【方歌】浮沈从内上下行，皮浮属肺血心经，筋沈属肝骨沈肾，
肌肉为脾候在中。
【注】脉从内上行者，谓之浮；脉从内下行者，谓之沈。然心
、肺俱浮，于皮毛取之而得者，肺之浮也；于血脉取之
而得者，心之浮也。故曰皮浮属肺血心经也。肺肾俱沈
，以筋平取之而得者，肝之沈也；至骨取之而得者，肾
之沈也。故曰筋沈属肝骨沈肾也。肌肉在浮沈之间，属
脾。其候在中，故曰候在中也。凡脉以部位而得名者，
皆统于浮沈，故以浮沈为提纲，以统濡、弱、芤、伏、
牢、革、虚、实、微、散诸脉也。
【方歌】浮沈无力曰濡弱，中取无力芤脉看，沈极筋骨为伏脉，
浮沈极力革牢参。
【注】浮而无力谓之濡脉，沈而无力谓之弱脉，浮沈有力，中
取无力，状如葱管，谓之芤脉。沈极推至筋骨，按之而
始得者，谓之伏脉。浮而极有力者，谓之革脉。沈而极
有力者，谓之牢脉。
【方歌】三部有力曰实脉，三部无力虚脉称，三部无力而且小，
似有如无微脉名，三部无力而且大，涣漫不收散脉形。
【注】浮、中、沈三部俱有力，谓之实脉。浮、中、沈三部俱
无力，谓之虚脉。浮、中、沈三部无力，按之且小，似
有似无，谓之微脉。浮、中、沈三部无力，按之且大，
涣漫不收，谓之散脉。
【方歌】浮脉与沉脉分别代表气血在体内向上和向下的运行，轻取（皮肤层）出现的脉象归属于肺经和心经，重取（筋层）出现的脉象归属于肝经，极重取（骨层）出现的脉象归属于肾经，而在肌肉层候得的脉象归属于脾脏。
【注】脉气从体内向上向外运行的，称为浮脉；脉气从体内向下向内运行的，称为沉脉。然而心和肺的脉象都表现为浮，如果在皮毛浅表部位取脉而得者，是肺的浮脉；如果在血脉较深部位取脉而得者，是心的浮脉。所以说“皮浮属肺血心经”。肺和肾的脉象都表现为沉，如果在筋部平取而得者，是肝的沉脉；如果推按至骨部才得者，是肾的沉脉。所以说“筋沈属肝骨沈肾”。肌肉位于浮取和沉取之间，归属于脾。其脉候位于中间，所以说“候在中”。凡是依据脉的部位而得名脉象的，都统属于浮脉和沉脉，因此以浮、沉作为总纲，来统领濡、弱、芤、伏、牢、革、虚、实、微、散等各种脉象。
【方歌】浮取或沉取时感觉无力，分别称为濡脉和弱脉；中取时感觉无力的，观察是否为芤脉；沉取至极点，推按至筋骨处才能得脉的，为伏脉；浮取或沉取时极力有力，分别参看是否为革脉和牢脉。
【注】浮取而无力，称为濡脉；沉取而无力，称为弱脉；浮取和沉取都有力，但中取时无力，脉形中空如葱管，称为芤脉。沉取至极点，推按至筋骨处，按压之后才能得脉的，称为伏脉。浮取而极有力，称为革脉；沉取而极有力，称为牢脉。
【方歌】寸、关、尺三部脉都有力，称为实脉；三部脉都无力，称为虚脉；三部脉无力而且细小，似有似无，称为微脉；三部脉无力而且宽大，涣散不收，称为散脉。
【注】浮取、中取、沉取三部脉都有力，称为实脉。浮取、中取、沉取三部脉都无力，称为虚脉。浮取、中取、沉取三部脉都无力，按压时脉形且小，似有似无，称为微脉。浮取、中取、沉取三部脉都无力，按压时脉形且大，涣漫不收，称为散脉。
[Verse] The floating and sinking pulses represent the upward and downward movements of Qi and Blood within the body. The pulse felt at the skin level belongs to the Lung Meridian and Heart Meridian; the pulse felt at the tendon level belongs to the Liver Meridian; the pulse felt at the bone level belongs to the Kidney Meridian; and the pulse felt at the muscle level belongs to the Spleen.
