小儿之脉七至为平更察色证与虎口纹此言小儿有病脉以七至为平小儿气血未定脉不足据
更当以色证参察若三岁以下者视其虎口三关之纹以测其病何谓虎口盖大人之脉皆以寸关尺三
部而诊之此一经之脉系手太阴肺经之一脉起自中府穴而出于手大指少商之穴肺属辛金而手阳
明大肠经起自次指云商阳穴其合谷之穴当在虎口之中大肠属庚金虎西方金也商属金故肺与大
肠一称少商一名商阳所以大指次指之间谓之虎口谓三关者以次指之纹初名风关次名气关末名
命关以男左女右为法其纹色紫者主内热红主伤寒青主惊风白主疳黑主危证若淡黄淡白则主无
病然纹尚在风关者轻见在气关者重见在命关者主危俗名虎口之隐义者此也
奇经八脉其诊又别直上直下浮则为督牢则为冲紧则任脉寸左右弹阳跷可决尺左右弹阴跷
可别关左右弹带脉当诀尺外斜上至寸阴维尺内斜上至寸阳维督脉为病脊强癫痫任脉为病七疝
瘕坚冲脉为病逆气里急带主带下脐痛精失阳维寒热目眩僵仆阴维心痛胸胁刺筑阳跷为病阴缓
阳急阴跷为病阳缓阴急癫痫螈 寒热恍惚八脉脉证各有所属此言奇经八脉之形兼八脉之为病
也八脉诊法又各不同若脉直上之于寸直下之于尺其脉之浮者则为督脉其脉之沉牢者则为冲脉
其脉紧急者则为任脉脉在寸口左右而弹指者则是阳跷之脉脉在尺部左右而弹指者则是阴跷之
脉脉在关部左右而弹指者则为带脉脉在尺外而斜上至于寸口则为阴维之脉脉在尺内而斜上至
于寸口则为阳维之脉此奇经八脉之形其义甚深非浅学所能窥造者修真之士能明八脉之升降其
道可成也夫八脉为病督脉在背之中央为阳脉之总督是病令人脊强不利又主癫痫任脉在腹之中
央为阴脉之统任任脉之为病男子则为七疝女子则为瘕聚冲为经脉之海其脉与任脉皆起于少腹
之内夹脐两旁而直冲于上其为病主逆气里急带脉在脐之周遭如束带然其为病也女主带下男主
失精阳维脉在身之外侧阳维为病苦发寒热又主目作眩运卒然僵仆阴维脉在身之内侧阴维为病
则主心痛而胸胁之间刺痛筑筑然作动阳跷脉在足踝之外侧阳跷为病则病在阳故阳结急而阴自
和缓阴跷脉在足踝之内侧阴跷为病则病在阴故阴结急而阳自和缓两跷脉之为病又主癫痫螈
寒热往来精神恍惚之证此八脉之为证各有分属也
小儿的脉象以每呼吸七次跳动为正常，还需观察面色、症状以及虎口部位的纹路。这里指出小儿患病时，以七至（每息七动）作为平脉标准。因为小儿气血尚未稳定，单凭脉象不足以准确判断病情，更应当结合面色和症状进行综合考察。对于三岁以下的幼儿，可以通过观察其虎口三关的纹路来推测病情。
什么是“虎口”？大人的脉诊通常通过寸、关、尺三部来进行。这一经脉属于手太阴肺经，起始于中府穴，止于手大拇指端的少商穴。肺在五行中属辛金，而手阳明大肠经起始于食指端的商阳穴，其合谷穴位于虎口之中。大肠在五行中属庚金，西方属金，商也属金，所以肺与大肠相表里，一个称为少商，一个称为商阳，因此大拇指与食指之间的部位被称为虎口。
所谓“三关”，是指食指侧面的纹路：靠近指尖的第一道纹叫风关，中间的叫气关，靠近手掌末端的叫命关。诊断时遵循男左女右的原则。如果纹路颜色紫暗，主内热；红色主伤寒；青色主惊风；白色主疳积病；黑色主危重证候。如果颜色呈淡黄或淡白，则主无病。然而，如果纹路仅出现在风关，说明病情轻浅；出现在气关，说明病情较重；出现在命关，则主危重。这就是俗话所说的“虎口三关”的隐义所在。
奇经八脉的诊断方法又有所不同。脉象直上直下且浮取明显的，是督脉；沉取坚实有力的，是冲脉；紧束的，是任脉；寸部左右弹指的是阳跷脉，可以据此分辨；尺部左右弹指的是阴跷脉，也可以据此辨别；关部左右弹指的是带脉，应当由此决断。
督脉发病，表现为脊柱强直、癫痫；任脉发病，表现为七种疝气和腹内结块坚硬；冲脉发病，表现为气逆上行、腹部拘急疼痛；带脉发病，表现为白带过多、脐痛、精气失守；阳维脉发病，表现为寒热往来、目眩、突然僵倒；阴维脉发病，表现为心痛、胸胁刺痛；阳跷脉发病，表现为阴侧松弛而阳侧拘急；阴跷脉发病，表现为阳侧松弛而阴侧拘急，以及癫痫、抽搐、寒热交替、精神恍惚等症状。这八条经脉的病证各有归属。这里讲的是奇经八脉的形态及其致病特点。
八脉的诊法各不相同：若脉象在寸部直上、尺部直下，且浮取明显的，就是督脉；沉取牢实的，就是冲脉；紧急的，就是任脉。脉象在寸口处左右弹指的，是阳跷脉；在尺部左右弹指的，是阴跷脉；在关部左右弹指的，是带脉。脉象从尺部外侧斜向上延伸至寸口的，是阴维脉；从尺部内侧斜向上延伸至寸口的，是阳维脉。这些就是奇经八脉的形态特征，其含义非常深奥，不是浅学之人所能窥探的。修真之士若能明白八脉的气机升降之道，修行便可成功。
