乔岳五脏绝歌 〔心脏〕吐泻变为痢。血黑渴难当。（心主血。心绝则血色变黑。虚燥而发渴）肌瘦难行
坐。虚舌不缩藏。（心主舌。绝则不能收）两脸如脂赤。（痢久则面当无色。今面色反如脂者。心绝
则虚阳上发也）无语口生疮。（心主舌。绝则不能语）若向夏中得。更莫细思量。〔肝脏〕眼目时时涩。浑身似
醉人。频频只要睡。心烦又多嗔。（肝主目。绝则不能开。故涩而只要睡。又肝主筋力。绝则如醉
人。不能举也。又肝主怒。绝则多怒不止也）唇白眼胞肿。狂躁足啼声。东方应此候。病则不宜春。〔脾脏〕面
色黄时好。不可见相传。体弱憎寒甚。虫行觅食餐。（脾主肢体。绝则体弱。又脾绝则肾逆乘之。故发热憎寒。
脾绝则胃热。故虫不安而上吐出）吃乳唇无力。齿露盖时难。（脾主唇。绝则不能收掩其齿。又不能吮乳）眼倾
休下药。（眼眶属脾。绝则倾陷）免更住人间。〔肺脏〕肺候应白色。莫使见绝形。鼻青孔燥黑。腹胀眼胞
倾。（肺主鼻。绝则肝逆乘之而色青。又
肺绝则无涕。故孔黑燥也。肺主眼胞。绝则陷之）项直喘气急。胸凸没回声。（肺主气。绝则喘急项直。以引气
也。气绝则胸中满凸。但有出气而无回气也）秋间逢此候。四方别托生。〔肾脏〕冷汗时时有。
尿多夜里惊。（肾绝则阴阳相离。故冷汗出而小便不禁。精者神之舍。绝则精神离。故夜里多惊。肾属阴。夜亦
属阴故也）遍身生粟疥。手足冷如冰。（阳尽不能充暖故也）项倒头难举。面黑没精神。（肾绝则天柱骨倒。面
目皆黑。无精神也）此候应壬癸。冬得殒其身。
王叔和死证歌 眼上赤脉。下贯瞳人。囟门肿起。兼及作坑。鼻干黑燥。肚大青筋。目多直视。都不转睛。
指甲黑色。忽作鸦鸣。虚舌退场门。啮齿咬人。鱼口气急。啼不作声。蛔虫既出。必是死形。用药速急。十无一生。
钱乙死证 泻不定。精神好。大渴不定。止之又渴。吹鼻不喷。病重口干不睡。时气唇上青黑点。颊深赤
如涂胭脂。鼻孔开张。喘急不定。面有五色。不常不泽。
诸般死证 病困汗出。如珠不流。头毛上逆。唇口枯干。口鼻冷气。头足相抵。卧正如缚。四肢垂 。手足
掌冷。
通真子死候歌 囟陷唇干目直视。口中冷气卧如痴。身形强直手足软。掌冷头低尽莫医。
乔岳《五脏绝歌》
〔心脏〕呕吐腹泻转变为痢疾，排出黑色血液，口渴难以忍受。（心主血脉。心气衰竭则血色变黑，因虚燥而引发口渴）肌肉消瘦，难以行走和坐立。舌头虚弱松弛，不能收缩藏入口中。（心开窍于舌。心气衰竭则舌体不能收摄）双颊面色如涂脂般红润。（患痢疾日久面色应当苍白无华，如今面色反而像涂了脂粉一样红润，这是心气衰竭导致虚阳上浮的表现）沉默不语，口腔内生疮疡。（心开窍于舌，心气衰竭则不能言语）如果在夏季发生此症，更不必细细思量（意指必死无疑）。
〔肝脏〕眼睛时时感到干涩，全身感觉像喝醉的人一样。频繁想要睡觉，心中烦躁且容易发怒。（肝开窍于目，肝气衰竭则双目不能睁开，故感干涩且只想睡觉。又肝主筋力，肝气衰竭则肢体无力如同醉汉，无法举起。又肝主怒，肝气衰竭则愤怒不止）嘴唇发白，眼睑浮肿，狂躁不安，脚部啼哭叫喊。此征候对应东方木气，若在春季患病则不宜生存。
〔脾脏〕面色发黄时看似好转，不可误以为病情传变已止。身体虚弱，极度憎恶寒冷，感觉体内有虫爬行寻找食物进食。（脾主四肢肢体，脾气衰竭则身体虚弱。又脾土衰竭则肾水反侮乘之，故出现发热、憎恶寒冷的症状。脾衰竭则胃热，故蛔虫不安而上逆吐出）吃奶时嘴唇无力，牙齿外露，牙龈萎缩难以遮盖。（脾开窍于口，其华在唇，脾气衰竭则不能收摄掩蔽牙齿，也不能吮吸乳汁）眼眶下陷，不要再用药治疗了。（眼眶属脾，脾气衰竭则眼眶凹陷）以免继续留在人间受苦。
〔肺脏〕肺的征候应表现为白色，不要见到肺气衰竭的形证。鼻头青色，鼻孔干燥发黑，腹部胀满，眼睑下陷。（肺开窍于鼻，肺气衰竭则肝木反侮乘之而现青色。又肺气衰竭则无鼻涕流出，故鼻孔黑而干燥。肺主眼睑，肺气衰竭则眼睑塌陷）颈部僵硬，呼吸急促，胸部凸起，气息微弱没有回声。（肺主气，肺气衰竭则喘息急促、颈部僵硬，以牵引气息。气机衰竭则胸中胀满凸起，只有呼气没有吸气）秋季遇到此征候，死后将去往四方托生。
