八里脉属阴。微沉缓涩迟伏濡弱也。（秘宝以微沉缓涩迟伏软弱为阴。伤寒论以沉涩弱弦微为阴。）
一、微脉。指下寻之若有若无。极细而浮软。往来如秋风吹毛而无力。故名曰微也。（主气
痞）左手寸口脉微。心脏虚。多忧惕。寒热更作。寒气上侵。心胸痞结。阳不足恶寒。虚劳盗汗。微而浮弱。心中寒。
左手关上脉微。心下气满郁结。目暗生花。四肢拘急。
左手尺内脉微。主败血不止。男子溺血。女子崩血。久为白带。
右手寸口脉微。上焦寒气痞结。微弱为少气中寒。
右手关上脉微。胃中寒气胀满。饮食不化。厥逆拘急。
右手尺内脉微。小腹寒气。积聚肚痛。脐中声吼而泻。
尺寸俱微。男子五劳。妇人绝产。
微浮秋吉冬病。
二、沉脉。举之不足。按之有余。重按乃得。故名曰沉也。（沉为在里。主冷气水病。一云主湿冷洞泄。）
右手寸口脉沉。胸中气短。有寒饮。及胸胁痛有水气。沉而紧。主心中气逆冷。沉而细。名阳中
之阴。苦悲伤。不乐闻人声。少气自汗。两臂不举。
左手关上脉沉。主心下痛。气短促。两胁满。手足时冷。沉而弦者。主 癖。腹内痛。
左手尺内脉沉。主冷气腰背痛。小便稠数。色如米泔。沉而细。名曰阴中之阴。苦两胫 疼
不能久立。阴气衰少。小便余沥。阴下湿痒。（沉本肾脉。但全沉则为病。如沉濡而滑。则为平脉也。）
右手寸口脉沉紧而滑。主咳嗽。沉细而滑。主骨蒸。病寒热交作。皮毛干涩。沉细为少气。臂不能举。
右手关上脉沉。主心下满。苦吞酸。沉紧为悬饮。沉在下则为实。
右手尺内脉沉。主患水病。腰脚沉重而弱。沉而紧。主腰脚寒痛。沉而细者。苦 痛下重痢。沉
滑者。有寸白虫。（此脾虫见于此）为下重背膂痛。为风水。（肾主水。因何见此。盖命门与肾同气故也。）
沉弱为寒热。沉迟为痼冷。沉重为伤暑发热。沉紧为上热下冷。沉重而中散者。因寒食成
。沉重而直前绝者。有瘀血在腹。沉重不至寸徘徊绝者。为遁尸。
三、缓脉。指下寻之。浮大而软。去来微迟。故名曰缓也。（主风结）
左手寸口脉缓。主脊项筋紧急搐痛。（肝主筋。今见心部何耶。盖项筋属上焦故也。）
左手关上脉缓。主眩晕。腹内气结痛。如筋紧之状。
左手尺内脉缓。肾虚耳鸣。有冷结气。梦为鬼随。小便难。有余沥。（此冷淋也）
右手寸口脉缓。主气促不安。皮肤顽痹不仁。为气不足。
右手关上脉缓。主风寒入肌肉。胃虚不能食。缓而滑。胃中热。（脾之本脉软大而缓。若全缓则为病脉。）
右手尺内脉缓。下焦寒。脚弱下肿。风气秘滞。缓而滑。为热中。缓而迟。为虚寒相搏。食冷则咽痛。
四、涩脉。细而迟。往来难。时一止。轻手乃得。重手不得。按之数浮。如轻刀刮竹皮。或
云三五不调。如雨沾沙。故名曰涩也。（即黄帝涩脉。王冰云。阳气有余则血少。故脉涩。主身热无汗。此
言未足信。其实阴虚之脉也。主血气不足而痹。）
左手寸口脉涩。主荣卫不足。无心力。不能多言。主中雾露冷气。亡汗心痛。
左手关上脉涩。肝脏虚。主血散失。肋胀胁满（两胁下有骨处为肋。肋者勒也。以勒五气。肋
下无骨处为胁。）通身疼痛。女子有孕胎痛。无孕败血。（谓崩中漏下或血瘕。月信不调之候是也。）
左手尺内脉涩。肾脏虚。乱梦涉水。小便数。精频漏。及患疝气小肠气。
右手寸口脉涩。上焦冷。阳虚卫气不足。痞涩。气促无力。背膊刺痛。
右手关上脉涩。脾气不足而痛。不思饮食。胃冷而呕。
右手尺内脉涩。主小腹冷。作雷鸣。及下痢。足胫逆冷。
涩细而紧者。为寒湿痹。
五、迟脉。一息三至。去来极迟。重手乃得。隐隐迟慢。故名曰迟也。（迟为肾虚之脉。主虚。恶寒。气塞满
胀。）
左手寸口脉迟。主心上寒。
左手关上脉迟。主腹中冷痛。（此脐以上痛也）
左手尺内脉迟。主肾虚不安。小便白浊。身寒体颤。夜梦惊悸。
右手寸口脉迟。主上焦有寒。
右手关上脉迟。主中焦有寒。胃冷不欲食。吞酸吐水。迟而涩。胃中寒。有 结。
右手尺内脉迟。主下焦有寒。腰脚沉重。
关尺迟。名曰阴中之阴。其人苦悲愁不乐。少气力而多汗。
六、伏脉。按之着骨乃得。不出其位。举之全无。故名曰伏也。（主物聚）
