（素问平人气象论）
黄帝问曰∶平人何如？谓气候平和之常人也。）岐伯对曰∶人一呼脉再动，一吸脉亦再动，呼吸定息脉五动，闰以太
息，命曰平人。平人者不病也。（出气曰呼，入气曰吸，一呼一吸，总名一息。动，至也。再动，两至也。常人之脉，一
呼两至，一吸亦两至。呼吸定息，谓一息既尽而换息未起之际也，脉又一至，故曰五动。闰，余也，犹闰月之谓。言平
人常息之外，间有一息甚长者，是为闰以太息，而又不止五至也。此即平人不病之常度。然则总计定息、太息之数，大
约一息脉当六至，故五十营篇曰∶呼吸定息，脉行六寸。乃合一至一寸也。呼吸脉行丈尺，见经络类二十六。）常以不病
调病患，医不病，故为病患平息以调之为法。（不病者其息匀，病者其息乱。医者不病，故能为病患平息以调者，以其息
匀也。是为调诊之法。）人一呼脉一动，一吸脉一动，曰少气。（脉为血气之道路，而脉之营运在乎气。若一呼一吸，脉
各一动，则一息二至，减于常人之半矣，以正气衰竭也，故曰少气，十四难谓之离经。）人一呼脉三动，一吸脉三动而躁，
尺热曰病温，尺不热脉滑曰病风，脉涩曰痹。（若不因定息太息而呼吸各三动，是一息六至矣，难经谓之离经。躁者，急
疾之谓。尺热，言尺中近臂之处有热者，必其通身皆热也。脉数躁而身有热，故知为病温。数滑而尺不热者，阳邪盛也，
故当病风；然风之伤人，其变不一，不独在于肌表，故尺不热也。涩为血不调，故当病痹。风痹二证之详，见疾病类本
条。脉法曰∶滑，不涩也，往来流利。涩，不滑也，如雨 沙。滑为血实气壅，涩为气滞血少。）人一呼脉四动以上曰死，
脉绝不至曰死，乍疏乍数曰死。（一呼四动，则一息八至矣，况以上乎？难经谓之夺精。四至曰脱精，五至曰死，六至曰
命尽，是皆一呼四至以上也，故死。脉绝不至则元气已竭，乍疏乍数则阴阳败乱无主，均为死脉。数音朔。）
黄帝问道：所谓“平人”是指什么样的人？（指气候调和、身体健康的常人。）岐伯回答说：正常人在一次呼气时脉搏跳动两次，一次吸气时脉搏也跳动两次，在一呼一吸之间的停顿（定息）时脉搏再跳动一次，加上偶尔出现的深长呼吸（太息），平均每分钟脉搏跳动约六次，这样的人称为“平人”。所谓平人，就是没有疾病的人。（呼出气叫呼，吸入气叫吸，一呼一吸合称一息。动，即至数。再动，即两次。常人的脉象，一呼两至，一吸亦两至。呼吸定息，指的是一息结束而换气尚未开始之际，此时脉搏又多跳动一次，所以说五动。闰，意为余数，就像闰月一样。意思是说在平常的呼吸次数之外，偶尔会有一息特别长的情况，这就是“闰以太息”，因此脉搏不止五次。这就是平人不生病的正常标准。那么总计定息和太息的次数，大约一息脉搏应当跳动六次，所以《五十营篇》说：“呼吸定息，脉行六寸。”这正是一息对应一寸的道理。关于呼吸与脉行的丈尺关系，详见经络类第二十六节。）通常以健康人的呼吸节奏来调整对病人的诊断，医生因为自身健康，所以能够通过平稳自己的呼吸来为病人诊脉作为法则。（不生病的人呼吸均匀，生病的人呼吸紊乱。医生身体健康，所以能为病人通过平稳呼吸来诊脉，是因为医生的呼吸是均匀的。这就是调诊的方法。）如果一个人一次呼气脉搏只跳动一次，一次吸气脉搏也只跳动一次，这叫作“少气”。（脉是血气运行的道路，而脉的运行依赖于气。如果一呼一吸，脉搏各跳动一次，那么一息只有两次，比常人减少了一半，这是由于正气衰竭所致，所以叫作“少气”，《难经》称之为“离经”。）如果一个人一次呼气脉搏跳动三次，一次吸气脉搏也跳动三次且急促，尺部皮肤发热，这是温病；尺部皮肤不发热但脉搏滑利，这是风病；脉搏涩滞，这是痹证。（如果不考虑定息和太息，仅看呼吸各三次，那么一息就六次了，《难经》称之为“离经”。躁，指急疾。尺热，指尺部靠近手臂的地方有热感，这说明全身都发热。脉搏数且躁动且身体发热，所以知道是温病。脉搏数且滑利但尺部不热，说明阳邪盛，所以应当患风病；然而风邪伤人，变化不一，不仅仅在肌表，所以尺部不热。涩表示血行不调，所以应当患痹证。关于风和痹证的详细情况，见疾病类本条。脉法说：滑，就是不涩，往来流利。涩，就是不滑，像雨落沙上。滑代表血实气壅，涩代表气滞血少。）如果一个人一次呼气脉搏跳动四次以上，或者脉搏完全停止不再跳动，或者脉搏忽快忽慢，这些都是死兆。（一次呼气四动，那么一息就是八次了，何况超过四次呢？《难经》称之为“夺精”。四至叫脱精，五至叫死，六至叫命尽，这些都属于一呼四至以上的情况，所以主死。脉搏绝迹不再跳动，说明元气已经竭尽；脉搏忽疏忽密，说明阴阳败乱失去主宰，都是死脉。数的读音同“朔”。）
*Suwen: Pingren Qixiang Lun* (Plain Questions: Normal People and Pulse Phenomena)
The Yellow Emperor asked, "What is meant by a 'Pingren' (normal person)?" (Referring to an individual in a state of harmonious climate and health.) Qibo replied, "In a normal person, the pulse beats twice during one exhalation and twice during one inhalation. During the pause between breaths (Dingxi), it beats once more. Occasionally, a deep long breath (Taixi) occurs, resulting in an average rate that defines a Pingren. A Pingren is one who is free from disease." (Exhaling air is called 'Hu', inhaling air is called 'Xi'. One Hu and one Xi together are termed one 'Xi' (breath cycle). 'Dong' refers to the beat or 'Zhi'. 'Zai dong' means two beats. The pulse of a common person beats twice per exhalation and twice per inhalation. 'Dingxi' refers to the moment when one breath cycle ends and the next has not yet begun; at this point, the pulse beats once more, hence 'five beats'. 