Library

The spring pulse is wiry (Xian). The summer pulse is hook-like (Gou). The autumn pulse is feathery (Mao). The winter pulse is stone-like (Shi). Are these the pulses of prosperity, or the pulses indicating impending illness? However, wiry, hook-like, feathery, and stone-like are the pulses of the four seasons.

Spring Pulse: The Heart pulse is light and deficient (Qingxu, referring to a pulse felt lightly on the surface that is soft and weak). When Qi arrives, it is deep, soft, and slippery, thus it is called Stone (Note: This section appears to contain textual corruption or specific contextual logic in the original text; typically, the spring pulse should be wiry, but translated according to the source). When Qi arrives solid and strong, this is called Excess (Taiguo). The disease is in the exterior. The pulse becomes more solid and slippery, like touching a long bamboo pole, this indicates Disease. Only the wiry aspect without Stomach Qi indicates Death. Spring... Disease is in the exterior. When Qi arrives empty and slight, this is called Deficiency (Bují). The disease is in the interior. Its pulse arrives, accumulating like a ring, like touching a lapis lazuli (Langgan), this indicates Normality (Ping). When the pulse arrives and becomes more rapid, like a chicken lifting its feet, this indicates Disease. Bent forward and stationary backward (Note: This phrase seems mixed with the description of the winter pulse below; translated literally)... Death. Summer takes Stomach Qi as the root. Autumn pulse... Slight. This is called Deficiency. The disease is in the interior. ...Like a rope dissolving or hair blown by wind, this indicates Death. Autumn pulse... Pulse... When the pulse arrives large above and sharp below, soft and slippery like a sparrow pecking, this indicates Normality. Pecking continuously (Zhuozhuo lianshu), slightly curved within, this indicates Disease. When the pulse arrives like untying a knot, and departs like throwing stones, this indicates Death.

Winter pulse... Four seasons. Therefore, all take Stomach Qi as the root. This is called the variable diseases of the four seasons, the key meeting point for life and death. The Spleen resides in the Central Province (Zhongzhou). It cannot be seen when it is peaceful and healthy. It only manifests when declining. When the pulse arrives like a sparrow pecking, or like water dripping downwards, this is the manifestation of Spleen decline.

In the Chi position, if the pulse does not cease upon pressing, it indicates pregnancy in women. When a pregnant woman's pulse changes from her regular pattern (Lijing, meaning departing from the standard meridian pulse), the pulse is floating and rapid, abdominal pain radiating to the waist and spine, this indicates imminent birth. Merely having a Lijing pulse does not indicate pathology. When a woman is about to deliver, her pulse is Lijing; if she feels pain at midnight, she will give birth at noon. At four months of pregnancy, to know the sex of the fetus: rapid pulse on the left indicates a male; rapid pulse on the right indicates a female. Rapid pulses on both hands indicate twins.

Deep and solid pulse on the left hand indicates a male; floating and large pulse on the right hand indicates a female. Deep and solid pulses on both hands indicate two boys. Floating and large pulses on both hands indicate two girls. Women... Right are both large, giving birth to twins, the pulse appears solid and substantial. Both left and right floating and large indicate two boys; otherwise, it may be a misjudgment of female as male. Both left and right deep and thin indicate two girls; otherwise, it may be a misjudgment of male as female. Floating and large pulses in the Chi positions of both left and right indicate a male; deep and thin pulses in the Chi position indicate a female. If the pulse in the Chi position arrives and then cuts off, it indicates irregular menstruation.

Generally, obtaining a Taiyang pulse indicates a male; obtaining a Taiyin pulse indicates a female. Taiyin pulse is deep; Taiyang pulse is floating.