“Body Condition Poem”
The floating pulse travels only on the surface, like the light touch of a feather.
In the autumn of the third month, one knows all is well; if one has been ill for long, its presence can be alarming.
“Main Disease Poem”
The floating pulse indicates a Yang exterior condition; it may be slow with wind, rapid with heat, or tight with cold.
A strong floating pulse suggests wind-heat, while a weak floating pulse indicates blood deficiency.
“Brief Explanation” The floating pulse can be felt with a light touch on the skin, which is to say, “the floating pulse travels only on the surface.” The structure of the human body, from superficial to deep, consists of hair, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, and marrow, with flesh being the middle layer. The floating pulse is the superficial aspect.
The pulse also has a dynamic aspect; for instance, the sensation felt under the fingers is a clear upward movement, representing the outward flow of Qi energy, known as the Hong pulse. The Hong pulse is characterized by the contrast of its incoming and outgoing dynamics, with a strong influx from bone to skin and a weaker outflow from skin to bone. This can manifest as a deep Hong, a moderate Hong, or a floating Hong, representing three different levels of the Hong pulse.
The floating pulse is easily obtained, like the touch of a feather or the lightness of a leaf. The floating pulse differs from the hair pulse, which is a floating pulse with a slight inward retraction, indicating the descent of autumn Qi. At this time, the normal pulse of the body is dominated by stomach Qi, resembling the floating pulse. There are four seasons in a year, each with three months, and the ancients referred to them as Meng, Zhong, and Ji, hence the term “three autumns.”
The floating pulse is obtained by raising the hand, indicating the Qi mechanism is floating at the surface. External pathogens or internal heat are the primary causes. If a person has been ill for a long time, is weak, or has experienced severe vomiting, diarrhea, or blood loss, the presence of a floating pulse indicates a danger of Qi dispersing outward and not being able to contain itself internally, necessitating urgent internal supplementation and external consolidation.
The floating pulse is disturbed by wind pathogens; a strong floating pulse indicates wind-heat, while a tight floating pulse suggests external cold, which constricts the muscle surface. The righteous Qi struggles to resist the pathogens, and various pulse qualities can coexist. A weak, wiry, or floating pulse that is rapid, weak, floating, faint, small, or large and weak, although located at the surface, may also indicate internal deficiency.
