Library

Meditate in stillness and regulate breathing to observe the coming and going of Qi. When treating patients, one must also maintain reverence by holding breath and focusing the mind; this is using the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) within our heart to verify the Taiji within the body. It neither departs from Blood and Qi nor becomes entangled with them; this is the spiritual essence of the Pre-Heaven (Xiantian). How could those who are stuck on image and number (numerology/divination) understand this!

The method for diagnosing disease takes the pulse corresponding to the season as the primary indicator. For the Zang and Fu organs, illness is determined when their flourishing or declining states reach an extreme. If the pulse at its original position is either excessively strong or deficient to the extreme, death will occur. The *Suwen* (Basic Questions) states: "A person's living environment and activity level can cause changes in the pulse." Therefore, if one unfortunately experiences even slight variations in the pulse, should they not nourish themselves to fulfill their natural lifespan?

Shuhe (Wang Shuhe) said: "If the pulse beats fifty times without interruption, the body is healthy; interruptions within the count indicate a fixed prognosis. An interruption after forty-one beats indicates the failure of one Zang organ, leading to death after four years; an interruption after thirty-one beats leads to death in three years; after twenty-one beats, two years; after fifteen beats, one year. For interruptions below fifteen beats, distinguish between acute and chronic conditions." He further stated: "An interruption after two beats, or after three, four, or five beats, indicates death if it occurs after six or seven beats; an interruption after four beats leads to death in eight days. Deduce similarly based on sequence. Regardless of internal or external causes, whether chronic or acute, the appearance of a Dai pulse (intermittent pulse) signifies death. All kinds of fatal pulses are variations of fewer than ten beats."

Stomach Qi (Wei Qi) of the four seasons is the root of the pulse. Human Blood and Qi rise in Spring, float in Summer, descend in Autumn, and sink in Winter, following the constant measure of the celestial cycle and matching the fixed order of the four seasons. Speaking of individual positions: Liver pulse is Wiry (Xian), Heart pulse is Surging (Hong), Lung pulse is Rough (Se), Kidney pulse is Deep (Chen), and Spleen pulse is Moderate (Huan); these are the pulses of the respective Zang organs. Speaking of seasons: In Spring, all six positions carry a Wiry quality; in Summer, all carry a Surging quality; in Autumn, all carry a Rough quality; in Winter, all carry a Deep quality; during Late Summer and the transition seasons, all carry a Moderate and harmonious quality. A person who obtains a pulse corresponding to the season has no disease. However, it must be slightly Wiry, slightly Surging, slightly Feathery (Mao - light and floating), or slightly Stone-like (Shi - deep and firm) to indicate the presence of Stomach Qi. If only Wiry, Surging, Feathery, or Stone-like pulses appear purely, they are called True Zang Pulses. Without Stomach Qi to harmonize them, death is certain. Thus it is said: "In the four seasons, Stomach Qi is the foundation." This is the normal state of the pulse. However, waxing and waning, transformation and generation never cease; movement shifts rapidly. Sometimes Spring follows Winter's command, Summer follows Spring's, Autumn follows Summer's, and Winter follows Spring's (note: text likely implies climatic anomalies). The dynamic changes of the four seasons correspond in the pulse; these are pulses arriving with the climate. They must also possess Stomach Qi to be harmless. Stomach Qi is Middle Qi (Zhong Qi): neither large nor small, neither long nor short, neither floating nor deep, neither slippery nor rough, responding with harmony, appearing vibrant yet indescribable. With Stomach Qi, the pulse has strength and Spirit (Shen); without it, the pulse lacks strength and Spirit. Spirit is Stomach Qi. In men, heavy pressure on the left hand yields a harmonious Qi Kou pulse; in women, heavy pressure on the right hand yields a harmonious Ying Chang pulse; both indicate Stomach Qi. Modern practitioners stick to floating to inspect Fu organs, deep to inspect Zang organs, and middle to inspect Stomach Qi, not realizing that 'middle' exists within the middle, but also within the floating and the deep. One should not stick to form but seek the Spirit. Spirit is strength. Some doubt the Seven Diagnostics method which also considers 'middle' as Stomach Qi; if all six pulses are deep, can one conclude there is no Middle Qi? The techniques for nine positions regarding finger pressure are detailed in the classics and have been included in the notes on the Heart pulse section.

