實脈 Shi Mai Excess

6) Pulse of excess type (shi mai) It is the general term for all the forceful pulses felt on the three regions
at the three levels of pressure.

“Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion Reivised Edition” – Cheng

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REPLETE PULSE

A replete pulse arrives dynamically, it is hard and full, and its movement is large and long. With light
touch it remains; with heavy pressure it has force. Its arrival and departure are both exuberant, and it
can be perceived at all three levels. The Mai Jing states: 'A replete pulseis large and long and slightly
string-like. It is distinctly perceived with palpation.'

“Practical Diagnosis of Traditional Chinese Medicine” – Deng

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Full

The Full pulse feels hard, full and long; it is felt easily at all levels and it has a springy quality resistant to
finger pressure.

“Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine” – Maciocia

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The full pulse is sinking, firmer than the firm pulse, and has a strong beat.

“Pulse Diagnosis by Li Shi Zhen” – Huynh

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A replete pulse is similar to a surging pulse, although it is as forceful when it falls as when it rises.

“Fundamentals of Chinese Medicine” – Ellis & Wiseman

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Strong. This pulse responds strongly to the touch.

“Acupuncture, A Comprehensive Text” – O’Connor & Bensky

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Excess Pulse (Yang)

All three positions are forceful under both slight and heavy pressure. A generic term for forceful pulses.

“Li Shi Zhen’s Pulse Studies, An Illustrated Guide” – Li & Morris

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A full pulse (shi mai) is big and also strong, pounding hard against the fingers at all three depths.
“The Web has no Weaver, Understanding Chinese Medicine” – Kaptchuk

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Forceful (Excessive) Pulses ( Shi Mai)

The beats of forceful pulses at the three locations of Cunkou are forceful by light and heavy pressure.

“Fundamentals of Acupuncture & Moxibustion” – Liu

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A replete pulse 實脈 ( shi mai) is similar to a surging pulse, but is as forceful when it departs as when it
arrives.

“Practical Dictionary of Chinese Medicine” – Wiseman

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V. EXCESSIVE PULSE (Shi Mai)

DESCRIPTION: The pulse can be felt at all three positions and at all three depths. It is long, wide, and
forceful, giving rise to a sense of fullness.

KEY POINTS: long, wide, and forceful

OTHER TRANSLATIONS: full, replete

“Traditional Chinese Medicine, Diagnosis Study Guide” – Yi & Stone

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The Chinese term 實脈 [shi mai] also represents a dual concept. On the one hand, it is taken as a
collective term for all kinds of pulses indicating the presence of excess conditions; and on the other
hand, it is regarded as a discrete pulse pattern. In the present scheme only the term in the narrow sense
is included. Various expressions have been suggested by different authors: "full pulse", "replete pulse",
"forceful pulse", "substantial pulse", "substantive pulse", "sthenic pulse", "solid pulse",etc.

Among them, "full pulse" and "replete pulse" are the ones used by the majority of authors. However, the
use of the word "replete" is open to discussion. It means "full to the utmost", and so seems too serious.
In addition, it is often used as a predicative adjective rather than an attributive adjective.

“On the Standard of Nomenclature of Traditional Chinese Medicine” – Xie

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The replete pulse is a large and long pulse as well as a little strong, impressing stiffly on the (feeling)
fingers [said in another version to be palpable at both the superficial and the deep levels].

“The Pulse Classic” – Wang

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(6) The Replete(d) Pulse (pulsus repletus, shimo)

Iconography

A powerful pulse extending through more than one level; it may manifest at all three levels. Such is
shown by the illustration at left (pg. 251). As is apparent from this example, a replete pulse will be
perceived as particularly powerful, hence "solid" or even "hard". Still, the diagnostician is bound to
define carefully the precise level of the replete pulse. For evidently, even a replete pulse, by definition,
may not show identical strength on all levels on which it is perceived: its greatest strength will always be
limited to one level only.

“Chinese Medical Diagnostics, Comprehensive Textbook” – Porkert

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16. Shi mai, replete pulse:

A) A generalized term for various types of forceful pulses. B) A long, bowstring, large, hard, and replete
pulse which has a surplus either floating or deep.

Like the vacuous pulse, some Chinese doctors regard the replete pulse as only a generalized term for a
variety of forceful pulses. When it is seen as a discrete pulse image, its key points are that it is long, large,
bowstring, and forceful. In actual fact, the adjective "long" is not very important here. Once again, it
refers to an image of longitudinality, not the pulse's actual length. Therefore, I recommend my students
to memorize only large, forceful, and tense or hard and that the replete pulse has the same forcefulness
at all depths.

*Below (See Xian Mai/Bowstring entry) we will discuss the long pulse as a particular pulse image. When
other pulses have the adjective "long" in their definition, this merely means that one can feel the
longitudinal quality of the pulse under the pressing fingers. Qin Bo-wei describes this quality as feeling
like a long pole or rod.

Definition to memorize:

1. Wide

2. Forceful

In fact, I do not ask students to memorize this pulse nor do I use it in clinic as a proper name.

“The Secret of Chinese Pulse Diagnosis” – Flaws

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Excess (Forceful): Vigorous and forceful when touching and pressing.

“Chinese Medicine Study Guide” – Chen

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replete pulse 實脈 a general term for a pulse felt forceful at all the three sections, cun/inch, guan/bar
and chi/cubit, also called forceful pulse.
“WHO INTERNATIONAL STANDARD TERMINOLOGIES ON TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN THE WESTERN
PACIFIC REGION”