浮者轻而在上。隐隐缓散。如水浮物。指重如无。轻有余。愈轻愈盛。泛然满指。若三部常浮者。主心气不足。
滑者如珠丸之无端。重指即伏。举指浑然。不进不退。稍重于洪。若三部常滑。主肝气不足。
实者虚之对。其脉源派长久而不绝。指轻则有余。指重隐缓于弦。小于洪。若三部常实。主脾气不足。
弦者。应指紧迫如巴弦。指重如数。指轻愈急。聚敛而不散。长久而不缩。若三部常弦。主肺气不足。
洪者大也。其源深。其流长。下指一寻。不弦不浮。轻重皆应。若再寻之。 然有余。若三部常洪者。主肾气不足。
微者。最细而弱。重指寻之。宛然如毛发。隐隐涩涩。疑不可状。在于有无间。若三部常微。主血滞而神不足。
沉者。如石投水。必极其底。重重寻之。仿佛隐应。比之于微。此有缓起于骨上。若三部常沉者。主胃逆而气不足。
缓者。如丝在机。不卷其轴。应指迟缓。往来其微。尤不若微之应急。不沉不伏。惟缓而已。若三部常缓。主肾怯
而精不足。
涩者滞而不滑。指下如索隐砂。如刀刮竹。沉下而粗。重则应指。轻则如无。后实前虚。往来不断。若三部常涩。
主魂不足。（董按此句应改“主肝虚而魂不足”始可与上节语气合拍）
夫五阳常浮。五阴常沉。沉者脏之脉也。浮者腑之脉也。又有所谓浮中沉者。此为胃也。能知胃脉所在。则脏腑之
脉易生矣。
Fu (Floating) Pulse: The pulse position is superficial and upper. It appears faint, slow, and dispersed, resembling an object floating on water. When pressing heavily with the fingers, it seems as if there is no pulse; when pressing lightly, it feels abundant. The lighter the pressure, the stronger the sensation, filling the fingertips diffusely. If the Fu pulse is consistently present in all three positions (Cun, Guan, Chi), it indicates Heart Qi deficiency.
Hua (Slippery) Pulse: The pulse feels round and rolling like beads without a fixed end. When pressing heavily, the pulse sinks; when lifting the finger (light pressure), the pulse energy feels coherent, neither advancing nor retreating. Its force is slightly greater than that of the Hong (Surging) pulse. If the Hua pulse is consistently present in all three positions, it indicates Liver Qi deficiency.
Shi (Excess) Pulse: This is the opposite of the Xu (Deficient) pulse. Its source flows long and uninterrupted. Light pressure reveals abundance, while heavy pressure reveals a hidden slowness with a Xian (Taut) quality, and the pulse body is smaller than the Hong pulse. If the Shi pulse is consistently present in all three positions, it indicates Spleen Qi deficiency.
Xian (Taut/String-like) Pulse: Responding to the touch with urgency, like a tightened string. Heavy pressure feels rapid, while light pressure feels even more urgent. The pulse energy gathers and does not disperse, remaining long without shortening. If the Xian pulse is consistently present in all three positions, it indicates Lung Qi deficiency.
Hong (Surging/Vast) Pulse: The pulse body is large. Its source is deep, and its flow is long. Upon applying pressure, it is neither Xian nor Fu, responding to both light and heavy pressure. Further exploration still reveals abundance. If the Hong pulse is consistently present in all three positions, it indicates Kidney Qi deficiency.
Wei (Fine/Minute) Pulse: The pulse is the finest and weakest. Upon heavy searching, it resembles hair, faint and rough, difficult to describe, existing between presence and absence. If the Wei pulse is consistently present in all three positions, it indicates blood stasis and Shen (Spirit) deficiency.
Chen (Deep/Sunken) Pulse: Like a stone thrown into water, reaching the bottom. Upon heavy searching, it responds faintly and hiddenly. Compared to the Wei pulse, this pulse rises slowly from the bone level. If the Chen pulse is consistently present in all three positions, it indicates Stomach Qi rebellion and Qi deficiency.
Huan (Slow/Lax) Pulse: Like silk on a loom, not winding the axis. Responding to the touch with slowness, the movement is subtle, even less urgent than the Wei pulse. It is neither Chen nor Fu, merely Huan. If the Huan pulse is consistently present in all three positions, it indicates Kidney weakness and Jing (Essence) deficiency.
Se (Rough/Hesitant) Pulse: The pulse energy is stagnant and not slippery. Under the fingers, it feels like sand hidden in a rope or a knife scraping bamboo. It is deep and coarse; heavy pressure makes it respond, while light pressure makes it seem absent. The posterior part is excess, the anterior part is deficient, yet the movement is continuous. If the Se pulse is consistently present in all three positions, it indicates Hun (Ethereal Soul) deficiency. (Note by Dong: This sentence should be revised to "indicates Liver deficiency and Hun deficiency" to harmonize with the tone of the previous section.)
Generally, the Five Yang pulses are often Fu (Floating), and the Five Yin pulses are often Chen (Deep). The Chen pulse is the pulse of the Zang (Organ), and the Fu pulse is the pulse of the Fu (Hollow Organ). There is also what is called the Fu, Zhong (Middle), and Chen levels, which correspond to the Stomach pulse. Knowing the location of the Stomach pulse makes it easier to understand the pulses of the Zang and Fu organs.