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Chapter 26 of 28
濒湖脉学
Overall Paraphrase
Dai Qizong of Jinling pointed out that the pulse cannot be rigidly classified as "superficial" or "deep." Classical physicians such as the Yellow Emperor, Qin Yueren, and Wang Shuhe never divided the pulse into the dual framework of "superficial" and "deep." The Pulse Formula (Mai Jue), falsely attributed to Wang Shuhe, invented the classification of "seven superficial, eight deep, and nine miscellaneous" pulses, which greatly misled later generations. The changes in the pulse arise from the waxing and waning of yin and yang, and can only be explained through the relative pairing of yin and yang, each category belonging according to its nature. How can one impose a fixed order of "first floating, second sinking" and split them into names like seven, eight, and nine? Generally speaking, pulses that appear at the superficial level mostly belong to the exterior, and those at the deep level mostly belong to the interior—why adhere rigidly to seven, eight, or nine categories? Liu Lizhi of Mount Lu used floating, deep, slow, and rapid as guiding principles for teaching students; this seems like a shortcut, but one must first study broadly and then return to simplicity before entering the subtlety of pulse science. If one merely stops at that, it becomes limiting.
Yingning Hua Shou said: The yin-yang and exterior-interior distinctions of the pulse establish names and signs through relative pairing. Gao Yangsheng's "seven superficial, eight deep, and nine miscellaneous" categories in the Pulse Formula are indeed far-fetched; they were intended to clarify pulse methods, but instead only obscured them further.
Master Xie said: The Pulse Classic (Mai Jing) discusses twenty-four pulse types in total, and originally had no "superficial, deep, and nine miscellaneous" categories. It describes the hollow pulse (kou) as "empty in the center, solid on both sides" and categorizes it as yin. Yet the Pulse Formula lists the hollow pulse under the seven superficial types, attributing it to yang, and states that it is "present in the middle, absent at both ends." Zhang Zhongjing's pulse method classifies floating, large, rapid, stirring (dong), and slippery as yang, and deep, rough (se), weak, string-like (xian), and faint as yin. But the Pulse Formula treats the stirring pulse as yin and the string-like pulse as yang—contradictions like these abound. From this, one can infer that the Pulse Formula is not the original work of Wang Shuhe.
Wu Cheng of Caolu said: Common practitioners mistakenly take the Pulse Formula as the Pulse Classic, while those who truly understand Wang Shuhe's Pulse Classic are rare. Pulse texts often confound the firm pulse (lao) with the leather pulse (ge). The firm pulse indicates cold with excess, and the leather indicates vacuity with cold—how can they be conflated? The pulse's floating and deep, vacuous and replete, tight and relaxed, rapid and slow, slippery and rough, long and short—these are pairwise opposites, and their matching is not easy, let alone those that are difficult to distinguish. For example, both the surging pulse (hong) and the scattered pulse (san) are relatively large, but the surging pulse has strength; the faint pulse (wei) and the thin pulse (xi) are both relatively small, but the faint pulse lacks strength. The hollow pulse resembles the floating pulse but is hollow in the center; the hidden pulse (fu) resembles the deep pulse but lacks solidity within. The pulse like a trembling bean is the stirring pulse, and the pulse taut like a drumskin that remains firm is the leather pulse—these all exist in relative pairs. There are also the abrupt (cu), bound (jie), and regularly intermittent (dai) pulses, all of which are intermittent: the abrupt is rapid, the bound is slow, and they can form a pair; the regularly intermittent has no counterpart. In total, there are twenty-seven pulses, not merely the twenty-four of the "seven superficial, eight deep, and nine miscellaneous" scheme. For further detail, see the collected works.
Li Shizhen of Binhu said: The Pulse Classic discusses only twenty-four pulse types, without the long and short pulses. The verse of the Pulse Formula also has twenty-four types, adding long and short while omitting the rapid and scattered pulses—both are erroneous. The Plain Questions, the Classic of Difficult Issues, and Zhongjing's pulse discussions only distinguish yin and yang, without fixed numbers originally. For instance, the Plain Questions mentions drumming, pounding, gasping, and transverse, while Zhongjing mentions butterfly-like, level, flourishing, writing, outline, impairment, vertical, transverse, contrary, and favorable—all these describe pulse states rather than fixed classifications. In later ages, the subtlety of pulse learning was lost, and with no standard to rely on, new names were created as a basis for classification. Nowadays, those who study the pulse attempt to match pulses against fixed diagrams and still find themselves lost at sea, let alone grasp the complete essence. Lord Caolu's remarks truly capture the essential point.
This chapter does not explain specific pulse types but engages in textual scholarship. The central argument is that "the pulse cannot be designated by superficial or deep." There are three reasons: first, pulse changes arise from the waxing and waning of yin and yang, a relative, dynamic relationship that cannot be forced into rigid categories like the "seven superficial, eight deep, and nine miscellaneous"; second, classical pulse methods use yin-yang only as the guiding framework, and pulse names were later invented for pedagogical convenience—one cannot invert the order of priority; third, Wu Cheng's examples of firm vs. leather, surging vs. faint, hollow vs. hidden, and stirring vs. hidden demonstrate that pulses should be distinguished in a relative manner, which accords with reality more closely than the mechanical division of superficial and deep.
From a modern medical standpoint, the pulse can objectively record rate, rhythm, and waveform. However, many of the traditional Chinese pulse qualities—floating, deep, slow, rapid, slippery, rough—depend heavily on the clinician's tactile experience and thus involve subjectivity and standardization difficulties. The value of this chapter lies in reminding us that ancient pulse theory also had school-based disagreements, and that works falsely attributed to famous authors can create conceptual confusion; learning traditional knowledge requires traceable textual investigation. Modern pulse research attempts to explain pulse phenomena through pulse devices and hemodynamics, but it still cannot fully replace the physician's holistic judgment. The "seven superficial, eight deep, and nine miscellaneous" scheme should be viewed as a historical attempt at classification rather than an absolute standard.
In daily life, one can note changes in pulse speed and rhythm between quiet rest and activity, using this as a form of self-observation to understand one's condition—not as a diagnostic basis. Maintaining a regular schedule and emotional equilibrium helps qi and blood to flow harmoniously, and overall rhythm remains steadier. However, when notable discomfort arises, one should seek professional medical evaluation.
— Bugu Note: This content is based on classical Chinese medicine texts and provides structured medical knowledge that is not commercially funded, supported, or influenced by any organization. It is not a substitute for professional medical consultation, nor is it a basis for diagnosis or treatment; if you feel unwell, please seek timely medical attention.