一难曰∶十二经皆有动脉，独取寸口，以决五脏六腑死生吉凶之法，何谓也？
然∶寸口者，脉之大会，手太阴之脉动也。
人一呼，脉行三寸，一吸脉行三寸，呼吸定息，脉行六寸。人一日一夜，凡一万三千五百息，
脉行五十度，周于身。漏水下百刻，荣卫行阳二十五度，行阴亦二十五度，为一周也。故五十度
复会于手太阴。寸口者，五脏六腑之所终始，故法取于寸口也。
二难曰∶脉有尺寸，何谓也？然∶尺寸者，脉之大要会也。
从关至尺，是尺内，阴之所治也∶从关至鱼际，是寸口内，阳之所治也。
故分寸为尺，分尺为寸。
故阴得尺内一寸，阳得寸内九分。
尺寸终始一寸九分，故曰尺寸也。
三难曰∶脉有太过，有不及，有阴阳相乘，有覆有溢，有关有格，何谓也？
然∶关之前者，阳之动也，脉当见九分而浮。过者，法曰太过；减者，法曰不及。
遂上鱼为溢，为外关内格，此阴乘之脉也。
关以后者，阴之动也，脉当见一寸而沉。过者，法曰太过；减者，法曰不及。
遂入尺为覆，为内关外格，此阳乘之脉也。
故曰覆溢。
是其真脏之脉，人不病而死也。
四难曰∶脉有阴阳之法，何谓也？然∶呼出心与肺，吸入肾与肝，呼吸之间∶脾受谷味也，其脉在
中。
浮者阳也，沉者阴也，故曰阴阳也。
心肺俱浮，何以别之？然∶浮而大散者心也；浮而短涩者肺也。肾肝俱沉，何以别之？然∶牢而长
者肝也；按之濡，举指来实者肾也。脾者中州，故其脉在中，是阴阳之法也。
脉有一阴一阳，一阴二阳，一阴三阳；有一阳一阴，一阳二阴，一阳三阴。如此之言，寸口有六
脉俱动邪？然∶此言者，非有六脉俱动也，谓浮沉长短滑涩也。浮者阳也，滑者阳也，长者阳也；沉
者阴也，短者阴也，涩者阴也。所谓一阴一阳者，谓脉来沉而滑也；一阴二阳者，谓脉来沉滑而长也；
一阴三阳者，谓脉来浮滑而长，时一沉也。所谓一阳一阴者，谓脉来浮而涩也；一阳二阴者，谓脉来
长而沉涩也；一阳三阴者，谓脉来沉涩而短，时一浮也。各以其经所在，名病逆顺也。
第一难说：十二经脉都有搏动的动脉，唯独选取手腕处的寸口脉，以此来判断五脏六腑的生死吉凶，这是什么道理呢？
回答说：寸口脉，是全身经脉气血大会聚的地方，属于手太阴肺经的动脉搏动处。
人每呼气一次，脉气运行三寸；每吸气一次，脉气也运行三寸。一呼一吸之间（定息），脉气共运行六寸。人在一天一夜之间，总共呼吸一万三千五百次，脉气运行五十周次，循环全身一周。随着漏壶滴水一百刻的时间流逝，营气在阳分运行二十五周次，在阴分也运行二十五周次，合起来为一周天。所以经过五十周次后，脉气重新会合于手太阴肺经。寸口脉，是五脏六腑经脉气血终结和起始的地方，所以诊脉的方法选取寸口。
第二难说：脉象有寸部和尺部之分，这是什么意思呢？回答说：寸和尺，是脉诊的关键会合点。
从关部到尺部，这是尺内部分，由阴气所主司；从关部到鱼际，这是寸口内部，由阳气所主司。
因此，将寸的部分称为尺，将尺的部分称为寸（指定位范围）。
所以，阴气占据尺内一寸的范围，阳气占据寸内九分的范围。
寸和尺的总长度是一寸九分，所以称之为“尺寸”。
第三难说：脉象有过盛（太过），有不足（不及），有阴阳相互乘袭，有覆脉、溢脉，有关格脉，这是什么意思呢？
回答说：关部之前的脉动，属于阳气的活动，脉象应当表现为九分长且浮取可得。如果超过这个标准，按规定称为“太过”；如果少于这个标准，按规定称为“不及”。
如果脉气上冲至鱼际以上，称为“溢”，这属于外关内格的病脉，是阴气上乘的表现。
关部之后的脉动，属于阴气的活动，脉象应当表现为一寸长且沉取可得。如果超过这个标准，按规定称为“太过”；如果少于这个标准，按规定称为“不及”。
如果脉气深入尺部以下，称为“覆”，这属于内关外格的病脉，是阳气下乘的表现。
所以称为覆脉和溢脉。
这是真脏脉显现，即使病人没有明显病症，也会死亡。
第四难说：脉象有区分阴阳的方法，是什么道理呢？回答说：呼气时，气与心和肺相关；吸气时，气与肾和肝相关；在呼吸交替之间，脾气受纳水谷精微，其脉象位于中部。
浮取的脉象属阳，沉取的脉象属阴，所以称为阴阳。
心和肺的脉象都表现为浮，如何区别它们呢？回答说：脉象浮而大且散漫的是心脉；脉象浮而短且涩滞的是肺脉。肾和肝的脉象都表现为沉，如何区别它们呢？回答说：脉象牢靠且长的是肝脉；重按柔软，轻举指下感觉充实的是肾脉。脾位于中焦，所以其脉象在中部，这就是阴阳的诊法。
脉象有一种阴一种阳，一种阴两种阳，一种阴三种阳；有一种阳一种阴，一种阳两种阴，一种阳三种阴。像这样的话，是指寸口六条经脉同时跳动吗？回答说：这里说的不是六条经脉同时跳动，而是指浮、沉、长、短、滑、涩这六种脉象特征。浮脉属阳，滑脉属阳，长脉属阳；沉脉属阴，短脉属阴，涩脉属阴。所谓“一阴一阳”，是指脉来沉而滑；“一阴二阳”，是指脉来沉、滑且长；“一阴三阳”，是指脉来浮、滑且长，偶尔出现一次沉脉。所谓“一阳一阴”，是指脉来浮而涩；“一阳二阴”，是指脉来长、沉且涩；“一阳三阴”，是指脉来沉、涩且短，偶尔出现一次浮脉。根据这些脉象所在的经络部位，来命名疾病的顺逆情况。
Difficulty 1 states: All twelve meridians have pulsating arteries, yet only the Cun Kou (Inch Gate pulse) is selected to determine the life and death, auspiciousness and inauspiciousness of the Zang and Fu organs. What is the reason for this?
