Pulse Diagnosis
The 12 classical pulse qualities used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to assess the state of Qi, Blood, Yin, and Yang.
Pulse diagnosis in TCM is the art of reading subtle qualities in the radial pulse at three positions on each wrist, each corresponding to specific organs. A skilled practitioner can detect 28 or more distinct pulse qualities, from wiry and slippery to choppy and leather. Unani medicine developed an independent pulse-reading tradition called nabz, drawing on Galenic and Persian foundations, and Ayurveda's nadi pariksha is a third major pulse system — three traditions converging on the same diagnostic surface through different theoretical lenses.
Choppy Pulse (Sè Mài)
Rough, uneven, and hesitant under the fingers
Deep Pulse (Chén Mài)
Cannot be felt with light pressure
Floating Pulse (Fú Mài)
Felt easily with light touch at the superficial level, weakens or disappears with heavier pressure
Leather Pulse (Gé Mài)
Hard and taut at the surface like a drumhead, but completely hollow and empty when pressed deeper
Rapid Pulse (Shuò Mài)
More than five beats per respiratory cycle (approximately more than 90 beats per minute)
Slippery Pulse (Huá Mài)
Smooth, round, and fluid under the fingers
Slow Pulse (Chí Mài)
Fewer than four beats per respiratory cycle of the practitioner (approximately fewer than 60 beats per minute)
Surging Pulse (Hóng Mài)
Big, forceful, and expansive
Thin Pulse (Xì Mài)
Fine and thread-like, barely perceptible but clearly defined
Tight Pulse (Jǐn Mài)
Tense and twisted, like a rope under strain
Weak Pulse (Ruò Mài)
Soft, deep, thin, and lacking force
Wiry Pulse (Xián Mài)
Taut, straight, and long, like pressing on a guitar string or the string of a drawn bow