幼科指纹，迄无定论。有谓不必用者，有用而至于怪诞不经，惑人闻见者，皆未深悉指
纹之
理。指纹与寸关尺同一脉，按《内经》十二经络，始于手太阴，其支者从腕后出次指之端，
而交于手阳明，即指纹是也。指纹起于宋人钱仲阳，以食指三节，分为三关。寅曰风关，卯
曰气关，辰曰命关，纹见风关，证轻；纹见气关，证重；纹见命关，证危。虽未必其言悉应
，而其义可取者，位则自下而上，证则自轻而重也。总之，指纹与太渊脉相通。凡有外邪
在皮毛腠理之间，太渊脉浮，指纹亦显露于外，谓之表证。及邪入里也，浅深有别。若指纹
半
沉，邪在阳明胃经，指纹极沉，邪在阳明胃府，所谓以浮沉分表里也。小儿肌肤晃白，唇色
惨淡，多属阳虚。指纹四时皆淡，虽有病亦止淡红、淡青、淡紫而已。淡红为虚寒，淡青为
虚风，淡紫为虚热，此盖根本不坚，中气怯弱，无论新病久病，总归于虚。切不可攻伐克削
。若病邪遏郁，营卫阻滞，升降羁留，指纹推而涩滞，绝无流利之象，由痰食风热相搏，是
为实证。所谓以淡滞定虚实也。其审纹也，纹直则热，纹曲则寒，纹多如脉数，纹少如脉迟
。纹入掌中，主腹中寒痛；纹向中指弯者，为内，为顺证，为外感风寒；纹向大指弯者，为
外，为逆证，为内伤痰食；纹如鱼刺，风痰皆热。纹如三叉，痰嗽不止；纹如生花，纹如丫
样，或两丫齐上，透出三关，或向外弯而侵于指甲者，为难治。其辨色也，紫主热，紫而兼
青主伤食。青主风、主惊。青而兼黑，主痰滞抑郁。红主寒，白主疳疾，黄主脾困，黑主中
恶、危险、无治。或谓黄为中和之气，红乃衣冠文物之色。红黄隐隐，主身安无病。要不可不察
。或又谓青主肝病，或发惊，或伤风。肝木乘土，或腹痛泄泻，粪带青色，以儿常啼哭为验
。黄主脾病，食积内伤，肿胀腹满，吐泻痞积疳疾等证。赤主心病，痰涎壅盛，惊悸不宁。
白
主肺病，咳嗽痰积。黑主肾病，脏腑中寒中恶，危急堪虞。其诊指纹也，令人抱儿对立于向
光之处，医者以左手握儿食指，以右手大拇指侧面，蘸口津，由命关推上气关、风关，指纹
愈推愈出，切不可覆指以指面推之，以指面螺纹有火，克制肺金，纹必变色，大损肺气，慎
之戒之。
按∶诊指纹以辨证，肇自钱氏，而其说有然有不然，必须参以望色诸法，方昭确实。论
语注医所以寄死生，非泛常托业者比。(惕厉子)
\r指纹图\pn-n5.bmp\r
小儿科指纹诊法，至今没有统一的定论。有人说不必使用，有人虽然使用却流于怪诞不经，迷惑人的视听，这些都是因为没有深入探究指纹的道理。指纹与寸、关、尺三部脉象是同一道理。根据《内经》十二经络理论，经脉起始于手太阴肺经，其支脉从腕后出于食指末端，进而交于手阳明大肠经，这就是指纹的由来。指纹诊法始于宋代钱仲阳（钱乙），他将食指的三节分为三关：第一节称为风关，第二节称为气关，第三节称为命关。指纹显现于风关，病情较轻；显现于气关，病情较重；显现于命关，病情危重。虽然未必完全应验，但其意义可取之处在于：位置自下而上，代表病情由轻到重。总之，指纹与太渊脉（手腕桡动脉搏动处，肺经原穴）相通。凡是外邪在皮毛腠理之间，太渊脉浮，指纹也显露于外，这叫做表证（太阳病）。等到邪气入里，深浅有所不同。如果指纹半沉，邪气在阳明胃经，指纹极沉，邪气在阳明胃腑，这就是所谓用浮沉来分辨表里。小儿肌肤苍白，唇色惨淡，多属于阳虚。指纹四季都淡，即使有病也只是淡红、淡青、淡紫而已。淡红为虚寒，淡青为虚风，淡紫为虚热，这都是因为根本不坚固，中气怯弱，无论新病久病，总归于虚证。切不可攻伐克削。如果病邪遏郁，营卫阻滞，升降羁留，指纹推之涩滞，绝无流利之象，由痰食风热相搏，这是实证。这就是所谓用淡滞来判定虚实。观察纹路时，纹直则主热，纹曲则主寒，纹多如脉搏数，纹少如脉搏迟。纹入掌中，主腹中寒痛；纹向中指弯曲者，为内，为顺证，为外感风寒；纹向大拇指弯曲者，为外，为逆证，为内伤痰食；纹如鱼刺，风痰皆热。纹如三叉，痰嗽不止；纹如生花，纹如丫样，或两丫齐上，透出三关，或向外弯而侵于指甲者，为难治。辨别颜色时，紫色主热，紫而兼青主伤食。青色主风、主惊。青而兼黑，主痰滞抑郁。红色主寒，白色主疳疾（营养不良），黄色主脾困，黑色主中恶（突发性重症）、危险、无治。有人说黄色为中和之气，红色乃衣冠文物之色。红黄隐隐，主身体安康无病。这点不可不察。又有人说青色主肝病，或发惊，或伤风。肝木乘土（肝气犯脾），或腹痛泄泻，粪带青色，以小儿常啼哭为验证。黄色主脾病，食积内伤，肿胀腹满，吐泻痞积疳疾等证。赤色主心病，痰涎壅盛，惊悸不宁。白色主肺病，咳嗽痰积。黑色主肾病，脏腑中寒中恶，危急堪虞。诊指纹时，让人抱着孩子对立于向光之处，医者以左手握住孩子食指，以右手大拇指侧面，蘸口津，由命关推上气关、风关，指纹愈推愈出，切不可覆指以指面推之，因为指面螺纹有火，克制肺金，指纹必变色，大损肺气，慎之又慎。
按语：诊指纹以辨证，始于钱氏，但其说法有对有错，必须参合望色诸法，才能确实无疑。论语注说医生寄托着死生大事，不是泛常托业者能比的。（惕厉子）
Pediatric fingerprint diagnosis has no unified conclusion to date. Some claim it is unnecessary, while others use it in a bizarre and absurd manner, confusing people's perceptions; these views fail to deeply understand the principles of fingerprints. Fingerprints share the same principle as the Cun, Guan, and Chi pulse positions. According to the Twelve Meridians in the *Neijing* (Classic of Internal Medicine), meridians begin at the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. Its branch emerges from behind the wrist to the tip of the index finger, then connects with the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian; this is what constitutes the fingerprint. Fingerprint diagnosis originated with Qian Zhongyang (Qian Yi) of the Song Dynasty, who divided the three segments of the index finger into three gates: the first segment is called the Wind Gate (Feng Guan), the second the Qi Gate (Qi Guan), and the third the Life Gate (Ming Guan). If the fingerprint appears at the Wind Gate, the condition is mild; at the Qi Gate, it is severe; at the Life Gate, it is critical. Although not every statement may be entirely accurate, its logic is valuable: position moves from bottom to top, corresponding to severity moving from mild to severe. In essence, the fingerprint communicates with the Taiyuan pulse (Taoyuan, LU-9, Yuan-Source point of the Lung meridian). Whenever external pathogens are between the skin and interstices, the Taiyuan pulse floats, and the fingerprint also becomes visible externally, which is termed Exterior Syndrome (Taiyang Disease). When pathogens enter the interior, depth varies. If the fingerprint is half-sunken, the pathogen is in the Yangming Stomach Meridian; if extremely sunken, it is in the Yangming Stomach Organ. This is known as