《内经》曰∶“一日一夜五十营，以营五脏之精，不应数者，
命曰狂生。（营，运也。经脉营运于身，一日一夜凡五十周，以营五脏之精气。夫周身上下前后左右，凡
二十八脉，其长十六丈二尺。人之宗气，积于
胸中，主呼吸而行经隧。一呼气行三寸，一吸气行三寸，呼吸定息，气行六寸。以
一息六寸推之，则一日一夜凡一万三千五百息，通计五十周于身，则脉行八百一十
丈。其有太过不及而不应此数者，名曰狂生。狂者，妄也，言幸而生也。）所谓五十营者，五脏皆受气，持其
寸口，数其至也，（五十营者，五脏所受之气也。持，诊也。但
诊寸口而数其至，则脏腑之衰旺可知也。）五十动而不
一代者，五脏皆受气。（代者，止而复来也。盖脏有所损，则气有所亏，故不能
营运也。若五十动而无止者，则终无止矣。五脏之气
皆足，和平之脉也。）四十动而一代者，一脏无气。（《难经》曰∶‘吸者随阴入，呼者因
阳出。今吸不能至肾，至肝而还，故知一脏无气者，肾气先尽也。’然则五脏和者气脉长，五脏病者气脉短。
观此一脏无气，必先乎肾，如下文所谓二脏、三脏、四脏、五脏者，皆当自远而近，以次而
短，则由肾及肝，由肝及脾，由脾及心，由心及肺。凡病将危者，必气促似喘，仅呼吸
于胸中数寸之间，盖其真阴绝于下，孤阳浮于上，此气短之极也。庸工于此而尚欲
平之散之，未有不随扑而灭者，良可悲也。夫人之生死由乎气，气之聚散由
乎阴，而残喘得以尚延者，赖一线之气未绝耳。此脏气之不可不察也如此。）三十
动而一代者，二脏无气；二十动一代者，三脏无气；十动一代
者，四脏无气；不满十动一代者，五脏无气。予之短期，要在终
始。（予，犹与也。短期，死期也。言死期已近也。终始者，十二
经各有绝气先见，是名为始也。详见《灵枢·经脉篇》。）所谓五十动而
不一代者，以为常也，以知五脏之期。予之短期者，乍数乍疏
也。”（以为常者，无病之常脉也。因此可以知五脏之气。若欲决其死期，则在乍数
乍疏也。不满十至而代，则乍数乍疏矣。非代脉之外。别有乍数乍疏也。）
The *Neijing* states: "In one day and night, there are fifty circuits (Wu Shi Ying), which nourish the essence of the five zang organs. If it does not conform to this number, it is called 'kuang sheng' (mad life/probabilistic survival). [Note: Ying means operation/circulation. The meridians circulate in the body, completing fifty cycles in one day and night to nourish the qi and essence of the five zang organs. The twenty-eight meridians throughout the body, front, back, left, right, total sixteen zhang and two chi in length. The Zong Qi (Gathering Qi) accumulates in the chest, governing respiration and moving through the vessel tunnels. With each exhalation, qi moves three cun; with each inhalation, qi moves three cun. In one complete breath cycle, qi moves six cun. Based on six cun per breath, there are thirteen thousand five hundred breaths in a day and night. Counting fifty cycles in the body, the total distance traveled by the vessels is eight hundred ten zhang. Those who have excess or deficiency and do not correspond to this number are named 'kuang sheng'. Kuang means absurdity/wandering, implying surviving by chance.]
What is meant by 'fifty circuits' is that all five zang organs receive qi. Hold the Cun Kou (Radial Artery at the wrist) pulse point and count its beats. [Note: Fifty circuits refer to the qi received by the five zang organs. Chi means to diagnose/examine. By merely diagnosing the Cun Kou and counting its beats, the decline or prosperity of the zang and fu organs can be known.] If there are fifty beats without a single Dai Mai (Intermittent Pulse), all five zang organs have received qi. [Note: Dai Mai refers to stopping and then returning. Because an organ is damaged, qi is deficient, thus unable to circulate properly. If there are no stops in fifty beats, there will ultimately be no stops. The qi of the five zang organs is sufficient; this is a harmonious pulse.]
If there is one Dai Mai every forty beats, one organ lacks qi. [The *Nan Jing* states: 'Inhalation follows Yin entering, exhalation follows Yang exiting. Now, inhalation cannot reach the Kidney, returning only upon reaching the Liver; therefore, knowing that one organ lacks qi means Kidney Qi has been exhausted first.' Thus, when the five zang organs are harmonious, the qi pulse is long; when diseased, it is short. Observing that one organ lacks qi must begin with the Kidney. As for the subsequent mentions of two, three, four, and five organs lacking qi, they should proceed from distant to near, shortening sequentially: from Kidney to Liver, Liver to Spleen, Spleen to Heart, Heart to Lung. In critical illnesses, breathing becomes rapid and pant-like, confined to just a few cun in the chest, because True Yin is exhausted below and Lone Yang floats above; this is the extreme of shortness of breath. Quack doctors here still attempt to treat with dispersing methods, inevitably leading to death; truly pitiable. Human life and death depend on Qi, the gathering and scattering of Qi depend on Yin, and the lingering breath continues only due to a thread of unextinguished Qi. Such observation of Zang Qi is indispensable.]
If there is one Dai Mai every thirty beats, two organs lack qi; if one Dai Mai every twenty beats, three organs lack qi; if one Dai Mai every ten beats, four organs lack qi; if a Dai Mai occurs in fewer than ten beats, all five organs lack qi. To predict the Short Term (death date), one must focus on the beginning and end. [Note: Yu means to give/judge. Short Term refers to the time of death, indicating death is imminent. Zhong Shi refers to the initial signs of meridian qi exhaustion in the twelve meridians, termed 'Shi'. See detailed explanation in *Ling Shu · Jing Mai Pian*.]
What is meant by 'fifty beats without a single Dai Mai' is considered normal, allowing one to know the condition of the five zang organs. To predict the death date, observe whether the pulse is suddenly rapid and suddenly slow (Zha Shu Zha Shu)." [Note: Considering it normal refers to the constant pulse of a healthy person. From this, one knows the Qi of the five zang organs. If wishing to decide the death date, it lies in the sudden rapidity and slowness. Fewer than ten beats before a Dai Mai indicates sudden rapidity and slowness. This is not separate from the Dai Mai pulse itself.]