脉法: What's Up with Pulse Anyway

The following is an excerpt from 彭子益’s 圆运动古中医学, The Ancient Chinese Medicine of Circular Movement by Qing Dynasty physician and scholar of ancient Chinese medical theory PengZiYi. This book is currently being recommended by some of the great doctors of the modern PRC as an introduction to the true practice of Chinese medicine based on the understanding of cyclical energy flow within the body.

I have come back to the chapter on pulse diagnosis following the recent AWB training session in Shanghai in an attempt to flesh out and further understand the principles of Jacques’ pulse diagnosis. It is interesting that in comparing the two, I have found them almost identical in their theoretical reasoning and very similar in technique, thus indicating a common source somewhat removed from the common understanding/explanation of pulse diagnosis in modern TCM circles.


These readings are the initial steps toward a personal goal of beefing-up my own rudimentary understanding of pulse diagnosis, which as Peng indicates requires a highly integrated study approach that permeates all aspects of the medicine. Stay tuned for more commentaries, translations and with any luck, major epiphanies, as the journey continues…


学脉之法,一曰脉位,一曰指法,一曰脉象,一曰脉理。明白脉位与指法,然后能捐除自己的成见,看清脉来的真象。脉象脉理,必须于普通学法之中,有系统以贯之。


Trans:
The study of pulse diagnosis consists of pulse position, finger technique, pulse patterns and pulse theory. After understanding pulse position and finger technique, you should abandon all preconceptions in order to clearly grasp the true pattern of the pulse. It is important to have a system for the study of pulse patterns and pulse theory within the course of your ordinary studies in order to form a more integrated understanding.

指法与脉位

自来诊脉两手分诊。圆运动学的诊脉,必须两手合诊,因整个圆运动的消息,须两手合诊又须三指斜下,次指按在寸脉的浮部,中指按在关脉的中部,名指按在尺脉的沉部。沉部在骨,中部在肉,浮部在皮。斜下者,中指比次指重,名指比中指重是为三部诊法。若三指不分轻重,便不合寸关尺三部脉的本位。三部之法之中,又有九侯之法。三部九侯者,一部三侯,三部九侯。下指诊脉,不可将指头死按脉上,就如用眼睛看物,却把眼睛珠放在物上,如何能将所看之物看得明白。三部九侯指法无差。

诊脉动称为看脉,不如将看字改为听字,能将听字的意义体会有得,则诊脉必有聪明过人之处。听字比看字静得多,看是我去看他,听是听他来告我,必能听而后得整个认识也先将指头审查九个字地位,以侯脉来,指头与脉见面之后,仍不听脉,仍只审查九个字地位,有意无意之中,听出脉的病点来,然后继续搜求,由合听而分听,由分听而合听,整个脉体即是整个人体的河图。由合以求分,便知病之所在,由分以求合,便得处方的结果。总而言之,不可由我去找脉,须侯脉来告我。我去找脉,我便有成见了,就得不着脉的真象了。

On FingerTechnique and Pulse Position

From times long past, pulse diagnosis has been performed on each of the two arms separately. According to circular movement theory, pulse diagnosis must be performed on both arms simultaneously in order to fully observe information regarding the circular movement of the body as a whole…It is also necessary to use downward diagonal placement of the three fingers. The index finger is pressed to the superficial level of the cun position, the middle finger is pressed to the mid-level of the guan position, and the fourth finger is pressed to the deep level of the chi position. The deep level corresponds to the bones, the mid-level to the muscles, and the superficial level to the skin. Downward diagonal reading means the pressure applied by the middle finger is greater than that of the index finger and the pressure applied by the fourth finger is stronger than the middle finger. This is the three position method of diagnosis. If the three fingers are not differentiated according to varying degrees of pressure, they will not correspond to the fundamental positioning of the cun, guan, and chi pulses. In addition to the three positions, there are also the nine indications, each position containing three indications, making nine in total.

When performing pulse diagnosis, the fingers cannot rest stiffly on the pulse. The process is similar to placing one’s line of sight on a distant object, adjusting one’s focus or angle until the object is comprehended. Three position nine indication pulse diagnosis is much the same.

Although the verb “to look” is often used in referring to pulse diagnosis, however, the verb “to listen” may be much more appropriate. If you are able to experientially grasp the meaning of this character “to listen”, you will certainly become more skilled than the average person in pulse diagnosis. The process of listening is much quieter than that of looking. Looking involves movement away from oneself in order to see something, while listening involves the movement of some information toward oneself. We must be able to listen in order to gain a complete understanding. First, use the fingers to investigate the status of the nine indications, waiting for the pulse to come to you. The pulse and fingers meet, and yet we still do not listen to the pulse; simply remain examining the status of the nine indications in a relaxed state between consciousness and unconsciousness, listening for the point of disease within the pulse. As you continue seeking, listen to all indications in symphony and then split individually; listen to each indication individually and then again in symphony. The pulse pattern as a whole is like the individual’s unique River Picture. Seeking individuation among the symphony will allow you to locate the point of illness, while listening to the symphony of the pulse as the sum of its individual parts will allow you to determine the appropriate prescription. In summary, you cannot go searching for the pulse. Instead you must wait for the pulse to come to you. Going searching for the pulse implies that you have preconceptions that will prevent you from obtaining the true pattern of the pulse.



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