体象 促为急促,数时一止;如趋而蹶,进则必死。
促之为义,于急促之中,时见一歇止,为阳盛之象也。黎氏曰∶“如蹶之趋,徐疾不常。”深得其义。叔和云∶
“促脉来去数,时一止,复来。”亦颇明快。
主病 促因火亢,亦因物停。左寸促者,心火炎炎。促在左关,血滞为殃。左尺得促,遗滑堪忧。
右寸促者,肺鸣咯咯。促在右关,脾宫食滞。右尺得促,灼热为定。
按人身之气血贯注于经脉之间者,刻刻流行,绵绵不息,凡一昼夜当五十营,不应数者,名曰狂生。其
应于脉之至数者,如鼓应桴,罔或有忒也。藏气乖违,则稽留凝泣,阻其营运之机,因而歇止者,其止为
轻;若真元衰惫,则阳弛阴涸,失其揆度之常,因而歇止者,其止为重。然促脉之故,得于藏气乖违者十
之六七,得于真元衰惫者十之二三。或因气滞,或因血凝,或因痰停,或因食壅,或外因六气,或内因七
情,皆能阻遏其营运之机,故虽当往来急数之时,忽见一止耳。如止数渐稀,则为病瘥;止数渐增,则为
病剧。所见诸症,不出血凝气滞,更当与他脉相参耳。促脉随病呈形,伪诀但言“并居寸口”,已非促脉
之义;且不言时止,犹为 矣。
体象 结为凝结,缓时一止;徐行而怠,颇得其旨。
结而不散,迟滞中时见一止也。古人譬诸徐行而怠,偶羁一步,可为结脉传神。
主病 结属阴寒,亦由凝积。左寸结者,心寒疼痛。结在左关,疝瘕必现。左尺得结,痿 之 。
右寸结者,肺虚气寒。结在右关,痰滞食停。右尺得结,阴寒为楚。
热则流行,寒则停凝,理势然也。夫阴寒之中,且挟凝结,喻如隆冬天气严肃,流水冰坚也。少火衰弱,中
气虚寒,失其干健之运,则血气痰食,互相纠缠,浮结者外有痛积,伏结者内有积聚。故知结而有力者,
方为积聚;而无力者,是真气衰弱,违其运化之常,唯一味温补为正治。越人云∶“结甚则积甚,结微则
气微。”是知又当以止歇之多寡,而断病之重轻也。
按营运之机缄不利,则脉应之而成结。仲景云∶“累累如循长竿,曰阴结。蔼蔼如车盖,曰阳结。”叔和云∶
“如麻子动摇,旋引旋收,聚散不常为结。”则结之体状,有非浅人所领会也。夫是三者,虽同名为结,而
义实有别。浮分得之为阳结;沉分得之为阴结;止数频多,三五不调,为不治之症。由斯测之,结之主症,
未可以一端尽也。伪诀云∶“或来或去,聚而却还。”律以缓时一止之义,全无相涉。岂欲仿佛叔和旋引
旋收之状,而词不达意乎?此着述之所以不可易易也。
[Physical Manifestation] The physical manifestation of the Cu (Surging) pulse is rapid and hurried, with an occasional pause during the fast rhythm; it is like running and suddenly stumbling, where continuing to advance leads to death.
The meaning of the Cu pulse lies in the occasional pause amidst the rapidity, which is a sign of Yang excess. Mr. Li said: "Like stumbling while running, with irregular speed." This profoundly captures its essence. Wang Shuhe stated: "The Cu pulse comes and goes rapidly, with an occasional pause before returning." This is also quite clear and concise.
[Main Diseases] The Cu pulse arises from Fire hyperactivity or from the stagnation of tangible pathogens. A Cu pulse at the Left Cun position indicates blazing Heart Fire. A Cu pulse at the Left Guan position indicates blood stasis causing harm. A Cu pulse at the Left Chi position causes worry about spermatorrhea or seminal emission.
A Cu pulse at the Right Cun position indicates lung rattling (phlegm-rattle). A Cu pulse at the Right Guan position indicates food stagnation in the Spleen palace. A Cu pulse at the Right Chi position confirms internal burning heat.
