手少阴气绝，则脉不通。脉不通，则血不流；血不流，则髦色不泽。故其面如漆柴者，血先死。壬笃癸
死，水胜火也。
心主血脉，心经气绝，故脉不通而血不流，血先死也。
足太阴气绝，则脉不荣肌肉，唇舌者，肌肉之本也。脉不荣，则肌肉软；肌肉软，则肉萎人中满；人中
满，则唇反。唇反者，肉先死。甲笃乙死，木胜土也。
脾主肌肉，脾经气绝，故肌肉先死也。
足少阴气绝，则骨枯。少阴者，冬脉也，伏行而濡骨髓者也。故骨不濡，则肉不能着也；骨肉不相亲，则
肉软却；肉软却，故齿长而垢，发无泽。发无泽者，骨先死。戊笃己死，土胜水也。
肾藏精而主骨，肾败精枯，则经气绝，故骨先死也。
足厥阴气绝，则筋绝。厥阴者，肝脉也。肝者，筋之合也。筋者，聚于阴器，而脉络于舌本也。故脉勿
荣，则筋急；筋急，则引舌与卵。故唇青、舌卷、卵缩，则筋先死。庚笃辛死，金胜木也。
肝藏血而主筋，肝血枯，则经气绝，而筋先死也。
五阴气俱绝，则目系转，转则目运，目运者，为志先死，志先死，则远一日半死矣；六阳气绝，则阴与阳
相离，离则腠理发泄，绝汗乃出，故旦占夕死，夕占旦死。
《素问·诊要经终论》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；
少阳终者，耳聋，百节皆纵，目HT 绝系，绝系一日半死，其死色先青白，乃死矣；阳明终者，口目动作，善
惊，妄言，色黄，其上下经盛，不仁，则终矣；少阴终者，面黑，齿长而垢，腹胀闭，上下不通而终矣；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；厥阴终者，中热，嗌干，善溺，心烦甚，则舌
卷、卵上缩而终矣。此十二经之所败也。
手少阴心经的经气衰竭，就会导致血脉不通畅。血脉不通畅，血液就无法正常运行；血液无法正常运行，毛发和面色就会失去光泽。因此，如果面色像涂了漆的枯柴一样晦暗无光，说明血气已经先一步死亡。在壬日病情加重，到癸日就会死亡，这是因为水（肾）克制火（心）。
心主司血脉，心经经气衰竭，所以脉道不通而血液不流，血气首先死亡。
足太阴脾经的经气衰竭，脉气就不能滋养肌肉。口唇和舌头是肌肉的根本所在。脉气不能滋养，肌肉就会松弛无力；肌肉松弛无力，就会导致肌肉萎缩、人中部位饱满肿胀；人中部位饱满肿胀，嘴唇就会向外翻卷。嘴唇外翻，说明肌肉之气已经先一步死亡。在甲日病情加重，到乙日就会死亡，这是因为木（肝）克制土（脾）。
足少阴肾经的经气衰竭，骨骼就会干枯。少阴经对应冬季的脉象，其气潜藏运行以濡养骨髓。因此，骨骼得不到濡养，肌肉就不能附着在骨骼上；骨肉不相亲附，肌肉就会松弛退缩；肌肉松弛退缩，所以牙齿显得变长且布满污垢，头发失去光泽。头发没有光泽，说明骨气已经先一步死亡。在戊日病情加重，到己日就会死亡，这是因为土（脾）克制水（肾）。
肾藏精并主司骨骼，肾败坏、精气枯竭，导致经气衰竭，所以骨气首先死亡。
足厥阴肝经的经气衰竭，筋脉就会断绝。厥阴经对应肝脏的经脉。肝与筋相合。筋脉聚集于生殖器部位，并联络于舌根。因此，脉气不能滋养筋脉，筋脉就会拘急痉挛；筋脉拘急痉挛，就会牵引舌头和睾丸。所以出现嘴唇发青、舌头卷缩、睾丸收缩的症状，说明筋气已经先一步死亡。在庚日病情加重，到辛日就会死亡，这是因为金（肺）克制木（肝）。
五脏的阴气全部衰竭，会导致目系（眼球连系脑部的脉络）扭转，扭转则视物眩晕，视物眩晕说明神志（肾所藏之志）已经先一步死亡，神志先死，大约一天半后就会死亡；六腑的阳气全部衰竭，阴气与阳气分离，分离则腠理开泄，绝汗（临终前的大汗）流出，所以早晨占测到这种情况傍晚就会死亡，傍晚占测到这种情况早晨就会死亡。
《素问·诊要经终论》中岐伯说：太阳经的脉气终结时，会出现两眼上视（戴眼），身体角弓反张，抽搐，面色苍白，绝汗流出，汗出后就死亡了；少阳经终结时，耳聋，全身关节松懈无力，目系断绝联系，目系断绝约一天半后死亡，死亡前的面色先青后白，然后死亡；阳明经终结时，口眼歪斜抽动，容易惊恐，胡言乱语，面色发黄，上下经脉盛满充盈，肌肤麻木不仁，这就终结了；少阴经终结时，面色发黑，牙齿显得变长且布满污垢，腹部胀满闭塞，上下气机不通而终结；太阴经终结时，腹部胀满闭塞，呼吸不畅，频繁嗳气，频繁呕吐，呕吐则气逆，气逆则面色发红，如果不气逆则是上下气机不通，气机不通则面色发黑、皮毛焦枯而终结；厥阴经终结时，心中烦热，咽喉干燥，频繁小便，心烦严重，最终出现舌头卷缩、睾丸上缩而终结。这就是十二经脉气败绝的表现。
When the Qi of the Hand-Shaoyin (Heart) meridian ceases, the vessels become obstructed. When the vessels are obstructed, blood does not flow; when blood does not flow, the hair and complexion lose their luster. Therefore, if the face appears as dark and dull as lacquered charcoal, it indicates that the Blood has died first. The condition worsens on Ren days and death occurs on Gui days, due to Water overcoming Fire.
