沉脉，重手按至筋骨乃得（《脉经》）。如绵裹砂，内刚外柔（杨氏）。如石投水，必极其底。沉脉法地，有渊泉在下
之象，在卦为坎，在时为冬，在人为肾。又谓之石，亦曰营。太过则如弹石，按之益坚，病在外也。不及则气来虚微，
去如数者，病在中也。《脉诀》言缓度三关，状如烂绵者，非也。沉有缓数及各部之沉，烂绵乃弱脉，非沉也。
〔体状诗〕水行润下脉来沉，筋骨之间软滑匀。女子寸兮男子尺，四时如此号为平。
〔相类诗〕沉帮筋骨自调匀，伏则推筋着骨寻。沉细如绵真弱脉，弦长实大是牢形。（沉行筋间，伏行骨上，牢大
有力，弱细无力）
〔主病诗〕沉潜水蓄阴经病，数热迟寒滑有痰。无力而沉虚与气，沉而有气积并寒。寸沉痰郁水停胸，关主中寒痛
不通。尺部浊遗并泄痢，肾虚腰及下元 。沉脉主里，有力里实，无力里虚。沉则为气，又主水蓄，沉迟痼冷，沉数内
热，沉滑痰食，沉涩气郁，沉弱寒热，沉缓寒湿，沉紧冷痛。
迟脉，一息三至，去来极慢（《脉经》）。
迟为阳不胜阴，故脉来不及。《脉谈》言，重手乃得，是有沉无浮。一息三至，甚为易见。而曰隐隐、曰状且难，
是涩脉矣，其谬可知。
〔体状诗〕迟来一息至惟三，阳不胜阴气血寒。但把浮沉分表里，消阴须益火之原。
〔体状诗〕脉来三至号为迟，小快于迟作缓持。迟细而难知是涩，浮而迟大以虚推。（三至为迟，有力为缓，无力
为涩，有止为弦，迟甚为败，浮大而软为虚。黎氏曰∶迟小而实，缓大而慢；迟为阴盛阳衰，缓为卫盛营弱，宜别之。）
〔主病诗〕迟司脏病或多痰，沉痼 瘕仔细看。有力而迟为冷痛，迟而无力定虚寒。寸迟必是上焦寒，关主中寒痛
不堪。尺是肾虚腰脚重，溲便不禁疝牵丸。迟脉主脏，有力冷痛，无力虚寒。浮迟表寒，沉迟里寒。
沉脉，需用重手按压至筋骨处才能触及（《脉经》）。其形象如同棉絮包裹砂粒，内部刚硬而外部柔软（杨氏所述）；又如同石头投入水中，必定沉落到水底。沉脉效法大地，具有深渊泉水在下方的意象，在八卦中对应坎卦，在季节中对应冬季，在人体脏腑中对应肾脏。沉脉又称为“石”脉，也称为“营”脉。如果脉象太过，就像弹击石头一样，按压时感觉更加坚硬，这是病邪在外的表现。如果脉象不及，则脉搏来势虚弱细微，去势急促如数脉，这是病邪在里的表现。《脉诀》中说缓脉通过三关，形状像烂棉絮，这是错误的。沉脉有缓、数以及各部位不同的沉脉表现，“烂绵”状实际上是弱脉，并非沉脉。
〔体状诗〕水性润下，故脉来深沉，在筋骨之间显得柔和滑利且均匀。女性寸口脉偏浮（相当于男子尺部），男性尺部脉偏沉（相当于女子寸部），四季脉象若如此，便称为平脉（正常脉象）。
〔相类诗〕沉脉在筋骨间自然调和均匀，伏脉则需要推筋着骨才能寻得。沉细如棉絮的是真正的弱脉，弦长且实大有力的是牢脉。（注：沉脉行于筋间，伏脉行于骨上，牢脉大而有力，弱脉细而无力）
〔主病诗〕沉脉主水饮蓄积于阴经的病证，数脉主热，迟脉主寒，滑脉主痰。脉沉而无力者，主虚证与气虚；脉沉而有形者，主气积并伴有寒邪。寸部见沉脉，主痰郁与水停于胸中；关部见沉脉，主中焦寒邪导致疼痛不通；尺部见沉脉，主小便浑浊遗精以及泄痢；肾虚导致的腰痛及下元不足。沉脉主要主里证，有力为里实证，无力为里虚证。沉脉主气机阻滞，又主水饮蓄积；沉迟脉主顽固性冷症，沉数脉主内热，沉滑脉主痰食停滞，沉涩脉主气机郁滞，沉弱脉主寒热往来或气血两虚，沉缓脉主寒湿，沉紧脉主冷痛。
迟脉，一呼一吸之间脉搏跳动三次，来去非常缓慢（《脉经》）。
迟脉是因为阳气不能胜过阴气，所以脉搏来去极慢。《脉谈》中说需要重手按压才能触及，这是只有沉脉没有浮脉的表现。一息三至，非常容易见到。如果说脉搏隐隐约约、形态难以辨认，那是涩脉的特征，这种说法的错误显而易见。
〔体状诗〕迟脉一息仅跳动三次，是阳气不胜阴气导致的气血寒凝。只需通过浮沉脉象区分表里，消除阴寒之邪需要补益命门之火这一根本。
〔相类诗〕脉搏一息跳动三次称为迟脉，比迟脉稍快的是缓脉。迟而细且难以辨认的是涩脉，浮大而迟缓无力的是虚脉。（注：三至为迟脉，有力为缓脉，无力为涩脉，有间歇为结代脉，迟甚为败脉，浮大而软为虚脉。黎氏说：迟脉小而实，缓脉大而慢；迟脉主阴盛阳衰，缓脉主卫气盛营气弱，应当加以区别。）
〔主病诗〕迟脉主管脏病或伴有较多痰饮，对于陈年痼疾和癥瘕积聚要仔细诊察。脉迟而有力者为冷痛，脉迟而无力者定为虚寒。寸部见迟脉，必然是上焦寒邪；关部见迟脉，主中焦寒邪导致剧烈疼痛；尺部见迟脉，主肾虚导致的腰脚沉重，以及小便失禁、疝气牵引睾丸等症状。迟脉主要主脏病，有力为冷痛，无力为虚寒。浮迟脉主表寒，沉迟脉主里寒。
Chen pulse (Sinking Pulse), which can only be felt when pressing heavily down to the level of the sinews and bones (from *Mai Jing*). Its image is like sand wrapped in cotton, internally firm but externally soft (as described by Yang). It is like a stone thrown into water, inevitably sinking to the bottom. The Chen pulse corresponds to the Earth, having the imagery of deep springs below; in the Eight Trigrams it corresponds to Kan (Water); in the seasons it corresponds to Winter; and in the human body it corresponds to the Kidney. It is also called "Shi" (Stone) pulse or Ying (Nutrient) pulse. If excessive, it feels like striking a stone, becoming harder upon pressure, indicating disease in the exterior. If deficient, the qi comes weak and faint, and departs rapidly like a Shu (Rapid) pulse, indicating disease in the interior. The *Mai Jue* states that the Huan (Slow/Relaxed) pulse passes through the three positions and resembles rotten cotton; this is incorrect. Chen pulses vary by Huan, Shu, and location; "rotten cotton" describes the Ruo (Weak) pulse, not Chen.
[Verse on Form] Water flows downward, so the pulse comes deeply; between sinews and bones, it is soft, smooth, and even. In women, the Cun (Inch) position is superficial [like men's Chi]; in men, the Chi (Cubit) position is deep [like women's Cun]. If the four seasons follow this pattern, it is called a Ping (Normal) pulse.
