bubble_chart Content

The Neijing states: "When the pulse moves, the yang qi arrives first, and the yin qi arrives later." The "Bian Mai" says: "When the pulse comes with a small head and a large base, it is called 'fu', indicating an illness in the exterior. If the upper part is slightly small, there will be sweating; if the lower part is slightly large, it will result in anuria and vomiting, with difficulty in urination." Indeed,

1. when the pulse arrives, it moves from the division of the sinews and bones up to the border of the skin, suddenly striking the finger. This is the yang qi arriving first, called the 'head';
2. once it responds to the finger, and the pulse has not yet departed, it transverses beneath the finger. This is the yin qi arriving later, called the 'base';
3. if the initial force of the arrival is strong but then quickly weakens, without seeing the pulse qi transversing, this is a large head and small base;
4. if the initial force of the arrival is not very strong but then the pulse qi is seen surging continuously upwards, this is a small head and large base.

The "Mai Ru" says: "If the pulse before movement is strong, the qi is in excess; if the pulse before movement is weak, the qi is insufficient. If the pulse after response is strong, the blood is in excess; if the pulse after response is weak, the blood is insufficient." This precisely elucidates the meaning of the head and base. Therefore, the head and base refer to distinguishing the yin-yang qi and blood by the sequence of the pulse's arrival, not that the arrival is the head and the departure is the base. Previous theories that refer to it as the inch and cubit, or as floating and sinking, are all incorrect.