Tongue Section

Chen MengleiJun 2024

3.3

Word count: 24K words
Chapters: 4

Summary

In the south heat is generated; heat generates fire; fire generates bitterness; bitterness generates the heart; the heart governs the tongue, and its opening is the tongue. [Note: The qi of the heart communicates with the tongue; when the heart is harmonious, it can distinguish the five flavors; thus the tongue is the master of the heart. It is also the official of the heart, so the heart's opening is the tongue.]

Editor's review

Grounded in the zang-xiang theory of traditional Chinese medicine, Tongue Gateway centers on "the heart governs the tongue" and "the tongue is the opening of the heart," citing passages from the Inner Canon with annotations to clarify the relationship between the tongue, heart qi, and the five flavors. Concise in length, it focuses on clarifying meaning rather than piling up formulas and herbs, making it suitable as a thematic reader on basic TCM theory. Its strength lies in using the tongue—a small entry point—to connect the five-phase chain of the south generating heat, heat generating fire, fire generating bitterness, and bitterness generating the heart, helping readers grasp TCM's holistic view and its analogical thinking. It is best read alongside the original text of the Huangdi Neijing, noting how the annotations explain "when the heart is harmonious, it can distinguish the five flavors," and corroborating this with common knowledge of tongue diagnosis. The book is not a clinical guide; its value lies mainly in tracing theory to its source and clarifying concepts, making it a handy desk reference for consultation and reflection.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Beginners in basic TCM theory who want to understand the relationship between zang-xiang and sensory openings
TCM students who need a thematic review of the classical basis for the heart-tongue relationship
TCM enthusiasts who want a short entry point to understanding the five phases and their generating and restraining cycles
Practicing TCM physicians reviewing classical annotations and the origins of concepts

Not a good fit for

Readers looking for a tongue diagnosis atlas or specific pattern-based herbal formulas
Readers expecting a systematic textbook-style exposition or lengthy discussion
Readers impatient with classical Chinese annotations who only want quick-reference conclusions

Reading tips

Read the relevant passages from the Inner Canon first, then work through the annotations sentence by sentence to avoid taking them out of context.
Prepare a simple five-phase classification chart and mark the correspondences among heat, fire, bitterness, the heart, and the tongue as you read.
After reading, restate in your own words what "the qi of the heart communicates with the tongue" means to test whether you truly understand it.
Can be read alongside introductory works on tongue observation, but be careful to distinguish theoretical tracing from clinical practice.

版权信息
古今图书集成医部全录卷一百五十八
古今图书集成医部全录卷一百五十九
古今图书集成医部全录卷一百六十

FAQ

Is this book about tongue diagnosis?

Not exactly. It focuses on the classical basis and annotations for "the heart governs the tongue" and "the tongue is the opening of the heart" in TCM zang-xiang theory. It is a work of theoretical tracing, not a tongue diagnosis atlas or a manual of pattern-based herbal formulas. To learn specific tongue-image assessment, you will need to consult clinical works as well.

Can I understand it without a TCM background?

Yes, but it requires some patience. The book frequently cites classical passages and annotations and involves basic concepts such as the five phases and zang-xiang. It is best to first learn the basics of the five phases' generating and restraining cycles and the sensory openings of the five zang organs, then read sentence by sentence against the annotations; understanding will come much more smoothly.

Why does the discussion move from "the tongue" to "the south generates heat"?

This reflects TCM's analogical thinking: direction, climate, the five phases, the five flavors, the five zang organs, and the sensory openings are correlated layer by layer, linking the tongue with the heart, bitterness, and fire-heat. Understanding this chain helps grasp TCM's holistic view rather than treating the tongue in isolation.

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About the author

Chen Menglei Author · China · 1651–1741

Chen Menglei (1651–1741), courtesy names Zizhen and Shengzhai, later styled the Old Man of Songhe, was a Qing dynasty scholar from Houguan, Fujian. He passed the imperial examination in the ninth year of the Kangxi reign and was appointed to the Hanlin Academy as a compiler. After 1698, by imperial order, he tutored the third prince, Yinzhii, and took the opportunity to compile a vast classified encyclopedia, the Hui Bian, using the collection of the Xieyi Hall; the Kangxi Emperor later bestowed on it the title Gujin Tushu Jicheng. The library holds more than 410 of his works, mostly sections of the officialdom chapters of that encyclopedia, covering institutions such as the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Imperial Observatory, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites, prefectural governors, the Transmission Office, and the Imperial Medical Academy. These works address ancient bureaucratic systems, ritual norms, and administrative practice. His compilations are distinguished by systematic classification and extensive citation, preserving a wealth of source materials for later generations; they are commonly categorized under culture and Eastern philosophy. As public information on his life is limited, this note confines itself to his known scholarly contributions.