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The left cun, guan, and chi positions correspond to the Heart and Small Intestine, Liver and Gallbladder, Kidney and Bladder.
"Left" refers to the left hand. This discusses the three positions (cun, guan, chi) of the left hand's pulse. The pulse at the left cun position originates from the Heart and Small Intestine; the pulse at the left guan position originates from the Liver and Gallbladder; the pulse at the left chi position originates from the Kidney and Bladder. The song does not mention the Bladder because there are too many characters to list them all comprehensively.

The right cun, guan, and chi positions correspond to the Lung and Large Intestine, Spleen and Stomach, Mingmen (Gate of Life) and Sanjiao (Triple Burner).
"Right" refers to the right hand. This discusses the three positions (cun, guan, chi) of the right hand's pulse. The pulse at the right cun position originates from the Lung and Large Intestine; the pulse at the right guan position originates from the Spleen and Stomach; the pulse at the right chi position originates from the Mingmen and Sanjiao. The song does not mention the Sanjiao because it is also impossible to list everything comprehensively. *Nan Jing* (Classic of Difficult Issues), Chapter 36, states: Each zang organ has one, but the Kidney uniquely has two. Why? The answer is: These two kidneys are not both the ordinary kidney. The left one is the Kidney, and the right one is the Mingmen. The Mingmen is where spirit and essence are stored and where Yuan Qi (Original Qi) is anchored. Thus, in men, it stores essence; in women, it sustains the uterus. This is the words of Bian Que. Since Dai Qizong knew Bian Que's theory, why did he change the character "Kidney" to "Mingmen"? It should be compared with the later song on the right-hand Mingmen position.

According to Chapter 7, "Pulse Method Praise," of *Mai Jing* (Pulse Classic): The pulses of the Liver and Heart emerge from the left side; the pulses of the Spleen and Lung emerge from the right side; the pulses of the Kidney and Mingmen both emerge from the chi position. Hun (Ethereal Soul), Po (Corporeal Soul), and Gu Shen (Grain Spirit) all manifest at the cunkou (radial artery) position. The left side governs the Zang organs (Yin), and the right side governs the Fu organs (Yang). A larger pulse on the left is favorable for men, and a larger pulse on the right is favorable for women. One fen anterior to the guan is the master of life. The anterior part of the left guan is the Yingxiang (Human Welcome) pulse, and the anterior part of the right guan is the Qikou (Qi Mouth) pulse. Shenmen is located bilaterally posterior to the guan. If a person lacks these two pulses, severe illness will not recover. If any meridian shows deficiency or reduction, examine according to its location. Distinguish Yin and Yang; determine priority. Treat Zang organs for Yin diseases and Fu organs for Yang diseases. How to capture the pathogenic factors residing in unusual locations? If examined accurately, needle insertion will cure the disease.
The Heart's pulse position is at the cunkou anterior to the guan on the left hand, which is the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian. It forms an exterior-interior relationship with the Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian, combining with the Small Intestine as a Fu organ, belonging to the Upper Jiao, named Shenting, located five fen below Jiwei (Jiwei bone).
The Liver's pulse position is at the guan on the left hand, which is the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. It forms an exterior-interior relationship with the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, combining with the Gallbladder as a Fu organ, belonging to the Middle Jiao, named Baomen, located three cun lateral to Taicang (Stomach).
The Kidney's pulse position is at the chi posterior to the guan on the left hand, which is the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. It forms an exterior-interior relationship with the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian, combining with the Bladder as a Fu organ, belonging to the Lower Jiao, located to the left of Guanyuan.
The Lung's pulse position is at the cunkou anterior to the guan on the right hand, which is the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. It forms an exterior-interior relationship with the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, combining with the Large Intestine as a Fu organ, belonging to the Upper Jiao, serving as the residence of respiration, located at Yunmen.
The Spleen's pulse position is at the guan on the right hand, which is the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian. It forms an exterior-interior relationship with the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian, combining with the Stomach as a Fu organ, belonging to the Middle Jiao between the Spleen and Stomach, named Dimen, located one and a half cun anterior to the costal margin.
The Kidney (referring here to the Mingmen/Kidney area corresponding to the right chi) pulse position is at the chi posterior to the guan on the right hand, which is the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. It forms an exterior-interior relationship with the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian, combining with the Bladder as a Fu organ, belonging to the Lower Jiao, located to the right of Guanyuan. The left chi belongs to the Kidney, and the right chi is the Zi Hu (Child's House), named Sanjiao. Women's pulse patterns are the reverse of this and should be observed inversely. The third division of the chi pulse diagnoses disease similarly.

