CAVITY # 13 Shofu

• Name: Shofu, translation, wood cutter, showing the manner in which the strike is to be made. Also Shao Chang Ching in Chinese, translated, window to heaven
• Strike point: SI # 16.
• Location: In the lateral aspect of the neck, in the posterior border of the Sternocleidomastoideus posterosuperior on both sides of the center of the neck.
• Direction of strike: Straight in or in the case of striking from the back 35 degrees.
• Depth: 0.3 to 0.7.
• Vasculation: The ascending cervical artery.
• Innervation: The cutaneous cervical nerve, the emerging portion of the greater aurucular nerve.
• Technique: Blunt to sharp / best strike, elbow, fist, back fist.
• Element: Fire.
• Best strike time: 1pm to 3pm.
• Flow of energy: Downwards.
• Effect: Because of severe changes in blood pressure and Stoppage of circulation and stimulation to the carotid artery and the pneumogastric causing sense and motor organ dysfunction.
• Result: Death / delayed death.
• Cures: In the case of a light strike that produced unconsciousness or fainting, the person will come out of it on his own. In the case of a heavy strike, the personwill die, within a few days, and there is no cure.

Shofu pressure point

Commentary

The small intestine is an organ that is located in the abdomen, its upper end is connected to the stomach, and its lower end connects with the large intestine. The small intestine meridian communicates with the heart (fire element). Its main function is reception and digestion.

Shofu’s location: in the lateral aspect of the neck in the posterior border of m. sternocleidomastoideus, posterosuperior to futu (Li 18), Its medical indication is for the treatment of, sore throat, sudden loss of voice, deafness, tinnitus, stiffness and pain of the neck. The small Intestine contains 19 acupoint; nine of these may be used in the martial combat.

As far as Kata is concerned, Shufu is a point location found in many intermediate forms. It is also one of the first striking points shown to a student of the art, (often shown with a palm up shoto strike, hence its name Shofu woodcutter). It is one of the simplest strike to get some kind of a reaction.

Shufu is primarily a blood gate (Dim Hsueh) strike rather than a Dim Mak strike, for the simple reason that it attacks the arteries and vein in that part of the neck rather than the nerves. This legendary strike is primarily a strike that attacks the ascending cervical artery, Dim Hsueh using a special sealing technique to activate it. This technique is a special pulling motion that reacts like an old fashion paper straw in a glass of milk, when the straw is pressed and pulled in the direction of the flow of milk; it is possible to create a vacuum and slow or even stop the flow of milk in the straw. A similar reaction maybe achieved along with or without this blood gate striking technique. If you are not acquainted with this type of blood gate technique, a pre-emptive strike to Pc#6 or Gb#20 to 24 will cause a similar reaction as well.

Also a strike to the cutaneous cervical nerve at shofu, the emerging portion of the greater aurucular nerve is more or less a Dim Mak strike that will cause a reaction. This point will cause fainting or even unconsciousness very easily on its own. This point maybe combined with Lu#5 to 8 as a preliminary strike, this combination will elevate Shofu into a possible death strike when combined with the best strike time 2 pm.

I list this type of strike in the category of extremely dangerous to practice, depending on the age and health condition of the person struck, shock, coma, dew to changes in blood pressure and damage to the nerves.