According to human physiology, Qi and Blood circulate through the meridians constantly, unceasingly. In one day and night, they should complete fifty circuits; if they do not follow this rhythm, it is called wild generation. Their correspondence to the pulse rate is as accurate as a drumstick striking a drum, without any error. If Zang-Fu Qi is disordered, Qi and Blood stagnate and congeal, obstructing the mechanism of circulation, resulting in pauses; these pauses are mild. However, if the True Yuan (Primordial Qi) is exhausted and weak, Yang relaxes and Yin dries up, losing its normal regulatory measure, resulting in pauses; these pauses are severe. Nevertheless, the cause of the Cu pulse is due to Zang-Fu Qi disorder in six or seven out of ten cases, and due to True Yuan exhaustion in two or three out of ten cases. It may be due to Qi stagnation, Blood coagulation, Phlegm retention, Food obstruction, external Six Excesses (pathogenic factors), or internal Seven Emotions, all of which can obstruct the circulation mechanism. Thus, although the pulse is rapid and frequent, an occasional pause appears. If the frequency of pauses gradually decreases, the disease improves; if it increases, the disease worsens. The observed symptoms fall within blood stasis and Qi stagnation, and must be correlated with other pulses. The Cu pulse takes shape according to the disease; false formulas merely stating "located at Cun" do not reflect the true meaning of the Cu pulse; furthermore, failing to mention the occasional pause is absurd.
[Physical Manifestation] The physical manifestation of the Jie (Knotted) pulse is condensed, with an occasional pause during the slow rhythm; it is like walking slowly and lazily, occasionally tripping for one step, which well captures its spirit.
The Jie pulse does not scatter; it shows an occasional pause amidst slowness. Ancients compared it to walking slowly and lazily, occasionally tripping, which vividly conveys the demeanor of the Jie pulse.
[Main Diseases] The Jie pulse belongs to Yin Cold and also results from condensation and accumulation. A Jie pulse at the Left Cun position indicates Heart cold pain. A Jie pulse at the Left Guan position indicates hernia and masses (Zhijia). A Jie pulse at the Left Chi position indicates Wei Bi syndrome (impotence and numbness/paralysis).
A Jie pulse at the Right Cun position indicates Lung deficiency and Qi cold. A Jie pulse at the Right Guan position indicates Phlegm stagnation and Food retention. A Jie pulse at the Right Chi position indicates suffering from Yin Cold.
Heat promotes flow, while Cold causes stagnation and coagulation; this is the natural trend. Within Yin Cold, there is often condensation, akin to the solemn weather of mid-winter where flowing water turns to hard ice. When Shaohuo (Ministerial Fire) is weak and Middle Qi is deficient and cold, losing its vigorous transport function, Blood, Qi, Phlegm, and Food entangle each other. Floating Jie manifests externally as painful accumulations; hidden Jie manifests internally as mass formations. Therefore, a strong Jie pulse indicates accumulation/excess; a weak Jie pulse indicates True Qi weakness, violating the norm of transformation, requiring warm tonification as the correct treatment. Yue Ren (Bian Que) said: "Severe Jie indicates severe accumulation; slight Jie indicates weak Qi." Thus, one must judge the severity of the disease by the frequency of pauses.
When the mechanism of circulation is blocked, the pulse responds by becoming a Jie pulse. Zhang Zhongjing said: "Interlinked like feeling along a long bamboo pole is Yin Jie. Abundant like a chariot canopy is Yang Jie." Wang Shuhe said: "Shaking like hemp seeds, rotating and pulling then retracting, gathering and dispersing irregularly is Jie." Thus, the physical state of Jie is not comprehensible to superficial persons. Although these three are named Jie, their meanings differ. Found in the floating layer is Yang Jie; found in the deep layer is Yin Jie; frequent pauses with irregular intervals (three or five) indicate an incurable condition. From this, we deduce that the main symptoms of Jie cannot be summarized by a single aspect. False formulas say: "Coming and going, gathering and retreating." Compared to the meaning of "occasional pause in slow rhythm," this has no relevance. Is it trying to mimic Shuhe's "rotating and pulling then retracting" but failing to express the meaning? This is why writing must not be done lightly.