中医诊法是中医学的组成部分，是指中医诊察和收集疾病有关资料的基本方法。

Diagnostic methods, as a component of traditional Chinese medicine, refer to the basic methods to examine a patient and collect data about a disease.

　   中医诊法可概括为望诊、闻诊、问诊和切诊四个部分。每一部分各有其独特的作用和意义，但彼此又是互相联系、不能偏废的，在临床上必须综合运用，才能对病症作出正确的判断。

The diagnostic methods of traditional Chinese medicine can be summarized into four kinds: observation, auscultation and olfaction, interrogation, and pulse feeling and palpation. The four methods, each being of unique functions and significance, are closely related to one another and should all be given an equal amount of attention. Only when a physician makes a comprehensive use of these methods, can he come to a correct diagnosis.

　   望诊，指医生运用视觉对病人的全身有关部位及其分泌物和排泄物等进行系统而有目的的观察。中医学认为，人的外部神色形态的变化，实质上是内部脏腑气血活动及其变化的反映。望诊包括望神、望面色、望形态、望目、望舌、望皮肤、望排泄物等，主要目的是了解病人神、色、形态的表现，重点在面部和察目望舌。望舌是指通过观察病人舌苔变化，来判定推测病情的方法，在中医望诊中最具特色。

“Observation” means that a physician utilizes his eyes to make a systematic and purposeful examination on the relevant body parts of a patient and on the secretions and excretions of the patient. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the changes on one’s external look and expression are in essence the reflection of the activities and changes of his/her internal organs, vital energy and blood. Observation is made on one’s look, complexion, shape, eyes, tongue, skin and excretions for a better understanding of the symptoms of a disease, with special attention paid to the face, eyes and tongue. Tongue observation, a method to diagnose and determine the disease by examining the coating on the patient’s tongue, is the most distinctive method of observation in traditional Chinese medicine.

　   闻诊是指听声音和嗅气味的诊察方法。前者凭听觉了解病人的语言、呼吸、咳嗽等声音变化，后者凭嗅觉嗅病人的口气、体气和排泄物等异常的气味，以辨别病情的寒热虚实。

“Auscultation and olfaction” is a diagnostic method based on listening and smelling. By listening to the voice, breath sounds and coughs of a patient and smelling the patient’s breath, body odor and excretions, a physician is able to determine whether the disease is caused by chill or fever, or whether the disease is caused by deficiency or excessiveness.

　   问诊是指医生对病人或陪诊人进行系统而有目的的询问，以了解病情全貌的一种诊断方法。对于病人平素体质、生活习惯、起病原因、发病和治疗经过、就诊时自觉症状以及过去病史、家族史等，只有通过详细的询问才能了解。 “Interrogation” means that a physician asks a patient or the patient’s companion systematic and relevant questions in order to learn more about the patient’s condition. Information such as the patient’s physique, living habits, reasons for the disease, incidences and treatments, subjective symptoms, case histories and family medical history can only be obtained through a detailed inquiry.
　   切诊的“切”是用手触摸病人身体的意思。切诊包括切脉和按诊两个部分。切脉是通过切按患者的脉搏来了解病情。按诊是医生对病人的肌肤、手足、胸腹及其他部位触摸按压的诊法。 The fourth method is to make an examination by touching the patient’s body, including pulse feeling and palpation. A physician gets to know the illness by pressing and feeling the patient’s pulse and by touching and pressing the skin, hands, feet, chest, abdomen and other parts of the patient’s body.
　   切脉是中医学术的一大特色，历代中医医家都非常重视。中国古人发现血液循环功能的同时，认识到各种内外因素的刺激都可以影响到血脉的变化，从不同的脉象可以测知疾病的变化与脏腑气血的盛衰。中医通过长期的临床实践总结了丰富的脉学理论。一般常见的脉象就有28种之多，此外还有病情危险时才能看到的怪脉等。 Pulse feeling is a speciality of traditional Chinese medicine to which great attention has been attached by Chinese physicians of all generations. While discovering the functions of blood circulation, ancient Chinese recognized that the stimulation from various internal and external factors might result in the changes of the blood circulation and that the pulse conditions could tell the state of disease and the conditions of the patient’s internal organs, vital energy and blood. Through a long course of clinical practice, traditional Chinese physicians have accumulated a rich collection of pulse theories. There are as many as 28 common types of pulse conditions in addition to the abnormal types, which only occur under dangerous circumstances.
　   中医诊法有着悠久的历史。据史料记载，中医“四诊法”是战国时期的名医扁鹊在总结前人经验的基础上创立的。《黄帝内经》是中国现存最早的一部医书，成书于战国时期，书中对诸多诊法作了具体描述，并阐述了综合运用的原则，奠定了“四诊法”的基础。 The diagnostic methods of traditional Chinese medicine have a long history in China. According to historical records, the four diagnostic methods mentioned above were first created by the famous physician Bian Que in the Warring States Period on the basis of the experience of former experts. The Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Internal Medicine, the earliest medical book surviving in China, was written in the Warring States Period. Through a detailed description of a good many diagnostic methods and an introduction of the principle of their comprehensive use, the book laid a foundation for “the four methods of diagnosis”.
　   中医诊法是中医学在长期医疗实践中形成的一套完备的诊断疾病的方法，体现了中医诊察疾病的传统特点以及鲜明的中国传统文化和地域特征。 The diagnostic methods of traditional Chinese medicine are a complete set of methods for diagnosis formed in the long history of medical practice, embodying the traditional characteristics of diagnosis in Chinese medicine and the distinctive cultural and regional features in China.
　   2006年，中医诊法被列入中国国家级非物质文化遗产名录。 In 2006, the diagnostic methods of traditional Chinese medicine were added to the list of China’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage.