盖曰阳结,又有如麻子动抽、旋引旋收、聚散不常之结,此三脉,名虽同而实则异。
(凡脉结,为亡阳,为汗下,为疝瘕,为 结,为老痰滞结,为气血凝结,为七情郁结
,内为积聚,外为痈肿。兼浮,寒邪滞结。兼沉,积气在内。
又为气,为血,为痰,为饮,为食,盖先因气寒脉缓,五者有一留滞其间,因而为结,
故仲景谓促结皆病脉。)
数 数以候腑(其象一息六至,数数然来。)
数为君相二火炎热之候,阴不胜阳,故脉来太过,小儿吉,肺病秋深皆忌。
寸(头疼、上热咽喉口舌疮、上血咳嗽。)
关(胃火,脾热口臭、烦满、呕逆;肝火,目赤。)
尺(肾火炽,小便黄赤,大便秘涩。兼浮,表热。兼沉,里热。)
数而弦急为紧
(其象来时动急,按之长,左右弹指,举之若牵绳转索之状。)
紧为寒风搏急,伏于营卫之间之候。凡紧脉皆主寒与痛,内而腹,外而身,有痛必见紧
象。亦有热痛者,必兼实数,热为寒束,故急数如此,但须有神气为妙。
(凡脉紧,人迎伤寒、气口伤食。兼浮,伤寒而身痛。兼沉,腹中有寒,或为风痫。)
左寸(头热目痛,项强。兼沉,心中气逆,或多寒冷。)
左关(心腹满痛、腰痛、胁痛、筋急。紧甚,伤寒浑身痛。兼实, 癖。)
左尺(腰连脐下及脚痛,小便难。)
右寸(鼻塞、膈壅。兼沉滑,肺实咳嗽或多痰。)
右关(吐逆、脾腹痛。紧太盛,腹胀伤食。)
右尺(下焦筑痛。)
数而时止为促
(其象来时数,时一止,复又来,徐疾无一定之状。)
促为阳独盛而阴不能相和之候。怒气逆上,亦令脉促。此阳脉之极。
(凡脉促为气痛,为狂闷,为毒疽,为瘀血发斑,为三焦郁火,为痰积咳嗽或喘逆。)
(又为气,为血,为食,为痰,为饮,盖先因气热脉数,五者有一留滞其间,则因之而
促。此促与结,非定为恶脉也,虽然,有加即死,能退则生。)
数见关中为动
(其象数见关中,形圆如豆,无头无尾,厥厥动摇,寻之有,举之无,不往不来,不离
其处。)
动为阴阳相搏之候,关位前半属阳,后半属阴,阴与阳搏,阳虚则阳动,阴虚则阴动。
动脉即滑数二脉相兼为极甚者,故女人心脉动甚妊子。
(凡脉动,为痛,为惊,为泄利,为拘挛,为崩脱,为虚劳体痛,阳动汗出,阴动发热
。)
滑 滑以候气(其象往来流利,如珠走盘,不进不退。)
滑为血实气壅之候,血不胜于气也,主痰饮诸病。脉为血府,血盛则脉滑,惟肾宜之。
女人
脉滑断绝不匀,经闭之验,诸脉调,尺独滑,必有胎。上为吐逆,下为气结,滑数为热结。
左寸(心独热。兼实大,心惊舌强。)
左关(肝热,头目为患。)
左尺(尿赤、茎中痛、小便淋漓。)
右寸(痰饮、呕逆。兼实,肺热、毛发焦、膈壅、咽干、痰嗽、头目昏、涕唾稠粘。)
右关(脾热,口臭、吐逆、宿食不化。兼实,胃热。)
右尺(因相火炎而引饮多,脐冷、腹鸣或时下利。女人主血热气壅、月事不通,若和滑
,为有孕。)
涩 涩以候血(其象虚细而迟,往来极难,或一止复来,三五不调。)
涩为气多血少之候,故主血少精伤之病,盖气盛则血少,脉因涩,惟肺宜之。女人有孕
而脉涩,为胎病;无孕而脉涩,为败血(凡脉滑为无汗,或为血痹痛。)
左寸(心肺虚耗不安、冷气心痛。)
左关(肝虚血散、肋胀胁满、身痛。)
左尺(男子伤精、 疝,女人月事虚败。若有孕,主胎漏不安。)
右寸(荣卫不和、上焦冷痞、气短、臂酸。)
右关(脾弱不食、胃冷多呕。)
右尺(大便秘、津液不足、少腹寒、足胫逆冷。经云∶滑者伤热,涩者伤雾露。)
It is said that Yang-Jie (Yang Knotting) pulse also includes the Jie pulse resembling the movement of hemp seeds twitching, rotating and pulling then retracting, and gathering and scattering irregularly. These three pulses share the same name but differ in substance.
