金当克木，是鬼贼之脉，又有何咎，所谓脉应天时而至，虽反时位，不反无常，亦为平和之脉也。
或曰肝病得肺脉，肺病得心脉，心病得肾脉，肾病得脾脉，脾病得肝脉，此是鬼贼之脉，其病必
死者，亦不可便言其死也。假令春有脾病，或遇厥阴所至，其病欲愈，脾本位而见肝脉，是谓平
和之候也，若便言死，岂非粗工之谬也。若春气温和，而肝有病，反见秋脉者，此是鬼贼之脉也，
其病殆而殂也。余仿此。又，孟春脉沉而不弦，孟夏脉弦而不数，孟秋脉数而不涩，孟冬脉涩而
不沉者，虽不应时，而亦非病也。盖四时之气，皆始于仲月，而盛于季月，差在一月之后，人脉
亦从之，故经曰各差其分，此之谓也。
大凡切脉，心明三部九候，可以候其脉。盖各人肥瘦长短不等，故谨察之也。三指之下，各
得同身寸之一寸，率而成三，以应三寸之道也。或曰三部之脉，非应三寸者，同身寸以验之，而
可知也。取寸之法，以从男左女右，以中指与大指相接如环，度中指上侧两横文之际，乃为一寸
也。或言此非一寸者，是未知其道。经言天地之至数，始于一，终于九，一天、二地、三人，因
而三之，则三三成九也。然九而因之，则为八寸一分也。故冬至之后，阳生则数
九，终于八十一也。故《素问》及《道德经》，皆八十一篇，越人八十一难，皆合九九之数，乃
自然之道也。人亦应之，故人足至顶，长八尺一寸，又手掌谓之咫尺，长八寸一分，以应九九之
数，将此度之，而可征也。又，关前为阳，将寸量至尺泽，一尺，故曰尺也，尺寸之间，阴阳之
格，故曰关也。以寸脉应天，尺脉应地，关脉应人，以为三部也。部各有浮沉中，而又应九候，
故有三部九候也。以应其身，则上部天主头角，地主唇口，人主耳目，中部天主肺，地主胸中，
人主心，下部天主肝，地主肾，人主脾。凡此三部九候及十二经，皆有动脉。独取气口，是谓手
太阴肺之经，脉之大会也。凡人食气入胃，浊气归心，淫精于脉，精微入于脉也。脉气流经，经
气归于肺，肺朝百脉，盖肺为华盖，位复居高，治节由之，故受百脉之朝会也。肺始自寅初，起
于中焦，下络大肠，还循胃口，上膈，属肺，从肺系横出腋下，循 内侧，至气口，以成寸关尺
之三部，应期而脉之见也。故经曰诊法常以平旦，阴气未动，阳气未散，饮食未进，经脉未盛，
络脉调匀，气血未乱，故乃可诊有过之脉也。欲将持脉，审其荣辱勇怯，性之缓急，察色听声，
询其憎欲，穷其所病，工无所惑，方可切其脉也。凡诊之手，以从男左女右，先以中指按高骨为
关，适其远近，而次按寸尺。诊其脉，则目无邪搜，耳无乱闻，口无乱言，意无妄想，询明部候，
谨察阴阳，视岁政南北而君臣之位，适主客同异而气之盛衰，追乎众法，而应于心手。中外俱明，
得其标本，可以言病患之由，断病吉凶之处，谓治之方，愈疾人之苦矣。
金气应当克制木气，这是“鬼贼”之脉（相克关系的异常脉象），又有什么过错呢？所谓脉象顺应天时而至，虽然与常规的时令位置相反，但并不违背恒常规律，这也属于平和的脉象。
有人问：肝病出现肺脉，肺病出现心脉，心病出现肾脉，肾病出现脾脉，脾病出现肝脉，这些是“鬼贼”之脉，认为其病必死，难道就不能不说是死证吗？例如春季患有脾病，或者遇到厥阴风木之气主令之时，病情想要痊愈，脾脏本位却见到肝脉，这被称为平和的征候，如果断言为死证，岂不是粗劣医生的谬误吗？如果春天气候温和，而肝脏有病，反而出现秋季的脉象，这才是真正的“鬼贼”之脉，病情危险且可能死亡。其余类推。另外，初春脉象沉而不弦，初夏脉象弦而不数，初秋脉象数而不涩，初冬脉象涩而不沉，虽然不符合时令特征，但也并非疾病。因为四季之气，都是从仲月（每季的第二个月）开始，在季月（每季的第三个月）达到旺盛，相差一个月之后，人的脉象也随之变化，所以《内经》说“各差其分”，说的就是这个道理。
大凡切脉，必须心中明了“三部九候”（寸、关、尺三部，每部有浮、中、沉三候，共九候），才可以诊察脉象。因为每个人的肥瘦、长短不同，所以要仔细审察。三指之下，每指占据同身寸的一寸，合计成为三寸，以对应三寸的天道法则。有人问：三部的脉象，不一定对应三寸，可以用同身寸来验证，从而知晓。取寸的方法，依据男子看左手、女子看右手的原则，将中指与大拇指相接成环状，测量中指上侧两道横纹之间的距离，这就是一寸。有人说这不是标准的一寸，是不懂得其中的道理。《内经》说天地至极之数，从一始，到九终，一天、二地、三人，因此乘以三，则三三得九。然而九再乘以九，则是八十一。所以冬至之后，阳气生发则数至九，最终达到八十一。因此《素问》和《道德经》都是八十一篇，《难经》有八十一难，都符合九九之数，这是自然的道理。人也顺应这一规律，所以人从脚到头顶，长八尺一寸；手掌称为咫尺，长八寸一分，以对应九九之数，用这个尺度来衡量，就可以验证了。另外，关前为阳，用寸脉的量度延伸至尺泽穴，为一尺，所以叫尺；寸和尺之间，是阴阳的分界，所以叫关。以寸脉应天，尺脉应地，关脉应人，以此构成三部。每一部各有浮、中、沉三种指力，又对应九候，所以有三部分别对应九候的说法。对应人体而言，上部天主管头角，地主管唇口，人主管耳目；中部天主管肺，地主管胸中，人主管心；下部天主管肝，地主管肾，人主管脾。大凡这三部九候以及十二经脉，都有动脉搏动。唯独选取气口（寸口），是因为它是手太阴肺经的经脉，也是脉气大会聚的地方。