Abdominal acupuncture contains a total of only 19 points* organized roughly on a grid centering around the umbilicus. Similar to other acupuncture modalities like auricular and scalp acupuncture, the acupoints in the system together represent a homunculus and, when coupled with precise needling techniques, can address conditions covering the entire human body. This chart of abdominal points is often referred to as the "turtle" in the literature because its proportions resemble that of a turtle more than a human. The head and torso are stretched out in the middle, while the limbs are compressed to the four corners.

In this system, the Ren (conception) channel reflects the spine, meaning the CV points on the abdomen correspond to specific vertebrae and GV points, making them effective for treating spinal issues. Similarly, the Kidney channel mirrors the Urinary Bladder channel, allowing Kidney points on the abdomen to target related points on the back's Urinary Bladder channel, thereby addressing problems like back pain. Additionally, the Kidney points can influence the upper and lower extremities on the opposite side by directing qi from the Kidneys to those specific areas. Some commonly used Kidney points in abdominal acupuncture include Qixue (KI 13), Shangqu (KI 17), Shiguan (KI 18), and Yindu (KI 19). In treatment, the non-CV points on the abdomen are utilized to enhance the CV points' effects.