短脉部无余，犹疑动宛如。
酒伤神欲散，食宿气难舒。
（按∶短与动为邻，形与动实别。动则圆转如豆，短则濡滞而艰。濒湖曰∶“短而滑数酒伤神。”杨氏曰∶
“短脉为阴中伏阳，三焦气壅，宿食不消。）
脉而弦，脉之有力者也，雄姿猛态，可以举百钧；脉而弱，脉之无力也，纤质柔容，不能举一羽。
（同一弦也，在肝经则泻之，攻之；在胆经则和之解之。）
弦脉似张弓，肝经并胆宫。
疝 瘕疟，象与伤寒同。
（《素问》曰∶“脉端直以长。”《刊误》曰∶“从中直过，挺然指下。”按弦属肝胆经，疝 瘕疟，
肝胆经病。肝胆经有泄无补。）
弱脉按来柔，柔沉不见浮。
形枯精自减，急治可全瘳。
（《脉经》曰∶“极软而沉，按之乃得，举手无有。”弱宜分滑涩，脉弱以滑，是有胃气，清秀人多有
此脉，脉弱而涩，是为病脉。）
脉之往来，一则流利，一则艰滞，滑涩形状，对面看来便见。
滑脉走如珠，往来极流利。
气虚多生痰，女得反为吉。
（沈薇垣曰∶“滑主痰饮，浮滑风痰，沉滑食痰，滑数痰火。亦有呕吐、蓄血、宿食而脉滑者。”万氏
云∶“脉尺数关滑而寸盛，为有胎。”）
涩脉往来艰，参差应指端。
只缘精血少，时热或纯寒。
（《脉经》云∶“涩脉细而迟，往来艰，短而散，或一止复来。”《素问》云∶“参伍不调。”按血不
流通，故脉往来艰滞。）
The Short pulse (Duan Mai) lacks surplus in the Cun, Guan, and Chi positions, resembling the Moving pulse (Dong Mai) yet remaining distinct. It indicates alcohol injury depleting the Shen (Spirit), causing it to scatter, and food retention obstructing Qi, making it difficult to diffuse. (Note: The Short pulse is adjacent to the Moving pulse, but their forms are substantially different. The Moving pulse is round and rolling like a bean, whereas the Short pulse is soggy, stagnant, and difficult. Li Shizhen stated: "A Short, slippery, and rapid pulse indicates alcohol injury to the Spirit." Yang stated: "The Short pulse represents latent Yang within Yin, stagnation of Qi in the San Jiao (Triple Burner), and indigestion of retained food.)
The Wiry pulse (Xian Mai) is forceful, possessing a majestic posture capable of lifting heavy weights; the Weak pulse (Ruo Mai) is non-forceful, with a slender and soft quality unable to lift even a feather. (If the Wiry pulse appears in the Liver channel, it should be purged and attacked; if it appears in the Gallbladder channel, it should be harmonized and resolved.)
The Wiry pulse resembles a drawn bowstring, associated with the Liver organ and Gallbladder palace. Conditions such as hernia (Shan), mass accumulation (Jia), and malaria (Nue) present with pulses similar to those seen in Cold Damage (Shang Han). ("The pulse is straight and long," states Su Wen. "It passes straight through, feeling firm under the fingers," states Kan Wu. Note: The Wiry pulse belongs to the Liver and Gallbladder channels; hernia, mass accumulation, and malaria are diseases of these channels. Diseases of the Liver and Gallbladder channels are treated by draining rather than tonifying.)
The Weak pulse feels soft upon deep pressure, appearing only on deep palpation and not on superficial palpation. A withered form indicates natural depletion of essence; timely treatment can lead to complete recovery. ("Extremely soft and deep, felt only upon pressing, absent upon lifting," states Mai Jing. The Weak pulse must be distinguished by Slippery or Choppy qualities: a Weak and Slippery pulse indicates Stomach Qi, common in refined individuals; a Weak and Choppy pulse indicates a pathological state.)
Regarding the movement of the pulse, one is smooth and fluent, the other is difficult and stagnant; the shapes of the Slippery (Hua) and Choppy (Se) pulses are clearly distinguishable when viewed in contrast.
The Slippery pulse flows like rolling pearls, moving extremely smoothly. Qi deficiency often generates Phlegm; for women, encountering this pulse is auspicious. (Shen Weiyuan stated: "Slipperiness governs Phlegm-Fluids; superficial slipperiness indicates Wind-Phlegm, deep slipperiness indicates Food-Phlegm, and slippery-rapid indicates Phlegm-Fire. There are also cases of vomiting, blood stasis, or retained food presenting with a Slippery pulse." Wan stated: "Numerous at the Chi, Slippery at the Guan, and Excess at the Cun indicates pregnancy.")
The Choppy pulse moves with difficulty, irregularly responding at the finger tips. This is solely due to deficiency of Essence and Blood, manifesting as intermittent fever or pure cold. ("The Choppy pulse is fine and slow, difficult in movement, short and scattered, or pausing before resuming," states Mai Jing. "Irregular and inconsistent," states Su Wen. Note: Poor blood circulation causes the pulse to move with difficulty and stagnation.)