左手寸口脉伏。主胸中有聚物。
左手关上脉伏。主阴病。常欲瞑目。
左手尺内脉伏。主小腹痛寒疝瘕。
右手寸口脉伏。主胸中气滞有痰。噎塞不通。
右手关上脉伏。主中脘有滞物。及肠 水气溏泄。
右手尺内脉伏。主宿食不消。伏而芤。大便去血。
七、濡脉。按之似有。举之全无。一云按之似无。举之全无。力极软而浮细。一云按之不见。轻手
乃得。不能隐指。故名曰濡也。（即黄帝所谓软脉。集韵。濡软二字同呼同用。主恶寒。）
左手寸口脉濡。主虚损多汗。五心烦热。
左手关上脉濡。主体重少力。虚弱。精神离散。
左手尺内脉濡。主肾虚损。骨髓不温。肉不着骨。齿长而枯。发无润泽。脑转耳鸣。濡而弱。
为小便难。（此冷淋也。论大小便虽在尺部。当参寸部大小肠脉方准。）
右手寸口脉濡。主元气败。少力。
右手关上脉濡。脾气弱。苦虚冷重下痢。
右手尺内脉濡。主发热恶寒。下元冷极。
濡而弱。为内热外冷自汗。（此虚热盗汗也）
八、弱脉。指下寻之如烂绵。轻手乃得。重手稍无。极软而弱细。按之欲绝指下。故名曰弱也。（主虚而筋痿
及风气）
左手寸口脉弱。主心中悸。阳气虚。汗自出。
左手关上脉弱。主筋痿弱。微而浮散。主目暗生花。妇人产后客风面肿。弱而虚。为风热。（此风虚而客热）
左手尺内脉弱。主骨肉 痛。
右手寸口脉弱。阳道虚损。卫气不足。弱微而浮散。主气滞。
右手关上脉弱。胃气虚。有客热。（不可大攻。恐热去寒起也。）
右手尺内脉弱。下焦冷。无阳气。
古人于左右尺部诊大小便。往往少验。然大便出于大肠。大肠乃肺之腑。当于右手寸口脉参之。小便出于小肠。小
肠乃心之腑。当于左手寸口脉参之。
The eight Li pulses belong to Yin. They include the Micro (Wei), Deep (Chen), Slow (Huan), Choppy (Se), Delayed (Chi), Hidden (Fu), Soggy (Ru), and Weak (Ruo) pulses. (*Secret Treasure* classifies Micro, Deep, Slow, Choppy, Delayed, Hidden, Soft, and Weak as Yin pulses; *Shanghan Lun* classifies Deep, Choppy, Weak, Wiry, and Micro as Yin pulses.)
I. Micro Pulse (Wei Mai). When sought with the fingers, it feels as if present and absent. It is extremely fine and floating-soft. The pulse movement is like autumn wind blowing hair, lacking strength. Hence it is called the Micro pulse. (It indicates Qi stagnation/blockage.) A Micro pulse at the left Cun position indicates Heart deficiency. There is much worry and apprehension, alternating cold and fever. Cold qi invades upward, causing blockage in the chest and heart. Yang insufficiency leads to aversion to cold, and deficiency labor causes night sweats. A Micro and floating-weak pulse indicates cold in the heart.