This describes the pulse pattern of men, where the two chi pulses are usually weak. For women, the inverse observation means that only the two chi pulses should be consistently strong. As for the distribution of the Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lung, and Kidney, it is the same as in men, listed by position, initially without difference.

According to the classics: Heaven and Earth are the parents of all things; Yin and Yang are the male and female aspects of Qi and Blood. Men carry Yin and embrace Yang; women carry Yang and embrace Yin. The South is Yang, and the North is Yin. Men are born facing south, so their two cun positions are in the South and obtain Yang Qi; thus, the cun pulse is surging (Hong) and large, while the chi pulse is weak. Women are born facing north, so their two cun positions are in the North and obtain Yin Qi; thus, the cun pulse is weak, and the chi pulse is surging and large. A man having a woman's pulse indicates insufficiency; a woman having a man's pulse indicates excess. *Mai Jue* says: "Women reverse this and observe backwards; the chi pulse's third division diagnoses disease equally." This precisely refers to this principle.

The Heart and Small Intestine reside at the left cun; the Liver and Gallbladder are fixed at the left guan; the Kidney resides at the chi pulse likewise. Use intention to harmonize and examine calmly.
The Lung and Large Intestine reside at the right cun; the Spleen and Stomach pulse is recognized from the guan; the Mingmen shares the same pulse as the Kidney. Examine carefully with diligence.
These explanations have been seen in the text above.

If diagnosing another person's pulse, the doctor must invert their hand to take the pulse.
Whenever diagnosing a patient's pulse, the doctor must invert their own hand: using the index finger to palpate the patient's cun, the middle finger for the guan, and the ring finger for the chi. This is the standard method. Hence it is called "Fu Shou Qu" (Inverted Hand Retrieval). Dai Qizong mistakenly thought it referred to the patient's hand and changed it to "diagnosing pulse requires looking at the palm up," which is extremely illogical.

Xue Lizhai stated regarding *Mai Jue*: The phrase "diagnose others, then invert hand" implies that when diagnosing oneself, one uses the palm-up position. It is merely for convenience of hand placement. The editor of the corrected version misunderstood the song's meaning, interpreting the doctor's inverted hand diagnosing the patient as inverting the patient's hand. Since then, similar instances have been removed without differentiation.

When diagnosing one's own pulse, use the palm-up position to recognize it.
If diagnosing one's own pulse, one must still use the index finger for cun, middle finger for guan, and ring finger for chi. If one also inverts the hand to diagnose, the finger methods would be reversed. To diagnose the left hand's pulse, one must use the right hand from behind the left hand, palm up, curving the fingers upward to take the pulse. To diagnose the right hand's pulse, use the left hand from behind the right hand, palm up, curving the fingers upward. In this way, the finger method is the same as diagnosing another person's pulse.

The three positions must be clear under the fingers; the nine inspections should be imprinted in the mind.
These explanations can be found in *Mai Fu* (Pulse Ode).

The Large Intestine and Lung jointly handle transmission and delivery.
Zhang Shixian said: The Large Intestine is the Fu organ of the Lung, the official of transmission, delivering unclean matter and producing transformation. Its transmission relies on Qi moving downward. The Lung governs Qi, so they jointly handle transmission. The classics state: Above Yangming, Dryness Qi governs, revealing Taiyin internally.

