（新订）
脉有有根无根之辨，舌苔亦何独不然。前人只论有地无地，此只可以辨热之浮沉虚实，而非所以辨中气之
存亡也。地者，苔之里一层也；根者，舌苔与舌质之交际也。夫苔者，胃气湿热之所熏蒸也。湿热者，生
气也。无苔者，胃阳不能上蒸也，肾阴不能上濡也。前人言之晰矣。至于苔之有根者，其薄苔必匀匀铺开，
紧贴舌面之上，其浓苔必四围有薄苔辅之，亦紧贴舌上，似从舌里生出，方为有根。若浓苔一片，
四围洁净如截，颇似别以一物涂在舌上，不是舌上所自生者，是无根也。此必久病，先有胃气而生苔，继
乃胃气告匮，不能接生新苔，而旧苔仅浮于舌面，不能与舌中之气相通，即胃肾之气，不能上潮以通于舌
也。骤因误服凉药伤阳，热药伤阴，乍见此象者，急救之犹或可复。若病势缠绵日久，渐
见此象，真气已索，无能为矣。常见寒湿内盛之病，舌根一块白浓苔，如久经水浸之形，急用温里，此苔
顿退，复生新薄苔，即为生机。又常见病困将死之人，舌心一块浓苔，灰
黄滞黯，四面无辅，此阴阳两竭，舌质已枯，本应无苔，而犹有此者，或病中胃强能食，五脏先败，而胃
气后竭也。或
多服人参，无根虚阳结于胸中，不得遽散，其余焰上蒸，故生此恶苔，甚或气绝之后半日胸中犹热，气口脉犹动也。
(Newly Revised)
There is a distinction between pulse roots and non-roots; why should tongue coating be any different? Predecessors only discussed the presence or absence of "ground" (di), which can only distinguish the floating/sinking and deficiency/excess of heat, but cannot distinguish the survival or extinction of Zhong Qi (Middle Jiao Qi/Spleen-Stomach Qi). "Ground" refers to the layer beneath the coating; "root" refers to the junction where the tongue coating meets the tongue body. Coating is formed by the steaming and steaming of damp-heat from Stomach Qi. Damp-heat represents vital energy. The absence of coating indicates that Stomach Yang cannot steam upward and Kidney Yin cannot moisten upward. This has been clearly explained by predecessors. Regarding rooted coating: thin coatings must spread evenly and adhere closely to the tongue surface; thick coatings must have thin coatings surrounding them, also adhering closely, appearing as if grown from within the tongue body. This constitutes a root. If there is a patch of thick coating with clean edges cut off sharply, resembling something applied externally rather than self-generated by the tongue, it is unrooted. This typically occurs in chronic illness: initially, Stomach Qi generates coating; subsequently, Stomach Qi becomes depleted and cannot generate new coating, leaving old coating floating on the surface without connecting to the Qi within the tongue, meaning Stomach and Kidney Qi cannot ascend to reach the tongue. If this appearance arises suddenly due to erroneous administration of cooling herbs injuring Yang or heating herbs injuring Yin, urgent rescue may still restore health. However, if the condition lingers for a long time and this appearance gradually emerges, Zhen Qi (True Qi) has already exhausted, and treatment is futile. In cases of internal excess cold-dampness, a patch of white thick coating at the tongue root may appear like it has been soaked in water for a long time; urgently applying warming interior methods will cause this coating to recede immediately, replaced by new thin coating, indicating vitality. Conversely, in patients near death from severe illness, a thick coating in the center of the tongue may appear gray-yellow, stagnant, and dark, without surrounding support. This indicates exhaustion of both Yin and Yang, with the tongue body dried up. Normally, no coating should remain; its presence suggests either that while the Stomach was strong enough to allow eating during the illness, the Five Zang organs failed first followed by Stomach Qi failure, or that excessive use of Ginseng caused unrooted deficient Yang to knot in the chest, unable to disperse quickly, with residual fire steaming upward to produce this malignant coating. Even after Qi cessation, the chest may remain warm for half a day, and the Cun Kou (Radial) pulse may still move.