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Therefore, greed and lack of benevolence. Desiring to acquire while loathing to give out is the nature of Yin storing inwardly. A humble attitude and an approachable countenance reflect the nature of Yin being lowly and soft. Failing to adapt to current circumstances indicates that Yin prefers stillness. Acting later than others reflects the sluggish nature of Yin. A tall stature is a physical form where Yin is abundant. Appearing stooped reflects a posture of favoring a curved body and bowing in submission. A dark and dull complexion is the color of abundant Yin. These are the characteristics of the Taiyin (Greater Yin) person.

The characteristics of the Shaoyin (Lesser Yin) person: petty greed and a thieving heart; delighting in loss or resentment at gain; harming others without gratitude. Standing with danger and restlessness; lacking harmony and intimacy; walking like a crouching mouse; easily frightened yet easily pleased.
[Note] Shaoyin refers to weak but cruel Yin, hence the petty greed and thieving heart. Delighting in loss and resenting gain reflects the jealous nature of Yin. Harming without gratitude reflects the cruel nature of Yin. Standing with danger and restlessness reflects the perilous nature of Yin. Lacking harmony and intimacy reflects the cold/desolate nature of Yin. Walking like a crouching mouse reflects the hidden nature of Yin. Being easily frightened and pleased means advancing joyfully upon gaining something and retreating fearfully upon losing it, like a mouse. These are the characteristics of the Shaoyin person.

The characteristics of the Taiyang (Greater Yang) person: arrogant and dignified, chest protruded and belly stuck out, high-spirited and boastful; ambitious yet prone to empty talk; striving for strength in actions; never regretting even after failure; consistently self-opinionated.
[Note] Taiyang refers to excessive and overly rigid Yang, hence the arrogance, protruding chest and belly, and high spirits. Ambition reflects the Yang preference for rigidity. Empty talk reflects the Yang preference for exaggeration. Striving for strength and lacking regret despite failure stems from constant self-righteousness, which is also due to Yang's excessive rigidity and decisiveness. These are the characteristics of the Taiyang person.

The characteristics of the Shaoyang (Lesser Yang) person: cautious and self-important; narrow-minded and easily satisfied; preferring external interaction over internal retention; liking to lean back when standing; liking to sway when walking; arms and elbows often exposed behind the back.
[Note] Shaoyang refers to weak Yang with minor clarity, hence cautious scrutiny, valuing minor positions, narrow ambition, and easy satisfaction. Preferring external diplomacy over internal attachment reflects the outward nature of Yang. Leaning back when standing reflects the upward nature of Yang. Swaying when walking reflects the active nature of Yang. Arms and elbows exposed behind the back reflect the nature of Yang preferring exposure over concealment. These are the characteristics of the Shaoyang person.

Those who possess balanced Yin and Yang are peaceful individuals. They do not experience excessive fear nor excessive joy. They gently comply with things, solemnly renew themselves, and are modest gentlemen and amiable auspicious persons.
[Note] This clarifies the characteristics of the Yin-Yang Harmonious person. "No excessive fear" means having inner conviction, unyielding to might. "No excessive joy" means not being confused by external things, uncorrupted by wealth and honor. "Gently complying with things" means being open-hearted and impartial, responding naturally to what arises. "Solemnly renewing oneself" means maintaining dignity externally and reverence internally. Such people are favored by Heaven, loved by people, and blessed with fortune and longevity. How can they not be called modest gentlemen and amiable auspicious persons? Understanding these five types, one can naturally discern the abundance or deficiency of Yin and Yang in a person.

The Mai (Pulse/Vessel) is the residence of Blood, connecting all parts of the body. The Cun Kou (Radial Artery at the wrist pulse point) is the great assembly where meridians converge.
[Note] The Classic states: "The Mai is the residence of Blood." The circulation of blood vessels throughout the body is connected through this, hence "connecting all parts of the body." The Nan Jing states: "Although there are pulsating points in all twelve meridians, only the Cun Kou is taken to determine life and death." Cun Kou refers to the Cun, Guan, and Chi positions on both wrists, which are the pulsating points of the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian; it is the great convergence of pulses. Hence, "Cun Kou arterial pulse is the great assembly."

To diagnose a person's pulse, locate it above the high bone. Why is it named Guan (Gate)? Because it lies between Cun and Chi.
[Note] When diagnosing the pulse, have the patient extend their hand palm-up. Observe the prominent high bone behind the palm; this is the Guan position. The physician places their hand over it, first fixing the middle finger at the Guan position, then placing the index and ring fingers at the Cun and Chi positions respectively. For taller patients, finger placement should be wider; for shorter patients, closer. Since it lies between the Cun and Chi sections, it is named Guan.

