夫脉血之府也，长则气治，短则气病，数则心烦，大则病进，上盛则气高，下则气胀，代则气衰，
细则气少，浑浑其至如涌泉，病进而色弊，绵绵其去如弦绝者，死。诸急者多寒，缓者多热。大者多气
少血，小者气血皆少。滑者阳气盛，微有热；涩者少血少气，微有寒。诸小者，阴阳形气俱不足。
脉之浮沉及与人迎寸口气大小等者，病难已，病之在脏，沉而大者易已，小者为逆；病之在腑，
浮而大者易已。人迎盛者伤于寒，气口大伤于食。
沉细悬绝者为阴，盛躁喘数者为阳。
邪气来，紧而疾；谷气来，徐而和。
脉弱以滑，是有胃气。
形盛脉细，少气不足以息者死。形瘦脉大，胸中多气者死。形气相得者生。三伍不调者病。三部九候
皆相失者死。
上下左右之脉，相应如参舂者病；上下左右相失不可数者死。中部之脉虽独调，与中脏相失者死。
中部之脉相减者死。
沉甚曰病，弦甚曰病，涩甚曰病，数甚曰病，参见曰病，复见曰病，未去而去曰病，去而不去曰病，
反者死。
色脉已定，别之奈何？岐伯曰∶调其脉之缓、急、小、大、滑、涩，而病变定矣。
张景岳曰∶脉之见象，阴阳而已。本经谓三阳搏而勿浮，三阴搏而勿沉，是则虽有一阳、二阳、三阳
之分，而总在勿浮之例∶虽有一阴、二阴、三阴之分，而总在勿沉之例。可
见胃气之本，不大不小，不浮不沉，不迟不数，滑而不涩，此太和之人也。一自邪气胜而正气衰
，胃气竭而脏气见，遂有
太过不及之病形与脉象俱见，于是有浮、沉、大、小、缓、急、滑、涩八者之脉见。夫八者之脉，皆病
脉也，然各有所主，有于中者必形于外，要其微甚悬绝之相去，即可得之气血多少，死生之诊。故其诊法
虽有不同，而大要则有所定，所谓知要者一言而终也。
脉是血液汇聚的府库。脉象长，说明气机调畅；脉象短，说明气机有病；脉象数（快），说明心中烦闷；脉象大，说明病势进展；上部脉盛，说明气机上逆；下部脉盛，说明腹部胀满；脉象代（间歇），说明气机衰败；脉象细，说明气血不足；脉来浑浊汹涌如涌泉，说明病势进展且面色枯槁；脉去连绵不断如弓弦断裂，主死证。各种紧急的脉象多属寒证，缓怠的脉象多属热证。脉象大者多气少血，脉象小者气血皆不足。脉象滑者阳气盛，微有热；脉象涩者少血少气，微有寒。所有细小的脉象，说明阴阳、形体和气机都不足。
脉象的浮沉以及与人迎穴、寸口脉的大小比较等，若出现异常则病难治愈。病在脏，脉沉而大者易愈，脉小者为逆证；病在腑，脉浮而大者易愈。人迎脉盛者伤于寒邪，气口脉大者伤于饮食。
脉象沉细悬绝的为阴证，脉象盛躁喘数的为阳证。邪气来袭时，脉紧而疾速；谷气（胃气）来时，脉徐缓平和。脉弱而滑，说明有胃气。
形体壮盛但脉细，气息微弱不足以呼吸的，主死。形体消瘦但脉大，胸中气多的，主死。形与气相协调的，主生。三部九候脉象不调和的，主病。如果三部九候的脉象都相互失调，主死。
上下左右各处的脉象，相应如捣米般参差不齐的，主病；上下左右脉象失调无法计数的，主死。中部脉象虽然单独调和，但如果与中脏之气失调，主死。中部脉象减弱的，主死。
脉象沉甚为病，弦甚为病，涩甚为病，数甚为病，脉象交替出现为病，反复出现为病，病邪未去而脉象先退为病，病邪已去而脉象不退为病，脉证相反的主死。
色脉已经确定，如何辨别？岐伯说：调节脉象的缓、急、小、大、滑、涩，病变就能确定了。
张景岳说：脉的见象，不过是阴阳而已。《内经》说三阳脉搏动而不浮，三阴脉搏动而不沉，这说明虽然有一阳、二阳、三阳之分，但总归在不浮的原则下；虽然有一阴、二阴、三阴之分，但总归在不沉的原则下。可见胃气的根本，是不大不小，不浮不沉，不迟不数，滑而不涩，这是太和之人。一旦邪气胜而正气衰，胃气竭而脏气显露，于是就有太过不及的病形与脉象俱现，因此出现浮、沉、大、小、缓、急、滑、涩八种脉象。这八种脉象都是病脉，然而各自有所主病，内在的情况必然反映于外在，考察其轻重悬殊的差异，就可以得知气血的多少，判断死生。所以诊法虽有不同，但大要则有定规，所谓知要者一言而终也。
The pulse is the mansion of blood. A long pulse indicates regulated Qi; a short pulse indicates diseased Qi; a rapid pulse (Shu) indicates mental restlessness; a large pulse indicates advancing disease; excess at the upper part indicates rising Qi; excess at the lower part indicates abdominal distension; an intermittent pulse (Dai) indicates declining Qi; a thin pulse indicates deficiency of Qi and Blood; a pulse coming turbid and surging like a spring indicates advancing disease with sallow complexion; a pulse going continuously like a broken string indicates death. Urgent pulses are mostly cold; slack pulses are mostly heat. Large pulses indicate much Qi and little Blood; small pulses indicate deficiency of both Qi and Blood. Slippery pulses indicate abundance of Yang Qi with slight heat; choppy pulses indicate deficiency of Blood and Qi with slight cold. All small pulses indicate insufficiency of Yin-Yang, form, and Qi.
Regarding the floating/sinking nature of the pulse and its comparison in size with the Renying (ST9) and Cun Kou (Radial) pulses, if they are abnormal, the disease is difficult to cure. For diseases in the Zang organs, a deep and large pulse indicates easy recovery, while a small pulse indicates adverse prognosis; for diseases in the Fu organs, a floating and large pulse indicates easy recovery. Excess at Renying indicates injury by Cold pathogen; excess at Qikou indicates injury by food stagnation.
