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The chaotic and undifferentiated state of the Great Dao (Dao, the Way) is such that no one knows its source. However, the Supreme Dao is wordless; without establishing language, its principles cannot be clarified. The grand image has no form; without establishing symbols, its mysteries cannot be probed. The subtlety of Dao and symbol cannot be elucidated without words. I attempt to trace its origin. What is the pulse? It is neither Qi (vital energy) nor Blood, but it moves ceaselessly. Ying (Nutritive) Qi circulates within the vessels, while Wei (Defensive) Qi circulates outside the vessels. The Classics state: "The vessels are the mansion of Blood." From the *Suwen* (Basic Questions) down to the present, the Classics do not record this, and there are no biographies from which to hear its name. Yet the profound mysteries and the subtle intentions of the Sages are such that even brilliant and wise individuals cannot easily comprehend them.

What exactly is the pulse? The pulse has three names: first, it is the root of life; second, it is the spirit of Qi; third, it is the path of form. This is what the Classics refer to as "Heavenly Harmony" (Tianhe). To break a limb or blind both eyes does not necessarily endanger life, but the pulse cannot be lost for an instant; if lost, life is cut off and survival is harmed. The Classics state: In spring, the pulse is wiry (also called long); in summer, it is surging (also called hooked); in autumn, it is floating (also called rough); in winter, it is deep (also called sunken). These describe the normal pulse, which corresponds to the primordial Qi of heavenly creation. It circulates through the positions of Wood, Fire, Water, and Metal corresponding to Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, aligning with growth, flourishing, harvesting, and storing. Thus, it is born from the Yin and Yang of Heaven and Earth and never separates from Qi. Therefore, the pulse provides evidence for determining life and death. The Classics state: "The vessels are the mansion of Blood." Just as capitals and prefectures have government offices, so too does the body have these structures. The state establishes offices to prevent villains from committing illegal acts. If offices are not established, the virtuous cannot right their wrongs, and the wicked cannot be punished for their crimes. When evil and good are mixed, and the wise and foolish coexist, this is the root of chaos.

The Classics state: "The Five Movements and Yin-Yang are the way of Heaven and Earth, the guidelines of all things, the parents of change, the beginning of life and death, and the mansion of spiritual enlightenment." Since Yin-Yang is the mansion of spiritual enlightenment, and the vessels are the mansion of Blood, the principle becomes clear. Without vessels, Blood cannot circulate along the meridians and parts, flowing throughout the body; instead, it would surge and rush, scattering or gathering. Without vessels, Qi cannot move up and down among the sinews, bones, Zang, and Fu organs; instead, it might become sudden or collapse. Thus, the Classics state: "If entry and exit cease, the Spirit mechanism perishes; if ascent and descent stop, the Qi establishment stands alone in danger." Therefore, when Qi transforms, things are born; when Qi changes, things transform; when Qi is abundant, things grow strong; when Qi is weak, things decline; when Qi is exhausted, things die; when Qi is correct, things are harmonious; when Qi is chaotic, things become diseased. All these changes follow the abundance or deficiency of Qi.

The character "Mai" (Pulse/Vessel) consists of components meaning flesh, eternity, claw/nail, and blood. The four limbs and hundred bones receive this True Primordial Qi, allowing flesh, blood, sinews, bones, nails, and hair to flourish and thrive, relying on it for growth. This is the way of lasting permanence, hence the component for eternity. The components for claw and blood indicate that circulation flows like water branching out,遍布 the whole body without blockage. The *Shiming* (Explanation of Names) states: "Mai" means curtain or screen, covering and protecting like a canopy. The network of vessels forms a single entity, guiding the True Primordial Qi of Taiyi. Primordial Qi, in terms of nature, is neither cold, hot, warm, nor cool; in terms of pulse, it is neither wiry, surging, rough, nor deep. It does not float or sink due to Qi, nor flow or stagnate due to Blood; it is the naturally harmonious Qi. Thus, Spring is warm, Summer is hot, Autumn is cool, and Winter is cold. This is because Primordial Qi moves ceaselessly, circulating through the positions of Wood, Fire, Water, and Metal, driving the transformations of warmth, coolness, cold, and heat. Life generates life continuously, newness replaces oldness without stopping, days and months alternate, and the four seasons shift. The pulse does not rest. Therefore, after humans acquire physical form and the five Zang organs are formed, the Yuan Qi (Primordial Qi) within the body is generated. Thus, the wiry, surging, floating, and deep pulses correspond to the Qi of the four seasons, and the pulse exists within them.

