内，脉必似数似缓，或不浮不沉而数，或濡缓模糊，至数不清，皆遏象也。至于风，无定体
者也，兼寒燥者紧数而浮，兼暑湿者濡缓而浮（风为阳邪，故脉兼浮）。火，无中立者也，六
气皆从火化。化火在经、在气分，脉必洪缓；化火入胃腑，与渣滓相搏，脉必沉实而小，甚
则沉微而伏。实而小，微而伏，亦遏象也。迨里邪既下，脉转浮缓而不沉遏，日内必得汗解
。若汗后脉仍沉数者，邪未尽也；汗后脉转浮躁者，邪胜正也；汗后必身凉脉静，乃为邪尽
。夫静者，沉细之谓。然脉虽沉细，而至数分明，与前之涩滞模糊者不同，数日内食进虚回
，则脉转圆浮矣。圆脉与遏脉反。遏者，病邪遏伏也；圆则气血通调，精神贯注，何病之有
？
昔人以胃、根、神三字为诊家妙诀。高鼓峰以脉圆为病愈。此圆之一字，又得胃、根、
神三字之神髓矣。夫胃、根、神三字，犹不甚确。盖有胃即是有神，和柔轻缓，匀净分明，
如鸡践地，从容不迫，所谓胃气者如此，所谓脉贵有神者亦如此。至根字之说，古人以沉候
为根，又以尺部为根中之根。歌曰∶枝叶虽枯槁，根本将自生。诊危证之脉，必求根以为断
。然以沉候、尺部为根，仍未得根中之气。尝见五脏绝脉，惟肺绝，脉如风吹毛，空而无根
，其他脏绝，脉沉候尺部皆按之鼓指，分外坚搏，如弹石，如循刀刃，如雀啄，如操带钩，
皆无神而有根者也。然有根而亦死者，何也？盖犹木根深入地中而死者，不得气故也。夫木
根虽下垂，而根上旁须四面旋绕，得四方之土气，气盛方能旁见侧出，枝叶四布。人之脉，
隐于肌肉之内，不但下至尺，深至筋骨，亦必按之中间，与肌肉相连一片，如是则气血交纽
，营卫未离，谓之有气，有气便是有根。尝见阴亏之辈，以及年高之人，其脉若独然一条扛
起，似与肌肉不相联系，阴与阳分，是谓无气，万物非气不能融贯通连，故言根不若言气，
言胃不若言神。心主神，肺主气，神、气二者，非脉之大原者哉？
在里证中，脉象必然表现为似数似缓，或者不浮不沉而数，或者濡缓模糊，至数不清，这些都是邪气遏伏的征象。至于风邪，没有固定的形态，兼夹寒邪和燥邪时，脉象紧数而浮；兼夹暑湿时，脉象濡缓而浮（因为风为阳邪，所以脉象兼见浮象）。火邪，没有中立的状态，六气都会从火化。火热之邪在经络、在气分，脉象必然洪缓；火热之邪入胃腑，与糟粕相搏结，脉象必然沉实而小，严重时甚至沉微而伏。实而小，微而伏，也是邪气遏伏的征象。等到里邪通过下法排出后，脉象转为浮缓而不沉遏，日内必定通过出汗而解表。如果发汗后脉象仍然沉数，说明邪气未尽；发汗后脉象转为浮躁，说明邪气胜而正气虚；发汗后必须身体凉爽、脉象平静，才算是邪气已尽。所谓“静”，是指脉象沉细。然而脉象虽然沉细，但至数分明，与前文的涩滞模糊不同，数日内食欲恢复、正气回复，则脉象转为圆浮。圆脉与遏脉相反。遏，是指病邪遏伏；圆，则意味着气血通调，精神贯注，还有什么疾病呢？
古人以“胃”、“根”、“神”三字作为诊脉的妙诀。高鼓峰认为脉象圆滑是疾病痊愈的表现。这个“圆”字，又得到了“胃”、“根”、“神”三字的精髓。但是，“胃”、“根”、“神”这三个字，还不够确切。大概有“胃”就是有“神”，脉象柔和轻缓，匀净分明，像鸡踩在地上一样，从容不迫，这就是所谓的“胃气”，也就是所谓的脉贵在有“神”。至于“根”的说法，古人以沉取为“根”，又以尺部为根中之根。歌诀说：“枝叶虽枯槁，根本将自生。”诊断危重证的脉象，必须求“根”作为判断依据。然而，以沉取、尺部为“根”，仍未得到根中的真气。我曾见过五脏绝脉，只有肺绝时，脉象如风吹毛，空而无根，其他脏腑绝时，脉象在沉取尺部皆按之鼓指，分外坚搏，如弹石，如循刀刃，如雀啄，如操带钩，都是无神而有根的脉象。然而有根也死亡的，为什么呢？大概就像树根深入地下而死，是因为不得气的缘故。树木的根虽然下垂，但根上旁须四面旋绕，得四方之土气，气盛方能旁见侧出，枝叶四布。人的脉象，隐于肌肉之内，不但下至尺部，深至筋骨，也必须按之中间，与肌肉相连一片，如是则气血交纽，营卫未离，这叫做有气，有气便是有根。我曾见过阴亏之人，以及年高之人，其脉象若独然一条扛起，似乎与肌肉不相联系，阴与阳分离，这叫做无气，万物没有气不能融贯通连，所以说言“根”不如言“气”，言“胃”不如言“神”。心主神，肺主气，神、气二者，不是脉的大源头吗？
In interior syndromes, the pulse must appear either rapid or moderate, or neither floating nor deep but rapid, or soggy and moderate yet vague, with an indistinguishable rate; all these are manifestations of obstruction (Obstruction: pathogenic factors blocking the flow of Qi and Blood). As for Wind, it has no fixed form. When combined with Cold and Dryness, the pulse is tight, rapid, and floating; when combined with Summerheat and Dampness, the pulse is soggy, moderate, and floating (since Wind is a Yang pathogen, the pulse tends to be floating). Fire has no neutral state; the Six Qi all transform into Fire. If Fire transforms in the meridians or in the Qi level, the pulse must be surging and moderate; if Fire enters the Stomach Fu organ and contends with residue, the pulse must be deep, solid, and small, and in severe cases, deep, minute, and hidden. Solid and small, minute and hidden, are also signs of obstruction. Once the interior pathogens have been purged downward, the pulse turns floating and moderate without being deep and obstructed, and sweating will resolve the condition within the day. If the pulse remains deep and rapid after sweating, the pathogens are not yet exhausted; if the pulse becomes floating and restless after sweating, the pathogens are overcoming the healthy Qi; only when the body cools and the pulse becomes calm after sweating can it be said that the pathogens are fully eliminated. "Calm" refers to a deep and fine pulse. However, although the pulse is deep and fine, its rate is distinct, differing from the previous choppy and vague quality. Within a few days, as appetite returns and deficiency recovers, the pulse turns round and floating. A round pulse is contrary to an obstructed pulse. Obstruction means pathogenic factors are suppressed; roundness indicates that Qi and Blood are unobstructed and Spirit is concentrated—what disease could exist?
