黄帝问曰∶余闻胃气、手少阳三焦、四时五行脉法。夫人言脉有三阴三阳，知病存亡，脉外以知内，尺寸大小，愿
闻之。岐伯曰∶寸口之中，外别浮沉、前后、左右、虚实、死生之要，皆见寸口之中。脉从前来者为实邪，从后来者为
虚邪，从所不胜来者为贼邪，从所胜来者为微邪，自病（一作得）者为正邪。外结者病痈肿，内结者病疝瘕也。间来而
急者，病正在心， 气也。脉来疾者，为风也；脉来滑者，为病食也；脉来滑躁者，病有热也；脉来涩者，为病寒湿也。
脉逆顺之道，不与众谋。师曰∶夫呼者，脉之头也。初持之来疾去迟，此为出疾入迟，为内虚外实；初持脉来迟去疾，
此为出迟入疾，为内实外虚也。
脉数则在腑，迟则在脏。脉长而弦病在肝（扁鹊云∶病出于肝），脉小血少病在心（扁鹊云∶脉大而洪，病出于心），
脉下坚上虚病在脾胃（扁鹊云∶病出于脾胃），脉滑（一作涩）而微浮病在肺（扁鹊云∶病出于肺），脉大而坚病在肾。
（扁
鹊云∶小而紧）脉滑者多血少气，脉涩者少血多气，脉大者血气俱多。又云∶脉来大而坚者血气俱实，脉小者血气俱少。
又云∶脉来细而微者血气俱虚。沉细滑疾者热，迟紧为寒（又云∶洪数滑疾为热，涩迟沉细为寒）。脉盛滑紧者病在外热，
脉小实而紧者病在内冷。脉小弱而涩谓之久病，脉滑浮而疾者谓之新病。脉浮滑，其人外热，风走刺，有饮，难治。脉
沉而紧，上焦有热，下寒，得冷即便下。脉沉而细，下焦有寒，小便数，时苦绞痛，下利重。脉浮紧且滑直者，外热内
冷，不得大小便。
脉洪大紧急，病速进在外，苦头发热、痈肿；脉细小紧急，病速进在中，寒为疝瘕、积聚，腹中刺痛。脉沉重而直
前绝者，病血在肠间；脉沉重而中散者，因寒食成 。脉直前而中散绝者，病消渴（一云病浸淫痛）。脉沉重，前不至寸
口，徘徊绝者，病在肌肉遁尸。脉左转而沉重者，气 阳在胸中，脉右转出不至寸口者内有肉 。脉累累如贯珠，不前
至，有风寒在大肠，伏留不去；脉累累中止不至，寸口软者，结热在小肠膜中，伏留不去。脉直前左右弹者，病在血脉
中， 血也；脉后而左右弹者，病在筋骨中也。脉前大后小，即头痛目眩；脉前小后大，即胸满短气。上部有脉，下部
无脉，其人当吐，不吐者死；上部无脉，下部有脉，虽困无所苦。夫脉者，血之府也。长则气治，短则气病，数则烦心，
大则病进，上盛则气高，下盛则气胀，代则气衰，细则气少（《太素》细作滑），涩则心痛。浑浑革革，至如涌泉，病进
而危；弊弊绰绰，其去如弦绝者，死。短而急者病在上，长而缓者病在下；沉而弦急者病在内，浮而洪大者病在外；脉
实者病在内，脉虚者病在外。在上为表，在下为里；浮为在表，沉为在里。
Huangdi asked, saying: I have heard of the pulse methods regarding Stomach Qi (Stomach Energy), the Hand-Shaoyang Sanjiao (Triple Burner), and the pulse laws of the four seasons and five elements. People say that pulses are divided into three Yin and three Yang, which can indicate the survival or demise of disease, allowing one to know the interior through the exterior, and the size of the Cun (inch) and Chi (cubit) positions. I wish to hear about this. Qibo replied: Within the Cun Kou (Inch Gate) pulse position, the key points for distinguishing floating and sinking, anterior and posterior, left and right, deficiency and excess, and life and death are all visible within the Cun Kou. A pulse coming from the front represents Excess Evil (Shi Xie); one coming from the back represents Deficiency Evil (Xu Xie); one coming from the direction of what does not overcome me represents Thief Evil (Ze Xie); one coming from the direction of what I overcome represents Slight Evil (Wei Xie); and one originating from the diseased organ itself represents Correct Evil (Zheng Xie). If the pulse qi knots externally, it causes Carbuncles and Swellings; if it knots internally, it causes Hernias and Jia Accumulations. If the pulse comes intermittently and urgently, the disease is located in the Heart, involving Zong Qi (Pectoral Qi). A rapid pulse indicates Wind; a slippery pulse indicates Food Stagnation; a slippery and restless pulse indicates Heat; a choppy pulse indicates Cold-Dampness.
