诊血脉者，多亦多热；多青多痛；多黑久痹；赤黑青色，皆见寒热。（血脉即络脉，肌皮嫩薄者，视之可见。）臂多
青脉，则曰脱血。（络中血脱，故不红而多青。）
发枯生穗，血少火盛。毛发堕落，卫疏有风；若还眉堕，风证难愈。头毛上逆，久病必凶。（血枯不荣，如枯草不
柔顺而劲直，小儿疳病多此，亦主有虫。）
大体为形，形充者气。形胜气者，必主夭亡。（肥白而气不充。）气胜形者，寿考之征。（修长黑色有神。）气实形实，
气虚形虚。形盛脉细，气难布息，已濒于危。形瘦脉大，胸中多气，可断其死。肥人中风，形浓气虚；痰
壅气塞，火冲暴厥。瘦人阴虚，血液衰少；相火易亢，故多劳嗽。病患形脱，气盛者死。（正虚则形脱，邪实则气盛。）
形体充大，皮肤宽缓，定臻耄耋；形体充大，皮肤紧急，当为夭折。形盛气虚，气盛形虚，形涩脉
滑，形大脉小，形小脉大，形长脉短，形短脉长，形滑脉涩，肥人脉细，羸人脉躁，俱为凶候。（言反常也。）
血实气虚，则体易肥；气实血虚，则体易瘦。肥者能寒，（能读耐。）瘦者能热。美髯及胸，阳明有余；髯
少而短，阳明不足。坐垂一脚，因有腰痛。行迟者痹，或表素强，或腰脚痛，或有麻木，渐成风疾。
里实护腹，如怀卵物，心痛之证。持脉而欠，知其无病。（经云，阳引而上，阴引而下，则欠。阴阳相引，故云无病，病
亦即愈。）息摇肩者，心中坚急。息引胸中，上气者咳。息而张口，必乃短气，肺痿吐沫。掌寒腹寒，掌热阴虚。诊时病
人，叉手扪心，闭目不言，心虚怔忡。仓廪不藏，门户不要。水泉不止，膀胱不藏。头倾视深，精神将
夺。背曲肩随，府将坏矣。腰难转摇，肾将惫矣。膝为筋府，屈伸不能，行则偻俯，筋将惫矣。骨为
髓府，不能久立，行则振掉，骨将惫矣。眼胞十指，肿必久咳。
诊察血脉（络脉）的颜色变化：颜色红多表示热证；青多表示疼痛；黑多表示久病痹症；若赤、黑、青各色同时出现，则表明寒热错杂。（血脉即络脉，肌肉皮肤嫩薄的人，肉眼可见。）手臂上青色脉络明显，称为脱血。（因为络中血液耗脱，所以不显红色而多现青色。）
头发干枯且结成穗状，是血少火盛的征象。毛发脱落，说明卫气虚弱且有风邪侵袭；如果眉毛也脱落，说明风邪难愈。头顶头发竖立逆生，久病者必主凶险。（这是血枯不能濡养的表现，如同枯草不再柔顺而是劲直，小儿疳积病多见此象，也主体内有虫。）
大体观察形体与气的关系：形体充实者，气也充足。形盛气虚者，必主早亡。（如身体肥白但气不足。）气盛形弱者，是长寿的征兆。（如身材修长、面色黑而有神。）气实则形实，气虚则形虚。形体丰满但脉象细弱，说明气难以布息，病情已接近危重。形体消瘦但脉象洪大，胸中多有邪气，可断定为死证。肥胖之人患中风，往往形体浓浊但气虚；痰湿壅盛，气机闭塞，火热上冲导致突然昏厥。瘦人阴虚，血液衰少；相火容易亢奋，所以多患劳损咳嗽。病人形体脱失，若脉气反盛，主死。（正气虚弱则形体脱失，邪气实则脉气盛。）形体充大，皮肤宽松缓和，定能活到高龄；形体充大，皮肤紧绷紧急，应当会夭折。形盛气虚，气盛形虚，形体涩滞而脉滑，形体大而脉小，形体小而脉大，形体长而脉短，形体短而脉长，形体滑利而脉涩，肥胖人脉细，消瘦人脉躁动，这些都是凶险的征候。（指脉证相反。）血实气虚，身体容易肥胖；气实血虚，身体容易消瘦。肥人能耐寒（“能”读作“耐”），瘦人能耐热。胡须茂盛及胸，说明阳明经有余；胡须稀少短小，说明阳明经不足。坐着时垂下一只脚，是因为腰痛。行走迟缓者，或为痹症，或因表气素强，或因腰脚痛，或有麻木感，逐渐发展为风疾。腹部坚实护住，像怀着蛋一样，是心痛的证候。切脉时见呵欠，可知其无病。（经文说，阳气引而上行，阴气引而下行的，就会打哈欠。阴阳相互牵引，所以说无病，有病也会痊愈。）呼吸时耸肩，说明心中坚急。呼吸时带动胸部，气机上逆的是咳嗽。呼吸张口，必定是短气，属于肺痿吐沫。手掌寒冷腹部寒冷，手掌发热则是阴虚。诊察时病患者，双手交叉按在心口，闭目不说话，是心虚怔忡。仓廪（脾胃）不能藏纳，门户（二便）不能固摄。水泉（尿液）不止，是膀胱不能藏纳。头低垂视深陷，精神即将被夺走。背部弯曲肩膀下垂，六腑将要败坏。腰部难以转动摇晃，肾脏将要疲惫。膝部是筋之府，屈伸不能，行走弯腰俯身，筋将疲惫。骨是髓之府，不能久站，行走时颤抖摇摆，骨将疲惫。眼睑和十个手指肿胀，必定伴有久咳。
When examining the blood vessels (collaterals), redness indicates heat; blueness indicates pain; blackness indicates chronic bi-syndrome (obstruction); if red, black, and blue colors appear together, it indicates a mixture of cold and heat. (Blood vessels refer to collaterals, which are visible in individuals with tender and thin skin and muscles.) Prominent blue veins on the arms indicate blood loss (due to depletion of blood in the collaterals, hence appearing blue rather than red).
