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What are the pulses of the Eight Extraordinary Vessels (Qi Jing Ba Mai)? The answer is: There are the Yang Linking Vessel (Yang Wei), Yin Linking Vessel (Yin Wei), Yang Heel Vessel (Yang Qiao), Yin Heel Vessel (Yin Qiao), Chong Vessel (Chong Mai), Du Vessel (Du Mai), Ren Vessel (Ren Mai), and Dai Vessel (Dai Mai). These eight vessels are not constrained by the regular meridians, hence they are called the Eight Extraordinary Vessels.

There are twelve regular meridians and fifteen collaterals, totaling twenty-seven qi pathways that follow each other up and down. Why are these eight specifically not constrained by the regular meridians? The answer is: Sages dug ditches and cleared waterways to prepare for unforeseen circumstances. When heavy rain falls and the ditches overflow, causing waters to flood wildly, even a sage cannot re-plan at that moment. Similarly, when the qi and blood in the collaterals overflow, the regular meridians can no longer constrain them.

Since the Eight Extraordinary Vessels are not constrained by the twelve regular meridians, where do they originate and connect? The answer is: The Yang Linking Vessel originates from the convergence of all yang meridians; the Yin Linking Vessel originates from the intersection of all yin meridians. The Yang and Yin Linking Vessels link and network the body, storing excess qi and blood that cannot circulate freely to irrigate the regular meridians. The Yang Heel Vessel originates in the middle of the heel, travels along the lateral malleolus upwards, and enters Fengchi (GB20). The Yin Heel Vessel also originates in the middle of the heel, travels along the medial malleolus upwards, reaches the throat, and intersects with the Chong Vessel. The Chong Vessel originates at Guanyuan (CV4), travels straight up inside the abdomen to the throat (another version states: it originates at Qichong (ST30), runs alongside the Stomach Meridian, flanking the navel upwards, and disperses in the chest). The Du Vessel originates at Xiaji's transport point (Changqiang, GV1), runs parallel within the spinal column, travels up the back to Fengfu (GV16). The Chong Vessel is the Sea of Yin Vessels; the Du Vessel is the Sea of Yang Vessels. The Ren Vessel originates at Baomen and Zihu, travels up flanking the navel to the chest (another version states: it originates below Zhongji (CV3), goes up to the pubic hairline, travels inside the abdomen, passes Guanyuan, and reaches the throat). The Dai Vessel originates at the costal region, encircles the body once. These eight vessels do not attach to the twelve regular meridians, hence they are called the Eight Extraordinary Vessels.

How do diseases manifest in the Eight Extraordinary Vessels? The answer is: The Yang Linking Vessel links yang, and the Yin Linking Vessel links yin. If yin and yang cannot link each other, the patient experiences mental confusion and loss of will, appearing lethargic (Rannan describes this as "rong rong") and unable to control themselves (Confusion implies fright, leading to a slow linking pulse; a slow pulse causes the body to lose self-control, manifesting as loss of will, forgetfulness, and trance). Disease of the Yang Linking Vessel involves suffering from chills and fever; disease of the Yin Linking Vessel involves suffering from heart pain (The Yang Linking Vessel governs Wei Qi, so its disease presents with chills and fever; the Yin Linking Vessel governs Ying Blood, which relates to the Heart, hence heart pain). Disease of the Yin Heel Vessel presents with laxity on the exterior and tension on the interior (The Yin Heel Vessel is at the medial malleolus; when diseased, its pulse is tense, meaning tension above the medial malleolus and laxity above the lateral malleolus); disease of the Yang Heel Vessel presents with laxity on the interior and tension on the exterior (The Yang Heel Vessel is at the lateral malleolus; when diseased, its pulse is tense, meaning tension above the lateral malleolus and laxity above the medial malleolus). Disease of the Chong Vessel presents with rebellious qi and abdominal urgency (The Chong Vessel runs from Guanyuan to the throat, so its disease involves rebellious qi and abdominal urgency). Disease of the Du Vessel presents with stiffness of the spine and cold extremities (The Du Vessel is on the back; when diseased, its pulse is tense, causing spinal stiffness). Disease of the Ren Vessel involves internal knotting; in men, it manifests as seven types of hernia (Qishen); in women, it manifests as masses (Jiaju) (The Ren Vessel originates at Baomen and Zihu, so its disease knots into hernias and masses). Disease of the Dai Vessel involves suffering from abdominal fullness and a sensation of the waist being limp (Rannan describes this as "rong rong"), as if sitting in water (The Dai Vessel encircles the body; when diseased, its pulse is weak/lax, causing the waist to feel limp). These are the diseases of the Eight Extraordinary Vessels.

If the Yang Linking Vessel pulse is floating, there is temporary dizziness upon rising, excess and solid yang, suffering from shoulder breathing (dyspnea involving shoulders), and feeling chilly like having chills.

If the Yin Linking Vessel pulse is deep, large, and solid, there is suffering from chest pain, distending fullness under the hypochondrium, and heart pain.

If the Yin Linking Vessel pulse resembles beads strung together, men suffer from fullness and pain in both hypochondria and lower back pain; women suffer from pain in the vagina, resembling an ulceration.

If the Dai Vessel is diagnosed, there is pain around the umbilicus, abdomen, lower back, and spine, with qi rushing to the inner thighs. If both hands' pulses show yang upon superficial palpation and yin upon deep palpation, both being excess and strong, this indicates the Chong and Du Vessels.

The Chong and Du Vessels are the pathways of the twelve regular meridians. When the Chong and Du Vessels are active, the twelve meridians no longer flow to the Cun Kou pulse site. Patients suffer from trance, mania, or dementia; otherwise, they are indecisive and have divided minds.

If both hands' yang pulses are floating, fine, and minute, continuous yet indistinct, and both hands' yin pulses are also fine and continuous, this indicates the Yin Heel and Yang Heel Vessels. Such individuals may have previously suffered from ghost-possessing wind diseases or death, suffering from trance, believing it to be harm from the deceased.

Diagnosing the Yang Heel Vessel disease results in spasticity; Yin Heel Vessel disease results in laxity.

If Cun and Chi pulses are both floating, moving straight up and down, this is the Du Vessel. Symptoms include stiff and painful lower back, inability to bend or extend, epilepsy in adults, and convulsive seizures in children.

If the pulse comes from the center, floating, with pain moving straight up and down, this is the Du Vessel. Movement causes suffering from cold in the lower back, back, and knees, epilepsy in adults, and infantile convulsions in children. Moxibustion should be applied to three spots on the vertex, directly on the midline.

If Cun and Chi pulses are both firm (or hollow), moving straight up and down, this is the Chong Vessel. There is cold hernia in the chest.

If the pulse comes from the center, solid and firm, reaching the Guan position, this is the Chong Vessel. Movement causes suffering from lower abdominal pain, qi rushing upward to the heart, masses/hernias, infertility, involuntary defecation/urination, and distending fullness and irritability in the hypochondrium.

If there is a pulsating mass at the side of the Cun Kou, this is the Ren Vessel. There is suffering from gas in the abdomen feeling like a finger, rushing upward to the heart, inability to bend or extend, and spasticity.

If the pulse is tight, fine, solid, and long, reaching the Guan position, this is the Ren Vessel. Movement causes suffering from lower abdominal pain winding around the umbilicus, radiating downward to Henggu and the genitals with cutting pain. Treatment involves points three cun below the umbilicus.