According to the classics: The Lung is the official of assistance and regulation, from which governance and rhythm emerge; the Large Intestine is the official of transmission, from which transformation emerges.

The Heart and Small Intestine jointly handle reception and containment.
Zhang Shixian said: The Heart belongs to Fire. Fire governs seasons, causing all things to flourish. The Small Intestine is the Fu organ of the Heart, the official of reception, receiving waste from the Stomach's function. The Heart belongs to Fire, and Fire transforms substances. After receiving waste, it transforms and transmits it to the Large Intestine. Thus, it is said that the Heart and Small Intestine jointly handle reception. The classics state: Above Shaoyin, Fire Qi governs, revealing Taiyang internally.

According to the classics: The Heart is the sovereign official, from which divine illumination emerges; the Small Intestine is the official of reception, from which transformation emerges.

The Spleen and Stomach communicate, allowing the digestion of grains.
The classics state: The Spleen and Stomach are the officials of the granary, from which the five flavors emerge. Generally, the Stomach receives grains, and the Spleen transforms them. Jiegu said: The Qi of the Spleen and Stomach is always harmonious and communicating, hence it is said that the Spleen and Stomach communicate, allowing grains to digest.

The Bladder and Kidney combine to manage Jin Ye (Body Fluids).
The classics state: The Kidney is the official of strength and ingenuity, from which skills emerge; the Bladder is the official of the reservoir, storing Jin Ye. Although each Zang organ has its associated fluid, the primary control lies with the Kidney. Thus, it is said that the Bladder and Kidney combine to manage Jin Ye. Dai Qizong claimed this is not exclusively managed by the Kidney and Bladder, which is erroneous.

Sanjiao (Triple Burner) has no form and exists only as a name,寄 (entrusted) in the chest corresponding to the Diaphragm.
What is meant by "no form and empty name" is what *Nei Jing* (Inner Canon) calls: Upper Jiao like mist, Middle Jiao like foam, Lower Jiao like a ditch. Also, *Nan Jing* states: Upper Jiao is below the heart, below the diaphragm at the upper opening of the stomach, governing intake without excretion; its treatment point is Danzhong, one cun six fen below Yutang, in the depression between the two breasts. Middle Jiao is in the middle of the stomach, neither high nor low, governing the rotting and ripening of water and grain; its treatment point is beside the navel. Lower Jiao is below the navel, at the upper opening of the bladder, governing the separation of clear and turbid, governing excretion without intake, for transmission; its treatment point is one cun below the navel. Hence it is called Sanjiao. This character "Jiao" should be pronounced with the level tone, without the moon radical, hence "no form, empty name." As for the later Kidney song mentioning "two ears connect as orifices, Three attaches here as Three," according to the Meridian Chapter, this is the Fu organ of the Hand-Jueyin Pericardium, paired with the twelve meridians. It has form, name, and meridians; that character is pronounced with the departing tone and has the moon radical. One cannot confuse the formless-named Sanjiao with the formed-named-and-meridianed Sanjiao.

The Liver and Gallbladder are both the residences of Jin Ye, capable of connecting to the eyes and maintaining purity.
The classics state: The Liver is the general official, from which strategy emerges; the Gallbladder is the upright official, from which decision emerges. Furthermore, the Gallbladder is the pure and clear Fu organ. The Liver opens into the eyes, thus it can connect to the eyes and maintain clarity.

A wise person can harmonize the five Zang organs, naturally enabling the recognition of various diseases.
If a physician's five Zang organs are peaceful and harmonious, their breathing will be even, allowing them to diagnose others' pulses without error.

The high bone behind the palm is called Guan; beneath the bone, the Guan pulse shape is visible.
This refers to the physician placing the middle finger against the patient's high bone behind the palm and turning forward to locate the Guan pulse.

