体象 缓脉四至，来往和匀；微风轻 ，初春杨柳。
缓脉以宽舒和缓为义，与紧脉正相反也。故曰，缓而和匀，不浮不沉，不大不小，不疾不徐，意思欣欣，悠
悠扬扬，难以名状者，此真胃气脉也。
兼脉 主病 缓为胃气，不主于病。取其兼见，方可断证。浮缓伤风，沉缓寒湿。缓大风虚，缓
细湿痹。缓涩脾薄，缓弱气虚。左寸涩缓，少阴血虚。左关浮缓，肝风内鼓。左尺缓涩，精宫不及。
右寸浮缓，风邪所居。右关沉缓，土弱湿侵。右尺缓细，真阳衰极。
《素问·玉机真藏论》∶“岐伯曰∶脾者，土也，孤藏以灌四旁者也。善者不可见，恶者可见。”是故缓脉不
主疾病。惟考其兼见之脉，乃可断其为病。浮而且缓，风上乘也；沉而且缓，湿下侵也。缓而且大，风虚内
盛；缓而且细，湿痹外乘。缓而且涩，脾不能统血也；缓而且弱，肺不能主气也。
按缓脉在八卦为坤，在五行为土，在时为四季之末，在人身为足太阴脾。若阳寸阴尺上下同等，浮大
而软无偏胜者，和平之脉也。故张太素又比之“如丝在经，不卷其轴；应指和缓，往来甚匀。”盖土为万
物之母，中气调和，则百疾不生，缓之于脉大矣哉！
《素问·玉机真藏论》曰∶“其来如水之流者，此为太过，病在外；如鸟之喙，此谓不及，病在中。太过则
令人四肢沉重不举，不及则令人九窍壅塞不通。”《脉经》云∶“脾王之时，其脉大阿阿而缓，名曰平脉。
反得弦细而长者，是肝之乘脾，木之克土，为贼邪，死不治。反得浮涩而短者，是肺之乘脾，子之扶母，为
实邪，虽病自愈。反得洪大而散者，是心之乘脾，母之归子，为虚邪，虽病易治。反得沉濡而滑者，是肾之
乘脾，水之陵土，为微邪，虽病即瘥。”伪诀以缓脉主脾热、口臭、反胃、齿痛、梦鬼诸证，似乎缓脉主实热
有余之证，杜撰如此。
【体象】缓脉的脉率是一息四至，来去从容均匀；其感觉如同微风轻拂，又似初春时节杨柳枝条般柔和舒展。
缓脉以宽舒和缓为基本含义，与紧脉（脉管紧张如转索）正好相反。所以说，脉来和缓均匀，不浮于表也不沉于里，不大也不小，不快也不慢，神气充沛，悠然自得，难以用言语确切形容的，这是具有真胃气的脉象。
【兼脉主病】缓脉代表胃气，本身并不主病。只有结合其他兼见的脉象，才能判断病症。浮缓脉主伤风证，沉缓脉主寒湿证。缓而大主大风虚损，缓而细主湿痹证。缓而涩主脾气薄弱，缓而弱主气虚证。左寸部见涩缓脉，主少阴血虚；左关部见浮缓脉，主肝风内动；左尺部见缓涩脉，主肾精不足。右寸部见浮缓脉，主风邪停留；右关部见沉缓脉，主脾土虚弱、湿气侵袭；右尺部见缓细脉，主真阳衰极。
《素问·玉机真藏论》记载：“岐伯说：脾属土，是孤立之脏，负责灌溉四方脏腑。正常的脾脉表现不出来，只有异常的脾脉才能显现。”因此，缓脉本身不主疾病。只有考察其兼见的脉象，才能断定其所患何病。脉浮且缓，是风邪上乘；脉沉且缓，是湿邪下侵。脉缓且大，是风虚内盛；脉缓且细，是湿痹外袭。脉缓且涩，是脾不能统摄血液；脉缓且弱，是肺不能主司气机。
按：缓脉在八卦中对应坤卦，在五行中属土，在季节上对应四季之末，在人体对应足太阴脾经。如果寸部（阳）和尺部（阴）上下同等，浮大而柔软且无偏胜现象的，是平和健康的脉象。所以张太素又将它比喻为“像丝线在经书中，没有卷曲轴心；指下感觉和缓，往来非常均匀。”因为土是万物的母亲，中气调和，则百病不生，缓脉对于诊断的意义真是重大啊！
《素问·玉机真藏论》说：“脉来如水流动不止，这叫太过，病在体表；脉来如鸟嘴啄食般短促坚硬，这叫不及，病在体内。太过会导致四肢沉重无法抬起，不及会导致九窍壅塞不通。”《脉经》说：“脾旺之时，其脉宏大而缓，称为平脉（正常脉）。如果反而得到弦细而长的脉，这是肝木乘克脾土，属于贼邪，病情危重难治。如果反而得到浮涩而短的脉，这是肺金乘克脾土，子扶母，属于实邪，虽然生病但能自愈。如果反而得到洪大而散的脉，这是心火乘克脾土，母归子，属于虚邪，虽然生病但容易治愈。如果反而得到沉濡而滑的脉，这是肾水乘克脾土，水凌土，属于微邪，虽然生病很快就能痊愈。”伪托的《脉诀》认为缓脉主脾热、口臭、反胃、齿痛、梦鬼等证候，似乎认为缓脉主实热有余之证，完全是杜撰如此。
[Body and Image] The slow pulse (Huan Mai) has a rate of four beats per breath, coming and going with evenness and moderation; its sensation is like a gentle breeze brushing lightly, or like willow branches in early spring.
