黄帝曰∶余闻九候于夫子。众多博大。不可胜数。余愿闻要道。以属子孙。传之后世。
着之骨髓。藏之肝肺。歃血而受。不敢妄泄。令合天道。必有终始。上应天光星辰历纪。下
副四时五行贵贱。更立冬阴夏阳。以人应之奈何。愿闻其方。岐伯曰∶妙乎哉问也。此天地
之至数。帝曰∶愿闻天地之至数。岐伯曰∶始于一终于九焉。一者天。二者地。三者人。因
而三之。三三者九。以应九野。故人有三部。部有三候。以决死生。以处百病。以调虚实。
而除邪疾。帝曰∶何谓三部？岐伯曰∶有下部。有中部。有上部。部各有三候。三候者。有
天有地有人也。必指而导之。乃以为真。故下部之天以候肝。地以候肾。人以候脾胃之气。
帝曰∶中部之候奈何？岐伯曰∶亦有天。亦有地。亦有人。天以候肺。地以候胸中之气。人
以候心。帝曰∶上部以何候之？岐伯曰∶亦有天。亦有地。亦有人。天以候头角之气。人以
候耳目之气。地以候口齿之气。三部各有天。各有地。各有人。三而成天。三而成地。三而
成人。合则为九。九分为九野。九野为九脏。故神脏五。形脏四。合为九脏。五脏已败。其
色必夭。夭必死矣。帝曰∶以候奈何？岐伯曰∶必先度其形之肥瘦。以调其气之虚实。实则
泻之。虚则补之。必先去其血脉。而后调之。无问其病。以平为期。帝曰∶决死生奈何？岐
伯
曰∶形盛脉细。少气不足以息者危。形瘦脉大。胸中气多者死。形气相得者生。参伍不调者
病。三部九候皆相失者死。上下左右之脉相应。如参舂者病甚。上下左右相失。不可数者死。
中
Huangdi said: I have heard of the Nine Pulses (Jiu Hou) from my teacher. The content is numerous and profound, beyond counting. I wish to hear the essential principles so that I may pass them down to my descendants and transmit them to future generations. Let it be engraved in the marrow and stored in the liver and lungs; let us seal this oath with blood and accept it, daring not to leak it lightly. May it accord with the Way of Heaven, having a beginning and an end, corresponding above to the light of heaven and the cycles of stars, and below harmonizing with the nobility and baseness of the Four Seasons and Five Elements, alternating between Yin in winter and Yang in summer. How should humanity correspond to these? I wish to hear the method.
Qibo said: What a wonderful question! This is the supreme number of Heaven and Earth.
Huangdi said: I wish to hear the supreme number of Heaven and Earth.
Qibo said: It begins with One and ends with Nine. One represents Heaven, Two represents Earth, Three represents Humanity. Multiplying this triad by three yields Nine, corresponding to the Nine Regions (Jiu Ye). Thus, the human body is divided into Three Sections (Bu), each containing three pulses (Hou), used to determine life and death, treat the hundred diseases, regulate deficiency and excess, and eliminate pathogenic ailments.
Huangdi said: What are the Three Sections?
Qibo said: There is the Lower Section, the Middle Section, and the Upper Section. Each section has three pulses. These three pulses correspond to Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. One must palpate and guide the observation to grasp the truth. Therefore, in the Lower Section, the "Heaven" pulse examines the Liver, the "Earth" pulse examines the Kidneys, and the "Human" pulse examines the Qi of the Spleen and Stomach.
Huangdi said: How are the pulses of the Middle Section?
Qibo said: There is also Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. The "Heaven" pulse examines the Lungs, the "Earth" pulse examines the Qi of the Chest, and the "Human" pulse examines the Heart.
Huangdi said: With what does the Upper Section examine?
Qibo said: There is also Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. The "Heaven" pulse examines the Qi of the head and angles, the "Human" pulse examines the Qi of the ears and eyes, and the "Earth" pulse examines the Qi of the mouth and teeth.
Each of the three sections has its own Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. Three threes constitute Heaven, three threes constitute Earth, and three threes constitute Humanity. Together they form Nine. The Nine divide into Nine Regions, and the Nine Regions correspond to the Nine Zang Organs. Thus, there are five Spirit Zang (Shen Zang) and four Form Zang (Xing Zang), totaling nine Zang organs. If the essence of the Five Zang organs fails, the complexion will inevitably become dull and lifeless; if the complexion is dull and lifeless, death is certain.
Huangdi said: How do we examine [the condition]?
Qibo said: One must first measure the fatness or thinness of the body to adjust for the deficiency or excess of Qi. In cases of Excess, apply draining methods; in cases of Deficiency, apply tonifying methods. One must first unblock the vessels and collaterals, and then regulate the condition. Regardless of the disease, the goal is to achieve balance.
Huangdi said: How do we determine life and death?
Qibo said: If the body is robust but the pulse is fine and weak, and there is insufficient Qi to breathe, the condition is critical. If the body is emaciated but the pulse is large, and there is excessive Qi in the chest, death ensues. If the body and Qi are in harmony, life prevails. If the pulses are irregular and discordant, disease exists. If the pulses of all three sections and nine positions are mutually disordered, death ensues. If the pulses of the upper and lower, left and right correspond but are uneven like pounding grain, the disease is severe. If the pulses of the upper and lower, left and right are completely disordered and cannot be counted, death ensues. Zhong