3. From the high bone to the Thenar Eminence (Yu Ji) is one Cun; from the high bone down to Qu Chi is one Chi. Hence named, Cun is Yang, Chi is Yin.
[Note] From the high bone to Yu Ji is one Cun, hence named Cun. From the high bone down to Qu Chi is one Chi, hence named Chi. The Cun section inspects the upper part, thus Yang. The Chi section inspects the lower part, thus Yin.

4. Right Cun inspects Lung and Chest; Left Cun inspects Heart and Dan Zhong. Right Guan inspects Spleen and Stomach; Left Guan inspects Liver, Diaphragm, and Gallbladder. Three Sections correspond to San Jiao; Two Chi positions correspond to Two Kidneys. Left Chi inspects Small Intestine and Bladder; Right Chi inspects Large Intestine.
[Note] Right Cun superficial inspection inspects the Chest; deep inspection inspects the Lung. Left Cun superficial inspection inspects Dan Zhong; deep inspection inspects the Heart. Right Guan superficial inspection inspects the Stomach; deep inspection inspects the Spleen. Left Guan superficial inspection inspects the Diaphragm and Gallbladder; deep inspection inspects the Liver. Both Chi deep inspections inspect the Kidneys; Chi superficial inspection inspects the Small Intestine and Bladder; Right Chi superficial inspection inspects the Large Intestine. Dan refers to Dan Zhong, which is the Pericardium. The Zang organs each have one, except the Kidneys which have two, hence "Two Chi positions inspect Two Kidneys." However, the Nei Jing mentions Fu organs but omits the Gallbladder because it resides within the Liver. It omits Large/Small Intestines and Bladder because they are governed by the Abdomen. It omits San Jiao because Cun inspects the Chest (Upper Jiao), Guan inspects the Diaphragm (Middle Jiao), and Chi inspects the Abdomen (Lower Jiao). This follows the Nei Jing's method of assigning pulse positions. Pseudo-decrees placing Large/Small Intestines at Cun, San Jiao at Left Chi, and Ming Men at Right Chi, while ignoring the Pericardium, are erroneous. Hua Shou stated that Left Chi inspects Small Intestine, Bladder, and anterior orifices, while Right Chi inspects Large Intestine and posterior orifices, a view worthy of praise. The theory of Superficial inspecting Fu and Deep inspecting Zang is detailed in the final volume.

5. Ming Men belongs to the Kidney and is the source of Sheng Qi (Vital Energy). If a person lacks Chi pulses, death is inevitable and recovery impossible.
[Note] Between the two Kidneys lies Ming Men. Since Ming Men is located between the two Kidneys, it corresponds to the two Chi positions. The Mild Fire of Ming Men is the Moving Qi between the Kidneys, which is the source of Vital Energy. If the Chi pulse is absent, Vital Energy is exhausted, and the patient will die without recovery.

6. At one Fen of the Guan pulse, the Right relates to Food Injury, the Left to Wind Injury. Right is Qi Kou, Left is Ren Ying.
[Note] Yin obtains one Cun in the Chi, Yang obtains nine Fen inside the Cun. One Cun and nine Fen divide the Cun, Guan, and Chi pulses into thirds. The "one Fen at Guan" refers to one Fen above the Guan. The Left Guan one Fen is called Ren Ying, the pulse of Liver and Gallbladder. Liver and Gallbladder govern Wind, so a tight and full Ren Ying pulse indicates Wind Injury. The Right Guan one Fen is called Qi Kou, the pulse of Spleen and Stomach. Spleen and Stomach govern Food, so a tight and full Qi Kou pulse indicates Food Injury. This was created by Wang Shuhe. Although clinical application often fails, it is respected by later generations and preserved here. The Nei Jing identifies Ren Ying as the carotid artery of the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian and Qi Kou as the radial artery of the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, proving this theory flawed.

7. There are seven diagnostic methods: Floating, Middle, Deep, Upper End, Lower End, Left Push, Right Search.
[Note] Floating (Fu) is the pulse felt with light pressure between skin and vessels. Deep (Chen) is felt with heavy pressure between muscles and bones. Middle (Zhong) is felt with moderate pressure in the muscle layer. Upper (Shang) refers to the two Cun positions; "End" (Jing) refers to "Upper end of Upper," concerning the chest and throat. Lower (Xia) refers to the two Chi positions; "End" refers to "Lower end of Lower," concerning the lower abdomen, waist, thighs, shins, and feet. Left and Right refer to the left and right hand pulses. These seven methods are techniques for searching the pulse, distinct from the seven abnormal pulses mentioned in the Nei Jing (excessively large, small, cold, hot, slow, rapid, depressed).

