脾者，食廪之本，营之居也。其华在唇。（《素问》）上唇挟口，属手阳明大肠。下唇挟口，属足阳明胃。
（《灵枢》）唇，肝脾胃三经所主验，脏腑之寒热最便，不可不知。肝脉、督脉、冲脉、任脉皆络者也。（元珠）
内因 脾胃受邪，唇为之病。（《大全》）唇舌者，肌肉之本也。肌气绝则脉不荣肌肉，故肌肉软而舌萎，
人中满，唇反。唇反者肉先死也。脾病者唇黄，脾绝者，唇四面肿。（《灵枢》）
外候 唇之为病，风胜则动，寒胜则缩，燥胜则干，热胜则裂，气郁则生疮，血少则无色，脾冷则紫，脾败
则黑，脾寒则青，脾虚则白，脾衰则黄，脾实则红。（《绳墨》）心热则上下唇皆赤。若上唇赤下唇白者，肾虚
而心火不降也。（元珠）
肺主唇色白，白而泽者吉，白如枯骨者死。人唇白当补脾肺，若深红色则当散肺家虚
热。（钱仲阳）
用药加减法 脾燥唇干，用生地、麦冬、山药、归芍、人参蜂蜜。脾热唇裂，凉膈散。唇动消风散。唇青、
唇缩或唇揭，理中汤。唇肿，薏苡仁汤。唇疮既久，血虚火炎者，当滋补，勿任苦寒。（李惺庵）
心在窍为舌。（《素问》）心脉系舌本，肾液出舌端，脾脉系舌旁，肝脉络舌本，虽分有五脏，而心脾实主
之，故二脏不和，变生诸症。（《玉策》）膀胱经结舌本，三焦经系舌本。（日胗）
内因 心和则舌能知五味，声音嘹亮。（《内经》）心绝则舌不能收，及不能语。（乔垂）脾主舌强，肾主
舌干。（岫云）误食毒味，及冬月向火取暖过度，俱使舌变生病患。
外候 中风痰则舌卷难言，伤七情则舌肿难食，三焦蕴热则舌胎燥而咽干，心脾热炽则舌粗重而口苦。
（《绳墨》）气虚则麻、纵，阴火则点黑，湿痰则肿胀，郁热则衄血，心火则生疮脾热则干涩，胃热则木强，肝
热则卷且缩，肺热则舌燥而咽门声哑，肾热则津竭而舌心干焦。（《汇补》）
治法 舌症有十五种，用药不禁寒凉，然必带辛散乃效。（日胗）舌属火，其性炎上，治舌当降火滋阴。
（《绳墨》）凡治口舌轻症以盐滚水为最便，且亦妥善，勿谓以其易而少效也。
用药加减法 风痰用二陈加南星、竹沥。郁痰加香附、青皮。三焦郁热，凉膈散。心脾郁热，三黄丸。思虑
伤脾，血耗火动，归脾汤。郁怒伤肝，血虚火旺，逍遥散。肾虚阴火，滋肾丸。（李惺庵）
The Spleen is the root of food storage and the residence of Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi). Its flourishing manifestation appears on the lips. (From *Suwen*) The upper lip, flanking the mouth, belongs to the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian. The lower lip, flanking the mouth, belongs to the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian. (From *Ling Shu*) The pathology of the lips is governed by the Liver, Spleen, and Stomach meridians; observing the lips makes it most convenient to determine the cold or heat of the Zang-Fu organs, a knowledge that must not be ignored. The Liver Meridian, Du Mai (Governing Vessel), Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel), and Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) all have collateral connections with the lips. (From *Yuan Zhu*)
Internal Causes: When the Spleen and Stomach are invaded by pathogenic factors, the lips become diseased. (From *Da Quan*) The lips and tongue are the root of the muscles. If the Qi of the muscles is exhausted, the collaterals cannot nourish the muscles; thus, the muscles become flaccid and the tongue atrophies, the area above the upper lip becomes full, and the lips turn outward/retract. When the lips retract, the flesh dies first. Patients with Spleen disease have yellow lips; those with exhausted Spleen Qi have swollen lips around the four sides. (From *Ling Shu*)
External Manifestations: In lip diseases, excess Wind causes tremors/movements, excess Cold causes contraction, excess Dryness causes dryness, excess Heat causes cracking, Qi stagnation causes sores, Blood deficiency causes lack of color, Cold Spleen causes purple hue, failing Spleen causes black hue, Cold Spleen causes cyan/blue hue, deficient Spleen causes white hue, declining Spleen causes yellow hue, and excess Spleen causes red hue. (From *Sheng Mo*) Heart Heat causes both upper and lower lips to be red. If the upper lip is red and the lower lip is white, this indicates Kidney Yin deficiency with failure of Heart Fire to descend. (From *Yuan Zhu*)
The Lung governs the lip color being white; if white and lustrous, the prognosis is auspicious; if white like dead bone, the prognosis is fatal. For white lips, one should tonify the Spleen and Lung; for deep red lips, one should dissipate Deficient Heat in the Lung. (From Qian Zhongyang)
