王叔和脉经。有浮、芤、洪、涓、数、促、弦、紧、沉、伏、革、实、微、涩、细、 、弱、虚、散、缓、迟、结、
代、动二十 四名。叔和以后诸家。又增长短、牢、疾、大、小共三十名。按察病以脉。必辨之精确。而后见之明。不至
游疑而无主。据经之论脉。不止三十名。如鼓、搏、喘、横之类。今亦未窥其奥。不敢采入。即三十名。尚有可测者。
如脉经。谓浮细为 。沉细为弱。是 以浮细辨。弱以沉细辨也。然经曰。长夏胃微 弱曰平。使 弱皆细脉。细则气
少。经何以谓为长夏之平脉乎。又曰。 弱有石曰冬病。石沉脉也。 弱而沉。是水之侮土也。使 脉果以浮细辨。经
何谓以沉言乎。由是观之。凡脉柔而无力者。概谓之 弱。非浮细沉细之谓。今以 弱附于细。以存其旧也。仲景曰。
弦则为寒。芤则为虚。虚寒相搏。此名曰革。男子亡血失精。女子半产漏下。据此则革脉。即芤之兼弦者。芤主阴虚病。
革亦主阴虚病。今以革附于芤也。沉伏实大。千金翼谓之牢。主寒主痛。是即沉脉而有力者。今附于沉。经一脉有数名
者。如秋脉谓之毛。又谓之浮。非二脉也。是疾脉即数。大即洪。小即细也。今删 弱革牢疾大小七名。定为二十三脉。
盖脉以候病。其可去辄者。不加详辨。则名目愈多。脉理愈晦。故不敢避僭妄之讥也。
Wang Shuhe's *Mai Jing* (Pulse Classic) records twenty-four pulse types: Fu (Floating), Kou (Hollow), Hong (Surging), [Missing Character, likely Ru/Soft], Shu (Rapid), Cu (Interrupted), Xian (Wiry), Jin (Tight), Chen (Deep), Fu (Profound), Ge (Leather), Shi (Full), Wei (Fine/Faint), Se (Choppy), Xi (Thready), [Missing Character], Ruo (Weak), Xu (Deficient), San (Scattered), Huan (Slow/Lax), Chi (Delayed), Jie (Knotted), and Dai (Intermittent). Scholars after Wang Shuhe added Chang (Long), Duan (Short), Lao (Firm), Ji (Very Rapid), and Xiao (Small), bringing the total to thirty pulse names.
When diagnosing diseases by pulses, one must distinguish them precisely to see clearly, avoiding hesitation and lack of direction. According to classical discussions on pulses, there are more than thirty types. For example, pulses such as Gu (Drum-like), Bo (Beating), Chuan (Panting), and Heng (Horizontal) exist. However, I have not yet penetrated their mysteries and dare not include them. Even among these thirty types, some can be inferred and analyzed. For instance, the *Mai Jing* states that a pulse that is Fu (Floating) and Xi (Thready) is called [Missing Character], while a pulse that is Chen (Deep) and Xi (Thready) is called Ruo (Weak). This distinguishes the former by Fu-Xi and the latter by Chen-Xi. Yet, the classics state: "In late summer, if the Stomach Qi presents with a slight [Missing Character] or Ruo pulse, it is considered a Ping (Normal) pulse." If both [Missing Character] and Ruo were merely Xi (Thready) pulses, which indicate a deficiency of Qi, how could the classics consider them normal pulses for late summer? Furthermore, it states: "[Missing Character] and Ruo pulses presenting with Shi (Stone/Sinking) characteristics indicate winter disease." The Shi pulse is the Chen (Deep) pulse. If [Missing Character] and Ruo present with sinking, it indicates Water insulting Earth. If the [Missing Character] pulse were indeed distinguished by Fu (Floating) and Xi (Thready), why would the classics describe it using Chen (Deep) characteristics? From this, we can see that any pulse that is Rou (Soft) and Wu Li (Forceless) is generally referred to as [Missing Character] and Ruo, not specifically as Fu-Xi or Chen-Xi. Now, I attach [Missing Character] and Ruo to Xi (Thready) to preserve the old classification.
Zhang Zhongjing said: "Xian (Wiry) indicates Cold; Kou (Hollow) indicates Deficiency. When Deficiency and Cold combine, this is named Ge (Leather) pulse. In men, it signifies loss of blood or essence; in women, spontaneous abortion or persistent bleeding." Based on this, the Ge (Leather) pulse is essentially a Kou (Hollow) pulse combined with Xian (Wiry) characteristics. Kou (Hollow) mainly indicates Yin Deficiency disease, and Ge (Leather) also mainly indicates Yin Deficiency disease. Therefore, I now attach Ge (Leather) to Kou (Hollow). The Chen (Deep), Fu (Profound), Shi (Full), and Da (Large) pulses are called Lao (Firm) in the *Qianjin Yi Fang*, indicating Cold and Pain. These are simply Chen (Deep) pulses that are forceful. Thus, I attach them to Chen (Deep). In the classics, one pulse may have multiple names. For example, the Autumn pulse is called Mao (Feather) and also Fu (Floating); these are not two different pulses. Ji (Very Rapid) is Shu (Rapid); Da (Large) is Hong (Surging); Xiao (Small) is Xi (Thready). I have now deleted seven pulse names: [Missing Character], Ruo, Ge, Lao, Ji, Da, and Xiao, establishing twenty-three pulse types. Since pulses are used to detect diseases, if removable pulse names are not carefully distinguished, the number of names will increase, and the principles of pulses will become obscure. Therefore, I do not fear criticism of being presumptuous.