Library

The *Mai Jing* (Pulse Classic) states: For children aged four or five, if the pulse beats eight times per respiration and is fine and rapid (Xi Shu), it is auspicious. If the pulse beats eight times per respiration, it indicates a healthy state; nine times indicates injury; ten times indicates exhaustion.

When diagnosing pediatric pulses, the method mostly relies on the Tiger Gate pulse (Hu Kou Mai, pulse at the base of the thumb), focusing primarily on the three positions (Cun, Guan, Chi). A tight pulse indicates wind epilepsy (Feng Xian); a deep pulse indicates undigested milk; a wiry and urgent pulse indicates external shock qi (Ke Wu Qi). During the period of physiological transformation (Ying Zheng), a child may have fever with chaotic pulse, no sweating, anorexia, and vomiting after eating. This chaotic pulse is not harmful. If the pediatric pulse is deep and rapid, there is heat in the bones; this can be assessed by pressing the abdomen to feel coldness or warmth. If a child has loose stools with red and green fragments (Sun Xie), a small pulse, and cold hands and feet, the condition is difficult to cure; if the pulse is small but the hands and feet are warm, it is easy to cure. If a critically ill child sweats like pearls that adhere to the body without flowing, it is a death sign. If a sick child's head hair stands upward, death is certain; bluish vessels appearing behind the ears indicate pain. If a sick child has swollen cheeks, dry lips, closed eyelids, cold breath from the mouth, flaccid limbs, and cold palms, these are all death signs and incurable.

The *Mai Jue Qi Meng* (Enlightenment of Pulse Secrets) states: When diagnosing pediatric pulses, use the thumb to palpate the three positions. Six to seven beats per respiration indicate peace; eight to nine beats indicate fever; five beats indicate internal cold. A wiry pulse indicates wind epilepsy; deep and slow indicates food retention; hurried and urgent indicates deficiency fright; wiry and urgent indicates disharmony of qi; deep and fine indicates cold; floating indicates wind; irregular size indicates strange ailments (Gui Sui); floating, large, and rapid indicates wind-heat; hidden and knotted indicates accumulation; thin and single indicates malnutrition consumption (Gan Lao); intestinal wind pain often accompanied by wheezing and vomiting, if the pulse is surging, indicates parasites; floating and slow with tidal fever indicates stomach cold.

Note: This is the pulse method of Qian Yi (Qian Shi), which is quite detailed.

The "Tiger Gate Pulse Song" states: Purple indicates wind; red indicates cold damage; green indicates fright; white indicates malnutrition; black indicates malignant evil; yellow indicates spleen distress.

Note: According to texts such as *Quan Ying*, for children under three years old, pulse lines visible on the Yin and Mao gates of the second finger of the Tiger Gate can verify symptoms. Observe males on the left hand and females on the right. If the pulse line starts from the Yin gate and does not reach the Mao gate, the disease is easy to treat. If it connects to the Mao gate, the disease is difficult to treat. If Yin connects to Mao, and Mao invades past the Chen gate, one in ten cannot be saved. If the pulse line is small or short, the disease is easy to treat. These should be consulted together.

Qian Yi stated: Facial signs correspond to organs: the left cheek corresponds to the Liver, the right cheek to the Lung, the forehead to the Heart, the nose to the Spleen, and the chin to the Kidney. Redness indicates heat, to be treated according to the syndrome. Redness in the inner canthus indicates Heart heat, treated with Dao Chi San (Decoction for Guiding Out Fire); pale red indicates deficient Heat of the Heart, treated with Sheng Xi San (Decoction of Raw Rhinoceros Horn); green indicates Liver heat, treated with Xie Qing Wan (Pill for Draining Green); pale light color indicates deficiency, requiring tonification; yellow indicates Spleen heat, treated with Xie Huang San (Decoction for Draining Yellow); lack of luster in the eyes indicates Kidney deficiency, treated with Di Huang Wan (Pill of Rehmannia Root). Zhang Yuansu (Jie Gu) stated: Green indicates abdominal pain, treat with Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) and Shaoyao (Peony Root). Zhang Yuansu also stated: Liver disease manifests as pale face; Lung disease as red face; Spleen disease as green face; Kidney disease as yellow face; Heart disease as black face. If Liver disease presents with convulsions and fright, accompanied by pale face, phlegm-drool, and wheezing, these are difficult to treat. The rest can be deduced similarly. Wang Shuhe said: In spring, finding an autumn pulse indicates certain death, following this same logic.

Note: What Qian Yi said refers to diseases of the primary organ; Zhang Yuansu discusses the relationships of overcoming and controlling (Sheng Ke). Therefore, the manifestations of the five Zang organs must be distinguished clearly.