The 28 Pulse Qualities

Strength Depth Width Rate Shape Rhythm

EMPTY FLOATING THIN/FINE RAPID SLIPPERY KNOTTED
 Big but soft  Superficial,  Distinct &  More than 5 beats  Slides under the  Slow pulse
and weak buoyant with clear, like a per respiration or finger, smooth & that misses
 Feels empty very light fine thread higher than the oily beats
on heavier palpation but  Blood given normal rate  Full = damp or irregularly
palpation obscured with deficiency  Heat phlegm  Cold
 Qi (& heavier palpation (will fill out  Empty = damp or obstructing qi
 floating & tight [HURRIED]
Blood) with tx, esp. phlegm with qi or heart
or rapid = EPF with moxa)  Rapid + agitated deficiency
deficiency deficiency
& urgent
 floating & empty  Pregnancy (qi, blood or
[SOFT]
= yin def.
[MINUTE]  Fire exhausting yang)
 Empty +  Thin/fine + the yin CHOPPY
(rarely, extreme
very soft, qi deficiency)
extremely  Uneven, rough, HASTY
thin and [MOVING]  Fast pulse
slightly jagged edges
 + Hollow &  Rapid +
floating
Leather
small  Can be irregular that misses
 Severe qi trembling,
 Disappears in rhythm & beats
DEEP and blood shaking, rapid, irregularly
with heavy strength
somewhat  Heat
palpation  Sinking, found deficiency  Blood deficiency
slippery
 Yin and Jing with heavier agitating qi
palpation
WIDE/  Shock, anxiety, WIRY and blood
deficiency
 Yin organ
OVER- fright or pain  Taut, hard, like a
[SCATTERE FLOWING guitar string INTER-
conditions: SLOW
D]  Distinct & pushing against MITTENT
qi & yang def.  Less than 4 beats  Misses beats
 Empty + (weak) or qi or
broad the fingers
 Acute per respiration or
very small, blood stasis (full) lower than the  Can be deficient in a regular
superficial, conditions or full rhythm
normal rate  Yin organ
broken up [WEAK] with heat
 Cold  LR/GB problems
 Severe Qi  Deep + soft or pain or deficiency/
[LONG]
and blood  Yang def. [SLOWED phlegm causing exhaustion
 Wide/overfl
deficiency DOWN] obstructions
[FIRM] owing +
 + 4 beats per
FULL  Deep, hard, wiry long TIGHT
 respiration
 Big, strong,  Stasis and pain Heat  Like a twisted
pounding (from cold if Normal Pulse Rates rope, thick, full,
[SHORT] Age Rate
against slow) elastic, vibrating,
 Wide/overfl 0-4 90+
palpation can seem faster
[HIDDEN] owing + 4-10 84
 Excess than it is
 Deep as if below short 10-35 76-80
condition
 Qi deficient 35-50 70-72  Cold/pain
bone
 Severe yang def. 50+ 68

Normal Pulse
 Has Stomach qi
o Feels gentle (there’s a connection but it in no way invades another person; not insubstantial)
o Feels calm (tress nicely swaying in the wind, no disturbance or agitation; cow chewing cud)
o Has 4 beats per respiration (can use the rhythm of your breath to count if the person’s is erratic)
 Has Spirit
o Soft (shouldn’t be malleable—soft on outside and strong and resilient on inside)
o Neither big nor small
o Regular in rhythm & quality (not intermittent or missing beats, no speed changes)
 Has a Root
o Clarity in deep position (yin), and 3rd pulse positions, (clarity = pulse should be a distinct entity)
© Niki H. Bilton 1999