大凡人进食后，水谷之气入胃，浊气归于心，精气溢于脉中，精微物质进入脉管。脉气流经经脉，经气归于肺，肺朝会百脉，因为肺为华盖（五脏六腑之盖），位置居高，治理调节由它主导，所以接受百脉的朝会。肺经起始于寅时之初，起于中焦，向下联络大肠，回绕经过胃口，向上穿过膈肌，属于肺，从肺系横向出于腋下，沿手臂内侧，到达气口，形成寸、关、尺三部，随着时辰到来而显现脉象。所以《内经》说诊法通常在平旦（清晨）进行，此时阴气未动，阳气未散，饮食未进，经脉未盛，络脉调匀，气血未乱，所以才能诊察出有病的脉象。准备持脉诊察时，要审视患者的荣卫、勇怯，性格的缓急，观察面色，听取声音，询问其好恶，穷究其病因，医生心中没有疑惑，才可以切按脉象。凡是诊脉的手，依据男子看左手、女子看右手的规则，先用中指按压高骨（桡骨茎突）定为关，调整远近，然后依次按寸、尺。诊察脉象时，眼睛不看邪僻之物，耳朵不听杂乱之声，口中不乱说话，心中不起妄想，明确各部候象，谨慎辨别阴阳，观察岁运南北及君臣之位，适应主客同异及气的盛衰，追索各种诊法，使心意与手法相应。内外都明白，掌握标本，可以说明病患的原因，判断疾病的吉凶，制定治疗方药，解除病人的痛苦。
Metal Qi should overcome Wood Qi; this is a "Ghost-Thief" pulse (an abnormal pulse indicating an overcoming relationship), so what fault is there? It is said that the pulse arrives in accordance with Heaven's timing. Although it contradicts the usual positional order, it does not violate constant laws, and thus is also considered a harmonious pulse.
One might ask: If Liver disease presents with a Lung pulse, Lung disease with a Heart pulse, Heart disease with a Kidney pulse, Kidney disease with a Spleen pulse, and Spleen disease with a Liver pulse, these are "Ghost-Thief" pulses. Is it true that such diseases must lead to death, and can we not say otherwise? For example, if one has Spleen disease in Spring, or when Jueyin Wind-Wood Qi prevails, and the illness desires to heal, the Spleen's native position manifests a Liver pulse; this is called a sign of harmony. To declare it death would surely be the error of a crude physician. However, if the Spring climate is mild, yet the Liver is diseased and instead presents an Autumn pulse, this is truly a "Ghost-Thief" pulse, indicating danger and potential death. The rest follows this pattern. Furthermore, if early Spring pulses are deep but not wiry, early Summer pulses are wiry but not rapid, early Autumn pulses are rapid but not choppy, and early Winter pulses are choppy but not deep, although they do not correspond to the season, they are not necessarily pathological. This is because the Qi of the four seasons begins in the middle month of each season and peaks in the final month, lagging by one month. Human pulses follow this shift, hence the Classic states "each differs by its share," referring to this phenomenon.