[Verse on Similarities] The Chen pulse is naturally balanced between sinews and bones; the Fu (Hidden) pulse requires pushing the sinews to touch the bone to find. A Chen pulse that is fine and like cotton is truly a Ruo (Weak) pulse; a Xian (Bowstring) pulse that is long, solid, and large is a Lao (Firm) form. (Note: Chen moves between sinews, Fu moves along bones, Lao is large and forceful, Ruo is fine and powerless.)
[Verse on Disease Manifestations] Chen indicates water retention in Yin meridians; Shu indicates Heat, Chi indicates Cold, Hua (Slippery) indicates Phlegm. A Chen pulse that is forceless indicates Deficiency and Qi deficiency; a Chen pulse with shape indicates Qi accumulation and Cold. At the Cun position, Chen indicates Phlegm stagnation and water retention in the chest; at the Guan (Bar) position, it indicates Middle Jiao Cold causing pain and obstruction; at the Chi position, it indicates turbid discharge, spermatorrhea, diarrhea, and dysentery; it also indicates Kidney Deficiency, lower back pain, and Yuan (Source) insufficiency. Chen primarily governs Interior syndromes: forceful indicates Interior Excess, forceless indicates Interior Deficiency. Chen governs Qi stagnation and water retention; Chen-Chi indicates entrenched Cold; Chen-Shu indicates Internal Heat; Chen-Hua indicates Phlegm and Food stagnation; Chen-Se (Choppy) indicates Qi depression; Chen-Ruo indicates Cold-Heat or Deficiency; Chen-Huan indicates Cold-Dampness; Chen-Jin (Tight) indicates Cold pain.
Chi (Slow) pulse beats three times per respiration, coming and going very slowly (*Mai Jing*).
Chi occurs because Yang cannot overcome Yin, hence the pulse comes and goes extremely slowly. *Tan Mai* states it requires heavy pressure to feel, implying only Sinking without Floating. Three beats per respiration are quite visible. To describe it as hidden or difficult to discern is describing the Se (Choppy) pulse, revealing the error.
[Verse on Form] Chi comes three times per respiration, where Yang fails to overcome Yin, leading to Qi and Blood Cold. By distinguishing Exterior and Interior via Floating and Sinking, one must eliminate Yin by benefiting the source of Fire (Mingmen).
[Verse on Similarities] A pulse beating three times per respiration is called Chi; slightly faster than Chi is Huan (Slow/Relaxed). Chi that is fine and hard to identify is Se (Choppy); Floating, Large, and Slow indicates Xu (Deficient). (Note: Three beats is Chi; Forceful is Huan; Forceless is Se; Intermittent is Jie/Dai; Extreme Chi is failing; Floating, Large, and Soft is Xu. Mr. Li says: Chi is small and solid, Huan is large and slow; Chi indicates Yin Excess and Yang Deficiency, Huan indicates Wei (Defensive) Excess and Ying (Nutrient) Weakness; these should be distinguished.)
[Verse on Disease Manifestations] Chi governs Zang organ diseases or excessive Phlegm; carefully examine entrenched masses and accumulations. Forceful Chi indicates Cold pain; Forceless Chi indicates Deficient Cold. Cun Chi indicates Upper Jiao Cold; Guan Chi indicates unbearable Middle Jiao Cold pain. Chi at the Chi position indicates Kidney Deficiency with heavy waist and legs, incontinence of urine and stool, and hernia pulling to the testicles. Chi primarily governs Zang organs: forceful indicates Cold pain, forceless indicates Deficient Cold. Floating-Chi indicates Exterior Cold, Sinking-Chi indicates Interior Cold.