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Gently pressing on the skin is called "Ju" (Lifting), used to diagnose Qi of the Heart and Lung (Heart and Lung are Yang, floating and located superiorly). Slightly increasing pressure to the muscle layer is called "An" (Pressing), used to diagnose Qi of the Spleen and Stomach (Spleen and Stomach reside in the Middle Jiao, so their Qi corresponds to the middle). Heavily pushing down to the bone-muscle junction is called "Xun" (Seeking), used to diagnose Qi of the Liver and Kidney (Liver and Kidney are Yin, deep and located inferiorly).

The six positions (three on each hand) of both hands all relate to the Lung, as the Lung is the "Hua Gai" (Canopy of the Zang-Fu organs, covering other organs). For any disease of the Zang-Fu organs, the pathological Qi must ascend to熏 (smoke/steep) the Lung and manifest in the pulse. For example: In Heart disease, the six pulses must be Hong (Surging); in Liver disease, the six pulses must be Xian (Wiry); in Kidney disease, the six pulses must be Chen (Deep); in Lung disease, the six pulses must be Se (Choppy); in Spleen disease, the six pulses must be Huan (Sluggish/Weak - here referring to weakness rather than a harmonious rate). If the pulse feels turbid under the fingers, it indicates abundant pathogenic factors; if it feels clear, it indicates the recovery of healthy Qi. A pulse with Shen (Spirit/Essence) is auspicious; one without Shen is ominous. A forceful pulse indicates Heat or Excess; a feeble pulse indicates Deficiency or Cold. This is the most reliable method. Li Shizhen said: "The pulse is the manifestation of Zang-Fu Qi, not the location where the Zang-Fu organs reside." I often see contemporary physicians repeatedly pressing the six positions of both hands, saying, "This Zang is like this, that Zang is like that," as if the Zang-Fu organs were physically located between the hands and could be palpated directly. Such deceptive postures are essentially self-deception.

Su Wen · Mai Yao Jing Wei Lun states: "The inner sides of the Chi position correspond to the Ji Xie (lower lateral ribs). 'Chi Nei' refers to the center of the Chi pulse; 'Liang Pang' refers to the outer flanks of the two Chi positions; 'Ji Xie' refers to the lowest part of the lateral ribs. Why is it called 'Ji'? It means the extremity of the ribs. The outer side of the Chi position awaits the Kidney, and the inner side awaits the Abdomen (The two Kidneys attach to the Ji Xie; thus, inside the Ji Xie are the two Kidneys, and inside the Kidneys is the abdominal cavity. Hence, the inner Chi awaits the abdomen, the outer Chi awaits the Kidney, and the four sides of the Chi await the Ji Xie, indicating that the sides are even more external. Yang Yuanru stated: 'What is called 'external' is the original position of the six pulses. The pulse lies outside the styloid process, so the original position is external, while the interior is internal.' Gao Shizong stated: 'Qi flows from bottom to top, so we first discuss the left-right and internal-external aspects of the Chi position.) Attached upwards from the middle, the left outer side awaits the Liver, and the inner side awaits the Diaphragm (Zhong Fu Shang refers to attaching upwards from the Left Chi to the Guan pulse of the left hand. The Liver resides within the hypochondrium, so the Guan position awaits the Liver; Diaphragm Qi resides in the middle, so the inner side awaits the Diaphragm. The Diaphragm refers to the space below the diaphragm muscle, where the Liver and Spleen reside.) The right outer side awaits the Stomach, and the inner side awaits the Spleen (Right refers to attaching upwards from the Right Chi to the Guan pulse of the right hand. The Spleen governs Central Earth, so the inner Guan awaits the Spleen; Yin is internal and Yang is external, so the outer Guan awaits the Stomach. Question: Why do the Six Fu organs mention only awaiting the Stomach? Answer: The Qi and Blood of the Five Zang organs are generated by the Stomach Fu organ. Therefore, Zang Qi cannot reach the Hand Taiyin Lung meridian on its own but must rely on Stomach Qi to arrive. Thus, in the Classic, whenever the Five Zang are discussed, the Stomach is always mentioned, while other Fu organs are not. However, Zang and Fu have yin-yang pairings; mentioning the Heart implies the Small Intestine is included, mentioning the Lung implies the Large Intestine is included, and the rest follow this pattern. Gao Shizong stated: 'Qi flows from the middle upwards, so next we discuss the left-right and internal-external aspects of the Guan position.') Attached upwards from the upper part, the right outer side awaits the Lung, and the inner side awaits the Chest Center (Shang Fu Shang refers to moving upwards from the Right Guan to the Right Cun Kou. The Chest Center is the residence of Zong Qi (Pectoral Qi). The Classic states: Zong Qi accumulates in the chest, called the Sea of Qi, emerges upward from the Lung, travels along the throat, and governs respiration.) The anterior aspect awaits the anterior body, and the posterior aspect awaits the posterior body, including the Dan Zhong (Left refers to the Left Cun Kou. The Heart is the Ruler, and the Dan Zhong is the Envoy Minister, acting as the Chancellor to the Ruler. Gao Shizong stated: 'Qi flows from the middle upwards, so finally we discuss the left-right and internal-external aspects of the Cun position.') The anterior aspect awaits the anterior, and the posterior aspect awaits the posterior (The pulse has internal and external distinctions, as well as anterior and posterior. Anterior awaits anterior, i.e., anterior Chi, Guan, and Cun, awaiting the front of the body. Posterior awaits posterior, i.e., posterior Cun, Guan, and Chi, awaiting the back of the body.) When the pulse extends to the extreme upper end, it concerns matters of the chest and throat. When the pulse extends to the extreme lower end, it concerns matters of the lower abdomen, waist, thighs, knees, shins, and feet. (The pulse has internal, external, anterior, and posterior, as well as upper and lower, constituting the Six Harmonies of the pulse body. 'Shang Jing Shang' (Upper to the extreme) means extending from the Cun upwards to the Yu Ji point. The throat governs Heavenly Qi and is located superiorly in the chest, so it belongs to chest-throat matters, which is awaiting the superior with the superior. 'Xia Jing Xia' (Lower to the extreme) means extending from the Chi downwards to the Elbow Center. Feet tread on the ground, and thighs, knees, shins, and feet are located below the waist and lower abdomen, so they belong to lower-abdomen-waist-thigh-knee-shin-foot matters, which is awaiting the inferior with the inferior.)