The response is: The Cun Kou is the great assembly of pulses, belonging to the pulsation of the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian.
With one exhalation, the pulse travels three cun; with one inhalation, the pulse also travels three cun. During a complete respiratory cycle (Ding Xi), the pulse travels six cun. In one day and night, a person breathes ten thousand three hundred and fifty times, causing the pulse to circulate fifty cycles around the body. As the clepsydra drips down one hundred ke (water marks), Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) circulates twenty-five cycles in the Yang aspect and twenty-five cycles in the Yin aspect, constituting one complete circuit. Therefore, after fifty cycles, the pulse returns to meet at the Hand Taiyin. The Cun Kou is where the meridians of the Zang and Fu organs begin and end; thus, the method of pulse diagnosis selects the Cun Kou.
Difficulty 2 states: There are Chi (Cubit) and Cun (Inch) divisions in the pulse. What does this mean? The response is: Chi and Cun are the major essential assemblies of the pulse.
From the Guan (Barrier) point to the Chi position, this is the inner Chi area, governed by Yin; from the Guan point to the Yu Ji (Fish Border) acupoint, this is the inner Cun area, governed by Yang.
Therefore, the portion designated as Chi is derived from the Cun measurement, and the portion designated as Cun is derived from the Chi measurement.
Thus, Yin occupies one cun within the Chi area, and Yang occupies nine fen within the Cun area.
The total length of Chi and Cun is one cun and nine fen, hence it is called "Chi Cun".
Difficulty 3 states: Pulses can be excessive (Tai Guo) or deficient (Bu Ji); there is mutual multiplication of Yin and Yang; there are Fu (Reversal) and Yi (Overflow) pulses; there are Guan (Barrier) and Ge (Gridlock) conditions. What do these mean?
The response is: Anterior to the Guan point is the movement of Yang; the pulse should appear nine fen long and floating (Fu). If it exceeds this standard, it is termed "excessive" according to the rules; if it falls short, it is termed "deficient".
If the pulse extends beyond the Yu Ji towards the hand, it is called "Yi" (Overflow), representing an external barrier and internal gridlock, which is a pulse of Yin multiplying upon Yang.
Posterior to the Guan point is the movement of Yin; the pulse should appear one cun long and deep (Chen). If it exceeds this standard, it is termed "excessive"; if it falls short, it is termed "deficient".
If the pulse extends into the Chi region below, it is called "Fu" (Reversal), representing an internal barrier and external gridlock, which is a pulse of Yang multiplying upon Yin.
Hence they are called Fu and Yi.
These are the pulses of the True Zang organs; death occurs even if the patient has no apparent disease symptoms.
Difficulty 4 states: There is a method of distinguishing Yin and Yang in pulses. What is it? The response is: Exhalation relates to the Heart and Lungs; inhalation relates to the Kidneys and Liver; between respiration, the Spleen receives the essence of grain, and its pulse is located in the middle.
Floating pulses belong to Yang; deep pulses belong to Yin; hence they are called Yin and Yang.
Both the Heart and Lung pulses float. How are they distinguished? The response is: A pulse that is floating, large, and scattered belongs to the Heart; a pulse that is floating, short, and choppy belongs to the Lung. Both the Kidney and Liver pulses are deep. How are they distinguished? The response is: A pulse that is firm and long belongs to the Liver; a pulse that feels soft upon heavy pressure but becomes solid when lifted lightly belongs to the Kidney. The Spleen resides in the Central Region (Zhong Zhou), so its pulse is in the middle. This constitutes the method of Yin and Yang.
There are pulses with one Yin and one Yang, one Yin and two Yangs, one Yin and three Yangs; and one Yang and one Yin, one Yang and two Yins, one Yang and three Yins. Does this statement imply that all six pulses at the Cun Kou move simultaneously? The response is: This statement does not mean that six pulses move simultaneously, but refers to the characteristics of floating, deep, long, short, slippery, and choppy. Floating is Yang; slippery is Yang; long is Yang. Deep is Yin; short is Yin; choppy is Yin.
What is meant by "one Yin and one Yang"? It means the pulse comes deep and slippery.
What is meant by "one Yin and two Yangs"? It means the pulse comes deep, slippery, and long.
What is meant by "one Yin and three Yangs"? It means the pulse comes floating, slippery, and long, occasionally presenting a deep quality.
What is meant by "one Yang and one Yin"? It means the pulse comes floating and choppy.
What is meant by "one Yang and two Yins"? It means the pulse comes long, deep, and choppy.
What is meant by "one Yang and three Yins"? It means the pulse comes deep, choppy, and short, occasionally presenting a floating quality.
Based on the meridian location associated with these pulse qualities, the reversals and顺逆 (shun ni, favorable/unfavorable progression) of diseases are named.