真肝脉至，中外急，如循刀刃，责责然，如按琴瑟弦，色青白不泽，毛折乃死；真心脉至，坚而搏，如循
薏苡子，累累然，色赤黑不泽，毛折乃死；真肺脉至，大而虚，如以毛羽中人肤，色白赤不泽，毛折乃死；真
肾脉至，搏而绝，如指弹石，辟辟然，色黑黄不泽，毛折乃死；真脾脉至，弱而乍数乍疏，色黄青不泽，毛折
乃死。诸真脏脉见者，皆死不治也。
此言五脏之脉无和缓胃气，但是真脏孤阴，其色既枯而不泽，又青与白、赤与黑、白与赤、黑与黄、黄与
青互现，是五行克贼，故皆死，不可治也。如循刀刃，即细急之极也，如按琴瑟弦，即紧急不转动也；如循
薏苡子，累累然者，应指坚硬粒粒，绝无柔和之气也；如以毛羽中人肤者，应指轻虚散乱，略按全无也；如指
弹石，辟辟然者，应指板实而坚，全无来去出入之象也；弱而乍数乍疏者，鼓动无力，其气散乱也。真脏脉现，
而皆以毛折死者，毛折，其一身气血津液尽枯矣。
帝曰∶见真脏曰死，何也？岐伯曰∶五脏者，皆禀气于胃，胃者，五脏之本也。脏气者，不能自致于手太
阴，必因于胃气，乃至于手太阴也。故五脏各以其时自为，而至于手太阴也。故邪气胜者，精气衰也，故病甚
者，胃气不能与之俱至于手太阴，故真脏之气独现，独现者，病胜脏也，故死。
五脏皆赖胃中水谷之气滋养，故胃为五脏之本。而胃之所以能消化出入者，又藉脾气之鼓运，而脾则以肾
中元阳为根，此先后天之互相生化，而不可偏失也。其各脏之气，亦必藉胃气以达肺，始得行于经脉。若邪气
胜而精气衰，则病甚而无胃阳与之俱至于手太阴，故真脏之气独现于脉，由病邪胜脏气，无胃阳生化之精气，
故死也。
真肝脉出现时，脉象内外紧急，像触摸刀刃一样锐利，发出责责的声音，又像按压琴瑟的弦；面色青白而无光泽，毫毛枯折则死亡；真心脉出现时，脉象坚硬而搏指，像触摸薏苡子一样颗粒累累；面色赤黑而无光泽，毫毛枯折则死亡；真肺脉出现时，脉象大而空虚，像羽毛中人皮肤一样轻虚散乱；面色白赤而无光泽，毫毛枯折则死亡；真肾脉出现时，脉象搏动中断，像手指弹石一样辟辟作响；面色黑黄而无光泽，毫毛枯折则死亡；真脾脉出现时，脉象微弱且忽快忽慢；面色黄青而无光泽，毫毛枯折则死亡。凡是真脏脉出现的，都是死证，无法治疗。
这段文字论述五脏之脉如果没有和缓的胃气，仅仅是真脏孤阴之气显现，其面色已经干枯无泽，而且青色与白色、赤色与黑色、白色与赤色、黑色与黄色、黄色与青色相互交错显现，这是五行相克贼害的表现，所以都是死证，不可治疗。所谓“像触摸刀刃”，就是细急到了极点；所谓“像按压琴瑟弦”，就是紧急而不转动；所谓“像触摸薏苡子，颗粒累累”，是指应指坚硬粒粒分明，完全没有柔和之气；所谓“像羽毛中人皮肤”，是指应指轻虚散乱，稍微按压就感觉全无；所谓“像手指弹石，辟辟作响”，是指应指板实而坚硬，完全没有来去出入的气象；所谓“微弱且忽快忽慢”，是指鼓动无力，气机散乱。真脏脉出现，并且都以毫毛枯折为死亡征兆，毫毛枯折意味着全身的气血津液都已枯竭。
黄帝问：见到真脏脉就说会死，为什么呢？岐伯回答：五脏都禀受于胃气，胃是五脏的根本。脏气不能自己到达手太阴肺经，必须依靠胃气，才能到达手太阴肺经。所以五脏各自在其所主的时令下，通过胃气反映到手太阴肺经。如果邪气盛，精气就会衰败，所以病重的时候，胃气不能随着脏气一起到达手太阴肺经，因此真脏之气单独显现。单独显现，说明病邪胜过脏气，所以死亡。
五脏都依赖胃中水谷之气来滋养，所以胃是五脏的根本。而胃之所以能消化和输布水谷，又借助脾气的气化运作用，而脾又以肾中的元阳为根基，这是先天与后天互相生化，不可偏废的关系。各脏之气，也必须借助胃气以达于肺，才能在经脉中运行。如果邪气胜而精气衰，那么病情严重而没有胃阳伴随脏气一起到达手太阴肺经，所以真脏之气单独在脉象上显现，由于病邪胜过脏气，没有胃阳生化出的精气支持，所以死亡。
When the true Liver pulse appears, it is tense inside and out, like tracing the edge of a blade, making a rasping sound, or like pressing the string of a qin or se; the complexion is cyan-white and lusterless, and death occurs when the body hair breaks off; When the true Heart pulse appears, it is firm and beating against the finger, like tracing Coicis Semen (Job's tears), appearing granular and clustered; the complexion is red-black and lusterless, and death occurs when the body hair breaks off; When the true Lung pulse appears, it is large and empty, like a feather brushing against human skin; the complexion is white-red and lusterless, and death occurs when the body hair breaks off; When the true Kidney pulse appears, it beats and then cuts off abruptly, like fingers striking stone, making a crisp sound; the complexion is black-yellow and lusterless, and death occurs when the body hair breaks off; When the true Spleen pulse appears, it is weak and alternates between rapid and slow rhythms; the complexion is yellow-cyan and lusterless, and death occurs when the body hair breaks off. Whenever any true Zang pulse manifests, it indicates a fatal condition that cannot be treated.