Ancients regarded "Stomach", "Root", and "Spirit" as the secret keys of pulse diagnosis. Gao Gufeng considered a round pulse as a sign of recovery. This character "round" captures the essence of the three characters "Stomach", "Root", and "Spirit". However, the terms "Stomach", "Root", and "Spirit" are not entirely precise. Essentially, having "Stomach" implies having "Spirit": the pulse is soft, gentle, light, and slow, even and clear, like a chicken treading on the ground, unhurried and composed. This is what is meant by "Stomach Qi" (Stomach Qi: the vital energy derived from digestion, reflecting the body's resistance), and this is also what is meant by the principle that the pulse values having "Spirit" (Spirit: vitality and responsiveness reflected in the pulse). Regarding the concept of "Root", ancients considered deep palpation as the root, and the Chi position (Chi position: the deepest pulse position at the wrist, corresponding to the Kidneys) as the root of the root. The rhyme says: "Though branches and leaves wither, the root will naturally regenerate." In diagnosing critical pulses, one must seek the root for judgment. Yet, defining the root merely by deep palpation or the Chi position does not capture the true Qi within the root. I have observed the pulses of the Five Zang organs failing; only in Lung failure is the pulse like wind blowing feathers, empty and rootless. In failures of other Zang organs, the pulse at deep palpation of the Chi position beats strongly against the finger, exceptionally firm and pounding, like flicking a stone, like running along a blade, like a sparrow pecking, or like grasping a belt hook. These are pulses without Spirit but with Root. Yet, some with a Root still die. Why? It is akin to tree roots dying while deep in the earth because they lack Qi. Although tree roots hang down, their lateral fibers surround them in all directions, absorbing Earth Qi from the four quarters; only when Qi is abundant can they extend sideways and branch out. Human pulses hide within the muscles. Not only do they extend down to the Chi position and deeply to the sinews and bones, but when pressed in the middle, they must connect seamlessly with the muscle tissue. Only then do Qi and Blood interlock, and Ying and Wei (Ying and Wei: Nutritive and Defensive Qi) remain united. This is called having Qi; having Qi is having Root. I have seen individuals with Yin deficiency or the elderly whose pulses rise distinctly like a single bar, seemingly disconnected from the muscles, separating Yin from Yang. This is called lacking Qi. All things cannot integrate and connect without Qi. Therefore, speaking of "Qi" is better than speaking of "Root", and speaking of "Stomach" is better than speaking of "Spirit". The Heart governs Spirit, and the Lung governs Qi. Are not Spirit and Qi the great sources of the pulse?