典藏书目

Question: Regarding pulse and disease, how can one determine if a disease is about to be cured? Answer: If the pulses at the Cun (Inch), Guan (Bar), and Chi (Cubit) positions are equal in magnitude, floating/sinking, and slow/rapid, even if cold and heat symptoms have not yet resolved, this pulse indicates a state of Yin-Yang harmony. Although the condition may be severe, it will surely heal. (The *Needle Classic · Forbidden Service Chapter* states: The Cun pulse and the Yingxiang pulse respond to each other; if they are equal in size like a straightened rope, this is called a "Ping Ren" (healthy person). This refers to the hand's Cun pulse being equal to the Yingxiang pulse beside the throat as a sign of health. The following clause also states: When all six pulses show Yin-Yang cessation, there must first be shivering, followed by sweating and resolution.) Generally, when a patient presents with Jue (reversal) pulse, rapid and frequent movement, which becomes slower after taking herbal decoctions, changes from floating and large to smaller, and from restless to quiet, these are all signs of recovery. A pulse that is floating and rapid but fine upon pressure, accompanied by a warm body in the patient, indicates the disease is about to resolve. Any illness where the patient desires to drink water indicates impending recovery. For Taiyin wind strike, a pulse that is slightly weak in the Yang position, choppy and long in the Yin position, indicates recovery. For Shaoyin wind strike, a pulse that is slightly weak in the Yang position and floating in the Yin position indicates recovery. For Jueyin wind strike, a slightly floating pulse indicates recovery; if not floating, it has not yet recovered.

Taiyang disease does not resolve between Si and Wei hours (9:00-15:00); Yangming disease resolves between Shen and Xu hours (15:00-21:00); Shaoyang disease resolves between Yin and Chen hours (3:00-9:00); Taiyin disease resolves between Hai and Chou hours (21:00-3:00); Shaoyin disease resolves between Zi and Yin hours (23:00-3:00); Jueyin disease resolves between Chou and Mao hours (1:00-7:00).

Question: How can one know when a disease was contracted and when it will be cured? Answer: For example, if one contracts a disease at noon and recovers at midnight, it is because Yang obtains Yin to resolve. If one contracts a disease at midnight and recovers at noon, it is because Yin obtains Yang to resolve. Family members inquire: "The patient suffers from fever and body pain, lying down." The physician arrives, palpates the pulse, finds it deep and slow, and knows the patient will recover. Why? Because for exterior diseases, the pulse should be floating and large; now it is deep and slow, hence we know recovery. If the patient says, "Sudden abdominal pain," and sits up. The physician palpates the pulse, finds it floating and large, and knows the patient will recover. Why? Because for interior diseases, the pulse should be deep and thin; now it is floating and large, hence we know recovery.

Question: Why do some patients resolve through chattering/shivering followed by sweating? Answer: A pulse that is floating and tight, but hollow (Kou pulse) upon pressure, indicates underlying deficiency. Therefore, shivering and subsequent sweating are expected. Since the person is fundamentally deficient, shivering occurs; because the pulse is floating, sweating and resolution occur. If the pulse is floating and rapid, but not hollow upon pressure, the person is not fundamentally deficient. If self-resolution occurs, only sweating happens without shivering. Question: Why do some patients resolve without shivering or sweating? Answer: Their pulse is naturally slight, because they previously underwent diaphoresis, emesis, purgation, or blood loss, leading to internal fluid depletion. They await natural Yin-Yang harmony, which leads to self-healing; thus, no shivering or sweating occurs during resolution.

Shanghai Zang Yun: Resolution after shivering belongs to Taiyang; resolution with sweating but no shivering belongs to Yangming; resolution without shivering and without sweating belongs to Shaoyang.

If Taiyang disease has not resolved and both Yin and Yang pulses cease, there must first be shivering, followed by sweating and resolution. If the Yang pulse is slight, resolution occurs via sweating; if the Yin pulse is slight, resolution occurs via purgation.

Hai: When Taiyang transmits to Yangming, there may be downward syndrome indications. If Yangming symptoms retreat without fever or thirst, but Shaoyang symptoms appear, it indicates resolution is possible. For Taiyang, resolution is indicated by absence of headache, neck stiffness, and limb joint pain, suggesting the exterior pathogen is easy to resolve. For Yangming, resolution is indicated by absence of fever and aversion to heat, suggesting the interior pathogen is easy to resolve. For Shaoyang, resolution is indicated when the timing of alternating chills and fever shifts and is no longer fixed, showing the pathogen has not fully retreated. If Chaihu Tang (Bupleurum Decoction) is used, shifting the timing—early to late, late to early—moves Qi into Blood and Blood into Qi, leaving no place for the pathogen to reside, indicating resolution. The pulse for resolvability is floating and deficient; the pulse for non-resolvability is floating and excess. Floating and deficient indicates the pathogen is only in the Exterior; floating and excess indicates the pathogen is already in the Interior. Excessive sweating without resolution indicates transmission to Yangming disease.