扁鹊曰∶夫相死脉之气，如群鸟之聚，一马之驭，系水交驰之状，如悬石之落，出筋之
上，藏筋之下，坚关之里，不在荣卫，伺候交射不可知也。 脉病患不病，脉来如屋漏、雀
啄者死。（屋漏者，其来即绝而止。时复起而不相联续也。雀啄者，脉来数而疾绝止，复顿
来也。）又《经》言∶得病七八日，脉如屋漏、雀啄者死。（脉弹人手，如黍米也。）脉来如
弹石，去如解索者死。（弹石者，辟辟急也。解索者，动数而随散乱，无复次绪也。） 脉困，
病患脉如虾之游，如鱼之翔者死。（虾游者，苒苒而起，寻复退没不知所在，久乃复起，起
辄迟而没去速也。鱼翔者，似鱼不行，而但掉尾动头身摇，而久住者是也。） 脉如悬薄卷
索者死，脉如转豆者死，脉如偃刀者死，脉涌涌不去者死。 脉忽去忽来，暂止复来者死，
脉中侈者死，脉分绝者死。（上下分散也。） 脉有表无里者死，《经》名曰∶结，去即死。
何为结？脉在指下如麻子动摇，属肾，名曰结，去死近也。 脉五来不复增减者死，《经》
名曰∶代。何谓代？脉五来一止也。脉七来是人一息，半时不复增减，亦名曰∶代。正死不
疑。《经》言∶病或有死，或有不治自愈，或有连年月不已，其死生存亡，可切脉而知之
耶。设病者闭目不欲见人，脉当得肝脉，弦急而长。若反得肺脉浮短而涩者死。 病若开目
而渴，心下牢者，脉当得紧实而数，反得沉滑而微者死。 病吐血鼽衄者，脉当得沉细，而
反得浮大牢者死。 病若谵言妄语，身当有热，脉当洪大，而反得手足四逆，脉反沉细微者
死
奈何？然病若头痛目痛，脉反短涩者死。 病若腹痛，脉反浮大而长者死。 病腹
脉反沉而滑利者死。病四肢厥逆，脉反浮大而短者死。 病耳聋，脉反浮大而涩
云∶脉大者生，沉细迟者难治。） 病目KT KT ，脉反大而缓者死。 左有病
右有
病而左痛，下有病而上痛，上有病而下痛，此为逆。逆者死，不可治。脉来微细而绝者，人
病当死。 脉来沉而绝濡，浮而不止推手者，半月死。（一作半日。） 人病脉不病者生。 脉
病患不病者死。 人病尸厥，呼之不应，脉绝者死。 脉当大反小者死。 肥人脉细小如丝
欲绝者死。羸人脉躁者死。 人身涩而脉来往滑者死。人身滑而脉来往涩者死。 人身小而
脉往来大者死。 人身大而脉来往小者死。 人身短而脉来往长者死。 人身长而脉来往短
者死。 尺脉上应寸口太迟者半日死。（《脉经》云∶尺脉不应寸时如驰，半日死。） 诊五
脏六腑十二经脉皆有相反，有一反逆，即为死候也。
Bian Que said: The qi of the death pulses resembles a gathering of birds, or the loss of control when driving a single horse; it appears like intersecting and rushing waters, or like a suspended stone falling. It may manifest above the tendons, below the tendons, or within the firm joints. These pulses do not reside in the Ying (Nutrient) and Wei (Defensive) levels; their intersecting and shooting changes are unpredictable.
If the pulse indicates impending death while the patient appears healthy externally, and the pulse comes like a leaking roof (Wu Lou: the pulse arrives then abruptly stops, occasionally rising again but without continuity), or like a sparrow pecking food (Que Zhuo: the pulse comes rapidly and suddenly ceases, then returns with a sudden jerk), this is a sign of death. (The Classic also states: If, after seven or eight days of illness, the pulse resembles a leaking roof or a sparrow pecking, death ensues.) (This pulse feels like popping beans against the hand, distinct as millet seeds.)
If the pulse comes hard like throwing stones (Tan Shi: rigid and urgent) and departs like untying a rope (Jie Suo: rapid, chaotic, and scattered without order), this is a sign of death.
If the pulse is exhausted, and the patient’s pulse resembles a shrimp swimming (Xia You: faintly rising, then vanishing unknown where, reappearing only after a long time, slowly arising and quickly disappearing), or like a fish gliding (Yu Xiang: resembling a fish that does not move forward but merely wags its tail and shakes its head, lingering in place), this is a sign of death.