夫八脉为病：督脉位于背部中央，为阳脉之总督，患病会导致脊柱强直不利，又主癫痫；任脉位于腹部中央，为阴脉之统任，男子患病则为七疝，女子患病则为瘕聚（腹内结块）；冲脉为经脉之海，其脉与任脉皆起于小腹内，夹脐两旁直冲向上，患病主气逆、腹部拘急；带脉环绕脐周，如束带一般，患病时女子主带下，男子主失精；阳维脉位于身体外侧，患病苦于寒热发作，又主目眩、突然僵倒；阴维脉位于身体内侧，患病主心痛，胸胁间有刺痛感，悸动不安；阳跷脉位于足踝外侧，患病则在阳分，故阳气结急而阴气自缓；阴跷脉位于足踝内侧，患病则在阴分，故阴气结急而阳气自缓。两跷脉患病还主癫痫、抽搐、寒热往来及精神恍惚等证。这八条经脉的病证各有特定的归属。
The pulse in children is considered normal at seven beats per respiration; one must also observe the complexion, symptoms, and the patterns on the tiger's mouth (the web between the thumb and index finger). This passage states that for pediatric diseases, a pulse rate of seven beats per respiration is regarded as the standard healthy pulse. Since a child's qi and blood are not yet stable, relying solely on the pulse is insufficient for accurate diagnosis; it is necessary to correlate the pulse findings with the complexion and clinical manifestations. For children under three years old, one can assess their condition by observing the patterns on the three sections (guan) of the tiger's mouth.
What is meant by "tiger's mouth"? In adults, pulse diagnosis is typically performed at the Cun (inch), Guan (bar), and Chi (cubit) positions on both wrists. This meridian belongs to the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin, originating from the Zhongfu (LU-1) acupoint and terminating at the Shaoshang (LU-11) acupoint at the tip of the thumb. The Lung corresponds to Xin Metal in the Five Elements. The Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-Yangming originates at the Shangyang (LI-1) acupoint at the tip of the index finger, and its Hegu (LI-4) acupoint is located within the tiger's mouth. The Large Intestine corresponds to Geng Metal, which is associated with the West and the Metal element. Shang also corresponds to Metal. Therefore, the Lung and Large Intestine are exterior-interior paired meridians; one is named Shaoshang, and the other Shangyang. Consequently, the area between the thumb and index finger is called the tiger's mouth.
