凡诊视其臂长则疏下指。臂短则密下指。古人身长其臂亦长。故寸部占九分。关尺部各占一
寸。三部共二寸九分。今人身短其臂亦短。有三部共不及二寸者。若根据古法诊之。则头指诊在关
部。次指诊在尺部。第三指诊在闲处。如何知病之所在。今但以高骨为准。逐一指诊。指其部位
。不必拘九分一寸之说。庶几可也。
七表脉属阳。浮芤滑实弦紧洪也。(秘宝以洪大浮数紧动滑实为阳。伤寒论以大浮数动滑为
阳。)
一、浮脉。指下寻之不足。举之有余。似水上浮物。以手按之虚散。举之有力。故名曰浮也。(浮
为在表。主风虚乏短气。)
左手寸口脉浮。主伤风发热。头痛目眩及风痰。
左手关上脉浮。主胃虚腹胀。小便难。(肝脉本微弦而长。今见浮脉。周氏云。主胃虚腹胀。乃
是胃经受病何也。黄帝云。主小便难。乃是膀胱经受病又何也。岂肝脉从小腹上挟胃而然耶。)
浮大而实。主眼目昏痛。溢关与寸口相应。主目眩头重筋疼。浮洪盛大。主筋脉缓弱。身体无力
浮大而长。主风眩癫疾。
左手尺内脉浮。膀胱受风热。主小便赤涩。浮而紧。主耳聋及淋闭。浮而大。为阳干阴。溺则阴
中痛。浮而数。主小便频。并热淋。
右手寸口脉浮。肺感风寒。主咳嗽气促。鼻塞清涕。冷汗自出。背膊劳强。夜卧不安。(浮本肺
脉。但全浮则为病。如浮涩而短。斯为平脉也。)浮而实。主咽门干燥。伤损有疮痈。浮短为
肺伤为诸气。浮滑为走刺。浮缓为皮肤不仁。风寒入肌肉。浮紧为肺有水。
右手关上脉浮。脾气不足。腹满不饮食。食不消化。积热在胃中。浮滑而疾速者亦然。浮缓不
思饮食。浮而实脾胃虚。主消中口干饮水。多食亦饥。浮大而涩。为宿食滞气。浮滑为饮。浮细
而滑。为伤饮。浮而微。则伤客热邪风。主病寒热去来。进退不定。
右手尺内脉浮。大肠受风热。主大便秘涩。客热在下焦。浮数主大便坚。(大肠虽肺腑。居下
焦。)寸关脉浮而疾。名阳中之阳。主头痛。尺寸俱浮。主患气。俱浮而滑。男子疝瘕。妇人有孕。
或月闭不通。浮滑疾紧。为百合病。
趺阳脉浮虚者。(浮为风为虚。风脉则指下浮有力。虚脉则指下浮而无力。)
二、芤脉。指下寻之。两头即有。中间全无。其脉浮大而软。按之中央空。两边实。喻似指按芤草
叶。芤叶即葱类。中心空虚。故名曰芤也。(主失血)
左手寸口脉芤。主吐血。微芤者衄血。
左手关上脉芤。主腹内作声有瘀血。亦主吐血眼暗。
左手尺内脉芤。主淋沥。小便赤或有血。
右手寸口脉芤。主胸中积血瘀血。
右手关上脉芤。主腹内暴痛。肠胃内有痈积瘀血。(活人书云。主大便血。)
右手尺内脉芤。主大肠血痢或下血。
三、滑脉。指下寻之。三关如珠动。按之即伏。不进不退。或云往来流利。按如动珠子而有力。替
替然。与数相似。故名曰滑也。(主吐逆)
左手寸口脉滑。心藏热。滑而实大。心惊舌强。
左手关上脉滑。肝藏热。上连头目为患。滑散为瘫。缓滑而浮散者有风。
左手尺内脉滑。肾与膀胱俱热。主小便结涩淋沥。茎中痛。尿色赤。又滑为风。多血少气。少气
则四肢困疲 疼。多血则疼痛小便赤。滑而弦。主腰脚痛。滑而弱。主阴中痛。(脉赋解义云。
男子尺部见滑。主膀胱冷气缠聚。小腹急胀。便漩利数。两胁胀满。直以滑脉主冷亦未可。
当如弦脉说。)
右手寸口脉滑。阳气盛实。主呕逆。滑而实。肺脏大热。主毛发干焦。胸膈壅滞。聚气为痰
。头目昏重。涕唾稠粘。咽中干燥疼痛。或时咳嗽。
右手关上脉滑。脾脏热。主口臭恶气。喘息粗大。胃脘先受寒气。变为热实。饮食不下。下则吐
