素问·病能论 Treatise on Disease Patterns
黄帝问曰：人病胃脘痈者，诊当何如。歧伯对曰：诊此者，当候胃脉，其脉当沈细，沈细者气逆，逆者，人迎甚盛，甚盛则热，人迎者胃脉也，逆而盛，则热聚于胃口而不行，故胃脘为痈也。
帝曰：善。人有卧而有所不安者何也。歧伯曰：藏有所伤，及精有所之寄则安，故人不能悬其病也。
帝曰：人之不得偃卧者，何也。岐伯曰：肺者，藏之盖也，肺气盛则脉大，脉大则不得偃卧，论在奇恒阴阳中。
帝曰：有病厥者，诊右脉沈而紧，左脉浮而迟，不然病主安在。歧伯曰：冬诊之右脉固当沈紧，此应四时，左脉浮而迟，此逆四时。在左当主病在肾，颇关在肺，当腰痛也。帝曰：何以言之。歧伯曰：少阴脉贯肾络肺，今得肺脉，肾为之病，故肾为腰痛之病也。
帝曰：善。有病颈痈者，或石治之，或针灸治之，而皆已，其真安在。歧伯曰：此同名异等者也。夫痈气之息者，宜以针开除去之；夫气盛血聚者，宜石而写之。此所谓同病异治也。
帝曰：有病怒狂者此病安生。歧伯曰：生于阳也，帝曰：阳何以使人狂。歧伯曰：阳气者因暴折而难决，故善怒也，病名曰阳厥。帝曰：何以知之。歧伯曰：阳明者常动，巨阳少阳不动，不动而动大疾，此其候也。帝曰：治之柰何。歧伯曰：夺其食即已。夫食入于阴，长气于阳，故夺其食即已。使之服以生铁洛为饮，夫生铁洛者，下气疾也。
帝曰：善。有病身热解墯，汗出如浴，恶风少气，此为何病。歧伯曰：病名曰酒风。帝曰：治之奈何。歧伯曰：以泽泻术各十分，麋衔五分，合以三指撮为后饭。
所谓深之细者，其中手如针也，摩之切之，聚者坚也；博者大也。上经者，言气之通天也，下经者，言病之变化也，金匮者，决死生也，揆度者，切度之也，奇恒者，言奇病也。所谓奇者，使奇病不得以四时死也，恒者得以四时死也。所谓揆者，方切求之也，言切求其脉理也，度者得其病处，以四时度之也。
Huangdi asked: When a person suffers from an abscess of the stomach duct, how should one diagnose it? Qibo replied: To diagnose this, one should examine the stomach pulse. Its pulse should be deep and fine. When it is deep and fine, the qi is rebellious; when the qi is rebellious, the Renying pulse is exceedingly full. When it is exceedingly full, there is heat. The Renying pulse is the stomach pulse. When it is rebellious and full, heat gathers at the stomach opening and cannot move on, and thus an abscess forms in the stomach duct.
Huangdi said: Good. Why is it that a person may lie down yet be unable to rest peacefully? Qibo said: It is because one of the viscera has sustained some injury. If the essence has somewhere to settle and lodge, one is at ease; if not, the person's affliction cannot be held in abeyance, and so he cannot rest.
Huangdi said: Why can some people not lie flat on their backs? Qibo said: The lung is the canopy covering the viscera. When the lung qi is exuberant, its pulse becomes large; when the pulse is large, one cannot lie flat on the back. This is discussed in the chapter on the Yin and Yang of the Unusual and the Constant.
Huangdi said: There is a case of reversal disorder in which, on examination, the right pulse is deep and tight while the left pulse is floating and slow. If this is not simply a seasonal pattern, where does the disease actually reside? Qibo said: In winter, when examined, the right pulse should indeed be deep and tight — this corresponds to the season. But a left pulse that is floating and slow runs contrary to the season. When the disorder is on the left, the disease should be governed by the kidney, though it is somewhat related to the lung as well, and there should be lower back pain. Huangdi said: How can this be explained? Qibo said: The Shaoyin channel passes through the kidney and connects with the lung. Now that a lung-type pulse is found where the kidney should govern, the kidney has become diseased, and therefore the kidney gives rise to lower back pain.
Huangdi said: Good. There is a case of neck abscess: some treat it with the stone lancet, others with needling and moxibustion, and in both cases the patient recovers. Where does the truth of the matter actually lie? Qibo said: These are cases of the same name but different categories. When the abscess arises from qi that has merely stagnated, it is fitting to open and remove it with the needle; when the qi is exuberant and blood has gathered, it is fitting to use the stone to drain it. This is what is meant by 'treating the same disease by different methods.'
Huangdi said: There is a disease of anger and mania — where does this disease arise? Qibo said: It arises from yang. Huangdi said: How does yang cause a person to become manic? Qibo said: When the yang qi is suddenly broken off and cannot resolve itself, the person becomes prone to anger; this disease is called 'yang reversal.' Huangdi said: How can one recognize it? Qibo said: The Yangming pulse normally moves, while the Taiyang and Shaoyang pulses normally do not move; when the pulses that normally do not move begin to move, and move greatly and rapidly, this is the sign. Huangdi said: How is it treated? Qibo said: Depriving the patient of food will cure it at once. Food, once it enters the yin, nourishes and increases the qi of the yang; therefore depriving the patient of food cures it at once. One may also have the patient drink a decoction made from raw iron filings, for raw iron filings are swift at bringing qi downward.
Huangdi said: Good. There is a disease in which the body is feverish and the limbs feel weak and languid, sweat pours out as though from bathing, the patient is averse to wind, and the qi is scant — what disease is this? Qibo said: This disease is called 'wine wind.' Huangdi said: How is it treated? Qibo said: Take Alisma and Atractylodes, ten parts each, and Herba Lysimachiae, five parts; combine and take a three-finger pinch of the mixture before meals.
As for what is meant by 'deep and fine' pulses, it is that beneath the hand the pulse feels as fine as a needle; when one presses and palpates it, if there is a gathering, it feels hard, and if it is spread out, it feels large. The 'Upper Canon' speaks of how qi connects with heaven; the 'Lower Canon' speaks of the transformations of disease. The 'Golden Chest' resolves questions of life and death; 'estimation and assessment' means to press and gauge the pulse; and 'the unusual and the constant' refers to unusual diseases. What is called 'unusual' means that an unusual disease does not necessarily bring death in accordance with the season; what is called 'constant' means that a disease will bring death in accordance with the season. What is called 'estimating' means to press and search for the pattern — that is, to palpate and seek out the principle of the pulse; 'assessing' means to determine the location of the disease and gauge it according to the four seasons.