（《素问·诊要经终论》）
帝曰∶愿闻十二经脉之终奈何？（十二经脉，即十二脏之气也。终者，气尽之谓。）岐伯曰∶太阳之脉，其终也，戴
眼反折螈 ，其色白，绝汗乃出，出则死矣。（戴者，戴于上也，谓目睛仰视而不能转也。反折，腰脊反张也。 者，筋
之急也。 者，筋之缓也。绝汗者，暴出如油，不能收也。足太阳之脉起于目内 ，上额交巅入络脑，下项夹脊抵腰中，
下至足之小趾；手太阳之脉起于小趾之端，循臂上肩，其支者循颈上颊至目之外 ，故其为病如此。然太阳为三阳之表，
故主色白汗出。《灵枢·终始篇》曰∶其色白，绝皮乃绝汗，绝汗则终矣。亦主表之谓。 音炽。 音纵。）少阳终者，
耳聋百节皆纵，目HT 绝系，绝系一日半死，其死也，色先青白乃死矣。（手足少阳之脉皆入于耳中，亦皆至于目锐 ，
故为耳聋目HT 也。HT 者，直视如惊貌。因少阳之系绝，不能旋转，故如此也。胆者筋其应，少阳气绝，故百节皆纵
也。木之色青，金之色白，金木相贼，则青白先见，此少阳之死候也。HT 音琼。）阳明终者，口目动作，善惊妄言色黄，
其上下经盛，不仁则终矣。（手足阳明之脉皆挟口入目，故为口目动作而牵引歪斜也。闻木音则惕然而惊，是阳明善惊也。
骂詈不避亲疏，是阳明妄言也。黄者，土色外见也。上下经盛，谓头颈手足阳明之脉皆躁动而盛，是胃气之败也。不知
疼痛，谓之不仁，是肌肉之败也。此皆阳明气竭之候。）少阴终者，面黑齿长而垢，腹胀闭，上下不通而终矣。（手少阴
气绝则血败，足少阴气绝则色如 ，故面黑也。肾主骨，肾败则骨败，故齿根不固，长而垢也。手少阴之脉下膈络小肠，
足少阴之脉络膀胱贯肝膈，故为腹胀闭。上下不通则心肾隔绝，此少阴之终也。）太阴终者，腹胀闭，不得息，善噫善呕，
呕则逆，逆则面赤，不逆则上下不通，不通则面黑皮毛焦而终矣。（足太阴脉入腹属脾，故为腹胀闭。手太阴脉上膈属肺
而主呼吸，故为不得息。胀闭则升降难，不得息则气道滞，故为噫为呕。呕则气逆于上，故为面赤。不逆则痞塞于中，
故为上下不通。脾气败则无以制水，故黑色见于面。肺气败则治节不行，故皮毛焦而终矣。噫音伊芳。）厥阴终者，中热嗌
干，善溺心烦，甚则舌卷卵上缩而终矣。（手厥阴心主之脉起于胸中，出属心包络，下膈历络三焦；足厥阴肝脉循喉咙之
后上入颃颡，其下者循股阴入毛中过阴器，故为中热嗌干善溺心烦等病。又舌者心之官也，肝者筋之合也，筋者聚于阴
器，而脉络于舌本，故甚则舌卷卵缩而厥阴之气终矣。嗌音益。卷，上声。）此十二经之所败也。（手足六经各分表里，
是十二经也。按∶《灵枢·终始篇》文与此同者，俱不重载。）
The Yellow Emperor asked: I wish to hear about the manifestations when the Qi of the Twelve Meridians is exhausted. (The Twelve Meridians correspond to the Qi of the Twelve Zang organs. "Exhaustion" refers to the depletion of Qi.) Qibo replied: When the Qi of the Taiyang meridian is exhausted, the patient will present with eyes fixed upward and unable to move, opisthotonos (backward bending of the body), and convulsions; the complexion will be pale, followed by the emergence of "Jue Han" (sweat of exhaustion resembling oil). Once this sweat appears, death ensues. ("Dai yan" means the eyeballs are fixed upward and cannot rotate. "Fan zhe" refers to the backward extension of the waist and spine. "Chi" denotes tendon spasm, while "Zong" denotes tendon flaccidity. "Jue Han" is sweat that bursts out like oil and cannot be contained. The Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian originates at the inner canthus, ascends to the forehead, intersects at the vertex, enters to connect with the brain, descends along the neck, flanks the spine, reaches the loins, and goes down to the little toe of the foot; the Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian originates at the tip of the little finger, runs up the arm to the shoulder, and its branch runs along the neck to the cheek and ends at the outer canthus. Hence, diseases of this meridian manifest as described above. However, Taiyang is the exterior of the Three Yang meridians, so it governs the complexion white and sweating. The *Ling Shu · Zhong Shi Pian* states: "If the complexion is white, the skin breaks and Jue Han appears; once Jue Han appears, life ends." This also refers to governing the exterior. "Chi" sounds like 'chi'; "Zong" sounds like 'zong'.) When the Qi of the Shaoyang meridian is exhausted, the patient will suffer from deafness, flaccidity of all joints, and eyes staring straight ahead in a startled manner without rotation. Death occurs within one and a half days after these signs appear; prior to death, the complexion first turns blue-green and white. (Both Hand and Foot Shaoyang meridians enter the ear and reach the outer canthus, hence deafness and staring eyes. "HT" describes the appearance of staring straight ahead as if startled. Because the Shaoyang connections are severed, the eyes cannot rotate, resulting in this state. The Gallbladder governs the tendons; when Shaoyang Qi is exhausted, all joints become flaccid. Wood's color is blue-green, Metal's color is white. When Metal overacts on Wood, blue-green and white colors appear first; this is a sign of Shaoyang exhaustion. "HT" sounds like 'qiong'.) When the Qi of the Yangming meridian is exhausted, the patient will exhibit twitching and distortion of the mouth and eyes, frequent fright, delirious speech, and a yellow complexion. The upper and lower Jing meridians will be hyperactive. If the muscles become insensible (numb to pain), death follows. (Hand and Foot