Generally, palpating the pulse requires clarity regarding the Three Regions and Nine Hears (Three Regions: Cun, Guan, Chi; Nine Hears: Floating, Middle, Deep at each region) to assess the pulse. Since individuals vary in fatness, leanness, length, and shortness, careful examination is essential. Under three fingers, each occupies one *Tongshen Cun* (body-inch), totaling three inches, corresponding to the Dao of three inches. One may ask: Do the pulses of the three regions not correspond to three inches? They can be verified using the *Tongshen Cun*. The method for measuring the Cun involves looking at the left hand for men and the right hand for women. Join the middle finger and thumb into a ring shape; measure the distance between the two transverse creases on the upper side of the middle finger; this constitutes one inch. Those who claim this is not one inch fail to understand the principle. The Classic states that the ultimate numbers of Heaven and Earth begin with one and end with nine: One Heaven, Two Earth, Three Man. Multiplying by three yields nine. Further multiplying nine by nine results in eighty-one. Thus, after the Winter Solstice, as Yang Qi generates, the count reaches nine, culminating in eighty-one. Therefore, both the *Suwen* and the *Daodejing* consist of eighty-one chapters, and the *Nanjing* contains eighty-one difficulties, all conforming to the number of nine-nine, which is the natural Dao. Humans also correspond to this; thus, from foot to crown, the body is eight chi and one cun long; the palm is called a "Zhi Chi" (foot-inch), measuring eight cun and one fen, corresponding to the nine-nine number. Using this measure allows verification. Additionally, anterior to the Guan is Yang. Measuring from the Cun pulse extending to the Chize point covers one chi, hence called Chi. Between the Cun and Chi lies the boundary of Yin and Yang, hence called Guan. The Cun pulse corresponds to Heaven, the Chi pulse to Earth, and the Guan pulse to Man, forming the Three Regions. Each region has Floating, Middle, and Deep levels, corresponding to the Nine Hears, hence the concept of Three Regions and Nine Hears. Corresponding to the body: Upper Region Heaven governs the head and horns (temples), Earth governs lips and mouth, Man governs ears and eyes; Middle Region Heaven governs Lungs, Earth governs the chest interior, Man governs the Heart; Lower Region Heaven governs the Liver, Earth governs the Kidneys, Man governs the Spleen. All these Three Regions, Nine Hears, and Twelve Meridians have arterial pulsations. Only the Qi Kou (Cun Kou) is selected because it belongs to the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian and is the great assembly of pulses. When humans eat, food Qi enters the Stomach, turbid Qi returns to the Heart, and essence overflows into the vessels; fine essences enter the pulse. Pulse Qi flows through meridians, and meridian Qi returns to the Lungs. The Lungs receive the assembly of all pulses. Because the Lungs are the Huagai (canopy of the five zang organs) and occupy a high position, governing regulation, they accept the assembly of all pulses. The Lung Meridian begins at the start of Yin hour, originating in the Middle Jiao, descending to connect with the Large Intestine, returning to circulate around the stomach opening, ascending through the diaphragm, belonging to the Lungs, emerging horizontally from the lung system under the armpit, following the medial aspect of the arm, reaching the Qi Kou, forming the Three Regions of Cun, Guan, and Chi, manifesting according to time. Hence the Classic states that diagnosis is usually performed at Pingdan (early morning), when Yin Qi has not moved, Yang Qi has not scattered, food has not been ingested, meridians are not full, collaterals are balanced, and Qi and Blood are not chaotic, allowing for the detection of pathological pulses. Before holding the pulse, examine the patient's Rong-Wei status, courage and timidity, and the slowness or urgency of their nature; observe complexion, listen to voice, inquire about preferences and aversions, and exhaustively investigate the pathology. The physician must be free from confusion before palpating. For palpation, follow the rule of left hand for men and right hand for women. First, press the high bone (radial styloid process) with the middle finger to define the Guan, adjust the distance appropriately, then press the Cun and Chi sequentially. During diagnosis, the eyes should not look at deviant things, the ears should not hear chaotic sounds, the mouth should not speak randomly, and the mind should not harbor delusions. Clarify the regional signs, carefully observe Yin and Yang, consider the annual governance of North and South and the positions of Sovereign and Minister, adapt to the similarities and differences of Host and Guest and the prosperity or decline of Qi, trace various methods, and align heart and hand. With internal and external clarity, grasping the root and branch, one can explain the cause of the patient's condition, judge the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of the disease, prescribe treatment methods, and relieve the suffering of the ill.