chinese medicine term kidney is more a way of describing a set of interrelated parts rather than describing an anatomical organ as in Western medicine. Kidney also refers to the “gate of Vitality” or “Ming Men.”

The main functions of the kidney include storing essence energy (精气), controlling human reproduction and development, regulating water metabolism and the reception of qi (气), producing bone marrow,  maintaining healthy brain function, dominating bone development, and prevailing in the head hair. The kidney door opens into the ear, strength, and will-power, Zhi (志).

According to the five element points theory of TCM, kidney belongs to water; the Yongquan point is the kidney energy’s (Qi) gushing point and belongs to the wood element within the five element points theory. Energy (Qi) moves from this spot upward throughout the entire body. This point, the only regular meridian point, is located at the bottom of the foot. Yongquan is the key point to connect human energy with Earth and Heaven because the combination of Yongquan with Baihui point (located in the top of the head), Heaven, human and Earth can merge as a whole.  Qi and Breath emanate from the Earth, come through this point, and move upward to connect with the kidney and Ming Men. Furthermore, Ming Men belongs to fire. Water can help wood and wood can help fire. Therefore, Yongquan is the connection linking the water of the Earth to the fire of the Ming Men. This combination creates and maintains the important balance and strength in the human body. With this said, rubbing the Yongquan points can generate power that comes from the ground up to stimulate kidney (water) function and regulate liver (wood) Qi, heart strength (fire) Qi, and tonify spleen (Earth) Qi to keep you younger and stronger!