〔肾脏〕冷汗时常渗出，夜尿多且在夜间受惊。（肾气衰竭则阴阳分离，故出冷汗且小便失禁。精是神的居所，肾气衰竭则精神离散，故夜间多惊悸。肾属阴，夜晚也属阴，故有此表现）全身生出粟粒状皮疹或疥疮，手脚冰冷如冰。（阳气耗尽，不能温煦肢体所致）头部后仰，难以抬起，面色发黑，毫无精神。（肾气衰竭则支撑脊柱的天柱骨倒塌，面目皆黑，没有精神）此征候对应壬癸水气，冬季遇到此症则会丧命。
王叔和《死证歌》
眼上出现赤色脉络，向下贯穿瞳孔。囟门肿胀突起，甚至凹陷成坑。鼻子干燥黑而焦枯，肚子大且青筋暴露。眼睛经常直视，眼球完全不转动。指甲变黑，突然发出乌鸦般的叫声。舌头虚弱退缩至口腔深处，咬齿甚至咬人。鱼口样张口呼吸，气息急促，啼哭却发不出声音。蛔虫既已排出，必定是死证。用药必须迅速紧急，十个人中没有能救活一个的。
钱乙《死证》
腹泻不止，但精神尚好。极度口渴不止，止渴后又觉口渴。吹入鼻腔药物不喷嚏。病重口干且不睡觉。时行疫病者，嘴唇上有青黑斑点，脸颊深红如涂抹胭脂。鼻孔开张，喘息急促不定。面色呈现五色混杂，不恒定也不润泽。
诸般死证
病情危重时出汗，汗珠如珍珠状但不流动。头发直立向上逆生，嘴唇口角干枯。口鼻呼出冷气，头与足相互抵靠，躺卧姿势僵硬如同被捆绑。四肢下垂松弛，手足掌心冰冷。
通真子《死候歌》
囟门凹陷，嘴唇干燥，眼睛直视不动。口中呼出冷气，躺卧如痴傻之人。身体强直，手足软弱。掌心冰冷，头部低垂，这些情况都不可医治。
Qiao Yue's "Song of the Extinction of the Five Zang Organs"
[Heart] Vomiting and diarrhea transform into dysentery, with black blood excreted and unbearable thirst. (The Heart governs blood vessels. When Heart Qi fails, the blood color turns black; deficiency and dryness trigger thirst.) Muscles emaciate, making walking and sitting difficult. The tongue is flaccid and weak, unable to retract or hide within the mouth. (The Heart opens into the tongue. When Heart Qi fails, the tongue cannot be controlled.) Both cheeks appear reddish like applied rouge. (In prolonged dysentery, the complexion should be pale and devoid of luster; if it appears reddish like rouge, it indicates Heart Qi failure causing floating deficient Yang to rise.) Silence prevails, and sores form in the mouth. (The Heart opens into the tongue; when Heart Qi fails, speech is impossible.) If this occurs in mid-summer, there is no need for further deliberation (implying inevitable death).