This passage discusses that when the pulses of the five Zang organs lack the harmonizing Stomach Qi (Stomach Energy), they manifest only as isolated Yin of the true Zang organs. Their complexions are withered and lusterless, and the mutual appearance of cyan and white, red and black, white and red, black and yellow, and yellow and cyan indicates the mutual overacting (clashing) of the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Therefore, all are fatal and incurable. "Like tracing the edge of a blade" signifies extreme fineness and tension; "like pressing the string of a qin or se" signifies urgency without flexibility; "like tracing Coicis Semen (Job's tears), appearing granular" means the pulse feels hard and distinct under the finger, completely lacking a soft quality; "like a feather brushing against human skin" means the pulse feels light, void, and scattered, disappearing almost entirely upon slight pressure; "like fingers striking stone, making a crisp sound" means the pulse feels rigid and solid, completely lacking the imagery of coming and going; "weak and alternating between rapid and slow" means the pulsation is powerless and the Qi is scattered. The manifestation of true Zang pulses, accompanied by the breaking of body hair indicating death, implies that the breaking of body hair signifies the exhaustion of Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids throughout the entire body.
The Yellow Emperor asked: Why does the appearance of the true Zang pulse indicate death? Qibo replied: The five Zang organs all derive their Qi from the Stomach; the Stomach is the root of the five Zang organs. The Zang Qi cannot reach the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian on its own; it must rely on Stomach Qi to arrive at the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. Thus, each Zang organ reflects itself through the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian during its respective season. If pathogenic factors prevail, Essence-Qi declines. Therefore, in severe illness, Stomach Qi cannot accompany the Zang Qi to reach the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, causing the Qi of the true Zang organs to appear alone. Its solitary appearance indicates that the disease has overcome the Zang organs, leading to death.
The five Zang organs all rely on the Qi of water and grain from the Stomach for nourishment; thus, the Stomach is the root of the five Zang organs. Furthermore, the Stomach's ability to digest and transport relies on the transformative movement of Spleen Qi, while the Spleen takes the Primordial Yang of the Kidneys as its root. This represents the mutual generation of the Pre-Heaven (Innate) and Post-Heaven (Acquired) aspects, which must not be neglected. The Qi of each organ must also rely on Stomach Qi to reach the Lungs before it can circulate in the meridians. If pathogenic factors prevail and Essence-Qi declines, the severity of the disease prevents Stomach Yang from accompanying the Zang Qi to reach the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. Consequently, the Qi of the true Zang organs manifests alone in the pulse. Because pathogenic factors overcome the Zang Qi, and there is no Essence-Qi generated by Stomach Yang to support it, death ensues.