平人无脉，移于外络。兄位弟乘，阳溪列缺。
平人无脉者，非无脉也。谓寸口脉不应指，而反从尺旁过肺之列缺，大肠之阳
溪，刺斜出于外络。其三部定位，九候浅深，俱与平常应见于寸口者无异。若兄固
有之位，弟窃而乘之。此反常异众之脉，千百中仅一见也。
病脉既明，吉凶当别。经脉之外，又有真脉。
肝绝之脉，循刀责责。心绝之脉，转豆躁疾。
脾则雀啄，如屋之漏，如水之流，如杯之覆。
肺绝如毛，无根萧索，麻子动摇，浮波之合。
肾脉将绝，至如省客，来如弹石，去如解索。
命脉将绝，虾游鱼翔，至如涌泉，绝在膀胱。
真脉既形，胃气已无。参察色证，断之以臆。
以上正文之论脉，首先源派，次及流行，次则左右男女定位，次则五脏阴阳合
时。寒热，则属之迟数。内外，则别之浮沉。以至虚实异形，正邪各状。因脉知病，
因病识脉。病则该于疮疡女幼，脉则穷于奇经反关，可谓明且详矣。然而诸脉之外，
更有所谓真脉者，大关生死，故又审别于卷末焉。夫人禀五行而生，则五行原吾身
之固有。外与天地通，内与谷神合，是得以默运潜行而不显然彰露。设五脏之元真
败绝，谷神不将，则五行之死形，各随脏而见矣。在肝如循刀责责。（强劲弦急，按之切手。
）所谓软弱轻虚而滑，端直以长者，无有也。在心如转豆躁疾。（前屈后居，柔滑全无。）所谓
累累如连珠，如循琅 者，无有也。在脾如雀啄粒，（坚锐连属。）如屋之漏，（许久一滴，二
脉乍疏乍数。）如水之流，（去而不返。）如杯之覆。（止而不扬。）所谓和柔相离，如鸡践地者无有
也，在肺如毛，无根萧索，（上则微茫，下则断绝。）麻子动摇，（微散而乱。）浮波之合。（浮促无根。）
所谓厌厌聂聂，如落榆荚者无有也。在肾至如省客，（省，问之。客一至即去。）来如弹石，
（弹搏而来，所藏尽出。）去如解索。（解散而去，欲藏无入。）所谓喘喘累累如钩，按之而坚者无有也。
在命门右肾，与左肾同，但内涵相火。故其绝也，如虾之游，如鱼之翔，忽尔静中
一跃，火欲绝而忽焰之象也。在膀胱，至如涌泉，（泛滥不收。）以其藏津液而为州都之
官，故绝形如此。盖脉之和柔得体者，胃气与之俱耳。胃气者，即生生水谷之气也。
胃气微少，亦成病，何况于无。无则生生之根本先绝，而五脏欲自持久，不可得矣。
若能再察色证而以臆断之，理当不爽。
平人（健康无病之人）没有脉象，是因为脉气转移到了外络。兄位（寸口脉的正常位置）被弟位（尺部或其他部位）所占据，脉气出现在阳溪穴和列缺穴处。
所谓平人无脉，并不是真的没有脉象。而是指寸口脉（手腕桡动脉搏动处）按之不应手，反而从尺部旁边经过肺经的列缺穴、大肠经的阳溪穴，斜向刺出并显现于外络。其三部（寸、关、尺）的定位，九候（全身多处诊脉部位）的深浅，都与普通情况下应在寸口出现的脉象没有不同。这就像兄长原本固定的位置，被弟弟窃取并占据了。这是反常且与众不同的脉象，一千个人中仅见一例。
病脉既然已经阐明，吉凶应当加以辨别。在经脉之外，还有所谓的真脏脉（脏腑真气败露之脉）。
肝气将绝的脉象，像刀刃一样坚硬急促。心气将绝的脉象，像豆子转动般躁动急疾。
脾气将绝的脉象，如雀啄食般连连顿挫，又像屋顶漏水般点滴断续，像水流般一去不返，像翻倒的杯子般静止不起。
肺气将绝的脉象，像羽毛一样轻浮，无根而萧索，像麻子动摇般散乱，像浮波相合般促而无根。
肾气将绝的脉象，到来时像探视客人的匆匆一瞥，去时像弹石般坚硬，离去时像解开绳索般散乱。
命门之气将绝的脉象，像虾游动、鱼翔水，到来时像涌泉般泛滥不收，绝灭之象见于膀胱。
真脏脉既然已经形成，胃气就已经消失。参考观察面色和证候，凭主观推测来判断预后。
以上正文论述脉学，首先追溯源流派别，其次讲述脉气流行，再次则是左右及男女的定位，接着是五脏阴阳与时令的配合。寒热属性，归属于迟脉与数脉；内外病位，通过浮脉与沉脉来辨别。以至于虚实的各种形态，正邪的不同表现。通过脉象了解疾病，通过疾病认识脉象。疾病则涵盖疮疡、妇女及幼童病症，脉学则穷尽奇经八脉、反关脉等奇异脉象，可以说是明晰且详尽了。然而，在各种脉象之外，更有被称为“真脏脉”的脉象，关乎生死大关，所以在卷末又详细审辨区分。人禀受五行之气而生，那么五行原本就是我们身体固有的。外在与天地相通，内在与谷神（脾胃化生的精气）相合，因此能够默默运行而不明显显露。假如五脏的元真之气败绝，谷神不再输送，那么五行的死形就会随着各脏器的衰竭而显现出来。在肝脏表现为像刀刃一样坚硬急促。（强劲弦急，按之切手。）所谓软弱轻虚而滑，端直以长的正常肝脉，是不存在的。在心脏表现为像豆子转动般躁动急疾。（前屈后居，柔滑全无。）