逆。病脾风疝。滑实为胃热。滑而大小不匀。必吐。为病进。为泄利。
右手尺内脉滑。下焦有实热。渴而引饮。饮冷过度。脐似冰冷。腹鸣时痛或下痢。妇人主血
气实。经月不通。(然而尺脉滑者。亦本形也。脉赋解义云。尽脉滑。主胞络极冷。女经不调。则
以滑为阴脉也。)和缓为妊娠。滑而浮大小腹痛。滑而弱大便痛。滑为鬼疰。滑数为结热。滑为痰逆。
趺阳脉滑者。胃气实。
四、实脉。按之洪大牢强。隐指 然。故名曰实也。(主病在内)
左手寸口脉实。胸中热甚及生寒热。实而大。主头面热风所攻。心中躁闷。身上疼痛。面色赤。
实大而滑。主舌强心惊。语话艰难。
左手关上脉实。主腹中切痛。实而浮大。肝气盛。主眼目赤痛昏暗。
左手尺内脉实。主小腹满痛。小便涩。实而滑。主淋沥茎中痛。尿色赤。实而大。膀胱热。主小便
艰难不通。实而紧。主腰痛。(或本云。实紧胃中有寒。若不能食。时时利者难治。)
右手寸口脉实。主上焦热。实而浮。是热乘肺脏。咽门干燥。伤损有疮痈。及主气寒喘咳。
右手关上脉实。脾脏虚弱。饮食减少。(热气蒸脾虚也)反胃气壅滞。实而浮。脾家热。主消
中唇口干燥。饶饮水浆。食多不饱。四体劳倦。(陈无择谓实而紧为胃寒。然二脉虽属阳。实脉
则主热痛。紧脉则主寒痛。今二脉俱见。谓之主胃寒。恐非也。)
右手尺内脉实。主忽下痢。(此则热痢。黄帝脉经于关部之脉实。腹满寒疝下痢。夫其阳脉
如何主寒疝。必传之讹也。今下痢移于尺部。属下焦也。)
五、弦脉。劲急如张弓弦。故名曰弦也。脉经以为表脉则属阳。伤寒论以为阴。脉赋解义
亦云弦滑之脉虽属于七表。皆主于阴。数说不同。 当如活人书说。若弦而洪数者为阳。弦疾而沉且
微细者为阴。主拘急。又巢元方、王子亨以弦为虚。主拘急。
左手寸口脉弦。主头疼有心气。心胸中急痛及心悬。如人大饥之状。主劳气发作乏力。多盗汗。手足 痛。
左手关上脉弦沉。主患 癖。( 者悬也。以悬于心下。或左或右或中也。癖者侧也。其气在
于脐胁之侧。或上下左右也。)弦而紧者。胁下痛。为恶寒。为疝瘕。为瘀血。弦小者。为寒癖。
左手尺内脉弦。主小腹急满痛。弦而滑。主腰脚痛。
右手寸口脉弦。主皮毛枯槁。
右手关上脉弦。主胃中寒。有宿食及饮。
右手尺内脉弦。主小腹中拘急。下焦停滞水积。弦数为劳疟。双弦胁急痛。弦长为积。弦急中
风热。(急者紧也。弦紧多主寒。此言中风热何也。)
六、紧脉。按之实数。似切绳状。来疾而有力。故名曰紧也。(主痛)
左手寸口脉紧。主头痛。紧而沉。心中气逆冷痛。
左手关上脉紧。主心下苦满热。及心腹痛。筋脉拘急。主风气伏阳上冲。化为狂病。紧而实。主
患癖。
左手尺内脉紧。主脐下及腰脚痛。
右手寸口脉紧而沉滑。肺气实。主咳嗽。
右手关上脉紧。主脾中痛。胁肋下拘急。欲吐不吐。干呕气逆冲。昏闷。盛紧者腹胀。紧而滑者。
为宿食。为蛔动。为吐逆。
右手尺内脉紧。主下焦疼痛。
紧而长过寸口者。为疰病。紧而急者遁尸。紧而数者。寒热俱发。下之乃愈。尺寸俱紧而数。其人中毒吐逆。
七、洪脉。极大在指下。举按满指。或云来大去长。故名曰洪也。(主热)
左手寸口脉洪。主头痛。胸膈胀满烦热。
左手关上脉洪。肝脏热。及四肢浮热。遍身疼痛。(手足本属脾部。今四肢浮热。乃见肝部
。则知关脉主中焦病。故肝脾俱可候也。)
左手尺内脉洪。膀胱热。主小便赤涩。而脚 疼。