The *Dao Jing* (Classic of the Way) states: "Look at it, yet you do not see it; listen to it, yet you do not hear it; grasp it, yet you do not get it. Meeting it, you do not see its head; following it, you do not see its back." This describes the pulse. It also says: "Mold clay to make a vessel; it is the emptiness inside that makes the vessel useful. Therefore, 'having' provides benefit, but 'non-being' provides function." It further says: "I do not know its name; I call it Dao, and force a name for it: Great." This is the original intent behind naming the pulse. Thus, Dao is the mystery of all things, and the pulse is the spirit of the hundred bones. The subtlety of mystery and spirit shares the same Dao. Primordial Qi exists in every vessel and reaches everywhere. Blood moves because of it, and Qi is generated because of it. Thus, Ying Qi circulates within the vessels, and Wei Qi circulates outside. It appears before one moment and behind the next, never depleting, all due to the pulse.

Speaking separately, we speak of Qi, Blood, and Pulse; speaking collectively, only the Pulse manages and transports Qi and Blood. Thus, the Classics state: "Qi and Blood are the spirit of humans; they must not fail to be carefully nourished." The *Yin Yang Bie Lun* (Treatise on Distinguishing Yin and Yang) states: "What is referred to as Yang is the Yang of the Stomach cavity." This Yang refers to the pulse. The Stomach belongs to Earth, and the pulse is the Primordial Qi of heavenly creation. If Earth lacks Qi, how can it support growth and storage? If Qi lacks Earth, how can it nourish and transform all things? There would be no generation or destruction. The Qi of a healthy person constantly receives nourishment from the Stomach. The *Zheng Li Lun* (Treatise on Correct Theory) states: "When grain enters the Stomach, the vessel pathways begin to flow; Yin and Yang intersect, the Stomach harmonizes, and the pulse moves." Humans inherit the climate of Heaven and Earth; thus, in Spring, a slight wiriness with Stomach Qi is considered normal (Ping), but wiriness without Stomach Qi indicates death. In Summer, a slight hooked quality with Stomach Qi is normal, but hooked without Stomach Qi indicates death. In Late Summer, a slight softness with Stomach Qi is normal, but weakness without Stomach Qi indicates death. In Autumn, a slight floating quality with Stomach Qi is normal, but floating without Stomach Qi indicates death. In Winter, a slight deep quality with Stomach Qi is normal, but deep without Stomach Qi indicates death. Yin refers to the True Zang Pulse; its appearance signifies decay, and decay inevitably leads to death.

The five Zang organs belong to Yin. When the Liver pulse arrives, it is tense inside and out, feeling like touching a knife edge or pressing a lute string. When the Heart pulse arrives, it is firm and beating, like touching a cluster of coix seeds. When the Lung pulse arrives, it is large and empty, like a feather brushing the skin. When the Kidney pulse arrives, it beats sharply and abruptly, like fingers striking stone. When the Spleen pulse arrives, it is weak and alternates between rapid and slow. Such pulses represent the exclusive appearance of Zang pulses without Stomach Qi. If pulses from all five Zang organs appear in a suspended and extreme manner, death ensues. Thus, the Classics state: "Distinguishing Yang allows one to know the timing禁忌 of disease; distinguishing Yin allows one to know the time of life and death."

Therefore, human pulse conditions vary—rapid, slow, weak, strong, long, short, with hard skin and thick flesh—and the pulse responds accordingly. Usually, four breaths per respiration are taken as the standard. Exhalation relates to the Heart and Lung; inhalation relates to the Kidney and Liver. Five beats per respiration relate to the Stomach, which governs the four directions, occurring within the cycle of breathing. Rapid indicates Heat; slow indicates Cold. This is like the equinoxes of Spring and Autumn, where Yin and Yang are balanced, with fifty degrees each for day and night. Adding one degree brings Heat; subtracting one brings Cold. The subtlety of the pulse can be understood from this. Pulses may resemble scattered leaves, burning firewood, clay balls, silk threads, gushing springs, crumbling earth, inverted knives, turning ropes, or swimming fish. If they undergo thousands of transformations and lose their norm, it signifies the separation of True Primordial Qi, where the five Zang and six Fu organs no longer control each other, like stray dogs, leading to the dispersion of Primordial Qi and the end of life.

