Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Belt Vessel

Illustration of Belt Vessel (pulse) from Renyuan maiying guizhi tushuo (Pictorial Handbook of Pulse Images Based on the Person). This is a specialist text on pulse diagnosis attributed to the third-century master Shuhe, edited and revised by Shen Jifen in the Ming period (1368-1644). It discusses various pulse images and the medical conditions to which they relate, and contains 48 pulse image diagrams. This undated edition was engraved and published in Japan.

The text states: Daimai (Belt Vessel) originates in the lower part of the hypochondrium (the sides of the body, jixie). It runs obliquely downwards to the daimai acu-moxa point and horizontally around the body, encircling it. Its pulse image is like a dragon fly spreading its wings and wriggling beneath the ribs almost imperceptibly. It relates to conditions such as inability to raise the arms and legs, and lumbar pain.