The Six Jia cycles resemble brothers. Climate and Yin-Yang alternate through the four seasons. At Winter Solstice, Yin reaches its peak and Yang begins to grow; at Summer Solstice, Yang reaches its peak and Yin begins to grow. After Winter Solstice, upon reaching the first Jia Zi day, Shaoyang (Lesser Yang) prospers for sixty days. Its Qi is still subtle, so the pulse comes varying in size and length. On the second Jia Zi day, Yangming (Bright Yang) prospers for sixty days. Its Qi begins to sprout, so the pulse is floating, large, and short. On the third Jia Zi day, Taiyang (Greater Yang) prospers for sixty days. Its Qi is abundant, so the pulse is surging, large, and long. After Summer Solstice, on the fourth Jia Zi day, Taiyin (Greater Yin) prospers for sixty days. Yin Qi initially grows, so the pulse is tight, large, and long. On the fifth Jia Zi day, Shaoyin (Lesser Yin) prospers for sixty days. Yin Qi gradually strengthens, so the pulse is tight, fine, and subtle. On the sixth Jia Zi day, Jueyin (Terminal Yin) prospers for sixty days. Yin Qi is at its peak, so the pulse is deep, short, and heavy. Six cycles of sixty days make 360 days, completing a year. This is the major outline of the prosperity of the Three Yin and Three Yang. Additionally: From Great Cold to Spring Equinox, Jueyin Wind-Wood arrives, its pulse is Wiry. From Spring Equinox to Grain Full, Shaoyin Sovereign Fire arrives, its pulse is Surging and Hooked. From Grain Full to Great Heat, Shaoyang Ministerial Fire arrives, its pulse is large and floating. From Great Heat to Autumn Equinox, Taiyin Damp-Earth arrives, its pulse is deep. From Autumn Equinox to Light Snow, Yangming Dry-Metal arrives, its pulse is short and rough. From Light Snow to Great Cold, Taiyang Cold-Water arrives, its pulse is large and long. One might ask: The main pulses of the Six Jia and Six Qi are based on the *Neijing*, yet the pulse forms differ. Why? Generally, if human Qi is robust, the pulse flourishes with the season; if human Qi is weak or pathogenic factors stagnate, the pulse cannot respond to the season. However, as long as the True Qi is not lost, it will change slightly with the minor fluctuations of Yin and Yang, not oppositely. This refers to the human body's climate responding to the celestial cycle daily or annually. Danxi (Zhu Zhenheng) said: "Pulse is Spirit, belonging to Yang. Its movement is fast, like the Sun circling once a day. Breath is Qi, belonging to Yin. Its movement is slow, like the Moon circling once a month." The song says: "Spring Wiry, Summer Surging, Autumn like Feather, Winter Deep like Stone responds to Heaven and Earth; Gentle and slow like spring willows, this is the Spleen dwelling in the four seasons; Climate changes may differ, the general principle of life and death lies in Stomach Qi."

The concise Four Pulses are the eternal secret! Broadly speaking, there are twenty-seven types; concisely, they reduce to the Eight Essentials: Floating, Deep, Slow, Rapid, Slippery, Rough, Moderate, Large. Further condensed, they become Floating, Deep, Slow, Rapid. Most concisely, they become Floating, Middle, Deep. Floating combines with Rapid, Deep combines with Slow, and Middle is between Floating and Deep. Thus, in the collected pulse formulas for the six positions, Floating and Deep are always emphasized. Although Floating is Yang and Deep is Yin, distinguishing Yin and Yang leaves no hidden aspects of the pulse. Therefore, knowing that Floating, Deep, Slow, and Rapid are truly the eternal secrets. Peng Yongguang said: "Floating is Yang, called Metal, light and clear above; Kun, Shi, Hong, and Chang take imagery from the Heart. Deep is Yin, called Water, smooth and lubricating below; Wei, Ruo, Fu, and Xu arise from Deep. Slow is Cold, called Earth, three beats per respiration; containing four pulses, Ru, Huan, Se, and Jie. Rapid is Heat, called Fire, six to seven beats per respiration; Xian and Jin are similar, Hua and Da are distinct." Floating is obtained with light pressure, so Kun, Shi, Hong, Chang, etc., are obtained lightly. Deep is obtained with heavy pressure, so Wei, Ruo, Fu, Xu, etc., are obtained heavily. Slow is unhurried, three beats per respiration, including Ru, Huan, Se, Jie. Rapid is frequent and urgent, six to seven beats per respiration, including Xian, Jin, Hua, Da. Scholars should take these four pulses as the ancestor: first see which Zang organ in the Five Zangs obtains it? Then see which position in the Three Positions obtains it? Thus, relying on the pulse to identify the syndrome, and due to the syndrome to identify the pulse, prescribing formulas according to each person's pulse and syndrome, one will hardly err.

The mystery of movement and stillness is too simple. Pulse theory is complex yet clear, treatment methods are numerous. Without relying on Floating, Deep, Slow, and Rapid, the fingers feel bewildered. Some pulses require looking singly at Floating and collectively at Deep, or collectively at Floating and singly at Deep; the same applies to Slow and Rapid. Ultimately, to examine and decide upon meridians, only the collective view is reliable. Any pulse that attains the Middle is Still (Jing); excessive is the extreme of Flourishing, insufficient is the extreme of Declining; both are called Moving (Dong). Treating only the Moving aspect ensures the meridians are not mixed, how simple and clear!

Regardless of whether it is in the Meridians or Zang-Fu Organs, one must heed Strength and Weakness. For the four pulses, regardless of where they are obtained, Strength indicates Wind, Accumulation, Pain, or Heat; Weakness indicates Deficient Qi, Cold, or Ulcers. This covers all hundred diseases.

To know the root requires no other trick, only a clear mind and Qi at the moment. The root is the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian and Stomach Qi. The Pre-Heaven spirit cannot be perceived unless the mind is clear and calm. The Seven Diagnostics method states: First, quiet the mind and preserve the Spirit; second, forget external distractions and selfish thoughts; third, equalize breathing to stabilize Qi; fourth, place fingers lightly on the skin to explore Fu organ pulses (Floating); fifth, press slightly deeper into the muscles to obtain Stomach Qi (Middle); sixth, press deeply to the bones to obtain Zang organ pulses (Deep); seventh, observe the patient's pulse rate.