[Liver] Eyes feel constantly dry; the whole body feels as if intoxicated. Frequent desire to sleep, irritability, and excessive anger. (The Liver opens into the eyes; when Liver Qi fails, the eyes cannot open, causing dryness and a desire to sleep. The Liver governs sinews and strength; when Liver Qi fails, the limbs are weak as if drunk and unable to lift. The Liver governs anger; when Liver Qi fails, anger persists uncontrollably.) Lips turn white, eyelids swell, restlessness ensues, and crying sounds from the feet. This sign corresponds to the East and Wood element; if contracted in spring, survival is unlikely.
[Spleen] A yellowish complexion may seem like improvement, but do not mistake it for the cessation of disease progression. The body is weak, with severe aversion to cold, and sensations of insects crawling seeking food. (The Spleen governs the limbs and body; when Spleen Qi fails, the body becomes weak. Furthermore, when Spleen Earth fails, Kidney Water counteracts and overcomes it, causing fever and aversion to cold. Spleen failure leads to Stomach heat, causing parasites to become restless and vomit upward.) Weak lips while nursing; teeth exposed, with gums receding and difficulty covering them. (The Spleen opens into the mouth, its brilliance manifesting in the lips; when Spleen Qi fails, it cannot cover the teeth, nor can it suckle milk.) Sunken eye sockets; cease medication. (Eye sockets belong to the Spleen; when Spleen Qi fails, they sink.) To avoid remaining in the human realm [to suffer].
[Lung] Lung signs should correspond to white; do not observe the form of Lung Qi extinction. Nasal tip is cyanotic, nostrils dry and black, abdominal distension, and sunken eyelids. (The Lung opens into the nose; when Lung Qi fails, Liver Wood counteracts and overcomes it, presenting cyanosis. Lung failure results in absence of nasal discharge, hence black and dry nostrils. The Lung governs eyelids; when Lung Qi fails, they collapse.) Neck stiffness, rapid breathing, convex chest, and breath without echo. (The Lung governs Qi; when Lung Qi fails, panting is rapid and neck stiffens to draw air. Qi exhaustion causes chest fullness and convexity, with only exhalation and no inhalation.) Encountering this sign in autumn implies rebirth elsewhere after death.
[Kidney] Cold sweat frequently occurs; frequent urination and night terrors. (Kidney Qi failure leads to separation of Yin and Yang, causing cold sweat and urinary incontinence. Essence is the residence of Spirit; when Kidney Qi fails, Spirit scatters, causing night terrors. The Kidney belongs to Yin, and night also belongs to Yin.) Generalized pruritic papules or scabies; hands and feet cold as ice. (Yang energy is exhausted and cannot warm the limbs.) Head tilted backward, difficult to lift; facial darkness and lack of spirit. (Kidney Qi failure causes the Tianzhu bone [spine] to collapse; face and eyes turn dark, lacking spirit.) This sign corresponds to Ren and Gui [Water]; encountering it in winter leads to demise.
Wang Shuhe's "Song of Death Signs"
Red meridians on the upper eyelids extending downward through the pupil. Fontanelle swelling protruding, or sinking into a pit. Dry, black, and scorched nose; large abdomen with visible blue veins. Eyes staring straight ahead, completely immobile. Black fingernails; sudden crow-like cries. Tongue weakly retracting to the back of the throat; grinding teeth or biting. Fish-mouth breathing, rapid respiration, crying without sound. Extrusion of roundworms indicates certain death. Medication must be administered urgently; ten cases yield no survivors.
Qian Yi's "Death Signs"
Uncontrollable diarrhea despite good spirit. Uncontrollable extreme thirst; thirst returns immediately after quenching. No sneezing response to nasal insufflation. Severe illness with dry mouth and insomnia. In seasonal epidemics, cyanotic-black spots on lips; deep red cheeks like rouge. Open nostrils; irregular, rapid panting. Complexion showing five colors mixed, neither constant nor lustrous.
Various Death Signs
Profuse sweating in critical illness, droplets like pearls but not flowing. Hair standing erect and reversed; dry and cracked lips and mouth. Cold air from mouth and nose; head touching feet. Lying rigidly as if bound. Limbs hanging limp; cold palms and soles.
Tong Zhenzi's "Song of Death Prognoses"
Sunken fontanelle, dry lips, fixed gaze. Cold air from mouth, lying like an idiot. Rigid body, soft limbs. Cold palms, low head; all these are incurable.