Difficulty 24
When the channel qi of the three yin and three yang channels of the hands and feet has already been severed, what signs can be observed to know the prognosis of good or ill fortune?
Yes. When the channel qi of the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Channel is severed, the bones become withered and dry. The Foot-Shaoyin channel corresponds to the pulse of winter; it lies hidden within the body and warms and nourishes the bone marrow. Therefore, if the bone marrow does not receive warm nourishment, the muscles cannot adhere to the bones. When bones and flesh cannot be closely connected, the muscles become slack and atrophy. When muscles are slack and atrophic, the teeth appear elongated and withered, and the hair lacks luster. This is the sign of the bones dying first. On a wu day the condition worsens, and on a ji day death occurs.
When the channel qi of the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Channel is severed, the channel qi cannot nourish the lips. The lips are the root of the muscles. When the channel qi cannot nourish, the muscles are not smooth and glossy; when muscles are not smooth and glossy, they become distended and full; when muscles are distended and full, the lips turn outward; lips turning outward is the sign of the muscles dying first. On a jia day the condition worsens, and on a yi day death occurs.
When the channel qi of the Foot-Jueyin Liver Channel is severed, the sinews become contracted and tense, pulling on the testicles and causing the tongue to curl. The Foot-Jueyin channel is the channel of the liver organ. The liver is connected with the sinews. The sinews converge at the external genitalia and connect to the root of the tongue. Therefore, if the channel qi cannot nourish, the sinews contract and become tight. When the sinews contract and become tight, they pull on the testicles and tongue, thus causing the tongue to curl and the testicles to retract upward. This is the sign of the sinews dying first. On a geng day the condition worsens, and on a xin day death occurs.
When the channel qi of the Hand-Taiyin Lung Channel is severed, the skin and body hair become scorched and withered. The Hand-Taiyin channel is the channel of the lung organ; it circulates channel qi to warm and moisten the skin and body hair. When the channel qi cannot nourish, the skin and body hair become scorched and withered. When the skin and body hair are scorched and withered, the fluids are dissipated and lost. When the fluids are dissipated and lost, the skin and joints are damaged. When the skin and joints are damaged, the skin becomes withered and the body hair breaks off. Body hair breaking off is the sign of the body hair dying first. On a bing day the condition worsens, and on a ding day death occurs.
When the channel qi of the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Channel is severed, the channel pathways become obstructed. When the channel pathways are obstructed, the blood cannot circulate. When the blood cannot circulate, the complexion lacks luster, so the facial color becomes dark like black lacquer. This is the sign of the blood dying first. On a ren day the condition worsens, and on a gui day death occurs.
When the channel qi of all three yin channels is severed, the eyes become dizzy and spinning, and they close. The closure of the eyes is a sign of loss of spirit consciousness. Loss of spirit consciousness means the spirit has died first. When the spirit dies first, the eyes close.
When the channel qi of all six yang channels is severed, yin qi and yang qi separate from each other. When yin and yang separate, the interstices and striae open and leak, so then the final sweat flows out. The final sweat is large like strung beads, rolling out and flowing without stopping. This is the sign of the yang qi dying first. If this sign appears in the morning, it foretells death in the evening; if it appears in the evening, it foretells death the next morning.