所谓累累如连珠，像抚摸美玉般的正常心脉，是不存在的。在脾脏表现为如雀啄粒般坚锐相连，（坚锐连属。）像屋顶漏水般许久一滴，二脉乍疏乍数，（许久一滴，二脉乍疏乍数。）像水流般去而不返，（去而不返。）像翻倒的杯子般止而不扬，（止而不扬。）所谓和柔相离，像鸡踩地般的正常脾脉，是不存在的。在肺部表现为像羽毛一样轻浮，无根而萧索，（上则微茫，下则断绝。）像麻子动摇般微散而乱，（微散而乱。）像浮波相合般浮促无根，（浮促无根。）所谓厌厌聂聂，像落榆荚般的正常肺脉，是不存在的。在肾脏，到来时像探视客人匆匆一瞥，（省，问之。客一至即去。）去时像弹石般弹搏而来，所藏精气尽出，（弹搏而来，所藏尽出。）离去时像解开绳索般解散而去，欲藏无入，（解散而去，欲藏无入。）所谓喘喘累累如钩，按之而坚的正常肾脉，是不存在的。在命门右肾，与左肾相同，但内含相火。所以它的绝灭之象，像虾游动，像鱼翔水，忽然在静中一跃，这是火欲绝而忽焰的现象。在膀胱，到来时像涌泉般泛滥不收，（泛滥不收。）因为它储藏津液，作为州都之官，所以绝灭之象如此。大概脉象的和柔得体，是与胃气共同存在的。胃气，就是生生不息的水谷之气。胃气稍微减少，也会生病，何况是没有呢？没有了，那么生生之本先就断绝，五脏想要长久维持，是不可能的了。如果能再察色证而以主观推测判断，道理应当不会差错。
Pingren (healthy individuals without disease) have no pulse, as the pulse qi has shifted to the external collaterals. The elder position (the normal location of the Cun Kou pulse) is occupied by the younger position (other locations such as Chi), and the pulse appears at the Yangxi (LI5) and Lieque (LU7) acupoints.
The so-called "no pulse in Pingren" does not mean the complete absence of a pulse. It refers to the situation where the Cun Kou pulse (pulse at the radial artery of the wrist) is not palpable upon pressing, but instead passes from beside the Chi position through the Lieque point of the Lung Meridian and the Yangxi point of the Large Intestine Meridian, emerging obliquely into the external collaterals. Their three-position (Cun, Guan, Chi) localization and the depth of the nine inspections (pulse taking at multiple body sites) are identical to those normally seen at the Cun Kou. This is akin to the elder's fixed position being usurped by the younger one. This is an abnormal and unusual pulse pattern, occurring only once in a thousand cases.
Once pathological pulses are clarified, auspicious and inauspicious outcomes must be distinguished. Beyond the regular meridians, there exists what is called the True Zang Pulse (pulse indicating the exposure of the true Qi of the Zang organs).
