SA Tongue

of the heart and the external indicator of the spleen”.

Zang and Fu

directly or indirectly

the tongue picture

heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney

gall bladder (GB), stomach, large intestine, small intestine, bladder and Sanjiao

a branch goes to the root of tongue.

connects with the root of the tongue and spreads over its lower surface area.

connects with the throat and the root of the tongue.

terminates at the root of the tongue.

goes through the throat and connects with the root of the tongue.

a light red, moist, bright, soft and flexible tongue with thin-white coating on the upper surface of it. The normal tongue reflects the proper functions of spleen and stomach. Also, Yin-Yang and Qi-blood are in the balanced condition.

(bloodless) - deficiency or cold syndrome

small-thin-pale tongue---

fat-tender-pale ---deficiency of Yang-Qi

(redder than normal tongue) - heat pattern

rough-red tongue with prickles or thick-yellowish coating--- excess heat

flaring up of heart-fire

(redder than reddened tongue)

dry or fissured-crimson tongue --- ying stage pattern or yin deficiency

little-moist-crimson tongue ---interior blo

stagnation of Qi and blood caused by coldness or heat

withered-dry-purple tongue - excessive heat, consumption of the body fluid and stagnation of Qi and blood

light purple or purplish-blue and moist - blood stagnation due to coldness

{ retention of water and stagnation of dampness, phlegm and fluid

pale-tender-plump tongue accumulation of body fluid due to Yang deficiency of the spleen and kidney

light reddened-thick tongue with yellow greasy coatin

deficiency of Qi and blood; deficiency of Yin-fluid

pale-thin tongue - deficiency of Qi and blood

deep red-thin tongue - impairment of Yin by excessive heat, or hyperactivity of fire due to Yin deficiency

excessive heat accumulation

on the tip of the tongue - excessive heart fire

on the center of the tongue - excessive heat in the stomach and intestines

on the borders of the tongue - excessive fire of the liver and gall bladder

deficiency blood and Yin

light color-fissured tongue -

deep red-fissured tongue -

- deficiency of the spleen or damp retention

pale and moist - damp cold

light red-colored moist -

reddened-swollen -

The shortened tongue is usually contracted and unable to protrude out. A congenitally shortened frenulum linguae has no diagnostic sense. However, the pathological shortened tongue indicates a patient’s disease is severe and he/she is in critical cond

The flaccid tongue refers to a weak tongue unable to protrude and curl up with atrophy of the tongue muscles. The flaccid tongue indicates extreme deficiency of Qi and blood. exhaustion of Yin-fluid and the consequent malnutrition of the tongue .

The stiff tongue means the tongue is not able or difficult to move freely. The stiff tongue shows the pathological changes of Zang and Fu organs (the viscera). There are two main pathogenic factors:

red or deep red - exterior heat or high fever

The tremulous tongue is the tongue body trembling uncontrollably. The tongue trembles because of deficiency of Qi and blood, consumption of the body fluid, Yang depletion or up-stirring of the liver-wind caused by extreme dry-heat.

pale- or light re

The wry tongue is considered as the tongue deviating to one side of the mouth while protruding. The wry tongue indicates apoplexy or its premonitory.

purple red, stiff - liver wind due to excessive heat

light red, soft - apoplexey

- exterior pattern, cold pattern

thin-white: external wind cold

thin-white-wet: cold or cold-damp syndrome

thick-white-slippery or -greasy: a retention of phlegm, cold-dampness and indigestion

thick-white like piled powder: pathogeni

- internal patern, heat pattern

thin-yellow-dry: mild pathogenic heat and consumption of the body fluid

blackish-yellow-dry: exuberance of pathogenic heat and exhaustion of the body fluid

yellow-greasy-wet: stagnation of heat and dampnes

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- syndrome of interior heat or cold-dampness

gray dry - consumption of the body fluid by excessive heat and Yin deficiency, seen in febrile disease or interior injury

gray wet - retention of phlegm or stagnation of cold-dampness in the int

Black coating is transformed from gray or yellow coating. It is often seen in the critical stage of serious and/or prolonged diseases, indicating either excessive interior heat or excessive coldness.

location of pathogens; sevierity of diseases

Thin - exterior syndrome in exopathy, or light internal injury syndrome

Thick - interior syndrome; serious severe condition; indigestion; damp or phlegm retention

- condition of body fluid

Moist - body fluid contained

Slippery - excessive body fluid indicating cold damp syndrome

Dry and Rough: over consumption of body fluid by excessive body heat

- Wane or Wax yang qi and damp pathogen

Curdy:

Greasy:

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mirror tongue --- exhaustion of stomach qi or yin

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False coating --- exhaustion of stomach qi

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deep red-swollen tongue - excessive heat of the heart and spleen

purplish blue-swollen tongue - stasis of alcoholism and blood stagnation due to i

Shortened Tongue

reddened-dry-shortened:

plump-greasy-shor

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reddened-little saliva-trembling - consumption of the body fluid and stirring-up of wind

deep red-trembling severely - ext

red sides of the tongue---excessive fire of the liver and gallbladder

tender-red tongue with little or no coating or with fissures--- deficient heat

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