The principles of pulse reversal and compliance do not require consultation with others. The Master said: Exhalation is the beginning of the pulse. When initially palpating, if the pulse arrives rapidly and departs slowly, this is called "arrives fast, departs slow," indicating Internal Deficiency and External Excess. When initially palpating, if the pulse arrives slowly and departs rapidly, this is called "arrives slow, departs fast," indicating Internal Excess and External Deficiency.
A rapid pulse indicates disease in the Fu organs (Six Bowels); a slow pulse indicates disease in the Zang organs (Five Viscera). A long and wiry pulse indicates disease in the Liver (Bian Que said: Disease originates from the Liver); a small pulse with little blood indicates disease in the Heart (Bian Que said: A large and surging pulse indicates disease originates from the Heart); a pulse firm below and deficient above indicates disease in the Spleen and Stomach (Bian Que said: Disease originates from the Spleen and Stomach); a slippery (or choppy) and slightly floating pulse indicates disease in the Lung (Bian Que said: Disease originates from the Lung); a large and firm pulse indicates disease in the Kidney (Bian Que said: Small and tight). A slippery pulse indicates much blood and little Qi; a choppy pulse indicates little blood and much Qi; a large pulse indicates abundant blood and Qi. It is also said: A pulse that arrives large and firm indicates both blood and Qi are Excess; a small pulse indicates both blood and Qi are Deficient. It is also said: A pulse that arrives fine and minute indicates both blood and Qi are Deficient. A deep, fine, slippery, and rapid pulse indicates Heat; a slow and tight pulse indicates Cold (It is also said: Surging, rapid, slippery, and rapid indicate Heat; choppy, slow, deep, and fine indicate Cold). A vigorous, slippery, and tight pulse indicates disease in the Exterior with Heat; a small, solid, and tight pulse indicates disease in the Interior with Cold. A small, weak, and choppy pulse is termed Chronic Disease; a slippery, floating, and rapid pulse is termed New Disease. A floating and slippery pulse indicates external heat, wind wandering causing stabbing pain, and internal Fluid Retention (Yin), which is difficult to treat. A deep and tight pulse indicates Heat in the Upper Jiao and Cold in the Lower Jiao, leading to diarrhea upon exposure to cold. A deep and fine pulse indicates Cold in the Lower Jiao, frequent urination, occasional severe colic, and heavy diarrhea. A floating, tight, slippery, and straight pulse indicates external heat and internal cold, with inability to pass stool or urine.
A surging, large, urgent pulse indicates disease advancing rapidly in the Exterior, suffering from feverish hair and carbuncles/swellings; a small, fine, urgent pulse indicates disease advancing rapidly in the Interior, where Cold causes hernias, jia accumulations, and stabbing abdominal pain. A heavy pulse that goes straight forward and then cuts off indicates Blood Stasis in the intestines; a heavy pulse that scatters in the middle indicates Pi Blockage formed by cold food. A pulse going straight forward but scattering and cutting off in the middle indicates Xiao Ke (Wasting-Thirst); alternatively, it indicates Jin Yin Pain (spreading pain). A heavy pulse that does not reach the Cun Kou and lingers/cuts off indicates Dun Shi (Hidden Corpse) disease in the muscles. A pulse turning leftward and heavy indicates Yang Qi constrained in the chest; a pulse turning rightward but not reaching the Cun Kou indicates internal Meat Accumulation. A pulse resembling a string of beads, not advancing forward, indicates Wind-Cold lingering in the Large Intestine; a pulse resembling a string of beads but stopping intermittently, with a soft Cun Kou, indicates latent Heat in the membranes of the Small Intestine. A pulse going straight forward and beating left and right indicates disease in the blood vessels, specifically Blood Stasis; a pulse beating left and right at the rear indicates disease in the sinews and bones. A pulse large at the front and small at the rear causes headache and dizziness; a pulse small at the front and large at the rear causes chest fullness and shortness of breath. If there is pulse at the upper part but none at the lower part, the patient should vomit; if they do not vomit, they will die. If there is no pulse at the upper part but pulse at the lower part, although distressed, they will suffer no pain. The pulse is the residence of Blood. A long pulse indicates regulated Qi; a short pulse indicates diseased Qi; a rapid pulse indicates vexation in the heart; a large pulse indicates advancing disease; excess at the top indicates Qi rising; excess at the bottom indicates Qi distension; a Dai pulse (intermittent) indicates Qi decline; a fine pulse indicates little Qi (Tai Su reads "slippery" instead of "fine"); a choppy pulse indicates Heart pain. A pulse that is chaotic and vigorous, like a gushing spring, indicates advancing disease and danger; a pulse that is feeble and loose, departing like a broken bowstring, indicates death. A short and urgent pulse indicates disease in the Upper part; a long and slow pulse indicates disease in the Lower part; a deep and wiry-urgent pulse indicates disease in the Interior; a floating and surging-large pulse indicates disease in the Exterior; a solid pulse indicates disease in the Interior; a deficient pulse indicates disease in the Exterior. Disease in the upper part is Exterior; disease in the lower part is Interior. Floating indicates Exterior; Deep indicates Interior.