雀啄连在三五啄。屋漏半日一点落。弹石硬来寻即散。搭指散乱真解索。鱼翔似有一拟
无。虾游静中跳一跃。寄语医家仔细看。六脉一见休饵药。
脉浮犹如水漂木。表有余兮里不足。浮而无力则为芤。傍实中空应淖衄。
浮与洪相类
洪脉荡荡浮泛泛。力薄为浮浓者洪。浮洪二象由来异。迷于专言易拙工。
弦似张弓紧似经。经方体驶十分精。紧言其力弦言象。识此超然付老成。
脉滑往来极流利。指下如珠圆替替。数则专言至数加。分明滑数非同类。
实大而长指下全。按如鼓革最牢坚。较之实脉不应别。隐指仍强 然。
举无按有脉名沉。伏极其沉深复深。沉伏要知真脉象。浅深深浅细斟寻。
小之又小号微脉。短细迟难是为涩。良工诊候倘逢之。细密精详为消息。
软脉优柔其力薄。极软如无则为弱。莫教软弱一般论。一脉才差一切错。
脉迟一息来三至。缓比之迟仍小驶。迟为病冷缓为和。缓大虚风之病起。
力柔为软本非迟。软与形合细推之。软则但将其力取。迟来三息又何疑。
出三关者是为长。弦则非然但满张。弦脉与长争较远。良工尺度自能量。
脉洪真似涌波涛。细细而来气势高。虚脉廓然微旷荡。消详分析在丝毫。
脉号于洪力不轻。其中微曲似钩形。只缘举按皆强盛。实脉于焉别立名。
厥厥动摇如豆大。脉名为动几曾停。圆圆转转底名滑。脉脉谁知有迳庭。
Que Zhuo Mai (Sparrow Pecking Pulse): The pulse beats rapidly and intermittently, stopping after three or four beats, resembling a sparrow pecking at food.
Wu Lou Mai (House Leak Pulse): The pulse is extremely slow, falling only once every half day, resembling water dripping from a leaking roof.
Dan Shi Mai (Flicking Stone Pulse): The pulse feels hard and stiff under the finger, like a stone striking and then dissipating immediately.
Jie Suo Mai (Untying Rope Pulse): The pulse is scattered and disorganized, resembling the chaos of untying a rope.
Yu Xiang Mai (Fish Swimming Pulse): The pulse seems to exist yet not exist, resembling the flickering movement of a fish's tail while swimming.
Xia You Mai (Shrimp Swimming Pulse): The pulse suddenly jumps amidst stillness, resembling a shrimp leaping in water.
A message to physicians: Examine carefully. Once any of the Six Strange Pulses are seen, do not administer medicine (implying a poor prognosis beyond medicinal reach).
Fu Mai (Floating Pulse): The pulse floats on the surface, like wood drifting on water. This indicates excess in the exterior and insufficiency in the interior.
Kou Mai (Hollow Pulse): If floating but weak upon heavy pressure, with emptiness in the center and fullness on the sides, it should correspond to symptoms such as epistaxis (nosebleed).
Similarities between Fu Mai (Floating Pulse) and Hong Mai (Surging Pulse):
Hong Mai (Surging Pulse): The pulse momentum is vast and expansive. Weak force characterizes the Floating Pulse, while strong intensity characterizes the Surging Pulse. The images of Floating and Surging pulses have different origins; confusing them leads to inept medical practice.
Xian Mai (Bowstring Pulse): Tight and tense like a drawn bowstring. Classical formulas describe its physical state with precision. Jin Mai (Tight Pulse) emphasizes force, while Xian Mai emphasizes form; recognizing this distinction allows superior skill to be entrusted to experienced physicians.
Hua Mai (Slippery Pulse): Flows back and forth with extreme smoothness; under the fingers, it feels like round pearls rolling continuously. Shuo Mai (Rapid Pulse) specifically refers to an increased frequency (beats per breath); clearly, Slippery and Rapid pulses are not of the same category.
Shi Mai (Full Pulse): Large, long, and completely solid under the fingers. Pressed heavily, it feels firm and hard like a drum skin. Compared to standard Full pulses, there is no difference; hidden beneath the fingers, it remains strong.
Chen Mai (Deep Pulse): Not felt when lifted lightly, but present upon deep pressing; this is called Deep Pulse. Fu Mai (Hidden Pulse) is even deeper than Deep Pulse. To know the true nature of Deep and Hidden pulses, one must carefully examine the nuances of depth.
Wei Mai (Fine Pulse): A pulse that is small and minute is called Fine Pulse. Short, thin, slow, and difficult (labored) characteristics combined constitute Se Mai (Rough Pulse). When skilled physicians encounter these pulses during diagnosis, they must analyze them meticulously to determine the condition.
Ruan Mai (Soft Pulse): The pulse is gentle and yielding, with weak force. Extremely soft, almost imperceptible, is called Ruo Mai (Weak Pulse). Do not conflate Soft and Weak; a slight difference in one pulse can lead to errors in all judgments.
Chi Mai (Slow Pulse): Three beats per respiration cycle. Huan Mai (Moderate Pulse) is slightly faster than Slow. Chi Mai indicates cold pathology, while Huan Mai indicates harmony (or the onset of deficiency wind disease).
Ruan Mai (Soft Pulse): Gentle force does not inherently indicate Slowness. Ruan Mai requires careful consideration of its form. For Ruan Mai, only its force is taken into account; for Chi Mai, three beats per respiration leave no doubt.
Chang Mai (Long Pulse): Pulse qi extending beyond the three positions (Cun, Guan, Chi) is called Long Pulse. Xian Mai is different, characterized merely by tension. Xian Mai and Chang Mai differ significantly; skilled physicians possess their own standards to measure them.
Hong Mai (Surging Pulse): Truly resembles surging waves, coming subtly yet carrying high momentum. Xu Mai (Deficient Pulse) is vast, empty, faint, and fluctuating. Detailed analysis lies in the finest distinctions.
Shi Mai (Full Pulse): Named Full Pulse, the force is not light. It has a slight curve resembling a hook shape. Because it is strong upon both lifting and pressing, Full Pulse is established as a distinct category.
Dong Mai (Moving Pulse): Trembling like a bean, named Moving Pulse, rarely ceasing. What is round and rolling? That is Hua Mai (Slippery Pulse). Who knows that among pulses, there are such distinct differences?