8. For men, a larger Left pulse is favorable; for women, a larger Right pulse is appropriate. Men's Chi pulse is constantly deficient; Women's Chi pulse is constantly full.
[Note] Heavenly Dao has abundant Yang on the Left; Earthly Dao has abundant Yin on the Right. Thus, for men, Left is Yang and Right is Yin; for women, Right is Yang and Left is Yin. A larger pulse on the respective side is favorable. Heaven's Yang is South, Yin is North; Earth's Yang is North, Yin is South. Yang paths are abundant, Yin paths are deficient. Therefore, men's Cun is constantly full and Chi constantly deficient; women's Cun is constantly deficient and Chi constantly full.

9. There are three sections: Heaven, Earth, Human. Each section has three points, totaling Nine Palpations. Forehead, Cheeks, Front of Ears; Cun Kou bifurcation; Lower limbs Three Yin meridians, Liver, Kidney, Spleen, Stomach.
[Note] This follows the Nei Jing's Three Sections and Nine Palpations method, noting pulsating points in all twelve meridians. Three Sections refer to Upper, Middle, Lower. Named Heaven, Earth, Human, corresponding to Upper, Middle, Lower. Each section has three points (Heaven, Earth, Human), totaling Nine Palpations. Forehead, Cheeks, Front of Ears refer to bilateral forehead, cheeks, and ear fronts. Upper Heaven: Temporal arteries (Yingfan area), Foot-Shaoyang channel, inspecting head corners. Upper Earth: Facial arteries (Dicang/Renying area), Foot-Yangming channel, inspecting mouth and teeth. Upper Human: Pre-auricular arteries (Heliao area), Hand-Shaoyang channel, inspecting eyes and ears. Cun Kou Bifurcation refers to the styloid process area. Middle Heaven: Radial artery near Jingqu, Hand-Taiyin channel, inspecting Lung. Middle Earth: Interosseous space between thumb and index finger (Hegu area), Hand-Yangming channel, inspecting Chest. Middle Human: Radial artery below styloid process (Shenmen area), Hand-Shaoyin channel, inspecting Heart. Lower Three Yin Limbs: Wuli, Taixi, Jimen, corresponding to Liver, Kidney, Spleen, Stomach. Lower Heaven: Wuli artery, 3 Cun below Qichong, Foot-Jueyin channel, inspecting Liver. Lower Earth: Taixi artery, beside calcaneus behind medial malleolus, Foot-Shaoyin channel, inspecting Kidney. Lower Human: Jimen artery, above gastrocnemius tendon, Foot-Taiyin channel, inspecting Spleen and Stomach.

10. Cun Kong assembly, fifty beats per meridian cycle. Fewer beats indicate no Qi, surely ominous. With irregular rhythm and pauses that don't return quickly, death occurs within the year, survival unlikely.
[Note] Fifty beats without pause aligns with normal healthy pulses. If one pause occurs every forty beats, one Zang lacks Qi, predicting death in four years. Every thirty beats, two Zangs lack Qi, predicting death in three years. Every twenty beats, three Zangs lack Qi, predicting death in two years. Every ten beats, four Zangs lack Qi, predicting death in one year. Less than ten beats before a pause means five Zangs lack Qi. If accompanied by irregular rhythm and non-resuming pauses, short life is expected, with death likely within the year.

11. Original pulses of Five Zangs have specific attributes: Heart is Floating, Large, Scattered; Lung is Floating, Choppy, Short; Liver is Deep, String-taut, Long; Kidney is Deep, Slippery, Soft; Spleen is Moderate, Slow, and Harmonious.
[Note] The original pulses of the Five Zangs must be neither too large nor too small, but moderate and harmonious, to indicate health.

12. Four Seasons' Normal Pulses: Moderate and uniform. Spring is String-taut, Summer is Surging, Autumn is Feathery, Winter is Deep.
[Note] Each season has its corresponding normal pulse, which must be neither rapid nor slow, but moderate and uniform, to indicate health.

13. Excessive and strong pulses indicate disease originating externally. Deficient and faint pulses indicate disease originating internally.
[Note] External causes (Six Evils: Wind, Cold, Summerheat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire) result in pulses that are Surging, Large, Tight, Rapid, Extended, Slippery, Solid, and Excessive. Internal causes (Seven Emotions: Joy, Anger, Worry, Thought, Sorrow, Fear, Fright) result in pulses that are Deficient, Faint, Fine, Weak, Short, Choppy, soggy, and Hollow, indicating insufficiency.