(Generally, a Jie pulse indicates Yang exhaustion, excessive sweating or purging, hernia and mass, phlegm-fluid accumulation, old phlegm stagnation, Qi and Blood coagulation, or emotional depression. Internally it manifests as accumulations, externally as carbuncles and swellings. If accompanied by a Floating pulse, it indicates cold pathogen stagnation; if accompanied by a Deep pulse, it indicates accumulated Qi inside.
Furthermore, it indicates Qi stagnation, Blood stasis, Phlegm condensation, Fluid retention, or Food retention. This is generally because initially due to Cold Qi and slow pulse, one of these five pathogens remains stagnant, thereby forming a Jie pulse. Thus, Zhang Zhongjing stated that both Cu and Jie are pathological pulses.)
Shu (Rapid) pulse is used to inspect Fu organs (Its image is six beats per respiration, coming rapidly.)
A Shu pulse indicates the heat of Ministerial Fire and Sovereign Fire, where Yin cannot overcome Yang, resulting in an excessive pulse. It is auspicious for infants, but contraindicated for Lung diseases in late autumn.
Cun position (Headache, upper body heat, sores in throat/mouth/tongue, upper bleeding cough.)
Guan position (Stomach Fire, Spleen Heat causing bad breath, irritability and fullness, vomiting and regurgitation; Liver Fire causing red eyes.)
Chi position (Blazing Kidney Fire, yellow-red urine, constipation and difficulty. If accompanied by Floating, it indicates Exterior Heat; if accompanied by Deep, it indicates Interior Heat.)
Shu combined with Xian (Wiry) and Ji (Urgent) is called Jin (Tight) pulse
(Its image comes suddenly urgent, feels long upon deep pressure, flicks fingers left and right, and upon light pressure resembles pulling a twisting rope.)
Jin pulse indicates cold wind clamping urgently, lurking between Ying (Nutritive) and Wei (Defensive). Generally, Jin pulse governs Cold and Pain. Whether internal in the abdomen or external on the body, pain must present with a Jin image. There are also cases of Heat-pain, which must be accompanied by Shi (Excess) and Shu (Rapid) pulses; this is because Heat is constrained by Cold, hence the urgency and rapidity. However, it is ideal if the pulse possesses Shen (Spirit/Vitality).
(Generally, a Jin pulse at Renying indicates Cold Damage (Shanghan), while at Qikou indicates Food Injury. If accompanied by Floating, it indicates Cold Damage with body pain; if accompanied by Deep, it indicates Cold in the abdomen or Wind Epilepsy.)
Left Cun (Heat in head and eyes, neck stiffness. If accompanied by Deep, rebellious Qi in heart, or feeling cold.)
Left Guan (Fullness and pain in heart/abdomen, lower back pain, hypochondriac pain, tendon tension. Severe Jin indicates generalized body pain from Cold Damage. If accompanied by Excess, it indicates Pi accumulation.)
Left Chi (Pain connecting waist to below umbilicus and legs, difficult urination.)
Right Cun (Nasal congestion, chest diaphragm obstruction. If accompanied by Deep-Slippery, it indicates Lung Excess cough or much phlegm.)
Right Guan (Vomiting/regurgitation, Spleen/abdominal pain. Excessive Jin indicates abdominal distension from food injury.)
Right Chi (Beating pain in Lower Jiao.)
Shu with intermittent stops is called Cu (Surging) pulse
(Its image is rapid when coming, occasionally stopping once, then resuming, with no fixed rhythm of slowness or speed.)
Cu pulse indicates Yang alone flourishing while Yin cannot harmonize with it. Rebellious Qi from anger can also cause Cu pulse. This is the extreme of Yang pulses.
