Pulse Verses

崔嘉彦Tibet People's Publishing House · ChinaMay 2020

3.6

Word count: 2.8K words
Chapters: 6

Summary

The pulse of the human body is rooted in rong and wei: rong is yin blood, wei is yang qi. Rong moves within the vessels, wei moves outside them. The pulse does not move on its own; it follows the qi and arrives. When qi stirs, the pulse responds—this is the meaning of yin and yang.

Editor's review

Mai Jue discusses the principles of the pulse in four-character rhymed lines. The opening takes up the relationship between rong and wei, qi and blood, and the movement of pulse qi, setting out concisely the truth that "the pulse does not move by itself; it follows the qi and arrives." The book is short, its language orderly and rhythmic, easy to memorize, and suited as an introductory recitation text for beginning pulse study. It does not strive for an exhaustive listing of pulse images; rather, it first establishes the framework of yin and yang, qi and blood, then descends to the recognition of specific pulse images, giving a sense of proceeding from root to branch. This newly reset edition has clear typography and is suitable for keeping on the desk for frequent consultation. For readers who already have some foundation in Chinese medicine and wish to straighten out the basic concepts of pulse study, this book can serve as material for repeated review; for readers with no experience of reading classical Chinese, annotations or explanations will be needed. It should be read slowly rather than quickly, sentence by sentence, and combined with the actual experience of pulse diagnosis, so that the medical principles behind the rhymed text can be put into practice.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers new to Chinese medicine who need to build basic concepts of pulse study
Learners who enjoy reciting rhymed verse and hope to deepen memory through recitation
Chinese medicine enthusiasts with some classical Chinese who wish to review the essentials of pulse theory
Practitioners in grassroots Chinese medicine who need a portable reference on key points of pulse study

Not a good fit for

Readers with no classical Chinese reading ability who are unwilling to use辅助 materials
Readers expecting to systematically master all pulse images and clinical pattern differentiation from one book
Readers who want only modern vernacular explanations and do not accept the original form

Reading tips

Read through once to feel the rhythm of the rhymed verse, then go line by line with the annotations to understand the relationship between rong-wei, qi and blood, and pulse qi.
Copy the key points of pulse theory onto cards and repeatedly compare them with your own pulse-taking in daily practice.
When you reach sentences about yin-yang and exterior-interior, stop and restate them in your own words to test whether you truly understand.
Read alongside an introductory pulse study lecture text, using it to fill in the reasoning the original omits.

About the publisher

Tibet People's Publishing House China · Founded in 1971

Tibet People's Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for collating Tibetan and Chinese ancient texts and publishing traditional culture. Judging from the books in its catalogue, its publishing focuses on medicine, Eastern philosophy, classics, and ancient poetry. It offers traditional Chinese medical and health-preserving works such as the Compendium of Materia Medica, Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold, and Principles of Correct Diet, as well as canonical and philosophical texts including the Book of Changes, Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals, Annotated Edition of the Erya, and Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals, along with historical and geographical works such as The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores. Its authors include figures such as Li Shizhen, Sun Simiao, King Wen of Zhou, Zuo Qiuming, Guo Pu, Dong Zhongshu, Hu Sihui, and Ma Huan. The house emphasizes the collation and republication of ancient texts, balancing scholarship and accessibility, and has developed its own strengths in transmitting Tibetan and Chinese cultural classics. Public information is limited, so other publishing details are omitted here.

版权信息
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FAQ

Is this book suitable for beginners with no foundation in Chinese medicine to read directly?

It can be read, but it requires support. The book explains pulse theory in rhymed verse; the language is concise, and beginners may remember the lines without understanding their meaning. It is advisable to first learn the basic concepts of rong-wei, qi and blood, then read line by line with the annotations, or read alongside an introductory lecture text for better results.

What is the difference between the Pulse Rhymes and ordinary pulse study textbooks?

This book uses four-character rhymed verse and focuses on establishing the framework of yin-yang, qi and blood and explaining the principles of pulse qi movement; it is concise and easy to memorize. Ordinary pulse study textbooks tend to systematically list pulse images and their corresponding diseases, whereas this book is more of an outline-style introductory recitation text; the two can be used together.

Does reading this book require practice in actual pulse-taking?

Very much so. Pulse theory must ultimately be grasped under the fingers; merely reciting rhymed text tends to remain at the level of words. On the basis of understanding the original, it is advisable to feel in actual pulse-taking how pulse qi changes with the movement of qi and blood, matching the book's outline to the sensations under your fingers.

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About the author

崔嘉彦 Author

Cui Jiayan was a figure in the history of traditional Chinese medicine. His life, native place, and dates of birth and death are not clearly recorded, and available public information is limited. Extant bibliographic records show two works attributed to him, Cui Zhenren Mai Jue and Mai Jue, both treatises on pulse studies. Pulse diagnosis is an important branch of the diagnostic system in traditional Chinese medicine, focusing on the identification and classification of pulse patterns and their relationship to illnesses. The honorific "Zhenren" suggests that later generations respected his medical skill and reputation, and the texts may have been compiled or transmitted under his name, making their exact composition difficult to verify. Both works deal with pulse diagnosis and are largely written in mnemonic verse, which made them easy to memorize and teach. They served as introductory material for learners and were often cited in later medical books. Because historical sources are scattered, his scholarly background and life still await further research, yet his works hold some significance for the popularization and transmission of pulse knowledge in Chinese medicine.