Prescription Modifications: For Spleen Dryness causing dry lips, use Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix), Mai Dong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Shan Yao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma), Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Bai Shao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix), and Honey. For Spleen Heat causing cracked lips, use Liang Ge San (Cool the Upper Jiao Powder). For lip tremors, use Xiao Feng San (Eliminate Wind Powder). For cyan lips, contracted lips, or peeling lips, use Li Zhong Tang (Regulate the Middle Decoction). For swollen lips, use Yi Yi Ren Tang (Coicis Seed Decoction). For chronic lip sores due to Blood Deficiency and flaming Fire, tonification is indicated; do not indiscriminately use Bitter-Cold herbs. (From Li Xing'an)
The Heart opens into the tongue. (From *Suwen*) The Heart Meridian connects to the root of the tongue, Kidney fluids emerge from the tip of the tongue, the Spleen Meridian connects to the sides of the tongue, and the Liver Meridian connects to the root of the tongue. Although all five Zang organs have connections, the Heart and Spleen primarily govern them. Therefore, disharmony between these two organs generates various symptoms. (From *Yu Ce*) The Bladder Meridian knots at the root of the tongue, and the San Jiao (Triple Burner) Meridian connects to the root of the tongue. (From *Ri Zhen*)
Internal Causes: When the Heart is harmonious, the tongue can perceive the five flavors, and the voice is clear and loud. (From *Neijing*) When Heart Qi is exhausted, the tongue cannot retract, and speech is lost. (From Qiao Chui) Spleen disease leads to a stiff tongue; Kidney disease leads to a dry tongue. (From Xiu Yun) Ingesting toxic substances or excessive heating by fire during winter months can both cause tongue pathology.
External Manifestations: Wind-Phlegm obstruction causes tongue retraction and difficulty speaking; emotional injury causes tongue swelling and difficulty eating; Heat accumulation in the San Jiao causes dry tongue coating and dry throat; blazing Heat in the Heart and Spleen causes a coarse/heavy tongue and bitter taste. (From *Sheng Mo*) Qi Deficiency causes numbness or flaccidity; Yin Fire causes black spots; Damp-Phlegm causes swelling; Stagnant Heat causes epistaxis; Heart Fire causes sores; Spleen Heat causes dryness/astringency; Stomach Heat causes wooden stiffness; Liver Heat causes rolling and contraction; Lung Heat causes dryness and hoarseness; Kidney Heat causes exhaustion of fluids and a dry/scorched tongue center. (From *Hui Bu*)
Treatment Methods: There are fifteen types of tongue disorders. Medications need not avoid Cold/Cool properties, but they must include Acrid/Dispersing agents to be effective. (From *Ri Zhen*) The tongue belongs to Fire, and its nature is inflammatory and ascending; treating tongue disorders requires descending Fire and nourishing Yin. (From *Sheng Mo*) For mild oral and tongue conditions, rinsing with boiling salt water is most convenient and appropriate; do not dismiss it as ineffective merely because it is simple.
Prescription Modifications: For Wind-Phlegm, use Er Chen Tang (Two-Cured Decoction) added with Nan Xing (Arisaematis Rhizoma Praeparatum) and Zhu Li (Bambusae Succus). For Stagnant Phlegm, add Xiang Fu (Cyperī Rhizoma) and Qing Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride). For San Jiao Stagnant Heat, use Liang Ge San. For Heart-Spleen Stagnant Heat, use San Huang Wan (Three-Yellow Pill). For worry injuring the Spleen, consuming Blood and stirring Fire, use Gui Pi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction). For anger injuring the Liver, with Blood Deficiency and flaming Fire, use Xiao Yao San (Wandering Free Powder). for Kidney Deficiency with Yin Fire, use Zi Shen Wan (Nourish the Kidney Pill). (From Li Xing'an)