Dry hair forming tufts indicates deficient blood and flourishing fire. Falling hair suggests deficient defensive qi (Wei Qi) and wind invasion; if eyebrows also fall out, the wind pathogen is difficult to cure. Hair standing upright on the head indicates a fatal prognosis for chronic illness (this reflects blood deficiency failing to nourish, similar to dry grass becoming stiff and straight; it is common in pediatric malnutrition syndrome [Gan disease] and also indicates intestinal parasites).
Generally observing the relationship between form and qi: A substantial form implies abundant qi. If the form is substantial but qi is deficient, premature death is certain (e.g., fat and white complexion but lacking qi). If qi is substantial but the form is deficient, it is a sign of longevity (e.g., tall stature, dark complexion, and spirit). Abundant qi corresponds to a substantial form; deficient qi corresponds to a deficient form. A plump body with a fine pulse indicates that qi cannot distribute breath properly, signaling critical danger. A emaciated body with a large pulse indicates excessive qi in the chest, suggesting a fatal condition. Obese individuals suffering from wind-stroke often have a dense form but deficient qi; phlegm-dampness obstructs, qi mechanism is blocked, and flaming fire rushes upward causing sudden syncope. Emaciated individuals have yin deficiency and depleted blood; ministerial fire easily hyperactive, leading to consumptive cough. When a patient's form is depleted but qi appears abundant, death is indicated (deficient healthy qi leads to form depletion, while excess pathogenic qi makes the pulse abundant). A substantial form with loose and relaxed skin predicts reaching old age; a substantial form with tight and urgent skin predicts premature death. Mismatches such as substantial form with deficient qi, abundant qi with deficient form, rough form with slippery pulse, large form with small pulse, small form with large pulse, long form with short pulse, short form with long pulse, smooth form with choppy pulse, fine pulse in obese persons, and restless pulse in emaciated persons are all ominous signs (indicating contradiction between pulse and symptoms). Excess blood with deficient qi tends to make the body fat; excess qi with deficient blood tends to make the body thin. Fat people can endure cold; thin people can endure heat. Lush beard extending to the chest indicates excess in the Yangming channel; sparse and short beards indicate deficiency in the Yangming channel. Sitting with one leg hanging down indicates lower back pain. Slow walking may indicate bi-syndrome, or strong exterior qi, or lower back and leg pain, or numbness, gradually developing into wind disease. Protecting the abdomen as if holding an egg indicates heart pain. Yawning during pulse diagnosis indicates no disease (as stated in the classics, when yang qi draws upward and yin qi draws downward, yawning occurs; this mutual attraction of yin and yang indicates health or recovery). Shoulder shrugging during breathing indicates hardness and urgency in the chest. Breathing involving the chest with rebellious qi indicates cough. Breathing with open mouth indicates shortness of breath, characteristic of lung萎 (Lung Flaccidity) with spitting foam. Cold palms and cold abdomen indicate yin deficiency if palms are hot. During examination, patients crossing hands over the heart, closing eyes, and remaining silent indicate heart deficiency and palpitations. Inability of the "granaries" (Spleen/Stomach) to store and inability of the "gates" (orifices) to control indicates bladder failure to store urine. Head drooping with deep-set eyes indicates impending loss of spirit. Curved back and drooping shoulders indicate deterioration of the fu organs. Difficulty turning and shaking the waist indicates exhaustion of the Kidneys. The knees are the mansion of sinews; inability to flex and extend, and stooping while walking, indicate exhaustion of sinews. Bones are the mansion of marrow; inability to stand for long and trembling while walking indicate exhaustion of bones. Swelling of eyelids and ten fingers indicates chronic cough.