Synthesizing various annotations, this is the method for distinguishing form, sound, Zang-Fu, and internal-external relationships. It first discusses the sides, then the front and back, then the upper and lower. Generally, besides the standard waiting of the three positions on the left and right, it extends to the sides of the three positions, the front and back of the three positions, reaching up to above Yu Ji and down to below Chi Ze, leaving nothing uncovered. This can be said to exhaust the methods of waiting. Taking just the phrase "Chi Nei Liang Pang Ze Ji Xie Ye" as an analogy: since the sides of the Chi position await the Ji Xie of the body, one can infer that the sides of the Guan position can await the hypochondrium of the body, and the sides of the Cun position can await the axillae of the body. Books cannot fully express speech; learners should grasp the intent and extend it. By "front and back," it means that for each Cun, Guan, and Chi position, the front half-inch is front, and the back half-inch is back, representing the junction areas of each position. By "upper and lower," it means going further up beyond the Cun and further down beyond the Chi. In summary, it first discusses internal-external, then front-back. Roughly, the two hands' pulses are divided horizontally into four parts, resembling King Wen's trigrams, with Li (Fire) in the South and Kan (Water) in the North, Zhen (Thunder) in the East and Dui (Lake) in the West, awaiting the four sides of the body. "Shang Jing Shang" and "Xia Jing Xia" resemble Fuxi's trigrams, viewed vertically, establishing the positions of Heaven and Earth. This chapter maps the human body to the Six Harmonies, and the Three Positions and Nine Waitings method maps the human body to the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, Humanity), which is what is meant by "the human body is a small universe."

Question: The Classic states that the Heart and Liver reside on the left, and the Spleen and Lung reside on the right. Is this because Zang Qi originates from the left and right, or because the physical organs are biased to one side? Answer: Heaven is Yang, Earth is Yin; Southeast is Yang, Northwest is Yin. When the Sage stands facing South, the left is Yang and the right is Yin. One Water generates Wood, Wood generates Fire, therefore the Heart and Liver reside on the left. Two Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, therefore the Spleen and Lung reside on the right. This is the Pre-Heaven Five Elements, rooted in Yin-Yang, Water, and Fire, dividing and generating upwards; it does not refer to the physical position of the organs. Furthermore, the Heart governs vessels, and the Liver governs blood; blood vessels are born from Water Essence, so the three positions on the left all govern blood. The Lung governs Qi throughout the body, and the Spleen governs Original Qi; Qi is born from Fire, so the three positions on the right all govern Qi. These are the wonders of Yin-Yang interchange, which skilled diagnosticians must know.

My Commentary: Methods of diagnosis vary among schools. Skilled diagnosticians should memorize these well, adapt flexibly, and the pulse will become clear under their fingers. I view these popular books as slightly elevated, yet ultimately merely minor techniques of later generations (post-Tang and Song). If one wishes to enlighten beginners, teaching them the Ling Shu and Su Wen directly might cause them to fear the difficulty and stop midway. However, showing them something too "easy" might lead them to pursue simplicity exclusively, never reaching the realm of subtlety, thereby harming this art. Only the chapter "Mai Yao Jing Wei Lun" in the Nei Jing remains. Other pulse books merely depict the locations, and their described diagnostic methods often do not match, having been followed for a long time and impossible to change instantly. But the Classic shines like the sun and stars. I record this section to await future scholars who will clarify it.