It means that if you can tell what is wrong with you just by looking at it, you will be like a god, and it is very powerful; if you can tell what disease you have by listening to your voice, it will be like a saint, and it is also powerful; you need to ask, A doctor who can only diagnose a disease by asking questions shows that the doctor is very skillful; a doctor who needs to feel the pulse to find out the disease shows that the doctor is also very skillful.
From - The Sixty-first Difficulty in Bian Que's "Difficulties Sutra" during the Warring States Period.
Original text: It says: The scriptures say that what you know by looking at is called God, what you know by hearing is called Saint, what you know by asking is called work, and what you know by looking at your pulse is called skill. What does it mean?
TCM’s method of diagnosing diseases. Looking is to observe the patient's development, complexion, tongue coating, expression, etc.; smelling is to listen to the patient's voice, coughing, wheezing, and smell the patient's bad breath, body odor and other odors; questioning is to ask the patient about the symptoms he feels and what he has experienced before. Diseases you have suffered from, etc.; for diagnosis, check the pulse with your hands or press the abdomen to see if there are any lumps. It’s called the Four Diagnostics.
Extended information:
Simply speaking, inspection includes two parts: general inspection and tongue inspection. General inspection also includes looking at the mind, color, shape, facial features, etc. , Tongue diagnosis includes looking at the tongue quality and tongue coating. The first step in diagnosis is to look at the spirit, which is the manifestation of the human body’s life activities, such as clear consciousness, clear speech, bright eyes, and responsiveness. It is called spirit, which is a sign of health or a mild illness.
If you are listless, expressionless, eyes dim, slow to react, or even confused, it is called ashes, indicating a serious condition. By praying to God, you can make an estimate of the patient's condition and prognosis, so that you have a good idea.
Baidu Encyclopedia—Looking, hearing and asking