右手寸口脉洪。主毛发干焦。涕唾稠粘。咽喉干燥。洪而紧。为喘急。
右手关上脉洪。胃中积热。主翻胃大吐逆。口干。洪而紧为胀。
右手尺内脉洪。主大肠不通。燥粪结涩。
洪大为伤寒热病。洪实为癫。洪紧为痈疽。洪浮为阳邪来见为祟。洪大紧急。病在外。苦头
痛发痈肿。(别本云。三部俱洪。三焦俱热。)
凡诊察脉象时,如果患者手臂较长,则手指疏开下指;如果手臂较短,则手指紧密排列。古人身材高大,手臂也长,所以寸部占九分,关部和尺部各占一寸,三部共计二寸九分。今人身材矮小,手臂也短,有的三部加起来不足二寸。如果依据古法诊脉,那么食指诊在关部,中指诊在尺部,无名指诊在无脉的闲处,这样如何能知道病位所在呢?现在只以高骨(桡骨茎突)为基准,逐一用手指诊察,明确其部位,不必拘泥于九分、一寸的说法,这样就差不多了。
七表脉属于阳脉,包括浮脉、芤脉、滑脉、实脉、弦脉、紧脉、洪脉。(《秘宝》认为洪、大、浮、数、紧、动、滑、实为阳脉;《伤寒论》认为大、浮、数、动、滑为阳脉。)
一、浮脉:轻取(举)感觉有余,重按(寻)感觉不足,像水面上漂浮的物体,用手按压感觉虚散,抬起手感觉有力,所以叫作浮脉。(浮脉主表证,多见于风邪侵袭、气虚乏力、短气等症状。)
左手寸口脉浮,主伤风发热、头痛目眩及风痰。
左手关上脉浮,主胃虚腹胀、小便困难。(肝脉本应微弦而长,现见浮脉,周氏说主胃虚腹胀,这是胃经受病吗?黄帝说主小便难,这是膀胱经受病吗?难道是肝脉从小腹上行挟持胃部所致吗?)
浮大而实,主眼目昏痛。脉象溢过关部与寸口相应,主目眩头重、筋脉疼痛。浮洪盛大,主筋脉缓弱、身体无力。浮大而长,主风眩癫疾。
左手尺内脉浮,主膀胱受风热,导致小便赤涩。浮而紧,主耳聋及淋闭。浮而大,为阳干阴,排尿时阴中疼痛。浮而数,主小便频数及热淋。
右手寸口脉浮,主肺感风寒,导致咳嗽气促、鼻塞流清涕、冷汗自出、背膊僵硬、夜间睡眠不安。(浮本是肺脉,但全浮则为病,如浮涩而短,才是平脉。)浮而实,主咽门干燥、损伤有疮痈。浮短为肺气受伤,导致诸气失调。浮滑为走刺(刺痛)。浮缓为皮肤麻木不仁,风寒侵入肌肉。浮紧为肺中有水饮。
右手关上脉浮,主脾气不足,导致腹满、食欲不振、食不消化、胃中积热。浮滑且疾速者亦然。浮缓不思饮食。浮而实主脾胃虚弱,导致消渴口干饮水、多食亦饥。浮大而涩,为宿食停滞气机。浮滑为停饮。浮细而滑,为伤饮。浮而微,则伤客热邪风,主寒热往来、进退不定。
右手尺内脉浮,主大肠受风热,导致大便秘涩、下焦客热。浮数主大便坚硬。(大肠虽属肺腑,但居下焦。)寸关脉浮而疾,名阳中之阳,主头痛。尺寸两部俱浮,主患气病。俱浮而滑,男子主疝瘕,妇人主怀孕或月经闭止不通。浮滑疾紧,为百合病。
趺阳脉浮虚者。(浮为风为虚,风脉则指下浮而有力,虚脉则指下浮而无力。)
二、芤脉:轻取(寻)感觉两头有脉,中间全无,脉象浮大而软,按之中央空,两边实,比喻如同手指按压葱叶,葱叶即芤草类,中心空虚,所以叫作芤脉。(主失血证)
左手寸口脉芤,主吐血。微芤者衄血。
左手关上脉芤,主腹内有声响且有瘀血,也主吐血、眼暗。
左手尺内脉芤,主淋沥不尽,小便赤或有血。
右手寸口脉芤,主胸中积血瘀血。
右手关上脉芤,主腹内暴痛,肠胃内有痈积瘀血。(《活人书》说主大便出血。)
右手尺内脉芤,主大肠血痢或下血。