Deducing the names Cun, Chi, and Ze from this, the three positions require careful examination.
Since the Guan pulse was defined by the middle finger above, it is self-evident that anterior to Guan is Cun and posterior to Guan is Chi.

Anterior to Guan is Yang, named Cunkou; posterior to Guan is Yin, taken directly downward.
The middle position is named Guan precisely because anterior to Guan is Yang and posterior to Guan is Yin, serving as the pass of Yin and Yang. This is not merely discussing the three positions of Cun, Guan, and Chi.

According to *Mai Jing*: Anterior to Guan is Yang, posterior to Guan is Yin. A Yang-numerate pulse causes hematemesis; a Yin-micro pulse causes diarrhea. A Yang-wiry pulse causes headache; a Yin-wiry pulse causes abdominal pain. A Yang-micro pulse indicates sweating is appropriate; a Yin-micro pulse indicates spontaneous diarrhea. A Yang-numerate pulse causes mouth ulcers; a Yin-numerate pulse resembles a string and causes aversion to cold, restlessness, and insomnia. Yin attaching to Yang causes mania; Yang attaching to Yin causes epilepsy. Obtaining a Yang pulse indicates a Fu organ disease; obtaining a Yin pulse indicates a Zang organ disease. No Yang leads to cold limbs; no Yin leads to vomiting. Yang-micro prevents exhalation; Yin-micro prevents inhalation. Insufficient respiration leads to shortness of breath in the chest. Based on these Yin and Yang pulses, diseases are examined.

Yang-wiry definitely indicates headache; what prescription for Yin-wiry abdominal pain?
Wiry pulse belongs to Shaoyang, governing half-exterior and half-interior. However, transforming from Yang leads to heat; transforming from Yin leads to cold. Now, if a wiry pulse appears in the Yang position, it indicates Shaoyang fire causing headache, which is transforming from Yang to heat. If a wiry pulse appears in the Yin position, it indicates cold pain in the lower abdomen, which is transforming from Yin to cold. The wiry pulse is a pulse of Qi and Blood contraction. Appearing anterior to Guan, it indicates external wind-cold; appearing posterior to Guan, it indicates internal Yin-cold.

Yang-numerate indicates vomiting accompanied by headache; Yin-micro indicates diarrhea with roaring sounds in the umbilicus.
One must know that vomiting with headache occurs in both Foot-Shaoyang and Foot-Yangming channels. If the pulse anterior to Guan is numerate and wiry, it is fire from the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder channel attacking the head, causing vomiting and headache. If the pulse anterior to Guan is numerate and surging, it is fire from the Foot-Yangming Stomach channel attacking the head, also causing vomiting and headache. If the Yin pulse is micro, the true fire in the Lower Jiao is deficient. Deficiency causes the Spleen to lose its source of warmth and nourishment, leading to Spleen deficiency and diarrhea. The umbilicus is the gate of the Spleen, and "roar" refers to sound.

Yang-excess indicates red face and wind generation.
Anterior to Guan is the Yang position; the face is the meeting place of all Yang. Excess pulse represents Yang fire. Now, seeing an excess pulse in the Yang position indicates extreme heat generating wind, resulting in a red face and wind-heat. Some ask: Numerate indicates heat, excess also indicates heat. Since both are heat, why do the pulse and symptoms differ? The answer is: Numerate pulse is fire rushing up from below, possibly with deficiency or excess distinctions. Excess pulse is fire reaching outward from within, purely excess without deficiency.

Yin-micro indicates night sweats and consumptive disease.
Sweat is transformed from Blood. When awake, Yang functions; when asleep, Yin functions. Night sweat occurs when sleeping, Yang does not function. When Yang does not function, Ying Qi leaks externally, escaping secretly without awareness. The text above stated Yin-micro causes diarrhea, and here it states Yin-micro causes night sweats. Why does one pulse present two diseases? It is because the person concurrently has a consumptive disease, and combined with a micro pulse in the Yin position, it becomes a syndrome of Yin deficiency and night sweats.

