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Chapter 1 of 28
濒湖脉学
This text consists of several prefaces and postscripts: two written by others for Li Shizhen's Qijing Bamai Kao (Study of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians), one autobiographical preface by Li Shizhen for his [Pinhu] Mai Xue, and an accompanying bibliography. The core message is not merely "teaching how to feel the pulse," but rather correcting the prevailing tendency of his time to mystify pulse diagnosis while neglecting the comprehensive synthesis of all four diagnostic methods.
Inscription for the Qijing Bamai Kao
The term "Eight Extraordinary Meridians" had long been known to me, yet its mysteries remained elusive. Now, having read Mr. Li Shizhen's Study of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, the origins and pathways are meticulously detailed, the meridian networks are clearly connected, and I feel as though a fog has lifted from my mind and my chest has been opened wide. Truly, this work may be called a guide for Daoist longevity practitioners and physicians alike to enter the hall of enlightenment. However, unless one is an insider, it is not easy to appreciate its true flavor. Mr. Li Shizhen has read widely, studied both ancient and modern sources, and has written on various schools of thought; this book is but a small portion of his scholarship. Therefore, I humbly summarize its main ideas and write this preface. Written mid-autumn, on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, in the Ren Shen year of the Longqing era (1572), by Wu Zhe of Daonan, bowing respectfully.
Introduction to the Qijing Bamai Kao
The Qijing Bamai Kao is a work compiled and edited by Mr. Li Shizhen for the purpose of saving lives. The human body's meridians include both the primary (regular) channels and the extraordinary meridians. This book focuses exclusively on the detailed examination of the extraordinary meridians precisely because they are often neglected by practitioners, and hence receives particularly thorough elucidation. The causes of disease and their treatment methods are laid out with complete clarity, as if pointing to the palm of one's hand. Not only does medicine gain a dependable foundation, but Daoist cultivation practitioners may also perceive through it the true mechanism of the body's qi transformation and creation. How diligent is such effort, and how benevolent!
Li Shizhen's family has been engaged in scholarship for generations, and also renowned for their medical skill. The father, sons, and brothers have all produced abundant works; this book merely offers a glimpse of their learning in one area. Someone asked me about him, and I had previously praised him for his uprightness, integrity, and broad erudition. I therefore take the liberty of writing a few words at the beginning of this work to inform future gentlemen of character. Written at the beginning of summer, on the Xiao Shu day, in the Ding Chou year of the Wanli era (1577), by Gu Wen of Tongli, bowing with head to the ground.
Bibliography of Texts Examined
The original preface also includes a list of examined texts, numbering dozens: from the Huangdi Suwen with Wang Bing's annotations, the Lingshu Jing, various commentaries on the Nanjing, to Zhang Zhongjing's Shanghan Lun and Jinkui Yaolue, Wang Shuhe's Maijing, Sun Simiao's Qianjin Fang, Wang Tao's Waitai Miyao, as well as various pulse formulas and medical formularies from successive dynasties. This list demonstrates the clear scholarly lineage of the present work.
Preface to the [Pinhu] Mai Xue
Li Shizhen says: During the Song dynasty, persons of shallow learning compiled pulse formulas chaotically, their content crude and erroneous. Medical students, however, took them as beginner's textbooks, continuing to study them until their hair turned white while their understanding of pulse theory remained hopelessly muddled. Dai Tongfu wrote a work to correct their errors, and my late father, the Old Man Yuechi, authored the Sizhen faming (Elucidation of the Four Diagnostic Methods) in eight volumes, both works being profound and subtle. Yet beginners find it difficult to gain entry. I have therefore distilled their essence and take the liberty of compiling this present work, to facilitate study and memorization, serving as a guide for pulse diagnosis. Physicians and patients alike in this world regard pulse-taking as the foremost concern. Little do they know that pulse diagnosis is but the last of the four diagnostic methods (inspection, auscultation-olfaction, inquiry, and palpation) — it is but a matter of skill. The accomplished practitioner seeks comprehensive understanding; to neglect any of the four examinations is insufferable. Written on the Shangyuan Festival day of the Jia Zi year of the Jiajing era (1564), inscribed at the Pinhu Thatched Lodge.