三、滑脉:轻取(寻)感觉三关如珠子滚动,按之即伏,不进不退。有人说往来流利,按之如动珠有力,替替然跳动,与数脉相似,所以叫作滑脉。(主吐逆证)
左手寸口脉滑,主心脏热盛。滑而实大,主心惊、舌强。
左手关上脉滑,主肝脏热盛,上连头目为患。滑散为瘫证。缓滑而浮散者有风邪。
左手尺内脉滑,主肾与膀胱俱热,导致小便结涩淋沥、茎中痛、尿色赤。又滑主风,多血少气,少气则四肢困疲疼痛,多血则疼痛、小便赤。滑而弦,主腰脚痛。滑而弱,主阴中痛。(《脉赋解义》说,男子尺部见滑,主膀胱冷气缠聚,小腹急胀,小便频数,两胁胀满。直以滑脉主冷也不妥当,应当像弦脉那样解释。)
右手寸口脉滑,主阳气盛实,导致呕逆。滑而实,主肺脏大热,导致毛发干焦、胸膈壅滞、聚气为痰、头目昏重、涕唾稠粘、咽中干燥疼痛、有时咳嗽。
右手关上脉滑,主脾脏热盛,导致口臭恶气、喘息粗大。胃脘先受寒气,变为热实,饮食不下,下则吐逆,病脾风疝。滑实为胃热。滑而大小不匀,必吐,为病进,为泄利。
右手尺内脉滑,主下焦有实热,口渴引饮,饮冷过度,脐似冰冷,腹鸣时痛或下痢。妇人主血气实,月经不通。(然而尺脉滑者,也是本形。《脉赋解义》说,尽脉滑,主胞络极冷,女经不调,则以滑为阴脉。)和缓为妊娠。滑而浮主大小腹痛。滑而弱主大便痛。滑为鬼疰。滑数为结热。滑为痰逆。
趺阳脉滑者,主胃气实。
四、实脉:按之洪大牢强,隐指坚实,所以叫作实脉。(主里实证)
左手寸口脉实,主胸中热甚及生寒热。实而大,主头面热风所攻,心中躁闷,身上疼痛,面色赤。实大而滑,主舌强、心惊、语话艰难。
左手关上脉实,主腹中切痛。实而浮大,主肝气盛,导致眼目赤痛昏暗。
左手尺内脉实,主小腹满痛、小便涩。实而滑,主淋沥、茎中痛、尿色赤。实而大,主膀胱热,导致小便艰难不通。实而紧,主腰痛。(另一版本说,实紧主胃中有寒,若不能食,时时腹泻者难治。)
右手寸口脉实,主上焦热。实而浮,是热乘肺脏,导致咽门干燥、损伤有疮痈,及主气寒喘咳。
右手关上脉实,主脾脏虚弱,饮食减少。(热气蒸腾导致脾虚)反胃气壅滞。实而浮,主脾家热,导致消渴、唇口干燥、饶饮水浆、食多不饱、四体劳倦。(陈无择说实而紧为胃寒,然而这两脉虽属阳,实脉则主热痛,紧脉则主寒痛,如今两脉俱见,说主胃寒,恐怕不对。)
右手尺内脉实,主忽下痢。(此为热痢。《黄帝脉经》于关部之脉实,主腹满寒疝下痢。夫其阳脉如何主寒疝,必是传抄之讹。今下痢移于尺部,属下焦也。)
五、弦脉:劲急如张弓弦,所以叫作弦脉。《脉经》认为表脉则属阳,《伤寒论》认为属阴。《脉赋解义》也说弦滑之脉虽属于七表,皆主于阴。说法不同,应当如《活人书》所说,若弦而洪数者为阳,弦疾而沉且微细者为阴,主拘急。又巢元方、王子亨以弦为虚,主拘急。
左手寸口脉弦,主头疼有心气,心胸中急痛及心悬,如人大饥之状,主劳气发作乏力,多盗汗,手足痛。
左手关上脉弦沉,主患癖积。(“”者悬也,以悬于心下,或左或右或中也。“癖”者侧也,其气在于脐胁之侧,或上下左右也。)弦而紧者,胁下痛,为恶寒,为疝瘕,为瘀血。弦小者,为寒癖。
左手尺内脉弦,主小腹急满痛。弦而滑,主腰脚痛。
右手寸口脉弦,主皮毛枯槁。
右手关上脉弦,主胃中寒,有宿食及饮。
右手尺内脉弦,主小腹中拘急,下焦停滞水积。弦数为劳疟。双弦胁急痛。弦长为积。弦急中风热。(急者紧也。弦紧多主寒,此言中风热何故?)