The pulse of impending Liver failure resembles the hardness and urgency of a knife blade. The pulse of impending Heart failure turns like beans, restless and rapid.
The pulse of impending Spleen failure is like a sparrow pecking grain, or water dripping from a leaking roof, or water flowing away, or an overturned cup.
The pulse of impending Lung failure is like a feather, rootless and desolate, shaking like hemp seeds, or merging like floating waves.
The pulse of impending Kidney failure arrives like a visitor briefly stopping by, comes like a stone being thrown, and departs like a loosened rope.
The pulse of impending Mingmen (Gate of Life) Qi is like a shrimp swimming or a fish gliding; arriving like a gushing spring, with signs of extinction appearing in the Bladder.
Once the True Zang Pulse manifests, Stomach Qi has already vanished. By observing complexion and symptoms, one judges the prognosis based on subjective inference.
The preceding text discusses pulse diagnosis, first tracing its origins and schools, then describing pulse flow, followed by left-right and male-female positioning, and subsequently the integration of Five Zang Yin-Yang with seasonal timing. Cold and heat are attributed to Slow (Chi) and Rapid (Shu) pulses; interior and exterior are distinguished by Floating (Fu) and Deep (Chen) pulses. Thus, various forms of deficiency and excess, and different manifestations of righteous and pathogenic factors, are covered. One understands disease through the pulse, and recognizes the pulse through disease. Diseases encompass sores, ulcers, women's diseases, and pediatric conditions; pulse studies exhaust topics like the Extraordinary Vessels and Reverse-Guan pulses. This can be considered clear and detailed. However, beyond all other pulses, there is the so-called "True Zang Pulse," which concerns life and death, hence it is carefully distinguished at the end of the volume. Humans are born endowed with the Five Elements, which are inherent to our bodies. Externally connected to Heaven and Earth, internally integrated with Gu Shen (essence and spirit derived from grains/digestion), they operate silently without obvious display. If the primordial true Qi of the Five Zang fails and vanishes, and Gu Shen ceases to nourish, then the dying forms of the Five Elements will appear according to each failing Zang. In the Liver, it resembles the hardness and urgency of a knife blade. (Strong, wiry, and urgent, cutting under pressure.) The normal Liver pulse, described as soft, light, void, slippery, straight, and long, is absent. In the Heart, it resembles beans turning, restless and rapid. (Bending forward and backward, completely lacking softness and slipperiness.) The normal Heart pulse, described as clustered like pearls or smooth like jade, is absent. In the Spleen, it resembles sparrow pecking, sharp and continuous. (Sharp and connected.) Like a leaking roof, dropping after a long time, with pulses alternating between sparse and rapid. (Dropping after a long time, alternating sparse and rapid.) Like flowing water, going and not returning. (Going and not returning.) Like an overturned cup, stopping and not rising. (Stopping and not rising.) The normal Spleen pulse, described as harmonious and soft, stepping like a chicken, is absent. In the Lung, it is like a feather, rootless and desolate. (Faint above, severed below.) Shaking like hemp seeds. (Scattered and chaotic.) Merging like floating waves. (Floating, rapid, and rootless.) The normal Lung pulse, described as gentle and quiet, falling like elm catkins, is absent. In the Kidney, arriving like a brief visitor. (Sheng means to ask/inquire. The guest arrives and leaves immediately.) Coming like a thrown stone. (Coming with impact, expelling all stored essence.) Departing like a loosened rope. (Dispersing and leaving, unable to store inward.) The normal Kidney pulse, described as panting and clustered like a hook, firm upon pressure, is absent. In the Mingmen (Right Kidney), same as the Left Kidney, but containing Ministerial Fire. Thus, its extinction appears like a shrimp swimming or a fish gliding, suddenly leaping in stillness, representing the image of fire about to extinguish yet flaring up. In the Bladder, arriving like a gushing spring. (Overflowing and unrestrained.) Because it stores body fluids and serves as the Official of the Capital, its extinction takes this form. Generally, the harmony and propriety of the pulse are due to the presence of Stomach Qi. Stomach Qi is the vital energy generated from food and drink. If Stomach Qi is slightly diminished, illness occurs; how much more so if it is absent? If absent, the root of generation is severed first, and the Five Zang cannot sustain themselves for long. If one further observes complexion and symptoms to make a judgment, the reasoning should be accurate.