Four Diagnoses in Synthesis — Pulse Is the Last of the Four
Li Shizhen explicitly opposed the tendency to overemphasize pulse diagnosis alone. Inspection, listening/smelling, inquiry, and palpation form an integrated whole. Although pulse-taking is important, it cannot substitute for the other three methods. A truly capable physician must master all four to grasp the complete picture of an illness.
Equal Weight for Extraordinary and Primary Meridians — Neither May Be Neglected
The reason the Qijing Bamai Kao focuses specifically on the extraordinary meridians is that the twelve primary channels are commonly emphasized by physicians. The Eight Extraordinary Meridians (Du/Supervisor, Ren/Conception, Chong/Penetrating, Dai/Belt, Yin Qiao, Yang Qiao, Yin Wei, Yang Wei) tend to be overlooked. Li Shizhen believed that the extraordinary meridians play a special role in regulating the body's qi mechanism and the storage/release of qi and blood, and thus should not be neglected in favor of the primary channels.
Discriminating Scholarship and Tracing Sources
Li Shizhen criticized the vulgar Song-dynasty pulse formulas as "crude, erroneous, and fallacious," emphasizing that scholarship must be traced to its correct sources rather than perpetuating errors. This reflects the scholarly spirit in traditional Chinese medicine of honoring the classics and correcting popular misconceptions.
The Synthesis of Four Diagnoses Aligns with Modern Clinical Reasoning
Modern medicine likewise emphasizes that conclusions should not be drawn from a single indicator alone but from a comprehensive integration of history, physical examination, and auxiliary tests. Li Shizhen's assertion in the Ming dynasty that "all four examinations are indispensable" was remarkably astute for its time.
Pulse Diagnosis Has Partially Verifiable Value, but Should Not Be Mystified
Pulse findings can reflect information about heart rate, rhythm, vascular tone, and aspects of the circulatory system; modern pulse-taking instruments are also being developed to objectify these measurements. However, many of the refined classifications in traditional pulse diagnosis — such as floating, deep, slow, rapid, slippery, rough — cannot yet be fully mapped to modern physiological indicators. They are better understood as part of an empirical, holistic diagnostic model.
The Eight Extraordinary Meridians Constitute a Functional Model Rather Than an Anatomical Entity
To date, no anatomical structures corresponding one-to-one to the Eight Extraordinary Meridians have been identified. The concept is closer to a summary of certain physiological functions and neuro-endocrine-circulatory regulatory networks. For example, the "Chong and Ren" are often associated with reproductive endocrinology, and the "Du Meridian" with the spine and central nervous system. Some cross-disciplinary research exists on these connections, but overall they should be viewed with rationality.
Avoid Fixating on a Single Indicator or Sensation
Develop the habit of observing your health holistically — sleep, diet, mood, energy levels, sensations of cold and heat, urination and defecation — rather than becoming overly anxious about one localized discomfort or a single "pulse reading."
Be Skeptical of "Rapid Mastery" Pulse Claims
Traditional pulse diagnosis requires systematic study and long-term practice. Laypeople should not attempt to self-diagnose by taking their own pulse, nor should they readily believe exaggerated claims such as "know all diseases by touch of the pulse."
Value Combinations of Body Signals
If persistent discomfort occurs, describe your symptoms clearly for a professional physician to consider, rather than demanding that a doctor render a conclusion "from pulse alone." This approach itself aligns with Li Shizhen's reminder of the four diagnoses in synthesis.
Associated Concepts
Further Reading
Bua Gu believes that the greatest value of this preface lies in restoring pulse diagnosis to its proper place within the comprehensive framework of the four examinations, rather than mystifying a single diagnostic technique. It reminds us that the mode of thinking in traditional medicine has never been "one technique to determine disease," but rather integrated observation and holistic judgment.
This content is based on classic Chinese medical texts and is provided solely for the study and appreciation of traditional culture. It does not constitute any medical diagnosis, medication, or treatment advice; if you feel unwell, please seek medical attention promptly.