六、紧脉:按之实数,似切绳状,来疾而有力,所以叫作紧脉。(主痛证)
左手寸口脉紧,主头痛。紧而沉,心中气逆冷痛。
左手关上脉紧,主心下苦满热,及心腹痛,筋脉拘急,主风气伏阳上冲,化为狂病。紧而实,主患癖积。
左手尺内脉紧,主脐下及腰脚痛。
右手寸口脉紧而沉滑,主肺气实,导致咳嗽。
右手关上脉紧,主脾中痛,胁肋下拘急,欲吐不吐,干呕气逆冲,昏闷。盛紧者腹胀。紧而滑者,为宿食,为蛔动,为吐逆。
右手尺内脉紧,主下焦疼痛。
紧而长过寸口者,为注病。紧而急者为遁尸。紧而数者,寒热俱发,下之乃愈。尺寸俱紧而数,其人中毒吐逆。
七、洪脉:极大在指下,举按满指。有人说来大去长,所以叫作洪脉。(主热证)
左手寸口脉洪,主头痛,胸膈胀满烦热。
左手关上脉洪,主肝脏热,及四肢浮热,遍身疼痛。(手足本属脾部,今四肢浮热,乃见肝部,则知关脉主中焦病,故肝脾俱可候也。)
左手尺内脉洪,主膀胱热,导致小便赤涩,而脚疼。
右手寸口脉洪,主毛发干焦,涕唾稠粘,咽喉干燥。洪而紧,为喘急。
右手关上脉洪,主胃中积热,导致翻胃大吐逆,口干。洪而紧为胀。
右手尺内脉洪,主大肠不通,燥粪结涩。
洪大为伤寒热病。洪实为癫。洪紧为痈疽。洪浮为阳邪来见为祟。洪大紧急,病在外,苦头痛发痈肿。(别本说,三部俱洪,三焦俱热。)
When palpating the pulse, if the patient's arm is long, the fingers should be placed sparsely; if the arm is short, the fingers should be placed closely. In ancient times, people were tall and their arms were long, so the Cun (Inch) position occupied nine fen, while the Guan (Bar) and Chi (Cubit) positions each occupied one cun, totaling two cun and nine fen for the three positions. Nowadays, people are shorter and their arms are shorter, with some having a total length of less than two cun for the three positions. If one follows the ancient method, the index finger would palpate the Guan position, the middle finger the Chi position, and the ring finger the empty space beyond, making it impossible to determine the location of the disease. Therefore, one should now use the high bone (radial styloid process) as a reference point and palpate each position individually, clarifying the specific locations, without being rigidly bound by the measurements of nine fen or one cun. This approach is sufficient.
The Seven Superficial Pulses belong to Yang, including Floating (Fu), Scallion-Leaf (Kou), Slippery (Hua), Full (Shi), Bowstring (Xian), Tight (Jin), and Surging (Hong). (*Secret Treasure* considers Hong, Large, Floating, Rapid, Tight, Agitated, Slippery, and Full as Yang; *Treatise on Cold Damage* considers Large, Floating, Rapid, Agitated, and Slippery as Yang.)
1. Floating Pulse: It feels abundant upon light pressure (lifting) but insufficient upon heavy pressure (seeking), resembling an object floating on water. Pressing with the hand feels hollow and scattered, while lifting feels forceful, hence named "Floating." (Floating indicates exterior syndromes, mainly wind deficiency, fatigue, and shortness of breath.)
- Left Cun position Floating: Indicates wind-cold injury with fever, headache, dizziness, and wind-phlegm.
- Left Guan position Floating: Indicates stomach deficiency with abdominal distension and difficulty urinating. (The Liver pulse should naturally be slightly wiry and long. Seeing a Floating pulse here, Zhou states it indicates stomach deficiency and abdominal distension—is this a Stomach meridian disorder? Huangdi states it indicates difficulty urinating—is this a Bladder meridian disorder? Could it be that the Liver meridian ascends from the lower abdomen and flanks the Stomach?)
