体象 紧脉有力,左右弹人;如绞转索,如切紧绳。
主病 紧主寒邪,亦主诸痛。左寸逢紧,心满急痛。右寸逢紧,伤寒喘嗽。左关、人迎,浮紧
伤寒。右关、气口,沉紧伤食。左尺见之,脐下痛极。右尺见之,奔豚疝疾。
兼脉 浮紧伤寒,沉紧伤食。急而紧者,是为遁尸。数而紧者,当主鬼祟。
【按】紧者,绷急而兼绞转之形也。古称热则筋纵,寒则筋急;此惟热郁于内,而寒束于外,故紧急
绞转之象,征见于脉耳。《素问》曰∶“往来有力,左右弹人手”,则刚劲之概可鞠。夫寒者,北方刚劲肃杀
之气,故紧急中复兼左右弹手之象耳。仲景曰∶“如转索无常。”叔和曰∶“数如切绳。”丹溪曰∶“如纫
簟线。譬如以二股三股纠合为绳,必旋转而绞,乃紧而成绳耳。”可见紧之为义,不独纵有挺急,抑且横有
转侧也。苟非横有转侧,则《内经》之左右弹人,仲景之转索,丹溪之纫线,叔和之切绳,将何所取义乎!
高阳生伪诀未察诸家之说,而妄云“寥寥入尺来”,不知于紧之义何居乎!盖紧之挺急而劲,与弦相类;但
比之于弦,更有加于挺劲之异,及转如绳线之状也。
中恶、祟乘之脉而得浮紧,谓邪方炽而脉无根也。咳嗽、虚损之脉而得沉紧,谓正已虚而邪已痼也。
咸在不治之例。
体象:紧脉有力,搏动时向左右冲击手指;就像绞拧绳索一样,又像切按紧绷的绳子。
主病:紧脉主要主寒邪为病,也主各种疼痛。左寸部出现紧脉,是心部胀满急痛。右寸部出现紧脉,是伤寒引起的喘咳。左关部或人迎穴处,若见浮紧脉,主伤寒。右关部或气口处,若见沉紧脉,主伤食(饮食停滞)。左尺部见到紧脉,是脐下剧烈疼痛。右尺部见到紧脉,是奔豚病或疝气疾病。
兼脉:浮紧脉主伤寒,沉紧脉主伤食。脉来急促而紧的,称为遁尸(一种突然发作、游走不定的死气病症)。脉数而紧的,应当主鬼祟(指因邪气侵扰导致的怪异病症)。
【按语】紧脉,是指脉管绷急且带有绞拧形态的古称认为热则筋脉松弛,寒则筋脉拘急;这里只有热郁结在体内,而寒束缚在体表,所以紧急绞拧的征象,反映在脉象上。《素问》说:“往来有力,左右冲击人手”,那么刚劲的气势就可以理解了。夫寒,是北方刚劲肃杀之气,所以在紧急之中又兼有左右冲击手部的象。张仲景说:“像转动绳索无常定。”王叔和说:“数急如切绳。”朱丹溪说:“像缝纫垫席的线。比如用两股三股纠合成为绳子,必须旋转绞拧,才能成为紧绳。”可见紧的含义,不仅纵向有挺急,而且横向有转侧。如果不是横向有转侧,那么《内经》的左右弹人,仲景的转索,丹溪的纫线,叔和的切绳,将取什么意义呢!高阳生伪托的诀文没有考察诸家的说法,却妄言“寥寥入尺来”,不知道这符合紧的什么含义呢?大概紧的挺急而劲,与弦脉相似;但比起弦脉,更有加于挺劲的差异,以及转如绳线的状态。
中恶、祟乘(邪气侵袭)的脉象如果得到浮紧,是说邪气正盛而脉无根底。咳嗽、虚损的脉象如果得到沉紧,是说正气已虚而邪气已固结。这些都不在可治之列。
Body Image: The Jin (Tight) pulse is forceful, striking the fingers to the left and right; it resembles a twisted rope or cutting a taut string.
Disease Predication: The Jin pulse primarily indicates Cold pathogen and various pains. If the Jin pulse appears at the Left Cun position, it indicates fullness and acute pain in the Heart. If it appears at the Right Cun position, it indicates asthma and cough due to Shanghan (Cold Damage). If the Floating-Jin pulse is seen at the Left Guan position or the Yingying acupoint, it indicates Shanghan. If the Sinking-Jin pulse is seen at the Right Guan position or the Qikou acupoint, it indicates injury from food stagnation. If the Jin pulse is seen at the Left Chi position, it indicates extreme pain below the navel. If it is seen at the Right Chi position, it indicates Ben Tun (Running Piglet) disease or hernia.
Combined Pulses: A Floating-Jin pulse indicates Shanghan; a Sinking-Jin pulse indicates injury from food stagnation. A pulse that is urgent and tight is called Dun Shi (a type of sudden, wandering death-qi syndrome). A pulse that is rapid and tight should indicate Gui Sui (diseases caused by evil spirits/pathogenic influences).
[Commentary]: The Jin pulse refers to a vessel that is tense and exhibits a twisting form. Ancient texts state that heat causes tendons to relax, while cold causes them to contract; here, only when heat is constrained internally and cold binds externally does this image of urgency and twisting manifest in the pulse. The Suwen states: "Coming and going with strength, striking the hand to the left and right," thus the concept of rigidity can be understood. Cold is the rigid and austere qi of the North; therefore, within the urgency, there is also the image of striking the hand to the left and right. Zhang Zhongjing said: "Like a turning rope without constancy." Wang Shuhe said: "Rapid like cutting a rope." Zhu Danxi said: "Like sewing thread for a mat. For example, taking two or three strands to twist into a rope, one must rotate and twist it to become a tight rope." This shows that the meaning of Jin involves not only longitudinal tension but also lateral rotation. If there were no lateral rotation, what meaning would be derived from the Suwen's "striking the hand left and right," Zhongjing's "turning rope," Danxi's "sewing thread," and Shuhe's "cutting rope"! Gao Yangsheng's apocryphal verses failed to examine the views of previous experts and rashly claimed "sparse entering the Chi position," failing to understand how this fits the meaning of Jin. Generally, the tenseness and vigor of Jin are similar to the Xian (Wiry) pulse; however, compared to Xian, it has an added difference of greater rigidity and a shape resembling twisted rope threads.
If a Floating-Jin pulse is obtained in cases of Zhong E (sudden poisoning/evil invasion) or Chui Cheng (possession by evil spirits), it signifies that the pathogen is vigorous while the pulse lacks root. If a Sinking-Jin pulse is obtained in cases of cough or deficiency consumption, it signifies that the healthy qi is already deficient while the pathogen is entrenched. All such cases fall under the category of untreatable conditions.