The Classics state: "Accumulated Yang becomes Heaven; accumulated Yin becomes Earth. Yang transforms into Qi; Yin forms shape." This speaks of the division of one Qi into clear and turbid. Primordial Qi is the root of Heaven and Earth; Heavenly Harmony is the root of Qi and Blood. Hua Tuo said: "The pulse is the precursor of Qi and Blood." Confucius said: "Heaven does not speak, yet the four seasons proceed, and all things are born; the pulse is likewise." Another Classic states: "Since ancient times, those who connect with Heaven are the root of life, all connecting with Heavenly Qi." Connecting with Heaven means connecting with Primordial True Qi. The physical body is born borrowing Qi from Heaven and Earth; thus, the Qi sustaining life is calculated according to Heaven, inheriting Yin and Yang as its foundation. When Heaven and Earth combine their Qi, it is called Human. As long as Heavenly Qi does not cease, the true spirit remains internal. Movement and stillness, change and transformation, all communicate with Heaven. The *Yijing* (Book of Changes) states: "When Qian and Kun are arranged, Yi (Change) stands within them." Thus, the body of Heaven and Earth is born through Change, and its transformation is completed through Change. When Yang is active, Spring brings birth and Summer brings growth; when Yin is active, Autumn brings harvest and Winter brings storage. Cold goes and Heat comes; Heat goes and Cold comes. Beginning ends, and ending begins again; this is the transformation of Heaven and Earth, with Change silently operating within to allow the four seasons to succeed according to their time. Cold does not overwhelm Heat, nor Heat suppress Cold; there are no abnormalities of excessive Yang or hidden Yin, preventing extreme cold or heat. Thus, all things obtain the harmony of their intermediate Qi, avoiding excess and adhering to measure.

The *Dao Jing* states: "All things carry Yin and embrace Yang, achieving harmony through the blending of Qi." Common people use it daily without knowing it; this is the Dao of the pulse. Therefore, the pulse should not be exclusively floating or deep, large or small, abundant or deficient, Yin or Yang. It must contain floating within deep, deep within floating, large within small, small within large, abundant within deficient, deficient within abundant, Yin within Yang, and Yang within Yin. It fills the entire body, overflowing within the hundred bones. No meridian is without it; no Qi or Blood fails to reach it. It nourishes sinews, bones, hair, and nails, making them strong, smooth, and lustrous. It is not the Heart, Kidney, Liver, or Spleen specifically, but the prosperity of the five Zang organs ensures the solidity and density of True Qi, protecting it from pathogenic factors. If忧愁思虑 (worry and thought), hunger and fullness, overwork and rest, wind, rain, cold, and heat, or great fear and sudden fright cause True Qi to dissipate and become chaotic, and Qi and Blood to separate, this becomes the root of disease.

Alas! Among all things, the Five Constants (Wu Chang) are complete. Why should the study of the pulse lack the Five Constants? Benevolence (Ren) protects the whole body, filling the five Zang organs so that the four limbs and hundred bones are nourished. Without harmonious Qi, if only the True Zang pulse appears, death occurs. It does not appear during life, only appearing at death. Loving life and fearing death is called Benevolence. Distributing throughout the body and harmonizing Qi and Blood, valuing the head, eyes, ears, and nose, and considering the soles, buttocks, and genitals as lesser, ensuring nothing is above without presence and nothing below without absence, benefiting everything universally, this is called Righteousness (Yi). Long people have long pulses; short people have short pulses. Fat people have deep pulses; thin people have superficial pulses. Adults have strong pulses; children have weak pulses. If a long person has a short pulse, a short person has a long pulse, a fat person has a superficial pulse, a thin person has a deep pulse, an adult has a weak pulse, or a child has a strong pulse, these are unreasonable and indicate disease. This is called Propriety (Li). If the pulse appears at the Cun (inch) position, the disease is upper; at the Guan (bar) position, middle; at the Chi (cubit) position, lower. When the five Zang organs are diseased, the pulse manifests in specific areas, not hiding or lurking, allowing one to observe excess or deficiency and cure the disease. This is called Wisdom (Zhi). Wiry in Spring, surging in Summer, floating in Autumn, deep in Winter; Taiyang arrival is large and long; Taiyin arrival is deep; Shaoyin arrival is hooked; Yangming arrival is short and rough; Shaoyang arrival is large and superficial; Jueyin arrival is wiry. If the four seasons do not lose their timing, and the Six Qi serve as constant standards, this is called Trustworthiness (Xin). Only those who explore the profound, delve into the hidden, extend knowledge far and wide, integrate learning of Heaven and Humanity, and understand the principles of all things can reach this understanding.