Question: How can one distinguish when a person is sick with retained food? The master said: The pulse at the inch opening is floating and large, but upon pressing, it feels rough, and the pulse at the chi position is also faint and rough. Therefore, it is known that there is retained food, and purgation is appropriate. It is suitable to use Major Purgative Decoction.

Note: The character "faint" in the chi position should be "large". If it were "faint", there would certainly be no reason for purgation.

bubble_chart Annotation

• The pulse at the inch opening is floating and large, but upon pressing, it feels rough, meaning it is both large and rough and forceful, and the same applies to the guan and chi positions. A large, rough, and forceful pulse indicates a diagnosis of excess and not smoothness, hence it is known that there is retained food, and purgation is appropriate. It is suitable to use Major Purgative Decoction.

bubble_chart Collected Annotations

• Cheng Zhi said: "A slippery pulse indicates the presence of food, and if it stagnates overnight, the pulse becomes rough. The chi position reflects the interior, and a deep pulse reflects the inside, hence the pulse of retained food feels rough upon pressing, and the chi position is also large and rough."