- Floating, Large, and Full: Indicates blurry and painful eyes. If the pulse overflows the Guan position and corresponds to the Cun position, it indicates dizziness, heavy head, and tendon pain. Floating, Surging, and Grand indicates weak tendons and muscles and lack of physical strength. Floating, Large, and Long indicates wind-induced vertigo and epilepsy.
- Left Chi position Floating: Indicates Bladder affected by wind-heat, leading to red and scanty urine. Floating and Tight indicates deafness and strangury with retention. Floating and Large indicates Yang invading Yin, causing pain in the yin during urination. Floating and Rapid indicates frequent urination and heat-strangury.
- Right Cun position Floating: Indicates Lung affected by wind-cold, leading to cough, shortness of breath, nasal congestion with clear discharge, spontaneous cold sweat, stiffness in the back and shoulders, and restless sleep at night. (Floating is the normal pulse of the Lung, but a purely Floating pulse indicates pathology. A Floating, Choppy, and Short pulse is a normal pulse.) Floating and Full indicates dryness in the throat gate and injuries with sores/abscesses. Floating and Short indicates Lung Qi injury affecting all Qi movements. Floating and Slippery indicates stabbing pain. Floating and Slow indicates skin numbness due to wind-cold invading the muscles. Floating and Tight indicates water retention in the Lung.
- Right Guan position Floating: Indicates Spleen Qi deficiency, leading to abdominal fullness, loss of appetite, indigestion, and accumulated heat in the Stomach. The same applies if Floating, Slippery, and Rapid. Floating and Slow indicates loss of appetite. Floating and Full indicates Spleen and Stomach deficiency, leading to internal consumption, dry mouth, drinking water, and hunger despite eating much. Floating, Large, and Choppy indicates retained food and stagnant Qi. Floating and Slippery indicates fluid retention. Floating, Fine, and Slippery indicates damage from drinking fluids. Floating and Micro indicates invasion by pathogenic heat and wind, causing alternating chills and fever.
- Right Chi position Floating: Indicates Large Intestine affected by wind-heat, leading to constipation and dry stool, and pathogenic heat in the Lower Jiao. Floating and Rapid indicates hard stool. (Although the Large Intestine belongs to the Lung organ system, it resides in the Lower Jiao.) Cun and Guan positions Floating and Rapid is called Yang within Yang, indicating headache. Both Cun and Chi positions Floating indicates Qi disorders. Both positions Floating and Slippery indicates hernia masses in men and pregnancy or amenorrhea in women. Floating, Slippery, Rapid, and Tight indicates Hundred Disease (Baihe Bing).
- Duzhong (Foot Yangming) Pulse Floating and Empty: (Floating indicates Wind and Deficiency; Wind pulse feels forceful under the finger, while Empty pulse feels Floating but weak.)
2. Scallion-Leaf (Kou) Pulse: Upon seeking, there is pulse at both ends but none in the middle. The pulse is Floating, Large, and Soft; pressing reveals emptiness in the center and solidity on the sides. It resembles pressing a scallion leaf (a type of plant with a hollow center), hence named "Kou." (Indicates blood loss.)
- Left Cun position Kou: Indicates hematemesis. Mild Kou indicates epistaxis.
- Left Guan position Kou: Indicates sounds in the abdomen with blood stasis, also hematemesis and dim vision.
- Left Chi position Kou: Indicates dribbling strangury, red urine, or blood in urine.
- Right Cun position Kou: Indicates accumulated blood and blood stasis in the chest.
- Right Guan position Kou: Indicates sudden abdominal pain and abscesses/stasis in the intestines and stomach. (*Man Jian Shu* says it indicates bloody stool.)
- Right Chi position Kou: Indicates large intestine bloody dysentery or bleeding.
3. Slippery (Hua) Pulse: Upon seeking, the pulse moves like rolling beads across the three positions, sinking upon pressure without advancing or retreating. Some say it flows smoothly, feeling like moving beads with force, pulsating rhythmically, similar to the Rapid pulse, hence named "Slippery." (Indicates vomiting and regurgitation.)
- Left Cun position Hua: Indicates Heart Heat. Hua and Full-Large indicates heart palpitations and stiff tongue.
- Left Guan position Hua: indicates Liver Heat, affecting the head and eyes. Hua and Scattered indicates paralysis. Slow-Slippery and Floating-Scattered indicates wind.