A Micro pulse at the left Guan position indicates fullness and depression of Qi below the heart, dim vision with visual spots, and spasticity/tightness of the four limbs.
A Micro pulse at the left Chi position indicates unceasing loss of ruined blood. In men, it presents as hematuria; in women, as metrorrhagia. Prolonged cases lead to leukorrhea.
A Micro pulse at the right Cun position indicates blockage of cold Qi in the upper Jiao. A weak Micro pulse indicates shortness of breath and middle cold.
A Micro pulse at the right Guan position indicates abdominal distension and fullness due to cold Qi in the stomach, indigestion, and cold extremities with spasticity.
A Micro pulse at the right Chi position indicates cold Qi in the lower abdomen, accumulation and abdominal pain, borborygmus around the umbilicus, and diarrhea.
When both Cun and Chi pulses are Micro, men suffer from the Five Exhaustions (Wu Lao), and women experience infertility.
A Micro and floating pulse is auspicious in Autumn but indicates disease in Winter.
II. Deep Pulse (Chen Mai). Light pressure (lifting) feels insufficient, heavy pressure (pressing) feels abundant; it is only obtained with heavy pressing. Hence it is called the Deep pulse. (Deep pulses indicate interior diseases, primarily cold qi and water disorders. Another view holds they indicate damp-cold dysentery.)
A Deep pulse at the right Cun position indicates shortness of breath in the chest, retention of cold fluids, and chest/hypochondriac pain with water qi. A Deep and tight pulse indicates rebellious cold Qi in the heart. A Deep and thin pulse is named "Yin within Yang," characterized by sorrowful grief, aversion to hearing voices, shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating, and inability to raise both arms.
A Deep pulse at the left Guan position indicates pain below the heart, shortness of breath, hypochondriac fullness, and cold hands and feet. A Deep and wiry pulse indicates fixed masses (Pi Ji) and intra-abdominal pain.
A Deep pulse at the left Chi position indicates cold-induced lower back and waist pain, frequent and thick urination with color like rice washings. A Deep and thin pulse is named "Yin within Yin," characterized by painful calves unable to stand for long periods, decline of Yin Qi, dribbling urination, and damp/itchy genitals. (The Deep pulse is originally the Kidney pulse; however, a purely Deep pulse indicates pathology. If it is Deep, soggy, and slippery, it is a normal pulse.)
A Deep, tight, and slippery pulse at the right Cun position indicates cough. A Deep, thin, and slippery pulse indicates bone-steaming tidal fever, alternating chills and fever, and dry/coarse skin and hair. A Deep and thin pulse indicates shortness of breath and inability to raise arms.
A Deep pulse at the right Guan position indicates fullness below the heart and bitter regurgitation (acid reflux). A Deep and tight pulse indicates suspended fluid (Xuan Yin). A Deep pulse located inferiorly indicates excess syndrome.
A Deep pulse at the right Chi position indicates edema/water disease, with heavy and weak waist and legs. A Deep and tight pulse indicates cold pain in the waist and legs. A Deep and thin pulse indicates painful dysentery with a sensation of heaviness/prolapse. A Deep and slippery pulse indicates Taenia saginata (pork tapeworm) (this spleen parasite appears here), presenting with heaviness/prolapse and back/spine pain, or wind-water edema. (Kidneys govern water; why does this pulse appear? Because Mingmen shares the same Qi as the Kidneys.)
A Deep and weak pulse indicates alternating chills and fever; a Deep and delayed pulse indicates chronic cold; a Deep and heavy pulse indicates heat from summerheat injury; a Deep and tight pulse indicates upper heat and lower cold; a Deep, heavy, and scattered middle indicates accumulation due to cold food retention; a Deep, heavy, and abruptly terminating pulse indicates blood stasis in the abdomen; a Deep, heavy pulse that does not reach the Cun position and hesitates/terminates indicates Dun Shi (a type of ghost disease).
