Introduction to lakeside pulse science

Chinese medicine attaches great importance to pulse science. Since Wang Shuhe wrote the Pulse Classic in Jin Dynasty, the Five Dynasties' Liewen wrote the Pulse Prescription, which has been widely circulated because of its easy to understand and remember, but there are also many fallacies. Li Shizhen inherited the orthodox pulse theory, learned from the strengths of various schools in past dynasties, and gave full play to the role of Confucian classics. As he pointed out, taking one-inch pulse alone is to wait for the qi of the five zang-organs instead of explaining and opening up the five zang-organs meridians. On the basis of the twenty-four pulses in the Pulse Classic, he added three kinds of pulse conditions, which increased the number of pulse conditions in traditional Chinese medicine to twenty-seven, namely, floating, sinking, late counting, slippery, astringent, virtual, solid, long, short, broad, slight, tight, slow, stiff, string, leather, firm and moist. He wrote "Style Poetry" with catchy and easy-to-remember seven-character rhythm poems, and gave a vivid description of every pulse. For example, he said, "Floating pulse" only goes up from the skin and flesh, such as following elm pods, Sanqiu knows his life is safe, and he is surprised after a long illness ".The pulse position, pulse condition and clinical significance of floating pulse are clearly expressed in just four sentences. He also used "poems about diseases" and "poems about diseases" to summarize various contexts of the same kind and explain his intention in diagnosing diseases and syndromes. This is the whole content of Hu Ling Pulse. Although the space is not long, it plays an important role in the development history of pulse science in traditional Chinese medicine and has become a must-read book for learning pulse science.