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The root of the tongue appears red; if it is moist with fluids as usual, the pathogenic factor remains in the exterior. If a white coating that is slippery is seen, the pathogenic factor is in the half-exterior half-interior stage; if a yellow coating that is dry is seen, the heat has entered the interior. There are two types of black coating: if it is black, scorched, cracked, hard, and prickly, it indicates extreme fire resembling charcoal (heat syndrome); if the coating is black but moist, soft, and slippery, it indicates cold where water overcomes fire. Additionally, blue is a transformation of white and indicates cold. Purple is a transformation of red and indicates heat. This is the method for differentiating Shaoyang disease (Cold Damage). Generally, a swollen tongue, a scorched and dry tongue, a tongue with prickles, and a yellow and dry coating all indicate heat. A white and moist tongue, and a black and slippery coating, both indicate cold. A stiff tongue, a rigid tongue, a curled tongue, and a shortened tongue all indicate critical conditions. Furthermore, a tongue protruding several inches indicates death, and a tongue with serrated edges indicates incurability.

A yellow lip color indicates Spleen disease; a cyan-black lip color indicates critical illness. For example, darkness around the mouth is a sign of death.

A bluish nose tip indicates abdominal pain. A slightly dark nose tip indicates fluid retention. A yellow nose tip indicates cold in the chest. A white nose tip indicates blood loss. If a slight redness appears at an inappropriate time, it indicates death.

Black ears indicate Kidney disease; dry and withered ears indicate death.

Darkness the size of a thumb appearing on the Tianting (forehead) area; redness the size of a thumb appearing on both cheekbones; these are signs of conflict between Water and Fire. Even if the illness seems to improve slightly, sudden death will inevitably follow. If the lips and face are cyan-black, or if the five sense organs suddenly show blackness, or whiteness resembling smudged sweat powder, sudden death will occur even if the person appears not to be ill.

Jue (angular tone) belongs to Wood and corresponds to the Liver. Zhi (melodic tone) belongs to Fire and corresponds to the Heart. Gong (tonal center) belongs to Earth and corresponds to the Spleen. Shang (metallic tone) belongs to Metal and corresponds to the Lungs. Yu (pennant tone) belongs to Water and corresponds to the Kidneys.

Generally, any hollow object with apertures can produce sound; thus, the Lungs correspond to the production of voice. The larynx is the exit for sound, the epiglottis is the gate of sound, the tongue is the mechanism of sound, and the teeth, lips, and mouth are the auxiliary fans of sound. However, the larynx varies in width; wide ones produce loud sounds, narrow ones produce quiet sounds. The tongue varies in sharpness; sharp tongues produce clear articulation, dull tongues produce indistinct sounds. The epiglottis varies in thickness; thick ones produce turbid sounds, thin ones produce clear sounds. The lips vary in thickness; thick lips produce slow speech, thin lips produce rapid speech. The teeth vary in density; sparse teeth produce scattered sounds, dense teeth produce focused sounds. These are all normal sounds in the absence of disease.