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Since the Wanji Pulse (Pulse of Ten Thousand Mechanisms) and the Four Pulses (referring to the four basic pulse qualities: Floating, Sinking, Slow, and Rapid) are already encompassed, where is there any mystery in distinguishing life from death? A Floating pulse that is scattered, a Sinking pulse that lacks root, a Slow pulse that is slightly sluggish, and a Rapid pulse that is hurried yet irregular indicate that the disease will be difficult to cure.

The Jiesuo Pulse (Untying Rope), Yuxiang Pulse (Fish Swimming), and Fufei Pulse (Boiling Cauldron) belong to the category of Floating pulses; the Xiyou Pulse (Shrimp Swimming) belongs to the category of Sinking pulses; the Wulou Pulse (House Leak) belongs to the category of Slow pulses; and the Quezhuo Pulse (Sparrow Pecking) and Danshi Pulse (Throwing Stones) belong to the category of Rapid pulses.

The Quezhuo Pulse beats continuously like a bird pecking three or five times.
The Quezhuo Pulse appears between the muscle and tendon, resembling a sparrow pecking for food, striking the finger repeatedly, suddenly stopping, and then returning after a long interval.

The Wulou Pulse drips only once every half day.
The Wulou Pulse appears between the muscle and tendon, like a residual drip falling slowly, appearing only once after a long time, splashing up with no strength. Both the Quezhuo and Wulou pulses are signs of the exhaustion of Spleen-Stomach Qi, indicating the failure of Heart and Lung Qi.

The Danshi Pulse feels hard and powerful but scatters upon pressure.
The Danshi Pulse appears between the muscle and tendon, feeling crackling under both light and heavy pressure, indicating Lung Qi failure.

When placed on the finger, it feels chaotic and disordered, truly resembling the Jiesuo Pulse.
The Jiesuo Pulse resembles the state of untying a tangled rope; under the fingers, it feels scattered without order, indicating the exhaustion of the Five Zang organs' Qi.

The Yuxiang Pulse seems to exist yet does not.
The Yuxiang Pulse appears on the skin surface; its root remains still while the tip trembles strongly, like a fish in water, with its body and tail lying flat and still, while only the tail sways leisurely. This indicates Kidney Qi failure.

The Xiyou Pulse jumps once amidst stillness.
The Xiyou Pulse appears on the skin surface; initially it moves faintly and still, then suddenly disappears, and after a long time, returns abruptly. This indicates Spleen-Stomach Qi failure.

Furthermore, the Fufei Pulse surges like boiling soup; if diagnosed in the morning, death occurs in the evening, requiring no medicine.
The Fufei Pulse appears in the skin and flesh, having only an outward movement without inward return, surging like the fat floating on top of soup. These are all death pulses. If such pulses appear violently during acute illness despite medication, one should urgently use Renshen (Radix Ginseng), Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), and Fuzi (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata) to rescue the failing Yang; many patients may recover. These types of pulses can also be viewed comprehensively.

The general Gui-Zei Pulses (Ghost and Enemy Pulses) can be deduced; those controlled by the overcoming cycle lead to collapse and death especially quickly. In Spring, obtaining the Autumn pulse (Metal overcoming Wood) leads to death on Geng/Xin days or in Shen/You hours; in Summer, obtaining the Winter pulse follows the same pattern, with death expected on Ren/Gui days; in deep Winter, obtaining the pulse of the four seasons (Earth) brings disaster on Wu/Ji days or Chen/Xu hours; in Autumn, obtaining the Summer pulse (Fire overcoming Metal) follows the previous logic due to Bing/Ding interactions; in the last month of each season (Earth months), obtaining the Spring pulse (Wood) implies overcoming by Jia/Yi days (Yin/Mao hours), leading to extreme severity.

Zang Qi prefers being generated and fears being overcome. For example, if the Liver obtains the Lung pulse, death occurs in Autumn, worsening on Geng days and dying on Xin days, at Shen/You hours; if the Heart obtains the Kidney pulse, death occurs in Winter, worsening on Ren days and dying on Gui days, at Hai/Zi hours; if the Kidney obtains the Spleen pulse, death occurs in the last months of the four seasons, worsening on Wu days and dying on Ji days, at Chen/Xu/Chou/Wei hours; if the Lung obtains the Heart pulse, death occurs in Summer, worsening on Bing days and dying on Ding days, at Si/Wu hours; if the Spleen obtains the Liver pulse, death occurs in Spring, worsening on Jia days and dying on Yi days, at Yin/Mao hours.

In Spring, obtaining the Winter pulse indicates only deficiency; one should urgently tonify the Kidney and avoid draining or dispersing methods. If the Summer pulse is obtained because the Heart is excess, one should drain its child (Spleen) to ensure safety; this applies similarly to Summer, Autumn, and Winter pulses: those appearing earlier indicate excess, while those appearing later indicate deficiency. If in Spring one obtains the pulse of the last months of the four seasons (Earth), the disease may resolve spontaneously even without treatment.

Moreover, the verse states: "Obtaining the 'Wife' pulse differs from other treatments; life and death must still be deduced separately." For instance, in Spring, obtaining the Lung pulse is the "Child" pulse; obtaining the Heart pulse is the Liver's child; the Kidney is the Mother; and the Spleen is the Wife. Obtaining the Spleen pulse in Spring should not be treated; seeing the Heart pulse in Winter should not be treated; obtaining the Lung pulse in Summer is hard to heal; obtaining the Liver pulse in Autumn leaves no doubt. These reflect the principles of the four seasons' flourishing and resting states, and the meanings of Five Element generation and overcoming. However, since it was stated that obtaining the pulse of the last months of the four seasons in Spring leads to spontaneous recovery without treatment, why does it say obtaining the Spleen pulse in Spring should not be treated? The reason is that a Spring pulse with Liver string-like quality accompanied by slight slowness indicates minor pathogen and no disease. If the string-like quality is completely absent and only a slow pulse is seen, it means Earth is excessive and generates Metal, which then overcomes Wood. Thus, it says: "Obtaining the Wife pulse cannot be treated uniformly." The pulses of Summer, Autumn, and Winter follow this analogy.

If the six pulses of the hands lose their reference, one can diagnose the three pulses on the feet: Taichong (LR3), Taixi (KI3), and Chongyang (ST42). The presence or absence of these pulses can quickly determine life and death.

Taichong is the Liver meridian point, located two cun above the interdigital web margin on the dorsum of the foot. Taixi is the Mingmen pulse (Kidney meridian point), located in the depression behind the medial malleolus at the level of the heel bone. For all diseases, one must diagnose Taichong and Taixi; if the pulse beats under the finger, life prevails; if it stops and does not move, death ensues. In cases of Shanghan (Cold Damage), one must diagnose the Chongyang pulse, located five cun above Neiting (ST44) in the bone gap on the dorsum of the foot, belonging to the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian. Movement here indicates the presence of Stomach Qi; cessation indicates the absence of Stomach Qi. Although these three pulses do not connect to the twelve meridians as the six hand pulses do, if the hand pulses fail to provide evidence, diagnosing these three foot pulses can still decide life and death. The ancients established this method precisely to hope for a slim chance of survival.