■ Fu Mai (Floating Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
The floating pulse rises from the flesh, light as the willow catkin;
In autumn, it indicates no illness, but in chronic disease, it can be alarming.
Similar Condition Poem:
Floating like wood in water, large and hollow is the Qiao (Soggy Pulse),
It floats when tapped, indicating the Hong Mai (Surging Pulse), though it may seem abundant, it departs slowly.
Floating and light, like twisting scallions, weak and late, it feels empty;
Floating and soft, it is Ru Mai (Soft Pulse), scattered like willow fluff with no fixed trace.
Main Disease Poem:
The floating pulse indicates exterior Yang diseases, with slow wind, heat, and tight cold;
Strong and floating suggests wind-heat, weak and floating indicates blood deficiency.
Floating at the inch indicates headache and dizziness from wind, or phlegm wind gathering in the chest,
At the guan, earth is weak and wood is strong, at the chi, urination is obstructed.
■ Chen Mai (Deep Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
Water flows down, the pulse comes deep, soft and smooth between muscles and bones,
For women at the inch, for men at the chi, this is the norm across the four seasons.
Similar Condition Poem:
Deep helps adjust muscles and bones, pressing down feels like touching the bones;
Deep and fine like cotton is the true weak pulse, while the strong and large is the solid form.
Main Disease Poem:
Deep and hidden water accumulates in Yin channels, with heat and cold, slippery phlegm;
Weak and deep indicates deficiency of Qi, deep and strong indicates accumulation and cold,
Floating at the inch indicates phlegm stagnation and water retention in the chest,
At the guan, it indicates internal cold pain, at the chi, it indicates turbid discharge and diarrhea.
■ Chi Mai (Slow Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
Slow pulse arrives with three beats, Yang cannot overcome Yin, Qi and blood are cold,
Only by distinguishing floating and deep can we know the exterior and interior, to dispel Yin, we must nourish the fire source.
Similar Condition Poem:
Three beats of the pulse indicate slowness, slightly faster than slow is the moderate pulse,
Slow and fine, difficult to discern is the Se Mai (Soggy Pulse), floating and slow indicates deficiency.
Main Disease Poem:
Slow indicates organ diseases or phlegm accumulation, deep chronic conditions require careful observation,
Strong and slow indicates cold pain, slow and weak indicates deficiency and cold.
Floating slow indicates upper jiao cold, at the guan indicates internal cold pain,
At the chi, it indicates kidney deficiency, lower back and lower abdomen pain, with urination issues.
■ Shu Mai (Rapid Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
Rapid pulse beats six times per breath, Yin is weak and Yang is strong, must discern floating and deep for deficiency and excess,
Only children show auspicious signs.
Similar Condition Poem:
Rapid beats one more than normal, tight like a string,
Rapid and stopping is called Cu Mai (Interrupted Pulse), rapid in the guan indicates arterial shape.
Main Disease Poem:
Rapid pulse indicates Yang heat, treat with the fire of the sovereign,
Excess should cool and drain, deficiency should warm and tonify,
Lung disease in autumn fears this.
Floating rapid indicates throat and tongue sores, coughing up blood, lung ulcers,
At the guan indicates stomach fire and liver fire, at the chi indicates nourishing Yin and lowering fire decoction.
■ Hua Mai (Slippery Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
Slippery pulse like beads, flowing smoothly yet returning,
Similar Condition Poem:
Do not confuse slippery with rapid, rapid pulse is only seen in rapid intervals.
Main Disease Poem:
Slippery pulse indicates Yang Qi decline, phlegm causes numerous diseases, food causes disasters,
Above indicates vomiting, below accumulates blood, women’s pulse regulates time for pregnancy:
Floating slippery indicates phlegm causing vomiting, sour swallowing, or coughing,
At the guan indicates food stagnation, liver and spleen heat, thirst, diarrhea, and dysuria at the chi.
■ Se Mai (Soggy Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
Fine, slow, and short, soggy pulse is difficult to discern,
Like rain on sand, easily scattered, diseases consume leaves slowly and painfully.
Similar Condition Poem:
Imbalance in combinations is called soggy, light knife scraping bamboo is short and difficult,
Similar to a second pulse, slightly thicker than fine.
Main Disease Poem:
Soggy due to blood deficiency or damage to essence, counteracting stomach Yang, sweating in rain,
Cold and damp enter the blood causing blood stasis, women not pregnant or without menstruation.
Floating soggy indicates heart deficiency pain in the chest, stomach deficiency, and rib distension at the guan,
At the chi indicates both essence and blood are damaged, constipation, dysuria, or blood in stool.
■ Xu Mai (Weak Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
Weak pulse is slow and large, pressing it feels like nothing,
Similar Condition Poem:
Do not confuse Qiao (Hollow Pulse) with this, Qiao is large and floating like a scallion.
Main Disease Poem:
Weak pulse with body heat indicates heat injury, spontaneous sweating, palpitations, and anxiety,
Fever due to Yin deficiency must be treated early, nourishing blood and Qi should not be delayed.