Yangming meridians flank the mouth and enter the eyes, causing twitching and deviation. Hearing the sound of wood causes sudden fright, indicating Yangming's tendency toward fright. Cursing without regard for relatives or strangers indicates delirious speech. Yellow is the color of Earth appearing externally, indicating Spleen/Stomach Qi failure. Hyperactivity of the upper and lower meridians refers to restlessness and excess in the Yangming meridians of the head, neck, hands, and feet, indicating the failure of Stomach Qi. Insensibility to pain is called "Bu Ren," indicating muscle failure. These are all signs of Yangming Qi exhaustion.) When the Qi of the Shaoyin meridian is exhausted, the patient will have a black complexion, teeth that appear elongated and covered with dirt, abdominal distension and closure, and obstruction of both upper and lower passages, leading to death. (When Heart Qi of Hand-Shaoyin fails, blood deteriorates; when Kidney Qi of Foot-Shaoyin fails, the complexion becomes like charcoal, hence the black face. The Kidney governs bone; when Kidney fails, bones fail, so tooth roots become unstable, making teeth appear long and dirty. The Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian passes through the diaphragm to connect with the Small Intestine; the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian connects with the Bladder, passes through the Liver, and pierces the diaphragm, causing abdominal distension and closure. Obstruction of upper and lower passages signifies the separation of Heart and Kidney; this is the exhaustion of Shaoyin.) When the Qi of the Taiyin meridian is exhausted, the patient will experience abdominal distension and closure, dyspnea (difficulty breathing), frequent belching, and vomiting. If vomiting occurs, Qi rebels upward, causing a red face; if vomiting does not occur, Qi stagnates in the middle, causing obstruction of upper and lower passages. Obstruction leads to a black face and scorched skin and hair, resulting in death. (Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian enters the abdomen and belongs to the Spleen, causing abdominal distension and closure. Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian ascends through the diaphragm, belongs to the Lung, and governs respiration, causing dyspnea. Distension and closure hinder ascending and descending; dyspnea obstructs the airway, causing belching and vomiting. Vomiting causes Qi to rebel upward, hence a red face. No vomiting means stagnation in the middle, hence obstruction. Failure of Spleen Qi fails to control Water, so black color appears on the face. Failure of Lung Qi disrupts regulation, so skin and hair become scorched. "Yi" sounds like 'yi fang'.) When the Qi of the Jueyin meridian is exhausted, the patient will suffer from heat in the middle jiao, dry throat, frequent urination, and vexation. In severe cases, the tongue will curl inward, and the testicles will retract upward, leading to death. (Hand-Jueyin Pericardium Meridian originates in the chest, emerges to belong to the Pericardium, descends through the diaphragm to connect sequentially with the Sanjiao; Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian follows behind the throat, ascends into the nasopharynx, and its descending branch follows the medial thigh, enters the pubic region, and passes through the genitalia, causing heat in the middle, dry throat, frequent urination, and vexation. Furthermore, the tongue is the organ of the Heart, and the Liver harmonizes with the tendons. Tendons gather at the genitalia and connect to the root of the tongue. Thus, in severe cases, the tongue curls and testicles retract, marking the exhaustion of Jueyin Qi. "Ye" sounds like 'yi'; "Juan" is pronounced with the rising tone.) These are the failures of the Twelve Meridians. (Hand and Foot Six Meridians each have interior-exterior pairs, forming the Twelve Meridians. Note: The text in *Ling Shu · Zhong Shi Pian* is identical to this, so it is not repeated here.)