The Heart governs the vessels and blood. When the Qi of the Heart meridian ceases, the vessels become obstructed and blood fails to circulate, leading to the premature death of Blood Qi.
When the Qi of the Foot-Taiyin (Spleen) meridian ceases, the vessels fail to nourish the muscles. The lips and tongue are the root of the muscles. If the vessels fail to nourish, the muscles become flaccid; if the muscles become flaccid, muscle atrophy occurs and the philtrum becomes full; if the philtrum becomes full, the lips evert. When the lips evert, it indicates that the Muscle Qi has died first. The condition worsens on Jia days and death occurs on Yi days, due to Wood overcoming Earth.
The Spleen governs the muscles. When the Qi of the Spleen meridian ceases, the Muscle Qi dies first.
When the Qi of the Foot-Shaoyin (Kidney) meridian ceases, the bones become withered. Shaoyin corresponds to the winter pulse; its Qi runs deep to moisten the bone marrow. Therefore, if the bones are not moistened, the muscles cannot adhere to them; if the bones and muscles are not closely attached, the muscles become soft and recede; because the muscles recede, the teeth appear long and covered with dirt, and the hair loses its luster. When the hair lacks luster, it indicates that the Bone Qi has died first. The condition worsens on Wu days and death occurs on Ji days, due to Earth overcoming Water.
The Kidneys store Essence and govern the bones. When the Kidneys degenerate and Essence is depleted, the meridian Qi ceases, leading to the premature death of Bone Qi.
When the Yin Qi of all five Zang organs ceases, the eye system (the meridians connecting the eyes to the brain) twists, causing dizziness. Dizziness indicates that the Will (Zhi, stored in the Kidneys) has died first; if the Will dies first, death occurs approximately one and a half days later. When the Yang Qi of all six Fu organs ceases, Yin and Yang separate. Separation leads to the opening of the couli (pores) and the emergence of absolute sweat (terminal sweating). Thus, if observed in the morning, death occurs by evening; if observed in the evening, death occurs by morning.
In *Suwen: Chapter on the Essential Importance of Diagnosing the Termination of Meridians*, Qibo stated: When the Taiyang meridian terminates, there is upward deviation of the eyes (daiyan), opisthotonos, convulsions, pale complexion, and the emergence of absolute sweat; once the sweat emerges, death ensues. When the Shaoyang meridian terminates, there is deafness, flaccidity of all joints, disconnection of the eye system, and death occurs after one and a half days; the complexion turns blue then white before death. When the Yangming meridian terminates, there is twitching of the mouth and eyes, frequent fright, delirious speech, yellow complexion, fullness in the upper and lower meridians, insensitivity, and termination ensues. When the Shaoyin meridian terminates, there is blackening of the face, teeth appearing long with dirt, abdominal distension and closure, obstruction of upper and lower communication, and termination ensues. When the Taiyin meridian terminates, there is abdominal distension and closure, dyspnea, frequent belching, frequent vomiting; vomiting leads to rebellious Qi, which causes redness of the face; if Qi does not rebel, there is obstruction of upper and lower communication, leading to blackening of the face, scorched skin and hair, and termination ensues. When the Jueyin meridian terminates, there is internal heat, dry throat, frequent urination, severe restlessness, followed by curling of the tongue and retraction of the testicles, leading to termination. These are the manifestations of the failure of the twelve meridians.