III. Slow/Relaxed Pulse (Huan Mai). When sought with the fingers, it is floating, large, and soft, moving slightly slowly. Hence it is called the Slow pulse. (It indicates wind pathogen accumulation.)
A Slow pulse at the left Cun position indicates stiffness, tension, spasms, and pain in the spine and neck tendons. (The Liver governs tendons; why does it appear in the Heart position? Because neck tendons belong to the Upper Jiao.)
A Slow pulse at the left Guan position indicates vertigo, intra-abdominal Qi knotting and pain, resembling tendon tension.
A Slow pulse at the left Chi position indicates Kidney deficiency with tinnitus, cold Qi accumulation, dreams of being followed by ghosts, difficult urination, and post-micturition dribbling. (This is cold strangury.)
A Slow pulse at the right Cun position indicates rapid breathing and restlessness, skin numbness and anesthesia (bi syndrome), indicating Qi insufficiency.
A Slow pulse at the right Guan position indicates wind-cold invading muscles and stomach deficiency preventing eating. A Slow and slippery pulse indicates heat in the stomach. (The root pulse of the Spleen is soft, large, and slow; if entirely slow, it is a pathological pulse.)
A Slow pulse at the right Chi position indicates lower Jiao cold, weak legs, lower limb edema, and stagnation of wind Qi. A Slow and slippery pulse indicates internal heat (Re Zhong). A Slow and delayed pulse indicates conflict between deficiency and cold; swallowing cold food causes sore throat.
IV. Choppy Pulse (Se Mai). It is fine and delayed, with difficult movement, occasionally pausing. It is felt with light pressure but not heavy pressure; counting it feels floating. It resembles scraping bamboo skin with a light knife, or irregular intervals like rain soaking sand. Hence it is called the Choppy pulse. (This is the Choppy pulse described by Huangdi. Wang Bing stated: Excess Yang leads to deficient Blood, hence the Choppy pulse, indicating body heat and anhidrosis. This statement is unreliable; it is actually a pulse of Yin deficiency, indicating insufficiency of Blood and Qi leading to bi obstruction.)
A Choppy pulse at the left Cun position indicates insufficiency of Ying and Wei Qi, lack of mental energy, inability to speak much, susceptibility to fog/dew cold qi, profuse sweating, and heart pain.
A Choppy pulse at the left Guan position indicates Liver deficiency, scattering/loss of Blood, rib and hypochondriac distension/fullness (areas with bone below ribs are 'Lei'; areas without bone are 'Xie'), whole-body pain, fetal pain during pregnancy, or ruined blood in non-pregnant women (referring to metrorrhagia, uterine fibroids, or irregular menstruation).
A Choppy pulse at the left Chi position indicates Kidney deficiency, chaotic dreams of wading in water, frequent urination, frequent seminal emission, hernia, and small intestine Qi disorders.
A Choppy pulse at the right Cun position indicates upper Jiao cold, Yang deficiency with insufficient Wei Qi, blockage/choppy sensation, shortness of breath with weakness, and stabbing pain in the back and shoulders.
A Choppy pulse at the right Guan position indicates Spleen Qi insufficiency with pain, loss of appetite, cold stomach with vomiting.
A Choppy pulse at the right Chi position indicates cold lower abdomen, borborygmus, dysentery, and cold reverse in the lower legs.
A Choppy, thin, and tight pulse indicates cold-damp bi syndrome.
V. Delayed Pulse (Chi Mai). Three beats per respiration, moving extremely slowly, obtained with heavy pressure, faintly and slowly. Hence it is called the Delayed pulse. (Delayed pulses indicate Kidney deficiency, deficiency syndromes, aversion to cold, Qi blockage, and fullness.)
A Delayed pulse at the left Cun position indicates cold above the heart.
A Delayed pulse at the left Guan position indicates cold pain in the abdomen (pain above the umbilicus).
A Delayed pulse at the left Chi position indicates restless Kidney deficiency, turbid white urine, body coldness and tremors, and nocturnal dream palpitations.
A Delayed pulse at the right Cun position indicates cold in the upper Jiao.
A Delayed pulse at the right Guan position indicates cold in the middle Jiao, cold stomach with anorexia, acid regurgitation, and vomiting of water. A Delayed and Choppy pulse indicates cold in the stomach with cold accumulation.
