尝读太素脉而知其伪也。夫脉法创自轩岐，用以测病情，决死生而已，安得征休征咎，比于
师巫，甚矣杨上善之好诞也。每求其故而不得。后见华佗拟病患于十年之后，以为病去亦
十年死。病存亦十年死，病不能为人死生，因劝其人勿治。佗固汉之异人也。此以脉论耶，抑
以脉中之数论耶？意此病所患既深，虽药无效，又非急证，可以迁延，计其短期，至久乃验，即
如《内经》所云，某病某日笃，某日死者是也。但佗决之于十年之前，故后人遂 为神，反至
略病而重数。上善特有小慧，见佗之行事，托之太素，阴祖其意而畅其说。学人喜其新奇，互
相附和，妄谓尘埃识天子，场屋决元魁。好事之流更从而和之，欺世盗名，所从来久矣。就中
亦有可录之句。如曰∶“脉形圆净，至数分明。谓之清。脉形散涩，至数模糊。谓之浊。质清脉清，
富贵而多喜。质浊脉浊，贫贱而多忧。质清脉浊，此谓清中之浊，外富贵而内贫贱。质浊脉清，
此谓浊中之清，外贫贱而内富贵。若清不甚清浊不甚浊，其得失相半，而无大得丧也。富贵
而寿，脉清而长。贫贱而夭，脉浊而促。清而促者，富贵而夭。浊而长者，贫贱而寿。”予尝以此
验人，百不失一。然考其底蕴，总不出乎风鉴，使风鉴精则太素无漏义矣。至其甚者，索隐行
怪，无所不至，并且诋呵正业，以为不能穷造化之巧，操先知之术。孔子曰∶“攻乎异端，斯害
也已。”其太素脉之谓夫！或曰。上善不足论，而佗亦有遗义耶？夫佗之技甚精，而其说又安
能无弊乎？天下而尽守佗之说也，则将使病浅者日深，病深者日殆，视岐黄为赘疣，而药饵
可尽废，临病不治，但委于命，弛慎疾之心，趋夭枉之路，岂不哀乎！故以病之不可治而勉求
治，未必无稍延之岁月；以病之或可治而不求治，势将有坐失之机宜；须善通佗之意而一
笑上善之术，斯得之矣。
我曾经阅读《太素脉》并知道它是伪造的。脉法由黄帝（轩）和岐伯（岐）创立，用来推测病情、判断生死罢了，怎么能用来预测吉凶祸福，等同于巫师呢？杨上善真是太喜欢荒诞了。我每次探究其中的缘由却不得其解。后来看到华佗将病患预测在十年之后，认为即使病好了也是十年后死，病没好也是十年后死，疾病并不能决定人的生死，因此劝那个人不要治疗。华佗确实是汉代的奇人。这是通过脉象来论述呢，还是通过脉象中的数理来论述呢？我想这个病患患病既已深重，虽然药物无效，又不是急症，可以拖延，计算其短期寿命，直到很久以后才验证，就像《内经》所说的，某病在某日加重，在某日死亡一样。但华佗在十年之前就做出了判断，所以后人于是把他神化，反而轻视病情而重视数理。杨上善只是有点小聪明，看到华佗的事迹，依托于《太素》，暗中以他的意思为祖述并阐发其学说。求学的人喜欢它的新奇，互相附和，妄言能从尘埃中识别天子，从考场中决断状元。好事之徒更跟着附和，欺世盗名，由来已久了。其中也有可以记录的句子。比如说道：“脉形圆净，至数分明。称为清。脉形散涩，至数模糊。称为浊。体质清脉象清，富贵且多喜悦。体质浊脉象浊，贫贱且多忧愁。体质清脉象浊，这叫做清中之浊，外表富贵内心贫贱。体质浊脉象清，这叫做浊中之清，外表贫贱内心富贵。如果清得不甚清，浊得不甚浊，得失各半，没有大的得失。富贵且长寿，脉象清而长。贫贱且短命，脉象浊而促。清而促者，富贵但短命。浊而长者，贫贱但长寿。”我曾经用这些来验证人，百无一失。然而考察其底蕴，总不出乎风鉴（面相术），使风鉴精通则太素脉就没有遗漏的意义了。至于那些极端的，索隐行怪，无所不用其极，并且诋毁正业，认为不能穷尽造化的巧妙，掌握预知的技术。孔子说：“钻研异端邪说，这就有害了。”说的就是太素脉吧！有人说：杨上善不值得评论，难道华佗也有遗留的弊端吗？华佗的技术非常精湛，但他的说法又怎么没有弊端呢？如果天下人都只坚守华佗的说法，那么将使病浅的人日渐加深，病深的人日渐危险，视黄帝岐伯为累赘，而药物完全可以废除，面对疾病不治疗，只委命于天命，松懈谨慎养生的心，走向夭折枉死的道路，岂不悲哀吗！所以对于不可治的病而努力求治，未必没有稍微延长岁月；对于或许能治的病而不求治，势必会有坐失良机的情况；必须善于通晓华佗的意思而一笑置之杨上善的术数，这才是正确的做法。
I once read the *Taisu Mai* (Grand Origin Pulse Method) and knew it to be a forgery. The pulse diagnosis method was initiated by Huangdi (Yellow Emperor, Xuan) and Qibo (Qí), used solely to assess the condition of illness and determine life and death. How can it be used to predict auspiciousness or calamity, equating itself with shamans? Yang Shangshan was indeed fond of absurdity. I often sought its rationale but could not find it. Later, I saw Hua Tuo predicting a patient's fate ten years hence, stating that whether the disease was cured or not, death would occur in ten years. Since disease cannot dictate life and death, he advised the person against treatment. Hua Tuo was truly an extraordinary figure of the Han Dynasty. Was this based on pulse diagnosis, or on numerical calculations within the pulse? I surmise that since the disease was deeply entrenched, although medicine would be ineffective, and it was not an acute syndrome allowing for delay, calculating the short-term prognosis would eventually be verified, just as stated in the *Neijing* (Inner Canon): "This disease will worsen on such-and-such day and cause death on such-and-such day." However, Hua Tuo made