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In the *Ling Shu Jing* (Spiritual Pivot), the Yellow Emperor asked: Why do people bite their own tongues? What qi causes this? Qibo replied: This is caused by rebellious qi ascending, with pulse qi converging there. When Shaoyin (Lesser Yin) qi ascends, it bites the tongue; when Shaoyang (Lesser Yang) qi ascends, it bites the cheek; when Yangming (Bright Yang) qi ascends, it bites the lips. Observe which channel is primarily affected, and apply tonification.

The face is governed by all Yang channels. (*Ling Shu* states: The convergence of all Yang channels is on the face). It also belongs to the Foot-Yangming Stomach Channel. (*Su Wen* states: At age 35 for women, the Yangming pulse begins to decline, the face starts to wither, and hair begins to fall out. At age 48 for men,衰竭 (decline/failure) occurs, the face withers, and the temples turn gray. *Ling Shu* states: If evil invades the face, it descends to affect the Yangming channel. *Zhong Zang Jing* states: Heat in the stomach causes the face to be red like a drunkard. *Su Wen* further states: Feeling hungry after eating indicates Wei Du (Stomach Jaundice). Facial edema is called Feng (Wind). Note: This is because the Foot-Yangming Stomach Channel traverses the face). The face also belongs to the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Channel. (*Ling Shu* states: On the upper part of the Foot-Taiyang channel, abundant blood and scarce qi result in fine facial pores; scarce blood and abundant qi result in fleshy but un-lustrous skin; harmonious blood and qi result in beautiful complexion. If both are excessive, the face is plump and lustrous; if both are deficient, the face is thin and dull). The face is also governed by the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Channel. (*Su Wen* states: The Heart is the root of life and the residence of spirit; its brilliance manifests on the face. It further states: The Heart corresponds to the vessels, and its brilliance is seen in color). Furthermore, colors are used to diagnose the five Zang organs; thus, a blue-green complexion belongs to the Liver. (*Su Wen* states: The healthy liver color is like white silk wrapping cyan; therefore, blue-green should resemble the luster of dark jade, not look like indigo dye. Note: Gao refers to fine white silk. Gan refers to deep blue-green with a reddish tint. It also states: Blue-green like a kingfisher's feather indicates life; like dead grass indicates death. Note: Zi implies moisture, like the color of fresh sprouts). A red complexion belongs to the Heart. (*Su Wen* states: The healthy heart color is like white silk wrapping cinnabar; therefore, red should resemble cinnabar wrapped in white cloth, not look like hematite. Note: Zhe is red earth. It also states: Red like a rooster's comb indicates life; like clotted blood indicates death. Note: Clotted blood refers to coagulated blood). A yellow complexion belongs to the Spleen. (*Su Wen* states: The healthy spleen color is like white silk wrapping a trichosanthes fruit; therefore, yellow should resemble realgar wrapped in gauze, not look like yellow earth. It also states: Yellow like a crab's belly indicates life; like an immature bitter orange indicates death). A white complexion belongs to the Lungs. (*Su Wen* states: The healthy lung color is like white silk wrapping a slight red; therefore, white should resemble goose feathers, not look like salt. It also states: White like pig fat indicates life; like dry bones indicates death). A black complexion belongs to the Kidneys. (*Su Wen* states: The healthy kidney color is like white silk wrapping purple; therefore, black should resemble double-lacquered finish, not look like dusty earth. It also states: Black like a crow's feather indicates life; like coal indicates death. Note: Mei means coal. It also states: Although the five Zang and six Fu organs have specific areas, observing the five colors reveals that yellow and red indicate Heat, white indicates Cold, and blue-green and black indicate Pain*). In the chapter "Disease Forms of Evil Qi and Zang-Fu Organs" from the *Ling Shu*, the Yellow Emperor asked: The head and face connect to the body, sharing bones, tendons, blood, and qi. When heaven is cold, the ground cracks and ice forms; sudden cold may cause limbs to become slack, yet why does the face not crack? Qibo answered: The twelve meridians and three hundred sixty-five collaterals all send their blood and qi upward to the face and into the orifices. Their essence and yang qi ascend to the eyes to form vision; their branch qi ascends to the ears to form hearing; their ancestral qi ascends through the nose to form smell; their turbid qi comes from the stomach, ascending to the lips and tongue to form taste. The fluids of these qi all steam upward onto the face, and since the skin is thick and the flesh firm, even extreme cold cannot overcome them. Master Ye said: The six Yang meridities of the hands and feet all ascend to the head, but only the Yangming Stomach Channel originates at the side of the nose, crosses the nasal bridge, enters the upper teeth, flanks the mouth, encircles the lips, follows the Jiache point, ascends before the ear, passes through the Guest Master point. Thus, the human face mainly belongs to the Yangming channel. If there is heat in the stomach, the face feels hot; treat with Shengma Tang (Cimicifuga Decoction) added with Huanglian (Coptis Rhizome). If there is cold in the stomach, the face feels cold; treat with Shengma Tang (Cimicifuga Decoction) added with Fuzi (Aconite Lateral Root). If internal wind-heat is severe and attacks upward, causing facial and eye edema, or purple discoloration of the face and nose, or wind-thorns and hives, treat according to the syndrome. Master Li said: When wind evil penetrates the skin and phlegm-fluids soak the zang-fu organs, sores appear on the face. Spleen pathology manifests on the face, and the Lung governs the skin and hair; when wind-dampness from these two channels combines to generate damp-heat, sores arise on the face.