'Run' means surplus, similar to a leap month. This implies that besides regular breathing cycles, there is occasionally one exceptionally long breath cycle, known as 'Run yi Taixi', so the pulse exceeds five beats. This is the standard measure for a healthy person. Therefore, counting both Dingxi and Taixi, the pulse should approximately beat six times per Xi. Thus, the *Fifty Ying Pian* states: 'During Dingxi, the pulse travels six cun.' This corresponds to one beat equating to one cun. For details on pulse travel distance relative to respiration, see Meridians Category, Section 26.) Generally, one uses the breathing rhythm of a healthy person to calibrate the diagnosis of a patient. Since the physician is healthy, they can regulate their own steady breathing to diagnose the patient as a method. (Those without illness have even breathing, while those with illness have irregular breathing. Because the physician is healthy, they can achieve steady breathing for diagnosis, ensuring accuracy. This is the method of diagnostic calibration.) If a person's pulse beats only once per exhalation and once per inhalation, it is called 'Shaoqi' (deficiency of Qi). (The pulse is the pathway for blood and Qi, and its movement depends on Qi. If the pulse beats only once per exhalation and once per inhalation, totaling two beats per Xi, it is half the normal rate, indicating exhaustion of righteous Qi, thus termed 'Shaoqi', which the *Nanjing* calls 'Lijing' [departing from the standard].) If a person's pulse beats three times per exhalation and three times per inhalation, and is rapid (Zao), with heat in the Chi region (wrist area near the elbow), it indicates 'Bing Wen' (warm disease); if the Chi region is not hot but the pulse is slippery (Hua), it indicates 'Bing Feng' (wind disease); if the pulse is choppy (Se), it indicates 'Bi' syndrome. (Without considering Dingxi or Taixi, three beats per phase total six beats per Xi, which the *Nanjing* calls 'Lijing'. 'Zao' means rapid and urgent. 'Chi re' refers to heat in the Chi region near the arm, implying general body heat. A rapid, urgent pulse with fever indicates warm disease. A rapid, slippery pulse without Chi heat indicates excess Yang pathogen, suggesting wind disease; however, wind pathogens vary and may not affect the surface alone, hence no Chi heat. 'Se' indicates disordered blood flow, suggesting Bi syndrome. See Disease Category for details on Wind and Bi syndromes. Pulse theory states: 'Hua' means not Se, flowing smoothly. 'Se' means not Hua, like rain falling on sand. 'Hua' signifies excess blood and stagnant Qi; 'Se' signifies stagnant Qi and deficient blood.) If a person's pulse beats four times or more per exhalation, or if the pulse ceases entirely, or if it fluctuates irregularly between slow and fast, these are signs of death. (Four beats per exhalation mean eight beats per Xi, let alone more. The *Nanjing* calls this 'Duojing' [loss of essence]. Four beats indicate loss of essence, five beats indicate death, six beats indicate end of life; all fall under four beats per exhalation or more, hence fatal. Complete cessation of the pulse indicates exhaustion of Yuan Qi. Irregular fluctuations indicate chaos of Yin and Yang without control, both being fatal pulses. 'Shuo' is pronounced like 'Shuo'.)