[Annotation] When the pulse Qi moves upward and outward from the interior, it is called Floating Pulse (Fu Mai). When the pulse Qi moves downward and inward from the interior, it is called Sinking Pulse (Chen Mai). However, both Heart and Lung pulses manifest as floating. If the pulse is obtained by palpating superficially at the skin and hair level, it is the floating pulse of the Lung; if it is obtained by palpating deeper at the blood vessel level, it is the floating pulse of the Heart. Hence, it is said that "floating at the skin belongs to the Lung, and in the blood vessels belongs to the Heart." Both Lung and Kidney pulses manifest as sinking. If the pulse is obtained by moderate pressure at the tendon level, it is the sinking pulse of the Liver; if it is obtained only after pressing deeply to the bone, it is the sinking pulse of the Kidney. Hence, it is said that "sinking at the tendons belongs to the Liver, and at the bones belongs to the Kidney." The muscles lie between the floating and sinking levels, belonging to the Spleen. Its pulse manifestation is located in the middle, hence it is said that "the manifestation is in the middle." All pulse names derived from their depth/location are subsumed under Floating and Sinking; therefore, Floating and Sinking serve as the general principles to categorize various pulses such as Soft (Ru), Weak (Ruo), Knotted/Kou (Kou), Hidden (Fu), Firm (Lao), Leathery (Ge), Deficient (Xu), Excess (Shi), Fine (Wei), and Scattered (San) pulses.
[Verse] If the pulse feels weak upon floating or sinking, they are respectively called Soft (Ru) and Weak (Ruo) pulses; if it feels weak upon moderate pressure, one should examine for the Knotted/Kou (Kou) pulse; if it sinks extremely deep and is only felt when pressing to the tendons and bones, it is the Hidden (Fu) pulse; if it feels extremely forceful upon floating or sinking, one should refer to the Leathery (Ge) and Firm (Lao) pulses respectively.
[Annotation] A pulse that is floating but weak is called the Soft (Ru) Pulse. A pulse that is sinking but weak is called the Weak (Ruo) Pulse. A pulse that is forceful at both floating and sinking depths but weak at moderate pressure, feeling hollow like a green onion stalk, is called the Knotted/Kou (Kou) Pulse. A pulse that sinks to the extreme depth and is only felt after pressing down to the tendons and bones is called the Hidden (Fu) Pulse. A pulse that is extremely forceful upon floating is called the Leathery (Ge) Pulse. A pulse that is extremely forceful upon sinking is called the Firm (Lao) Pulse.
[Verse] If the pulses at the Cun, Guan, and Chi positions are all forceful, it is called the Excess (Shi) Pulse; if all three positions are weak, it is called the Deficient (Xu) Pulse; if the three positions are weak and thin, appearing present yet almost absent, it is called the Fine (Wei) Pulse; if the three positions are weak and large, appearing scattered and uncollected, it is called the Scattered (San) Pulse.
[Annotation] If the pulses at the superficial, moderate, and deep levels are all forceful, it is called the Excess (Shi) Pulse. If the pulses at the superficial, moderate, and deep levels are all weak, it is called the Deficient (Xu) Pulse. If the pulses at the superficial, moderate, and deep levels are all weak, and upon pressure appear small and indistinct, appearing present yet almost absent, it is called the Fine (Wei) Pulse. If the pulses at the superficial, moderate, and deep levels are all weak, and upon pressure appear large, scattered, and uncollected, it is called the Scattered (San) Pulse.