The term "three sections" refers to the transverse creases on the radial side of the index finger: the first crease near the fingertip is called the Wind Section (Feng Guan); the middle one is the Qi Section (Qi Guan); and the last one near the palm is the Life Section (Ming Guan). Diagnosis follows the rule of left for males and right for females. If the pattern color is purple, it indicates internal heat; red indicates cold damage (Shanghan); green/blue indicates convulsions or fright wind; white indicates malnutrition syndrome (Gan disease); and black indicates a critical condition. If the color is pale yellow or pale white, it suggests no disease. However, if the pattern extends only to the Wind Section, the illness is mild; if it reaches the Qi Section, the illness is severe; and if it reaches the Life Section, it indicates a critical prognosis. This is the implicit meaning behind the popular concept of the "Tiger's Mouth Three Sections."
The diagnostic methods for the Eight Extraordinary Vessels differ further. A pulse that moves straight up and down and is superficial upon palpation indicates the Du Mai (Governing Vessel); a deep and firm pulse indicates the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel); a tight pulse indicates the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel); a pulsation felt laterally at the Cun position indicates the Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Heel Vessel), allowing for its identification; a lateral pulsation at the Chi position indicates the Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Heel Vessel), allowing for its differentiation; and a lateral pulsation at the Guan position indicates the Dai Mai (Belt Vessel), which should be determined accordingly.
Diseases of the Du Mai manifest as stiffness of the spine and epilepsy; diseases of the Ren Mai manifest as seven types of hernia and hard masses in the abdomen; diseases of the Chong Mai manifest as rebellious qi rising upward and abdominal urgency/tightness; diseases of the Dai Mai manifest as leukorrhea, umbilical pain, and loss of essence; diseases of the Yang Wei Mai manifest as alternating chills and fever, vertigo, and sudden collapse; diseases of the Yin Wei Mai manifest as heart pain and stabbing sensations in the chest and hypochondrium; diseases of the Yang Qiao Mai manifest as flaccidity in the yin aspect and spasticity in the yang aspect; and diseases of the Yin Qiao Mai manifest as spasticity in the yin aspect and flaccidity in the yang aspect, along with epilepsy, convulsions, alternating chills and fever, and mental confusion. Each of the eight vessels has specific pathological manifestations. This section discusses the morphology of the Eight Extraordinary Vessels and their associated diseases.
The diagnostic techniques for the eight vessels vary. If the pulse moves vertically from Cun to Chi and is superficial, it is the Du Mai; if it is deep and firm, it is the Chong Mai; if it is tight, it is the Ren Mai. If the pulse pulses laterally at the Cun position, it is the Yang Qiao Mai; if it pulses laterally at the Chi position, it is the Yin Qiao Mai; if it pulses laterally at the Guan position, it is the Dai Mai. If the pulse slants upward from the outer side of the Chi position to the Cun position, it is the Yin Wei Mai; if it slants upward from the inner side of the Chi position to the Cun position, it is the Yang Wei Mai. These constitute the morphological characteristics of the Eight Extraordinary Vessels. Their principles are profound and beyond the comprehension of those with shallow learning. Those engaged in spiritual cultivation who understand the ascending and descending dynamics of these eight vessels may achieve success in their practice.
Regarding diseases of the eight vessels: The Du Mai runs along the midline of the back and serves as the commander of all yang vessels; disease here causes spinal stiffness and immobility, and is also associated with epilepsy. The Ren Mai runs along the midline of the abdomen and governs all yin vessels; in men, disease manifests as seven types of hernia, while in women, it manifests as jia ju (abdominal masses). The Chong Mai is the Sea of Meridians; its vessel originates in the lower abdomen, flanking the navel, and ascends directly; disease here causes rebellious qi and abdominal urgency. The Dai Mai encircles the navel like a belt; disease in women causes leukorrhea, and in men, loss of essence. The Yang Wei Mai runs along the lateral aspect of the body; disease here causes suffering from chills and fever, vertigo, and sudden collapse. The Yin Wei Mai runs along the medial aspect of the body; disease here causes heart pain and stabbing sensations in the chest and hypochondrium with throbbing. The Yang Qiao Mai runs along the lateral aspect of the ankle; disease affects the yang aspect, causing yang tension and yin relaxation. The Yin Qiao Mai runs along the medial aspect of the ankle; disease affects the yin aspect, causing yin tension and yang relaxation. Diseases of the two Qiao vessels also include epilepsy, convulsions, alternating chills and fever, and mental confusion. Thus, the syndromes of the eight vessels each have distinct attributions.