3.       Inspection of tongue shape: 

Tongue shape refers to shapes of the tongue body.  Inspection of tongue includes aged and tender tongue, fat and slim tongue, swollen and withered tongue, cracked tongue, spiky or with tooth print and abnormal changes.

(1)        Aged-dark tongue:  the aged-dark tongue has a texture with rough surface and slipshod lines.  Whichever colors or coats, if the tongue texture is aged-dark, it indicates excessive Qi.