A Delayed pulse at the right Chi position indicates cold in the lower Jiao, with heavy and weak waist and legs.
When both Guan and Chi pulses are Delayed, it is named "Yin within Yin." The person suffers from sorrowful grief, shortness of breath, weakness, and excessive sweating.
VI. Hidden Pulse (Fu Mai). It is obtained only when pressing to the bone, staying in place, and completely absent upon lifting. Hence it is called the Hidden pulse. (It indicates accumulation of substances.)
A Hidden pulse at the left Cun position indicates accumulations in the chest.
A Hidden pulse at the left Guan position indicates Yin disease, with a constant desire to close the eyes.
A Hidden pulse at the left Chi position indicates lower abdominal pain, cold hernia, and masses.
A Hidden pulse at the right Cun position indicates Qi stagnation with phlegm in the chest, choking and obstruction.
A Hidden pulse at the right Guan position indicates stagnation in the Zhongwan area and intestinal water qi with loose stools.
A Hidden pulse at the right Chi position indicates undigested retained food. A Hidden and Knotted (Kou) pulse indicates blood in the stool.
VII. Soggy Pulse (Ru Mai). Pressing feels somewhat present, lifting feels completely absent. Alternatively, pressing feels absent, lifting feels completely absent. It is extremely soft, floating, and fine. Alternatively, it is invisible on pressing, felt only with light pressure, and cannot sink the finger. Hence it is called the Soggy pulse. (Also known as the Soft pulse in Huangdi's texts; 'Ru' and 'Ruan' are synonymous in *Jiyun*, indicating aversion to cold.)
A Soggy pulse at the left Cun position indicates deficiency exhaustion with profuse sweating and five-center heat.
A Soggy pulse at the left Guan position indicates heavy body with little strength, weakness, and scattered spirit.
A Soggy pulse at the left Chi position indicates Kidney deficiency exhaustion, unwarmed marrow, flesh not adhering to bone, elongated and withered teeth, lusterless hair, dizziness, and tinnitus. A Soggy and weak pulse indicates difficult urination. (This is cold strangury. Although discussions of urination/stool focus on the Chi position, one must reference the Cun position pulses of Large Intestine and Small Intestine for accuracy.)
A Soggy pulse at the right Cun position indicates collapse of Yuan Qi and weakness.
A Soggy pulse at the right Guan position indicates weak Spleen Qi, suffering from severe deficiency-cold dysentery.
A Soggy pulse at the right Chi position indicates fever with aversion to cold, and extreme cold in the lower origin.
A Soggy and weak pulse indicates internal heat with external cold and spontaneous sweating. (This is deficiency-heat night sweats.)
VIII. Weak Pulse (Ruo Mai). When sought with the fingers, it feels like rotten cotton. It is felt with light pressure but slightly absent with heavy pressure. It is extremely soft, weak, and fine, feeling as if disappearing under the fingers. Hence it is called the Weak pulse. (It indicates deficiency, tendon flaccidity, and wind pathogen.)
A Weak pulse at the left Cun position indicates palpitations in the heart, Yang deficiency, and spontaneous sweating.
A Weak pulse at the left Guan position indicates tendon flaccidity. A Micro and floating-scattered pulse indicates dim vision with visual spots. In women postpartum, it indicates exterior wind causing facial swelling. A Weak and deficient pulse indicates wind-heat (wind deficiency with exterior heat).
A Weak pulse at the left Chi position indicates bone and muscle pain.
A Weak pulse at the right Cun position indicates deficiency of the Yang pathway and insufficient Wei Qi. A Weak, Micro, and floating-scattered pulse indicates Qi stagnation.
A Weak pulse at the right Guan position indicates Stomach Qi deficiency with exterior heat. (Do not attack vigorously, lest heat depart and cold arise.)
A Weak pulse at the right Chi position indicates lower Jiao cold and absence of Yang Qi.
Ancient physicians often found the diagnosis of bowel movements and urination via the left and right Chi positions unreliable. However, since stool comes from the Large Intestine, which is the Fu organ of the Lung, it should be correlated with the Right Cun pulse. Since urine comes from the Small Intestine, which is the Fu organ of the Heart, it should be correlated with the Left Cun pulse.