（修园重订）
赋曰。能穷浮沉迟数虚实大缓八脉之奥。（八者。脉之奥也。）便知表里寒热盛衰邪正八
要之名。（表者。病不在内也。里者。病不在外也。盛者。本来气血不衰也。衰者。本来气
血不盛也。寒者脏腑积冷也。热者。脏腑积热也。邪者。非脏腑正病也正者非外邪所中也。）
八脉为诸脉纲领。八要是众病权衡。（量度诸病。申此八要也。）虚为气血不实。举按无力。
若兼弱涩之象。（举者。轻手取之于皮肤之上。按者。重手按之于肌肉之内也。无力者。言
指下举按应指无力也。弱者。痿而不起也。主气虚。涩者。往来干涩也。主血少。虚脉兼此
二象。）实为气血不虚。举按有力。且该长滑之形。（长者。过于本位也。主气有余。滑者。
流而不滞也。主血有余。实脉兼此二象。此以虚实二脉。探气血盛衰之情也。）迟寒数热。
纪至数多少。（平人脉。以四至为准。不及曰迟。一息三至也。太过曰数。一息六至也。经
云。数则为热。迟则为寒。此以迟数二脉。别其寒热也。）浮表沉里。在指下重轻。（轻手举
之于皮肤上即得。重按乃无。如水浮泛者曰浮。重手按至筋骨而得者曰沉。经云。浮为在表。
沉为在里。此以浮沉二脉。别其表里也。）缓则正复。和若春风柳舞。大则病进。势若秋水
潮生。（缓则胃气复。如春柳之和。故邪退而正复也。病进而危。故脉洪大。如秋涛之汹涌
。此以缓大二脉。验其邪正也。）六脉同等者。喜其勿药。（六脉者两手六部之脉也。同等者。
脉息调匀。不治自愈。王肯堂误解为大小浮沉迟数同等。不可从也。）六脉偏盛者。忧其采
薪。（偏盛者。六部中那一部独异也。又于那一部之中。推其于八脉中见出那一象也。王肯
堂旧解亦误。）
(Revised by Chen Xiuyuan)
The fu (rhapsody) states: If one can thoroughly explore the profound principles of the eight pulse types—floating, sinking, slow, rapid, deficient, excess, large, and moderate—one will understand the names of the eight essential diagnostic criteria: exterior, interior, cold, heat, abundance, deficiency, pathogenic factor, and healthy qi.
(The "exterior" refers to disease not located inside; the "interior" refers to disease not located outside. "Abundance" refers to originally robust and un-depleted qi and blood; "deficiency" refers to originally insufficient qi and blood. "Cold" refers to accumulated cold in the zang-fu organs; "heat" refers to accumulated heat in the zang-fu organs. "Pathogenic factor" refers to conditions that are not normal diseases of the zang-fu organs; "healthy qi" refers to conditions not caused by invasion of external pathogens.)
These eight pulse types serve as the general guidelines for all pulses, and these eight criteria act as the standards for weighing various diseases. (This involves measuring various diseases to elucidate these eight essentials.)
"Deficient" indicates that qi and blood are not substantial, feeling powerless upon both light palpation and heavy pressure. If it also presents with characteristics of the weak and choppy pulses. ("Lifting" refers to taking the pulse with light hand pressure on the skin surface; "pressing" refers to taking the pulse with heavy hand pressure within the muscles. "Powerless" means the response under light lifting and heavy pressing is weak. "Weak" refers to a pulse that is flaccid and does not rise, indicating qi deficiency; "Choppy" refers to a pulse that moves dryly and unevenly, indicating blood deficiency. The deficient pulse combines these two characteristics.)
"Excess" indicates that qi and blood are not deficient, feeling powerful upon both light palpation and heavy pressure, and exhibiting the forms of the long and slippery pulses. ("Long" refers to a pulse extending beyond its original position, indicating excess qi; "Slippery" refers to a pulse that flows smoothly without stagnation, indicating excess blood. The excess pulse combines these two characteristics. This uses the deficient and excess pulses to probe the state of qi and blood abundance or deficiency.)
"Slow" indicates cold, and "Rapid" indicates heat, recording the number of beats per respiration. (A normal pulse is standardized at four beats per respiration. Fewer than this is called "slow," i.e., three beats per respiration; more than this is called "rapid," i.e., six beats per respiration. The classics state: Rapid indicates heat, slow indicates cold. This uses the slow and rapid pulses to distinguish between cold and heat.)
"Floating" indicates the exterior, and "Sinking" indicates the interior, depending on the lightness or heaviness of finger pressure. (Touching the pulse easily with light hand pressure on the skin surface is called "floating," which disappears with heavy pressure, resembling floating water; touching the pulse only with heavy pressure down to the bones and sinews is called "sinking." The classics state: Floating indicates the exterior, sinking indicates the interior. This uses the floating and sinking pulses to distinguish between exterior and interior locations.)
"Moderate" indicates the recovery of healthy qi, gentle like willow branches dancing in the spring breeze; "Large" indicates the progression of disease, vigorous like autumn tides rising. (Moderate pulse indicates the restoration of stomach qi, harmonious like spring willows, thus evil retreats and healthy qi recovers; disease progression implies danger, hence the pulse is洪大 [large/vigorous], surging like autumn waves. This uses the moderate and large pulses to verify the balance between pathogenic factors and healthy qi.)
If the six pulses (in all positions of both hands) are equal and uniform, one may rejoice that medication is unnecessary. (The "six pulses" refer to the pulses in the six positions of both hands. "Equal" means the pulse rhythm is balanced, healing spontaneously without treatment. Wang Kentang misunderstood this as equality among size, floating/sinking, and slow/rapid, which is incorrect.)
If the six pulses show partial excess, one should worry, as if firewood is running out. ("Partial excess" means one specific position among the six is distinctly different. Furthermore, within that position, one must deduce which of the eight pulse characteristics is manifested. Wang Kentang's old interpretation is also erroneous.)