14. Diet and Overwork: Diagnose at Right Guan. Forceful indicates Excess; Forceless indicates Deficiency.
[Note] Diseases not caused by external Six Evils or internal Seven Emotions fall under "neither external nor internal," specifically internal injury from diet and overwork. Diet injures the Stomach; overwork injures the Spleen. Hence diagnosis focuses on Right Guan. Dietary excess damages form (Excess), resulting in a forceful Right Guan pulse. Overwork damages Qi (Deficiency), resulting in a forceless Right Guan pulse. For all pulses regardless of Yin/Yang, Floating/Deep, Slow/Rapid, Slippy/Choppy, Large/Small: Forceful indicates Excess; Forceless indicates Deficiency. As the Classics state: "Yang pulses feel weak upon pressing; Yin pulses feel vigorous upon pressing." This refers to this principle.

15. Pulse diagnosis should be done at dawn. Cultivate emptiness and stillness, calm the mind, regulate breath, and examine carefully.
[Note] The Classics state: "Diagnose at dawn, when Yin Qi has not moved, Yang Qi has not dispersed, food has not been ingested, meridians are not full, collaterals are balanced, and Qi/Blood are not chaotic." Also: "The way of pulse diagnosis values emptiness and stillness." This means clearing thoughts, calming the mind, and focusing spirit on the fingertips. Regulating breath and careful examination refers to the physician balancing their own breath and scrutinizing meticulously.

16. One exhalation and one inhalation constitute one Xi (respiration). Four beats per Xi is the standard of health. Five beats is acceptable if compensated by a deep sigh. Three beats is Slow, indicating Cold. Six beats is Rapid, indicating Heat. Slower means colder; Faster means hotter.
[Note] With regulated breathing, two beats per exhalation and two per inhalation equal four beats per Xi, the standard of health. Why are five beats acceptable? Human breath varies in length. Every third or fifth breath may be longer, called a "deep sigh" (Tai Xi), similar to leap years. Normally, four beats is normal; five is excessive unless during a deep sigh. This lengthening is not rapidity. For impatient people, five beats may be normal regardless of sighs, as their pulse is naturally rapid. Three beats per Xi is Slow, indicating Cold disease. Six beats per Xi is Rapid, indicating Heat disease. Two or one beat per Xi indicates worsening Cold and is a Death Pulse. Seven, eight, or nine beats per Xi indicates worsening Heat and is a Death Pulse.

17. Having clarified Slow/Rapid, distinguish Floating/Deep. Floating/Deep/Slow/Rapid differentiate External/Internal causes. External originates from Heaven; Internal from Humans. Heaven has Yin/Yang, wind/rain/dark/light. Humans have Joy/Anger, Worry/Thought/Sorrow/Fear/Fright.
[Note] Floating pulse corresponds to Heaven, inspecting exterior diseases (External causes). Deep pulse corresponds to Earth, inspecting interior diseases (Internal causes). External causes are the Six Qi of Heaven: Wind, Cold, Summerheat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire. Internal causes are the Seven Emotions of Humans: Joy injures Heart, Anger injures Liver, Worry/Thought injure Spleen, Sorrow injures Lung, Fear injures Kidney, Fright injures Heart.

18. Having distinguished Floating/Deep, clarify Slippery/Choppy. Choppy indicates Blood stasis; Slippery indicates Qi congestion.
[Note] These six pulses (Floating, Deep, Slow, Rapid, Slippery, Choppy) are the outline of all pulses. Floating/Deep govern location; Slow/Rapid govern rate; Slippery/Choppy govern shape. All pulse images fall into these categories, making them the fundamental outline.

19. Floating pulse is at Skin/Vessels; Deep pulse is at Muscles/Bones; Muscle level inspects Middle. Locations are unified.
[Note] Pulse felt at skin/vessels is Floating. Pulse felt at muscles/bones is Deep. Pulses named by location are unified under Floating/Deep. Heart and Lung pulses are Floating; Lung is felt at skin, Heart at vessels. Hence "Floating pulse is skin/vessel pulse." Liver and Kidney pulses are Deep; Liver is felt at sinews, Kidney at bone. Hence "Deep pulse is muscle/bone pulse." Muscle level lies between Floating and Deep, hence "inspects Middle."

20. Floating and forceless is Ru (Soggy); Deep and forceless is Ruo (Weak); Deep and extremely forceful is Lao (Firm); Floating and extremely forceful is Ge (Leather).
[Note] Floating and forceless is Ru. Deep and forceless is Ruo. Floating and extremely forceful is Ge. Deep and extremely forceful is Lao.

21. Forceful in all three positions (Cun, Guan, Chi) is named Shi (Excess). Forceless in all three positions is named Xu (Deficiency).
[Note] Forceful in Floating, Middle, and Deep levels is Shi. Forceless in Floating, Middle, and Deep levels is Xu.

22. Forceless in all three positions, small upon pressure, seemingly present yet absent, this is Wei (Micro) pulse.