Blood not nourishing the heart at the inch indicates weakness,
At the guan indicates abdominal distension and difficulty in eating,
At the chi indicates bone steaming, rashes, and blood injury, located at the Shenmen (Spirit Gate) of both sides.
■ Shi Mai (Full Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
Floating and deep, both large and long, pressing feels strong and full,
Heat accumulates in the three burners forming strong fire,
To open the intestines and induce sweating is the way to health.
Similar Condition Poem:
Full pulse is strong and powerful, tight like a spring,
Must know that a solid pulse supports muscles and bones, full and slightly wiry is longer.
Main Disease Poem:
Full pulse indicates Yang fire accumulation, causing madness, delirium, and frequent vomiting,
Or it may be Yang toxicity or food injury.Constipation or Qi pain.
Floating full indicates heat in the face, throat pain, strong tongue, and Qi filling the chest,
At the guan indicates spleen heat and fullness, at the chi indicates waist and intestinal pain.
■ Chang Mai (Long Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
Longer than normal, the pulse is called long, if it is string-like, it is not so.
Similar Condition Poem:
String pulse and long pulse are quite different, a good practitioner can measure accurately.
Main Disease Poem:
Long pulse is even and large, abnormal for disease like a tethered rope,
If not Yang toxicity or epilepsy, it is deep Yangming heat.
■ Duan Mai (Short Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
Both ends shrink, called short, soggy, short, slow, fine, and difficult.
Similar Condition Poem:
Short and soggy, floating is seen in autumn, spring is a thief with evil interference.
Main Disease Poem:
Short pulse is only found at the inch, short and slippery indicates wine injury to the spirit,
Floating indicates blood stasis, deep indicates fullness,
At the inch indicates headache, at the chi indicates abdominal pain.
■ Hong Mai (Surging Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
Pulse comes surging, strong and then weak, filling the fingers like a tide in summer,
If in spring, autumn, or winter, rising Yang and dispersing fire should not be doubted.
Similar Condition Poem:
Surging pulse comes strong and then weak,
To know the full pulse, measure the string-like long and firm.
Main Disease Poem:
Surging pulse indicates strong Yang and weak blood,
Yang fire burns hot, causing illness,
Distension and fullness in the stomach must be treated early, Yin deficiency with diarrhea can be concerning.
At the inch indicates heart fire in the upper jiao,
At the chi indicates kidney deficiency and Yang fire.
■ Wei Mai (Weak Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
Weak pulse is light and fluttering, pressing it feels like nothing,
Similar Condition Poem:
Weak indicates weak Yang and weak Yin, fine is slightly thicker than weak.
Main Disease Poem:
Qi and blood are weak, pulse is also weak, aversion to cold, fever, and profuse sweating,
Men suffer from extreme fatigue and various deficiencies, women experience bleeding and discharge.
At the inch indicates shortness of breath or palpitations,
At the guan indicates fullness and distension,
At the chi indicates deficiency of essence and blood, aversion to cold, pain, and moaning.
■ Jin Mai (Tight Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
Like a twisted rope, tight like a string, the pulse is named tight due to this.
It is caused by cold evil invading, internal abdominal pain, and external body aches,
Similar Condition Poem:
See string and full pulses.
Main Disease Poem:
Tight indicates various pains due to cold, wheezing, coughing, wind, and vomiting cold phlegm,
Floating tight indicates exterior cold, tight deep indicates warmth and dispersal for natural peace.
At the inch indicates Qi at the mouth, at the guan indicates heart and abdominal pain,
At the chi indicates tightness due to cold, indicating running piglet and hernia pain.
■ Huan Mai (Relaxed Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
Relaxed pulse is soft and flowing, like willow branches swaying in the light breeze,
To seek spirit and Qi from the pulse, it lies in the calm and relaxed state.
Similar Condition Poem:
See slow pulse.
Main Disease Poem:
Relaxed pulse indicates weak Ying and excess Wei,
Either wind, dampness, or spleen deficiency,
Above indicates neck stiffness, below indicates weakness,
Distinguish floating and deep for size.
At the inch indicates wind evil in the neck and back,
At the guan indicates dizziness and stomach deficiency,
At the chi indicates Yin deficiency or wind secretions, or weakness in the legs.
■ Qiao Mai (Hollow Pulse)
Body Condition Poem:
Qiao pulse is large and floating, light as a scallion,
Fire invades Yang channels, blood overflows,
Heat invades Yin vessels, causing red flow.
Similar Condition Poem:
Hollow in the middle, solid on the sides is called Qiao,
Floating large and slow indicates a weak pulse,
Qiao with a string indicates a change, Qiao indicates blood loss and blood deficiency.
Main Disease Poem:
At the inch, Qiao indicates blood accumulation in the chest,
At the guan indicates intestinal abscess,
At the chi indicates excessive bleeding, red dysentery, and leakage during menstruation.