The slow pulse signifies width, comfort, and moderation, being exactly opposite to the tight pulse (Jin Mai). Therefore, it is said that when the pulse is moderate and even, neither floating nor sinking, neither large nor small, neither rapid nor slow, full of spirit and vitality, leisurely and graceful, difficult to describe in words, this is the pulse possessing true Stomach Qi (Wei Qi).
[Combined Pulses and Disease Manifestations] The slow pulse represents Stomach Qi and does not primarily indicate disease on its own. Only by observing combined pulses can one diagnose the condition. A floating-slow pulse indicates Wind-Strike (Shang Feng); a deep-slow pulse indicates Cold-Dampness. A large-slow pulse indicates deficiency due to severe Wind; a thin-slow pulse indicates Damp-Bi syndrome. A choppy-slow pulse indicates Spleen Qi deficiency; a weak-slow pulse indicates Qi deficiency. A choppy-slow pulse at the left Cun position indicates Shaoyin Blood deficiency; a floating-slow pulse at the left Guan position indicates internal stirring of Liver Wind; a slow-choppy pulse at the left Chi position indicates insufficiency of Essence Palace (Kidney Jing). A floating-slow pulse at the right Cun position indicates residence of Wind pathogen; a deep-slow pulse at the right Guan position indicates weakness of Earth (Spleen) invaded by Dampness; a thin-slow pulse at the right Chi position indicates extreme decline of True Yang.
Su Wen: Yu Ji Zhen Zang Lun states: "Qibo said: The Spleen belongs to Earth, an isolated organ that irrigates the four directions. Its healthy state is invisible, while its pathological state becomes visible." Thus, the slow pulse itself does not indicate disease. One must examine the combined pulses to determine the pathology. Floating and slow indicates Wind ascending; deep and slow indicates Dampness invading from below. Slow and large indicates internal abundance of Wind-deficiency; slow and thin indicates external invasion of Damp-Bi. Slow and choppy indicates the Spleen's inability to control blood; slow and weak indicates the Lung's inability to govern Qi.
Note: In the Eight Trigrams, the slow pulse corresponds to Kun; in the Five Elements, it belongs to Earth; in seasons, it corresponds to the end of each season; in the human body, it corresponds to the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian. If the Cun (Yang) and Chi (Yin) positions are equal above and below, floating and large yet soft without excess or deficiency, it is a harmonious pulse. Therefore, Zhang Taisu compared it to "like silk threads in a scroll, not rolled up; responding to the finger with moderation, coming and going very evenly." Since Earth is the mother of all things, if the Middle Qi is harmonized, hundred diseases do not arise. The significance of the slow pulse in pulse diagnosis is indeed great!
Su Wen: Yu Ji Zhen Zang Lun says: "When the pulse comes flowing like water, this is called Excess (Tai Guo), indicating disease in the exterior; when it comes sharp like a bird's beak, this is called Deficiency (Bu Ji), indicating disease in the interior. Excess causes heavy limbs unable to move; Deficiency causes obstruction and blockage of the nine orifices." Mai Jing states: "During the time when the Spleen prospers, its pulse is grand and slow, named Ping Mai (Normal Pulse). If instead a string-taut, thin, and long pulse is obtained, this is Liver Wood overacting on Spleen Earth, known as Thief Evil (Ze Xie), which is fatal and untreatable. If instead a floating, choppy, and short pulse is obtained, this is Lung Metal overacting on Spleen Earth, where the child supports the mother, known as Solid Evil (Shi Xie); although ill, it will heal spontaneously. If instead a surging, large, and scattered pulse is obtained, this is Heart Fire overacting on Spleen Earth, where the mother returns to the child, known as Empty Evil (Xu Xie); although ill, it is easy to treat. If instead a deep, soft, and slippery pulse is obtained, this is Kidney Water overacting on Spleen Earth, where Water floods Earth, known as Minor Evil (Wei Xie); although ill, it will recover quickly." The spurious Jue (Pulse Rhymes) claims that the slow pulse governs Spleen Heat, bad breath, regurgitation, toothache, and dreaming of ghosts, seemingly suggesting the slow pulse governs excess heat syndromes; this is entirely fabricated.