Yang-excess-large-slippery indicates tongue stiffness.
Large indicates fire; excess indicates excessive fire; slippery indicates phlegm. Excessive fire leads to heat; heat generates wind; wind and fire stir each other, causing phlegm to rise with fire. Anterior to Guan is the Yang position. The Heart resides above the diaphragm, also a Yang position. The tongue is the external manifestation of the Heart. Seeing an excess, large, and slippery pulse in the Yang position indicates wind-fire generating phlegm, obstructing the Heart orifice, causing tongue stiffness.

Yin-numerate indicates Spleen heat and bad breath.
The Spleen governs the Central Region and forms an exterior-interior relationship with the Stomach. Although it relies on the warming steaming of the Lower Jiao's ministerial fire to rot and ripen water and grain and circulate fluids, it must not be overly vigorous. Posterior to Guan is Yin. If the Yin pulse is numerate, ministerial fire counter-attacks the Spleen Earth. Spleen heat transmits to the Stomach. The Stomach is Yangming, which opens into the mouth. Thus, turbid Qi rises, causing bad breath.

Yang-micro-floating-weak definitively indicates Heart cold.
Anterior to Guan is Yang. Micro, floating, and weak indicate Yang Qi decline. The Heart governs Fire and resides above the diaphragm. Now, seeing a micro, floating, and weak pulse in the Yang position indicates declining Yang Qi and insufficient Heart Fire, hence it is definitively Heart cold.

Yin-slippery indicates food retention due to Spleen fault.
Food retention refers to undigested food in stool. Slippery indicates stagnation and excess Yin. A slippery pulse indicates the Spleen and Stomach have lost their transformative mechanism and cannot rot and ripen water and grain, causing food retention and diarrhea.

Distinguishing Yin and Yang between anterior and posterior Guan ensures the root of disease is never lost.
Nine is the number of old Yang; Ten is the number of old Yin. To distinguish the Yin and Yang numbers anterior and posterior to Guan, refer to *Nan Jing*: Yin obtains one cun in the chi position; Yang obtains nine fen in the cun position.

Four beats per breath signify peace; adding one beat signifies extreme excess.
Examining *Ping Ren Qi Xiang Lun* (Treatise on the Manifestations of Healthy People), Qibo said: In one exhalation, the pulse moves twice; in one inhalation, the pulse also moves twice. At the pause between breaths, the pulse moves five times, adjusted for deep breathing. This is called a healthy person. A healthy person is one who is not ill. Wang Bing explained: The meridians circle the body once, totaling sixteen zhang and two chi. With each breath cycle (exhale twice, inhale twice, plus one at the pause), the pulse moves five times. Counting two hundred seventy pauses, Qi circles the body. Completing fifty circuits takes thirteen thousand five hundred pauses, during which Qi travels eight hundred ten zhang. This corresponds to the constant measure of Heaven, with pulse Qi neither insufficient nor excessive, qi and image in harmony, hence called a healthy person.

Three slow beats indicate defeat; cold danger and distress.
The meridians in the human body total sixteen zhang and two chi. In one exhalation, pulse travels three cun; in one inhalation, three cun. At the pause, it travels six cun. If reaching two hundred seventy pauses, yielding one thousand three hundred fifty movements, the pulse travels sixteen zhang and two chi, completing one circuit. In one day and night, circling the body fifty times, totaling thirteen thousand five hundred pauses, the pulse travels eight hundred ten zhang, matching the Great Expansion number. Now, if the pulse is slow, its travel is reduced by two beats compared to a healthy person. In two hundred seventy pauses, the pulse travels only nine zhang, seven chi, and two cun. Compared to the healthy person's sixteen zhang and two chi, it falls short by six zhang, four chi, and eight cun, unable to complete one circuit. Calculating over one day and night for fifty circuits, in thirteen thousand five hundred pauses, the pulse travels only four hundred eighty zhang, failing to meet the requirement of fifty circuits. Hence it is called "slow." "Two defeats" means compared to the slow pulse, it loses another beat, and yet another beat. In two hundred seventy pauses, the pulse travels only six zhang, four chi, and eight cun. Compared to the healthy person's pulse, it falls short by nine zhang, seven chi, and two cun, unable to complete one circuit. Calculating over one day and night for fifty circuits, it reaches only six hundred five zhang, half of a healthy person's distance, hence called "defeat." Three slowness indicates cold; losing two beats makes it slower again, hence called "cold," indicating danger and distress.

