Woodblock illustration of 'Red star' tongue (hongxing she) from Yuan Ao Shi shanghan jinjinglu (Mr Yuan Ao's Golden Mirror of Cold Damage), a treatise on tongue diagnosis -- original text by Ao Jiweng (Song period, 960-1279); additional material by Du Ben (Tao Hua) (Yuan period, 1206-1368 ); continuation by Xue Ji and Ma Chongru (Ming period 1368-1644). This edition was published in 529 (8th year of the Jiajing reign period of the Ming dynasty).
n 'Red star' tongue (hong xing she) image, the tongue is pale red with deep red star shapes on it. This tongue image indicates that sovereign fire (jun huo) is raging in the Lesser Yin (shaoyin) channel, and if uncontrolled will damage spleen and earth. It is a premonitory sign of jaundice. taking advantage of a deficiency, so that fire rages in the stomach and rashes appear. It should be treated with Five-Drug Powder (wu ling san) with Capillary Artemisia (yinchen).