- Left Chi position Hua: Indicates Kidney and Bladder Heat, leading to difficult, dribbling strangury, penile pain, and red urine. Also, Hua indicates wind, excess Blood and deficient Qi; deficient Qi leads to fatigue and pain in the four limbs, while excess Blood leads to pain and red urine. Hua and Wiry indicates waist and leg pain. Hua and Weak indicates pain in the yin. (*Mai Fu Jie Yi* states that in men, a Slippery Chi pulse indicates cold qi accumulation in the Bladder, urgent abdominal distension, frequent urination, and flank fullness. Attributing cold solely to the Slippery pulse is incorrect; it should be interpreted like the Wiry pulse.)
- Right Cun position Hua: Indicates excessive and solid Yang Qi, leading to vomiting/regurgitation. Hua and Full indicates severe Lung Heat, leading to dry/brittle hair, chest oppression, phlegm formation, heavy head and eyes, thick sputum, dry/painful throat, and occasional cough.
- Right Guan position Hua: Indicates Spleen Heat, leading to bad breath, coarse breathing. If the Stomach was initially affected by cold which transformed into heat-solidity, it leads to inability to eat, vomiting upon eating, Spleen wind hernia. Hua-Full indicates Stomach Heat. Hua with irregular size indicates vomiting, worsening condition, and diarrhea.
- Right Chi position Hua: Indicates excess heat in the Lower Jiao, thirst with drinking, excessive intake of cold drinks, cold sensation at the umbilicus, abdominal borborygmus with pain, or dysentery. In women, it indicates excess Blood and Qi, leading to amenorrhea. (However, a Slippery Chi pulse can also be a normal constitution. *Mai Fu Jie Yi* states that a fully Slippery pulse indicates extreme cold in the uterus and irregular menstruation, thus classifying Slippery as a Yin pulse.) Harmonious and Slow indicates pregnancy. Hua and Floating indicates lower abdominal pain. Hua and Weak indicates bowel pain. Hua indicates ghost infection (Gui Zhu). Hua and Rapid indicates clustered heat. Hua indicates phlegm-regurgitation.
- Duzhong Pulse Hua: Indicates Stomach Qi excess.
4. Full (Shi) Pulse: Upon pressure, it is Grand, Large, Firm, and Strong, feeling solid against the finger, hence named "Full." (Indicates interior excess syndromes.)
- Left Cun position Shi: Indicates severe chest heat and alternating chills/fever. Shi and Large indicates attack by wind-heat on the head/face, restlessness, body pain, and red face. Shi, Large, and Slippery indicates stiff tongue, heart palpitations, and difficulty speaking.
- Left Guan position Shi: Indicates cutting abdominal pain. Shi and Floating-Large indicates Liver Qi excess, leading to red, painful, and dim eyes.
- Left Chi position Shi: Indicates lower abdominal fullness and pain, difficult urination. Shi and Slippery indicates strangury, penile pain, and red urine. Shi and Large indicates Bladder Heat, leading to difficult/retained urination. Shi and Tight indicates lower back pain. (Another version says Shi-Tight indicates cold in the Stomach; if accompanied by inability to eat and frequent loose stools, it is difficult to treat.)
- Right Cun position Shi: Indicates Upper Jiao Heat. Shi and Floating indicates heat invading the Lung, leading to dry throat gate, injuries with sores/abscesses, and cold-Qi wheezing/cough.
- Right Guan position Shi: Indicates Spleen deficiency and reduced diet. (Heat steaming causes Spleen deficiency.) Rebellious Qi stagnation. Shi and Floating indicates Spleen Heat, leading to internal consumption, dry lips/mouth, excessive drinking, satiety despite eating much, and limb fatigue. (Chen Wuze states Shi-Tight indicates Stomach cold. Although both pulses belong to Yang, Shi indicates heat-pain and Tight indicates cold-pain. Seeing both and attributing it to Stomach cold is likely incorrect.)
- Right Chi position Shi: Indicates sudden dysentery. (This is heat dysentery. *Huangdi Mai Jing* associates Shi pulse at the Guan position with abdominal fullness, cold hernia, and dysentery. How can a Yang pulse indicate cold hernia? This must be a transmission error. Now, dysentery shifting to the Chi position belongs to the Lower Jiao.)