A pulse resembling a hanging thin silk rolled into a cord indicates death; a pulse resembling rolling beans indicates death; a pulse resembling an inverted knife blade indicates death; a surging pulse that does not recede indicates death.
A pulse that goes and comes intermittently, pausing briefly before returning, indicates death; a pulse that is excessively wide in the middle indicates death; a pulse that is divided and severed indicates death (scattered above and below).
A pulse present at the surface but absent at the depth indicates death. The Classic calls this "Jie" (Knotted); once it departs, death follows. What is Jie? When the pulse under the fingers feels like shaking hemp seeds, belonging to the Kidney, it is named Jie, indicating death is near.
A pulse that beats five times without any increase or decrease indicates death. The Classic calls this "Dai" (Intermittent/Replacement). What is Dai? A pulse that beats five times and then pauses. If the pulse beats seven times corresponding to one respiration of the person, remaining unchanged for half a period, it is also called Dai, confirming death beyond doubt.
The Classic says: Some illnesses lead to death, some heal spontaneously without treatment, and some persist for years. Can the life and death of these conditions be known by palpating the pulse?
Suppose a patient closes their eyes and refuses to see people; the pulse should correspond to the Liver pulse, appearing wiry, urgent, and long. If instead, the Lung pulse is obtained, appearing floating, short, and choppy, this is a sign of death.
If a patient opens their eyes, feels thirsty, and has hardness below the heart, the pulse should be tight, solid, and rapid. If instead, a deep, slippery, and weak pulse is obtained, this is a sign of death.
If a patient vomits blood or suffers from epistaxis, the pulse should be deep and fine. If instead, a floating, large, and firm pulse is obtained, this is a sign of death.
If a patient speaks deliriously and妄语 (makes absurd statements), the body should be hot, and the pulse should be洪大 (surging and large). If instead, there is coldness in the four extremities, and the pulse is contrary, appearing deep, fine, and weak, this is a sign of death. Why?
However, if a patient has headache and eye pain, and the pulse is contrary, appearing short and choppy, this is a sign of death.
If a patient has abdominal pain, and the pulse is contrary, appearing floating, large, and long, this is a sign of death.
If there is disease in the abdomen, and the pulse is contrary, appearing deep and slippery/smooth, this is a sign of death.
If there is cold reversal in the four limbs, and the pulse is contrary, appearing floating, large, and short, this is a sign of death.
If there is deafness, and the pulse is contrary, appearing floating, large, and choppy (The Mai Jing states: A large pulse indicates survival; a deep, fine, and slow pulse indicates difficult treatment).
If the eyes are blurry and unclear, and the pulse is contrary, appearing large and slow, this is a sign of death.
If there is disease on the left and also on the right, yet pain is only on the left; if there is disease below but pain above; if there is disease above but pain below, this is called Ni (Reversal). Those with Reversal die and cannot be treated.
A pulse that is minute, fine, and nearly severed indicates that the sick person will die.
A pulse that is deep and severed/soft, or floating and unceasing upon pushing with the hand, indicates death in half a month (another version says half a day).
When a person is sick but the pulse is normal, they will survive.
When the pulse is abnormal but the person is not sick, they will die.
A person suffering from Shi Jue (Corpse Faint), unresponsive to calling, with a severed pulse, will die.
A pulse that should be large but is contrary and small indicates death.
In a fat person, a pulse that is fine and thread-like, nearly severed, indicates death. In a emaciated person, a restless pulse indicates death.
If the body feels rough/astringent but the pulse comes and goes smoothly/slippery, this indicates death. If the body feels smooth/slippery but the pulse comes and goes roughly/astringently, this indicates death.
If the body is small/emaciated but the pulse comes and goes large, this indicates death. If the body is large/sturdy but the pulse comes and goes small, this indicates death.
If the body is short but the pulse comes and goes long, this indicates death. If the body is tall but the pulse comes and goes short, this indicates death.
If the Chi (Cun) pulse at the wrist responds to the Cun Kou position too slowly, death occurs in half a day. (The Mai Jing states: If the Chi pulse does not correspond to the Cun position but races like a galloping horse, death occurs in half a day.)
Diagnosing the Five Zang and Six Fu organs and the Twelve Meridians reveals many opposites; if even one is reversed, it constitutes a death omen.