二短者。阴也。指下寻之不及本位曰短。主四肢恶寒腹中生气。宿食不消。
短者。阴也。坤之象也。坤属土。脾土旺则能消化饮食。使清阳之气。实于
四肢。浊阴之气。归于六腑。自然上下宣通。脉经舒畅。何至有气壅之患
也。倘一为生冷宿食所伤。则阳气郁遏于阴中。不得畅达于外。清浊相
干。而腹中之冷气生矣。今云指下寻之。不及本位。言其中手而短也。经
曰。短则气病。四肢属阳。阳气伏则不能实于四肢。故四肢恶寒也。阳气
郁。则胃气不行。故腹中生气。要知皆由宿食不消之所致耳。
按丹溪心法曰。长为热流通。短为寒凝结。又脉经第一篇载。脉二十四
道。有数脉。散脉。革脉。而无长脉。短脉。牢脉。至第九篇。始见长为阳。短为
阴之说。又以动为阳。以弦为阴。第十三篇云。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。
短脉阴中有伏阳。气壅三焦不得昌。藏中宿食生寒气。大泻通肠必得康。
洁古曰。宿食生寒气。何由通肠。谓阴中伏阳故也。使三焦之气。不得通
行于上下。故令大泻通肠。使三焦之气。宣行于上下。故用巴豆动药也。
外药随证应见使之。此在长短脉交论内细说之。病久温白丸。新病备
急丹。愚谓短脉阴中有伏阳者。何也。脉不及本位。中手而短也。不及本
位。则为阴。中手而短。乃伏阳也阳气伏于阴中。使三焦之气。郁而不行。
故曰气壅三焦不得昌也。然三焦之气。所以壅遏而不行者。由于其人
内为生冷宿物所伤。故三焦之阳气不行。而脏腑之寒气生矣。若以大
黄芒硝之药利之。则硝黄性寒。究不能除其生冷之气。而病终不得除。
当以辛热之药。如备急丸之类。大泻其腹中宿物。则三焦之气。可以复
行。而病始得康健也。
按经云。短疾而滑酒病。又云。短而数心痛。心烦。脉经云。寸口脉中手短
者。曰头痛。
Two short pulses belong to Yin. When palpated with fingers, the pulse range fails to reach its normal position, which is called a Short pulse (Duan Mai). It indicates symptoms such as aversion to cold in the four limbs, generation of cold qi in the abdomen, and indigestion of retained food.
The Short pulse belongs to Yin, symbolizing the Kun trigram. Kun corresponds to Earth; when Spleen-Earth function is robust, it can digest food and drink, allowing Clear Yang Qi to fill the four limbs and Turbid Yin Qi to return to the Six Fu organs, naturally promoting unimpeded circulation between upper and lower parts and smooth pulse flow. How could there be pathology of Qi stagnation? However, if injured by raw/cold foods or retained food, Yang Qi becomes depressed within Yin and cannot freely reach the exterior. Clear and Turbid Qi interfere with each other, generating cold qi in the abdomen. The phrase "palpated with fingers, failing to reach the normal position" refers to the pulse feeling short under the middle finger. The Classics state: "A Short pulse indicates disease of Qi." The four limbs belong to Yang; when Yang Qi is latent, it cannot fill the limbs, hence aversion to cold in the four limbs. When Yang Qi is depressed, Stomach Qi fails to move, causing cold qi in the abdomen. It must be known that all this results from indigestion of retained food.
According to *Danxi Xinfa*: A Long pulse indicates free flow of Heat, while a Short pulse indicates coagulation of Cold. Furthermore, Chapter 1 of *Mai Jing* lists twenty-four pulse types, including Rapid (Shu), Scattered (San), and Leathery (Ge) pulses, but omits Long, Short, and Deep-Firm (Lao) pulses. It is not until Chapter 9 that the theory of Long being Yang and Short being Yin appears. Additionally, Moving (Dong) is considered Yang, and Wiry (Xian) is considered Yin. Chapter 13 states: "Pulses are the residence of Blood. A Long pulse indicates regulated Qi; a Short pulse indicates diseased Qi; a Rapid pulse indicates vexation of the heart; a Large pulse indicates progression of disease; excess at the upper part indicates high Qi; excess at the lower part indicates abdominal distension; an Intermittent (Dai) pulse indicates衰竭 of Qi; a Fine (Xi) pulse indicates deficiency of Qi."
A Short pulse contains hidden Yang within Yin, with Qi stagnating in the San Jiao (Triple Burner) preventing its flourishing. Retained food in the Zang organs generates cold qi; only through drastic purgation to unblock the intestines can health be restored. Jiegu stated: "How can retained food generating cold qi be cleared via the intestines?" He answered: "Because there is hidden Yang within Yin." This prevents San Jiao Qi from circulating up and down. Therefore, drastic purgation is used to allow San Jiao Qi to circulate freely up and down, utilizing hot-pungent drugs like Croton Seed (Badou). External medicines should be applied according to syndrome manifestations. This is discussed in detail within the section on the interaction of Long and Short pulses. For chronic diseases, use Wenbai Wan; for acute diseases, use Beiji Dan. I ask: What does it mean that a Short pulse contains hidden Yang within Yin? The pulse fails to reach its normal position, feeling short under the middle finger. Failing to reach the normal position constitutes Yin; feeling short under the middle finger constitutes hidden Yang. Yang Qi hidden within Yin causes San Jiao Qi to stagnate and fail to move, thus described as Qi stagnating in the San Jiao preventing its flourishing. The reason San Jiao Qi stagnates and fails to move is internal injury from raw/cold and retained substances, causing San Jiao Yang Qi to cease moving and Zang-Fu cold qi to arise. If one uses bitter-cold drugs like Rhubarb (Dahuang) and Mirabilite (Mangxiao) to promote drainage, their cold nature ultimately cannot eliminate the raw/cold pathogen, and the disease will not resolve. One should instead use acrid-hot drugs, such as Beiji Wan, to drastically purge retained matter from the abdomen. Then San Jiao Qi can resume movement, and the patient begins to recover.
According to the Classics: "Short, rapid, and slippery pulses indicate wine-induced pathology." It also states: "Short and rapid pulses indicate heart pain and mental vexation." *Mai Jing* states: "If the Cun Kou pulse feels short upon palpation, it indicates headache."