his judgment ten years in advance, so later generations deified him, thereby neglecting the actual disease while overemphasizing numerology. Yang Shangshan possessed only minor wit; seeing Hua Tuo's deeds, he appropriated them into the *Taisu*, secretly taking Hua Tuo's intent as his ancestor and elaborating upon it. Scholars, pleased by its novelty, echoed each other, falsely claiming one could identify emperors from dust and determine top scholars from examination halls. Busybodies followed suit, deceiving the world to steal fame, a practice long established. Among them, there are sentences worth recording. For instance: "If the pulse form is round and pure, with distinct rhythm, it is called 'Clear'. If the pulse form is scattered and choppy, with blurred rhythm, it is called 'Turbid'. Clear constitution and clear pulse indicate wealth, honor, and much joy. Turbid constitution and turbid pulse indicate poverty, low status, and much worry. Clear constitution but turbid pulse is called 'Turbidity within Clarity', indicating external wealth/honor but internal poverty/low status. Turbid constitution but clear pulse is called 'Clarity within Turbidity', indicating external poverty/low status but internal wealth/honor. If neither clearly clear nor clearly turbid, gains and losses are half-and-half, with no great gain or loss. Wealthy and long-lived: pulse is clear and long. Poor and short-lived: pulse is turbid and rapid. Clear yet rapid: wealthy but short-lived. Turbid yet long: poor but long-lived." I have tested these on people and rarely failed. However, examining its essence, it does not exceed Fengjian (physiognomy). If physiognomy were refined, the Taisu Mai would have no unexplored meanings. At its worst, it delves into hidden mysteries and bizarre behaviors, going to extremes, even denigrating orthodox practices, claiming they cannot exhaust the ingenuity of creation or master the art of precognition. Confucius said, "To study heterodox doctrines is harmful." This refers precisely to the Taisu Mai! Some might say: Yang Shangshan is not worth discussing, but did Hua Tuo also leave behind flaws? Hua Tuo's skills were exquisite, yet how could his theories lack defects? If everyone in the world strictly adhered to Hua Tuo's words, those with mild diseases would become deeper, and those with severe diseases more critical. One would view Huangdi and Qibo as superfluous, discard all medicines, refuse treatment when ill, resign oneself to fate, relax vigilance regarding health preservation, and head toward premature death. Is this not tragic? Therefore, striving for treatment for incurable diseases may not fail to extend life slightly; refusing treatment for curable diseases inevitably leads to missed opportunities. One must understand Hua Tuo's intent well and dismiss Yang Shangshan's methods with a smile; this is the correct approach.