Six numerate, seven extreme, heat generates much; eight depletion, nine death, ten return to tomb, eleven and twelve soul severance recovers poorly.
Six numerate: Compared to the healthy person's five beats per breath, it adds one beat. A healthy person's pulse travels six cun per breath pause, one thousand three hundred fifty movements in two hundred seventy pauses, traveling sixteen zhang and two chi for one circuit. Now, diagnosing a numerate pulse means adding one beat to the healthy person's five beats per breath. Adding one beat means adding two hundred seventy movements in two hundred seventy pauses, traveling an extra three zhang, two chi, and four cun beyond one circuit. Calculating over one day and night for fifty circuits, it travels an extra one hundred sixty-two zhang beyond eight hundred ten zhang. Hence it is called "numerate." Seven extreme: Compared to the healthy person's five beats per breath, it adds two beats. Adding two beats means adding five hundred forty movements in two hundred seventy pauses, traveling an extra six zhang, four chi, and eight cun beyond one circuit. Calculating over one day and night for fifty circuits, it travels an extra three hundred twenty-four zhang beyond eight hundred ten zhang. Hence it is called "extreme." Numerate is numerate; six to seven beats, is this not excessive heat? Eight depletion: Compared to the healthy person's five beats per breath, it adds three beats. Adding three beats means adding eight hundred ten movements in two hundred seventy pauses, traveling an extra nine zhang, seven chi, and two cun beyond one circuit. Calculating over one day and night for fifty circuits, it travels an extra four hundred eighty-six zhang beyond eight hundred ten zhang. Hence it is called "depletion." Nine death: Compared to the healthy person's five beats per breath, it adds four beats. Adding four beats means adding one thousand and eighty movements in two hundred seventy pauses, traveling an extra twelve zhang, nine chi, and six cun beyond one circuit. Calculating over one day and night for fifty circuits, it travels an extra six hundred forty-eight zhang beyond eight hundred ten zhang. Hence it is called "death." Ten return to tomb: Compared to the healthy person's five beats per breath, it doubles the beats. The breath remains the same, but the movement count doubles. Since the movement count doubles, the distance traveled also doubles. Is it not two circuits in two hundred seventy pauses, and one hundred circuits in one day and night? Hence it is called "return to tomb." Eleven: Compared to the healthy person's five beats per breath, it doubles plus one more beat. Doubling plus one means traveling thirty-five zhang, six chi, and four cun in two hundred seventy pauses, traveling an extra three zhang, two chi, and four cun beyond the body. Calculating over thirteen thousand five hundred pauses, it completes one hundred circuits in one day and night, adding one hundred sixty-two zhang. Twelve: Assuming the healthy person's five beats per breath doubles plus two more beats. Doubling plus two means traveling thirty-eight zhang, eight chi, and eight cun in two hundred seventy pauses, completing one hundred circuits in one day and night, and exceeding by three hundred twenty-four zhang. This is the extreme limit. This extreme limit of pulse arrival is called "severing the soul." Imagine a horse riding a hundred li daily as normal. Adding ten or twenty li might be forced. Adding eighty or ninety li, or doubling the distance, will surely cause it to collapse and die.

Three beats is slow; one or two defeats. Two pauses for one beat, death is not strange.
This summarizes the previous text, reducing from slow to the extreme of loss. Regarding "three slow, two defeats," the previous text detailed it. If...