distinguishing exterior and interior by floating and sinking. Children with pale skin and dull lip color often belong to Yang Deficiency. Fingerprints that are faint in all seasons, even when ill, show only faint red, faint cyan, or faint purple. Faint red indicates Deficient-Cold, faint cyan indicates Deficient-Wind, and faint purple indicates Deficient-Heat. These stem from weak constitution and deficient Middle Qi; regardless of new or chronic illness, they always return to Deficiency. One must absolutely avoid attacking or depleting methods. If pathogens are suppressed, Ying and Wei circulation is obstructed, and ascending/descending functions are stagnant, pushing the fingerprint feels rough and sluggish without fluidity. This results from the struggle among phlegm, food stagnation, wind, and heat, constituting Excess Syndrome. This is known as determining excess and deficiency by faintness and stagnation. Regarding pattern observation: straight patterns indicate Heat, curved patterns indicate Cold, numerous patterns resemble rapid pulse, and few patterns resemble slow pulse. Patterns entering the palm indicate abdominal cold pain. Patterns curving toward the middle finger indicate Interior, favorable prognosis, and external contraction of wind-cold. Patterns curving toward the thumb indicate Exterior, unfavorable prognosis, and internal injury from phlegm-food. Patterns resembling fish bones indicate wind-phlegm both in Heat. Patterns resembling a trident indicate persistent phlegm-cough. Patterns resembling blooming flowers, Y-shapes, or two Ys rising together, penetrating all three gates, or curving outward invading the nail bed, indicate difficult-to-treat conditions. Regarding color differentiation: purple indicates Heat; purple with cyan indicates food injury. Cyan indicates Wind and fright. Cyan with black indicates phlegm stagnation and depression. Red indicates Cold; white indicates Infantile Malnutrition (Gan Disease); yellow indicates Spleen distress; black indicates sudden severe illness (Zhong E), danger, and incurability. Some argue yellow represents balanced Qi, and red represents the color of clothing and culture. A hidden mix of red and yellow indicates health and absence of disease. This must be carefully observed. Others state cyan indicates Liver disease, potentially causing fright or wind-cold. Liver Wood overacting on Earth (Liver Qi invading Spleen) may cause abdominal pain and diarrhea with green stools, verified by frequent crying in children. Yellow indicates Spleen disease, such as food accumulation, internal injury, abdominal distension, vomiting, diarrhea, obstruction, accumulation, and malnutrition. Red indicates Heart disease, characterized by abundant phlegm-fluids, palpitations, and restlessness. White indicates Lung disease, featuring cough and phlegm accumulation. Black indicates Kidney disease, involving cold and sudden severe illness in organs, representing critical danger. For diagnosing fingerprints, have someone hold the child facing a light source. The physician holds the child's index finger with the left hand and uses the side of the right thumb, dipped in saliva, to push from the Life Gate up to the Qi Gate and Wind Gate. The more one pushes, the more the fingerprint emerges. One must absolutely not push with the pad of the finger, as the friction generates fire that suppresses Lung Metal, changing the fingerprint color and severely damaging Lung Qi. Be extremely cautious.
Note: Diagnosing via fingerprints to differentiate syndromes originated with Master Qian, but his theories contain both correct and incorrect aspects. They must be combined with inspection of complexion methods to ensure accuracy. The commentary on the Analects states that physicians entrust life and death, unlike those engaged in ordinary trades. (Tili Zi)