Maiyao Jingwei Lun states: "The area within the chi on both sides corresponds to the hypochondrium. The outer part of the chi is used to assess the kidney, while the inner part of the chi is used to assess the abdomen. Moving up to the middle section, the outer left is used to assess the liver, and the inner left is used to assess the diaphragm. The outer right is used to assess the stomach, and the inner right is used to assess the spleen. Further up, the outer right is used to assess the lungs, and the inner right is used to assess the chest; the outer left is used to assess the heart, and the inner left is used to assess the pericardium." Wang Bing commented: "The two sides of the chi refer to the outer edges." Li Zhong-zi said: "The terms 'inner' and 'outer' have been interpreted by various scholars as referring to the two sides. This must imply that the pulse is flat and broad, or perhaps there are two distinct pulses, otherwise it would not make sense. Observing the hexagrams in the Yi Jing, which are composed of six lines from bottom to top, the upper three lines form the outer trigram, and the lower three lines form the inner trigram. Thus, the upper part represents the outer, and the lower part represents the inner, making the distinction clear. Therefore, 'inner' refers to the posterior half of each section, and 'outer' refers to the anterior half of each section." Li's interpretation of the classics is indeed novel, but in reality, the pulse has a bilateral diagnostic method, not referring to flatness or two distinct pulses.

When the finger is pressed flat on the pulse, its shape is thus; when the finger is tilted to press on the inner side, its shape is different; and when the finger is tilted to press on the outer side, its shape is yet different. This allows for the observation of the pulse's slowness, urgency, smoothness, and roughness to determine the deficiency and excess, cold and heat of the disease. The inner side governs the interior, and the outer side governs the exterior. This can only be used in conjunction with the main pulse for diagnosis, not relied upon solely to determine the disease, nor can it differentiate the twenty-eight pulse types, each with its own associated disease, as the main pulse does. When the main pulse is faint and weak, and the side pulse is wiry and smooth, it indicates phlegm-fluid retention, with the faintness and weakness being due to qi deficiency, further complicated by phlegm-fluid retention. Similarly, if the outer side shows a wiry pulse and the inner side shows a smooth pulse, it indicates exterior cold with interior heat, interpreted similarly to a floating wiry and deep smooth pulse. Other cases follow this pattern. Recently, reading Hanshi Yitong, it mentions: "The method of pressing the left cun position with the weight of six beans, the top of the finger represents yin, corresponding to the heart; the joint of the finger represents yang, corresponding to the small intestine, and other positions follow this pattern." This is the bilateral diagnostic method, but it does not mention tilting the finger inward or outward, instead referring to the tip and joint of the finger, seemingly pressing flat from the front, which somewhat aligns with Li's theory of flatness and two distinct pulses.