Deep, fine, and suspended/extinct pulses belong to Yin; excessive, restless, panting, and rapid pulses belong to Yang. When pathogenic Qi arrives, the pulse is tight and rapid; when Grain Qi (Stomach Qi) arrives, the pulse is slow and harmonious. A weak yet slippery pulse indicates the presence of Stomach Qi.
A robust body with a fine pulse and insufficient breath indicates death. A emaciated body with a large pulse and excess Qi in the chest indicates death. Harmony between form and Qi indicates life. Disharmony among the Three Regions and Nine Positions indicates disease. If the pulses of all Three Regions and Nine Positions are discordant, it indicates death.
If the pulses above and below, left and right correspond irregularly like pounding grain, it indicates disease; if the pulses above and below, left and right are discordant and uncountable, it indicates death. If the central pulse alone is harmonious but discordant with the internal Zang organs, it indicates death. If the central pulse diminishes, it indicates death.
Excessive depth indicates disease; excessive wiriness indicates disease; excessive choppy-ness indicates disease; excessive rapidity indicates disease; alternating appearances indicate disease; recurring appearances indicate disease; disappearance before the pathogen leaves indicates disease; persistence after the pathogen leaves indicates disease; contradiction between pulse and symptoms indicates death.
Once color and pulse are established, how should one differentiate? Qibo said: By regulating the pulse's slackness, urgency, smallness, largeness, slipperiness, and choppy-ness, the changes of disease can be determined.
Zhang Jingyue said: The visible manifestations of the pulse are merely Yin and Yang. The Classic states that San Yang pulses beat without being floating, and San Yin pulses beat without being sinking. Thus, although there are distinctions of One Yang, Two Yang, Three Yang, they all fall under the principle of "not floating"; although there are distinctions of One Yin, Two Yin, Three Yin, they all fall under the principle of "not sinking." This shows that the root of Stomach Qi is neither large nor small, neither floating nor sinking, neither slow nor rapid, slippery but not choppy; this is the state of a person in perfect harmony. Once pathogenic Qi prevails and righteous Qi declines, Stomach Qi exhausts and Zang Qi appears, leading to manifestations of excess or deficiency in both physical condition and pulse image. Consequently, the eight types of pulses—floating, sinking, large, small, slack, urgent, slippery, and choppy—appear. Although these eight pulses are all pathological, each has its specific indication. What is internal must manifest externally. By examining the degree of severity and disparity, one can ascertain the quantity of Qi and Blood and diagnose life or death. Therefore, although diagnostic methods vary, the general principles are fixed; knowing the essentials allows one to conclude with a single statement.