(Generally, Cu pulse indicates Qi pain, mania/oppression, toxic carbuncles, blood stasis with macules, Sanjiao郁 fire, phlegm accumulation with cough or wheezing.
Furthermore, it indicates Qi stagnation, Blood stasis, Food retention, Phlegm condensation, or Fluid retention. This is generally because initially due to Hot Qi and rapid pulse, one of these five pathogens remains stagnant, thereby causing Cu pulse. Although Cu and Jie are not necessarily malignant pulses, worsening leads to death, while subsiding leads to survival.)
Shu appearing at Guan is called Dong (Moving) pulse
(Its image appears at Guan, round like a bean, without head or tail, quivering and shaking. It is felt upon searching but not upon lifting, neither moving forward nor backward, staying in its place.)
Dong pulse indicates the struggle between Yin and Yang. The front half of Guan belongs to Yang, the rear half to Yin. When Yin and Yang struggle, Yang deficiency causes Yang movement, and Yin deficiency causes Yin movement.
Dong pulse is the extreme combination of Hua (Slippery) and Shu (Rapid) pulses. Therefore, a pronounced Dong pulse at the Heart position in women indicates pregnancy.
(Generally, Dong pulse indicates pain, fright, diarrhea/dysentery, spasms, metrorrhagia/hemometrorrhagia, deficiency-wasting with body pain. Yang Dong causes sweating, Yin Dong causes fever.)
Hua (Slippery) pulse is used to inspect Qi (Its image flows smoothly back and forth, like pearls rolling on a plate, neither advancing nor retreating.)
Hua pulse indicates Blood Excess and Qi stagnation, where Blood cannot overcome Qi. It governs Phlegm-Fluid diseases. Pulse is the mansion of Blood; when Blood is abundant, the pulse is Slippery. This suits the Kidney best.
For women, a slippery pulse that is discontinuous and uneven confirms amenorrhea. If other pulses are harmonious but only Chi is slippery, it indicates pregnancy. Upper manifestation is vomiting/regurgitation, lower manifestation is Qi knotting. Hua-Shu indicates Heat knotting.
Left Cun (Heart Heat alone. If accompanied by Excess-Large, heart fright and stiff tongue.)
Left Guan (Liver Heat, disorders of head and eyes.)
Left Chi (Red urine, penile pain, dribbling urination.)
Right Cun (Phlegm-Fluid, vomiting/regurgitation. If accompanied by Excess, Lung Heat, scorched hair, chest diaphragm obstruction, dry throat, phlegmy cough, dizziness, thick sticky sputum.)
Right Guan (Spleen Heat, bad breath, vomiting/regurgitation, undigested food. If accompanied by Excess, Stomach Heat.)
Right Chi (Due to Ministerial Fire flaring up, excessive drinking; cold umbilicus, borborygmus, or occasional diarrhea. In women, it indicates Blood Heat and Qi stagnation with menstrual obstruction. If harmonious and slippery, it indicates pregnancy.)
Se (Choppy) pulse is used to inspect Blood (Its image is deficient, thin, and slow, extremely difficult to flow back and forth, or stopping once then resuming, irregular in threes or fives.)
Se pulse indicates abundant Qi and deficient Blood, thus governing diseases of Blood deficiency and Essence injury. Generally, when Qi is excess, Blood is deficient, and the pulse becomes Choppy. This suits the Lung best. For pregnant women, a Se pulse indicates fetal disease; for non-pregnant women, it indicates dead blood (Generally, Hua pulse indicates absence of sweat or Blood Bi pain.)
Left Cun (Heart/Lung deficiency and exhaustion with unrest, cold Qi heart pain.)
Left Guan (Liver deficiency with scattered Blood, rib distension and fullness, body pain.)
Left Chi (Essence injury in men, hernia; menstrual deficiency/failure in women. If pregnant, it indicates threatened miscarriage with leakage.)
Right Cun (Ying-Wei disharmony, Upper Jiao cold痞, shortness of breath, arm soreness.)
Right Guan (Spleen weakness with poor appetite, Cold Stomach with frequent vomiting.)
Right Chi (Constipation, insufficient fluids, cold lower abdomen, cold feet/shins. The Classic states: Slippery pulse injures by Heat, Choppy pulse injures by fog and dew.)