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The Xian (Wiry) pulse is characterized by a straight and long shape, resembling the string of a zither passing directly through the middle, standing firm under the fingers. Its nature belongs to Yin within Yang, governs the Liver in the Zang-Fu organs, corresponds to Spring in the seasons, and is associated with Wood in the Five Movements and Six Qi theory. The Classics state: A pulse that is light, void, and slippery indicates health; one that is solid, slippery, and feels like touching a long bamboo pole indicates disease; one that is stiff and urgent, like a newly tightened bowstring, indicates death. Dai Tongfu said: A Xian pulse that is soft indicates mild disease; one that is hard indicates severe disease. A pure Xian pulse without the stomach qi is a fatal pulse. A Xian pulse that is slow and harmonious is a normal pulse. A Xian pulse appearing in the Earth position (Spleen/Stomach) represents a controlling (overacting) relationship. A Xian pulse appearing in Autumn represents a reverse controlling relationship. If disease occurs in Spring but the Xian pulse is absent, it signifies the loss of the ruling pulse for that season. The diseases primarily governed by the Xian pulse include various types of malaria, Zhi-Yin (fluid retention in the hypochondrium), Xuan-Yin (fluid retention hanging in the chest), headache, phlegm obstructing the diaphragm, alternating chills and fever, Jia-Ji (masses), Yin-Hernia at the Chi position, and spasms/contracture of both legs. A Xian pulse seen at the Right Guan position indicates Cold in the Stomach and abdominal pain. If accompanied by an inability to eat, since the pulse controls the Earth element, it is difficult to treat. This generally describes the correspondence between pulse and disease. There are also pulses similar to Xian, which are not true Xian pulses, either appearing concurrently or being morphologically similar. Although Xian resembles Xi (Fine) pulse, Xi feels like a silk thread under the finger; it also resembles Jin (Tight) pulse, but Jin feels like a turning rope that never ceases. Since their natures differ, the diseases they indicate also differ. Jin pulse mainly indicates various pains, merely feeling slightly weaker and vaguely like Xian. A Xian pulse combined with Hong (Surging) indicates blazing Fire; combined with Hua (Slippery), it indicates internal Heat; combined with Chi (Slow), it indicates chronic Cold; if it does not throb under pressure, it indicates Cold in the Zang organs; if combined with Se (Choppy) and encountered in Autumn, it indicates chronic malaria; if combined with Xi (Fine) and Shuo (Rapid), it indicates Yin-Fire simmering, leading to daily depletion of essence and blood, a sign of impending death from Lao-Zhai (consumption). In cases of hemorrhage, a Xian-Da (Large) pulse indicates disease progression, while a Xian-Xiao (Small) pulse indicates Yin consumption. Clear sputum with a Xian pulse indicates failure of Spleen Earth; what overflows is not phlegm but genuine fluids. There are also conditions resembling malaria, where Yin and Yang are both deficient, with alternating chills and fever, and the pulse appears Xian. In such cases, urgently supporting the True Yuan (Original Qi) may lead to recovery. If mistakenly treated as malaria, as happened to Wang You, Prefect of Fujian in recent years, due to treating symptoms without understanding the root cause via incorrect prescriptions, it can result in wrongful death. Generally, if the disease associated with a Xian pulse is in the meridians, it is easy to treat; if in the Fu organs, difficult; if in the Zang organs, untreatable. Careful differentiation under the fingers reveals auspiciousness or inauspiciousness.

The Ru (Soggy) pulse is extremely soft, like cotton floating on water; it is felt with light palpation but disappears with heavy pressure. The Ruo (Weak) pulse is also extremely soft; it is felt only with heavy pressure and disappears with light palpation. *Mai Xue* (Pulse Studies) states: Floating and extremely fine like cotton is called Ru; sunken and extremely fine like cotton is called Ruo. Floating and extremely fine, seeming almost absent, is called Wei (Micro); sunken and extremely fine but unbroken is called Xi (Fine). It is also said: Felt immediately with light pressure but seeming to vanish with heavy pressure is Wei; flowing like a thread and continuously present is Xi. Zhang Zhongjing said: A pulse flickering like fat floating on soup indicates slight Yang Qi; a pulse lingering and thin like silk threads indicates declining Yin Qi. Although these four pulses differ in form, they generally all indicate deficiency of both Yin and Yang, with disease arising internally. Causes may include loss of essence and blood, sweating damaging dampness, shortness of breath and palpitations, empty distension and wasting-thirst, or flaccidity and bi-syndrome of sinews and bones. Seeing these pulses in the elderly, weak, or those with chronic illness is favorable (Shun); seeing them in youths during Spring and Summer is unfavorable (Ni). The treatment method should always involve regulating Ying and Wei, benefiting Qi, filling essence and supplementing marrow, consolidating the Spleen, and strengthening the Stomach. Urgent rescue measures must be taken to preserve life. When diagnosing these pulses, one must examine the degree of Stomach Qi to predict auspiciousness or inauspiciousness, thereby avoiding blame.