5. Wiry (Xian) Pulse: Tense and urgent like a drawn bowstring, hence named "Wiry." *Mai Jing* considers it Yang when indicating exterior, while *Shanghan Lun* considers it Yin. *Mai Fu Jie Yi* also states that although Wiry and Slippery belong to the Seven Superficial Pulses, they primarily indicate Yin. Interpretations vary; follow *Huo Ren Shu*: Wiry-Hong-Rapid is Yang; Wiry-Rapid, Deep, and Micro-Fine is Yin, indicating tension/spasm. Chao Yuanfang and Wang Ziheng consider Wiry as Deficiency, indicating tension.
- Left Cun position Xian: Indicates headache with Heart Qi issues, urgent chest/heart pain, heart hanging sensation (like extreme hunger), fatigue from劳气 (laboring Qi), night sweats, and hand/foot pain.
- Left Guan position Xian-Deep: Indicates Pi Ji (accumulations). ("Pi" implies hanging below the heart, left/right/center. "Ji" implies side, located at the side of the umbilicus/flank, up/down/left/right.) Xian and Tight indicates hypochondriac pain, aversion to cold, hernia masses, and blood stasis. Xian and Small indicates cold Pi Ji.
- Left Chi position Xian: Indicates urgent lower abdominal fullness/pain. Xian and Slippery indicates waist/leg pain.
- Right Cun position Xian: Indicates withered/dry skin and hair.
- Right Guan position Xian: Indicates Stomach cold with retained food and fluids.
- Right Chi position Xian: Indicates lower abdominal tension, stagnant water accumulation in the Lower Jiao. Xian-Rapid indicates labor malaria. Double Wiry indicates hypochondriac tension/pain. Xian-Long indicates masses. Xian-Ji indicates wind-heat stroke. (Ji means Tight. Wiry-Tight mostly indicates cold; why mention wind-heat here?)
6. Tight (Jin) Pulse: Feels solid and numerous upon pressure, like cutting a rope, coming rapidly and forcefully, hence named "Tight." (Indicates pain.)
- Left Cun position Jin: Indicates headache. Jin and Deep indicates rebellious Qi and cold pain in the heart.
- Left Guan position Jin: Indicates bitter fullness/heat below the heart, heart/abdominal pain, tendon/muscle tension, wind Qi latent Yang rushing upward transforming into mania. Jin and Full indicates Pi Ji.
- Left Chi position Jin: Indicates pain below the navel and in the waist/legs.
- Right Cun position Jin-Deep-Slippery: Indicates Lung Qi excess, leading to cough.
- Right Guan position Jin: Indicates Spleen pain, hypochondriac tension, urge to vomit without success, dry heaving, rebellious Qi, dizziness. Severe Jin indicates abdominal distension. Jin and Slippery indicates retained food, roundworm movement, and vomiting.
- Right Chi position Jin: Indicates Lower Jiao pain.
- Jin and Long exceeding the Cun position indicates Zhu Disease. Jin and Urgent indicates Dun Shi. Jin and Rapid indicates simultaneous chills and fever, cured by purgation. Both Cun and Chi Jin and Rapid indicates poisoning with vomiting.
7. Surging (Hong) Pulse: Very large under the finger, filling the finger upon lifting and pressing. Some say it comes large and goes long, hence named "Surging." (Indicates heat.)
- Left Cun position Hong: Indicates headache, chest/diaphragm distension, fullness, and irritability/heat.
- Left Guan position Hong: Indicates Liver Heat and floating heat in the four limbs, generalized body pain. (Hands/feet belong to the Spleen region; seeing floating heat in the four limbs reflected in the Liver region indicates that the Guan position diagnoses Middle Jiao disorders, so both Liver and Spleen can be observed.)
- Left Chi position Hong: Indicates Bladder Heat, leading to red/scanty urine and foot pain.
- Right Cun position Hong: Indicates dry/brittle hair, thick sputum, dry throat. Hong and Tight indicates wheezing/urgency.
- Right Guan position Hong: Indicates accumulated heat in the Stomach, leading to inverted stomach with severe vomiting, dry mouth. Hong and Tight indicates distension.
- Right Chi position Hong: Indicates Large Intestine obstruction, dry/hard stool.
- Hong and Large indicates Cold Damage heat disease. Hong and Full indicates mania. Hong and Tight indicates carbuncles/furuncles. Hong and Floating indicates Yang pathogen appearing as malevolence. Hong, Large, Urgent, and Tight indicates exterior disease, suffering from headache and developing carbuncles/swellings. (Alternative text states: All three positions Hong indicates Triple Burner heat.)