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There are seven examinations of the pulse, namely floating (Fu), middle (Zhong), and sinking (Chen) pressures, along with upper, lower, left, and right positions, requiring careful deliberation and search.

There is also the nine-hold method, involving light lifting and heavy pressing, examining the floating, middle, and sinking aspects in the three positions (Cun, Guan, Chi), each holding for five beats.

The Cun position examines diseases above the chest; the Guan position examines diseases below the diaphragm; the Chi position examines the navel, extending down to the heels and ankles.

The left pulse examines the left side of the body; the right pulse examines the right side. Diseases manifest according to their location; where there is no disease, there is no response.

Floating pulses correspond to the Heart and Lung; sinking pulses correspond to the Kidney and Liver; the Spleen and Stomach reside in the Central Region (Zhongzhou), with pulses between floating and sinking.

The floating aspect of the Heart pulse is large, floating, and scattered; the floating aspect of the Lung pulse is coarse, floating, and short.

The sinking aspect of the Liver pulse is deep, wiry, and long; the sinking aspect of the Kidney pulse is solid, deep, and soft.

The Spleen and Stomach belong to Earth, and their pulse should be harmonious and moderate. The Ministerial Fire of the Mingmen is diagnosed together at the left Cun position.

When the pulse qi corresponds with the skin and hair, it is called floating; pressing until the bone is called sinking; the middle lies between floating and sinking. Upper and lower refer to the Cun and Chi positions, generally speaking of the six positions on both hands; left and right refer to the left and right hands. This is called the seven examinations. It means that if one can carefully deliberate and comprehensively distinguish, the conditions of the interior and exterior, upper and lower will not hide their true nature. Another interpretation states that "upper, lower, left, right" refers to what is said in the *Lmai Yao Jing Wei Lun*: the sides inside the Chi position correspond to the hypochondrium; the outside of the Chi corresponds to the Kidneys; the inside of the Chi corresponds to the abdomen. Above this (Guan position), the outside of the left corresponds to the Liver; the inside corresponds to the diaphragm; the outside of the right corresponds to the Stomach; the inside corresponds to the Spleen. Further up (Cun position), the outside of the right corresponds to the Lung; the inside corresponds to the chest center; the outside of the left corresponds to the Heart; the inside corresponds to the Danzhong. The anterior part examines the front of the body; the posterior part examines the back. "Upper reaches its end" refers to matters of the chest and throat. "Lower reaches its end" refers to matters of the lower abdomen, waist, thighs, knees, shins, and feet. ("End" means limit. Upper ends at the Yuji point; lower ends at the end of the Chi position.) Also, the *Suwen: Sanbu Jiuhou Lun* says: Only small indicates disease; only large indicates disease; only rapid indicates disease; only slow indicates disease; only hot indicates disease; only cold indicates disease; only sunken indicates disease. This is also called the seven examinations, but differs in meaning from the seven examinations in this text, so they should be consulted together. The nine holds refer to dividing the pulse into three sections. Within each of the three sections, there are floating, middle, and sinking, which constitutes the nine holds. The characteristics of the nine holds cannot be obtained without varying the pressure of lifting and pressing; the examination is based on five beats. The Cun position examines diseases from the chest up to the head; the Guan position examines diseases from below the diaphragm to the navel; the Chi position examines diseases from below the navel to the feet. The left pulse examines the left side of the body; the right pulse examines the right side. Diseases manifest according to the location of the pulse. If there is no disease, the pulse does not respond. This is largely similar to the previous seven examinations. (The seven examinations and nine holds should be consulted together.) Ultimately, it does not go beyond the four characters described by Zhang Zhongjing: "effect, image, form, description." The Heart and Lung reside above, so their pulses should be floating. The Kidney and Liver reside below, so their pulses should be sinking. The Spleen and Stomach reside between the Heart/Lung and Kidney/Liver, called the Central Region, so their pulses should also be between floating and sinking. Both Heart and Lung have floating pulses, but the large, floating, and scattered pulse resembles Summer Fire, thus belonging to the Heart; the coarse, floating, and short pulse resembles Autumn Metal, thus belonging to the Lung. Both Liver and Kidney have sinking pulses, but the deep, wiry, and long pulse resembles Spring Wood, thus belonging to the Liver; the solid, deep, and soft pulse resembles Winter Water, thus belonging to the Kidney. A pulse that is harmonious and moderate, neither deficient nor weak, neither excessive nor strong, neither rapid nor slow, naturally possesses a relaxed and balanced demeanor, which is the nature of Earth, suitable for the Spleen and Stomach. The Mingmen Right Kidney certainly houses the Ministerial Fire, but ultimately cannot depart from the Water element, so it is diagnosed together with the left Cun.