沉若烂绵寻至骨。 沉者阴也。主阴盛阳乘之候。沉者重也。阴气厥逆。阳气不舒。故
脉沉
但
。腰重便数。膀胱冷痛。又尺沉主肺弱水气痛。
微于指下细如丝。 微者阴盛阳衰之候。指下寻之。脉来而小。细细如丝。往来极微。
进退
主
缓小于迟来往慢。 缓者阴也。主卫气有余荣血不及之候。故指下寻之。往来迟缓也。
缓者
曰缓
风缓不利。
涩则如刀刮竹皮。 涩者阴也。主阳虚阴衰之候。积气虚弱。阴阳涩滞。寻之似有。举
之全
能
自禁。及女人胎气不安。败血不止。寸涩。胃中积冷。食不能转。关涩。主荣气
肌肉。尺涩。丹田积冷。夜梦遗精。女人败血。胎中冷痛。
迟重欲寻来隐隐。 迟者阴也。主阴盛阳衰。指下重手乃得。由阴络透于阳络。阳气不
来
厥
伏潜骨重似来时。 伏者阴也。主三阴毒瓦斯。伏于三阳。关格闭塞之候。指下寻之似有。
呼
伏
主
濡凑指边还怯怯。 濡者阴也。主荣中怯而卫气虚。指下按之似有。冉冉还来凑指。欲
按根据
虚精
弱按轻绵重不知。 弱者阴也。主虚气攻表。指下寻之。轻手乃得。重手稍无。往来无
力。
弱
微为虚。为弱。为衄。为呕。为泄。为亡汗。为拘急微弱。为少气。为中寒。
沉为在里。 为实。为水。为寒。为喘。为症。
沉紧。为上热下冷。沉重而直前绝者为瘀血。沉缓而中散。为寒食成瘕。沉重不至寸。
徘徊
缓为在下。 为风。为寒。为弱。为痹。为疼。为不仁。为气不足。为眩晕。
缓而滑。为热中。缓而迟。虚寒相搏。食冷则咽痛。
涩为少气血。 为亡汗。为气不足。为逆冷。为下痢。为心痛。
涩紧。为痹。为寒湿。
迟为寒。 为痛。
迟而涩。为症瘕咽酸。
伏为霍乱。 为疝瘕。为水气。为溏泄。为停痰。为宿食。为诸气上冲。为恶脓贯肌。
濡为虚。 为痹。为自汗。为气弱。为小便难。
濡而弱。为内热外冷自汗。
弱为虚。 为风热。为自汗。
If the pulse is deep (Chen), it feels like rotten cotton and must be sought until the bone. Deep pulses belong to Yin. They indicate a condition where Yin is excessive and Yang is overpowered. "Deep" implies heaviness. Due to the rebellion of Yin Qi, Yang Qi fails to circulate freely, hence the pulse is deep.
The fine (Wei) pulse feels as thin as a silk thread under the fingers. The fine pulse indicates a condition of Yin excess and Yang deficiency. When sought under the fingers, the pulse comes forth small, thin as silk, and extremely faint in its coming and going.
The slow (Huan) pulse is slower than the delayed (Chi) pulse, with a sluggish rhythm. The slow pulse belongs to Yin. It indicates a condition where Wei (Defensive) Qi is excessive while Ying (Nutritive) Blood is insufficient. Therefore, when sought under the fingers, the pulse comes and goes slowly.
The choppy (Se) pulse feels like a knife scraping bamboo skin. The choppy pulse belongs to Yin. It indicates a condition of Yang deficiency and Yin decline. Accumulated Qi is weak, and Yin and Yang are stagnant; when pressed lightly, it seems present, but when lifted, it is entirely absent. A choppy pulse may also indicate spontaneous restriction (inability of Qi to flow freely), instability of fetal Qi in women, or unceasing discharge of spoiled blood. Choppy at the Cun position indicates cold accumulation in the Stomach and inability to digest food; choppy at the Guan position indicates insufficiency of Ying Qi and muscle disorders; choppy at the Chi position indicates cold accumulation in the Dantian, nocturnal emission during dreams, spoiled blood in women, and cold pain in the uterus.
The delayed (Chi) pulse is heavy and appears faintly when sought. The delayed pulse belongs to Yin. It indicates Yin excess and Yang deficiency. It can only be felt with heavy pressure under the fingers, penetrating from the Yin collaterals to the Yang collaterals, where Yang Qi does not arrive, hiding beneath the bone, feeling somewhat present upon heavy pressing.
The hidden (Fu) pulse is not palpable upon calling out (deeply submerged). The hidden pulse belongs to Yin. It indicates toxic pathogens of the Three Yin channels lying concealed within the Three Yang channels, presenting as a condition of obstruction and blockage (Guan Ge). When sought under the fingers, it seems barely present.
The soggy (Ru) pulse gathers near the finger edge yet appears timid and weak. The soggy pulse belongs to Yin. It indicates timidity of Ying Qi and deficiency of Wei Qi. When pressed under the fingers, it seems present, coming gently towards the fingertip, appearing soft and deficient upon attempted compression.
The weak (Ruo) pulse feels light and cotton-like upon gentle pressure, becoming imperceptible with heavy pressure. The weak pulse belongs to Yin. It indicates attacking deficiency Qi at the exterior. When sought under the fingers, it is felt with light pressure but disappears slightly with heavy pressure, lacking force in its coming and going.
Fine (Wei) indicates deficiency, weakness, epistaxis, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of sweat, spasmodic tension with weakness, shortness of breath, and interior cold.
Deep (Chen) indicates interior disease, excess, fluid retention, cold, asthma, and mass formations.
Deep and tight (Chen Jin) indicates heat above and cold below; if heavy and straight-cut off, it indicates blood stasis; if deep, slow, and scattered in the middle, it indicates cold and food stagnation forming masses. If heavy but not reaching the Cun position, it lingers uncertainly.
Slow (Huan) indicates disease in the lower body, wind, cold, weakness, bi-syndrome, pain, numbness, Qi insufficiency, and dizziness.
Slow and slippery (Huan Hua) indicates interior heat; slow and delayed (Huan Chi) indicates binding of deficiency and cold, causing sore throat after eating cold foods.
Choppy (Se) indicates insufficient Qi and Blood, loss of sweat, Qi insufficiency, cold extremities, dysentery, and heart pain.
Choppy and tight (Se Jin) indicates bi-syndrome and cold-dampness.
Delayed (Chi) indicates cold and pain.
Delayed and choppy (Chi Se) indicates mass formations and sour regurgitation.
Hidden (Fu) indicates cholera, hernia masses, fluid retention, loose stools, retained phlegm, retained food, upward rushing of various Qi types, and foul pus penetrating the muscles.
Soggy (Ru) indicates deficiency, bi-syndrome, spontaneous sweating, Qi weakness, and difficulty urinating.
Soggy and weak (Ru Ruo) indicates interior heat with exterior cold and spontaneous sweating.
Weak (Ruo) indicates deficiency, wind-heat, and spontaneous sweating.