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When the pathogen is in the exterior, diaphoresis (sweating method) should be employed; when the pathogen is in the interior, clearing heat or purging should be employed; when the pathogen is in the half-exterior and half-interior, harmonizing is appropriate; when the disease presents with both exterior and interior symptoms, harmonizing is also appropriate. The method of harmonizing involves observing which meridian is affected by which pathogen and using one or two exterior-releasing herbs from that meridian to disperse the pathogen. It also involves observing which meridian has interior heat and using one or two heat-clearing herbs from that meridian to clear the interior. By harmonizing the exterior and interior, the pathogens are dispersed internally and externally, and the disease is cured. Zhang Zhongjing used Guizhi Wuling San (Cinnamon Twig and Five-Ingredient Poria Decoction) to harmonize Shaoyang syndrome where the interior aspect predominates over the exterior aspect; Yu Bi Tang (Yarbrella Soup) to harmonize Shaoyang syndrome where the exterior aspect predominates over the interior aspect. Gan Ge Tang (Pueraria Decoction) to harmonize Yangming syndrome where the exterior aspect predominates over the interior aspect; Gan Ge Shi Gao Tang (Pueraria and Gypsum Decoction) to harmonize Yangming syndrome where the interior aspect predominates over the exterior aspect. Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) to harmonize Shaoyang syndrome located in the half-exterior and half-interior. Extending this principle, in cases of combined diseases of two Yang meridians with both exterior and interior symptoms, two exterior-releasing herbs are used to resolve the exterior, and two cooling herbs are used to clear the interior; in cases of combined diseases of the three Yang meridians with both exterior and interior symptoms, three herbs are used to resolve the exterior, and three herbs are used to clear the interior. Generally speaking, the method of harmonizing involves dispersing the exterior, clearing the interior, and adding herbs that harmonize the middle jiao to support stomach qi and harmonize the exterior and interior. For example, Xiao Chai Hu Tang is used to harmonize Shaoyang syndrome: Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix) disperses exterior pathogens and treats aversion to cold; Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix) clears interior heat and treats fever; additionally, Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), and Guang Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) are added to harmonize the middle qi, thereby making the meaning of harmonization manifest and justifying its name.

The term "avoid harmonizing" refers to the fact that harmonizing formulas combine exterior-releasing and interior-clearing actions by mixing different types of herbs. If exterior pathogens have not yet been dispersed, mistakenly using harmonizing methods—which contain half cold-natured herbs—may prevent sweating. If heat pathogens are in the interior, mistakenly using harmonizing methods—which contain half acrid-warm dispersing herbs—is unsuitable as it may aggravate interior heat. Even when encountering symptoms that are half-exterior and half-interior, Zhang Zhongjing did not uniformly apply harmonizing treatments. Therefore, it is stated that when exterior symptoms are urgent, the exterior should first be released, followed by attacking the interior. If interior symptoms are fully present but there is even a slight symptom of aversion to cold or headache, treatment should proceed according to the Taiyang (Greater Yang) meridian. Thus, although Zhang Zhongjing established harmonizing formulas within the context of Taiyang syndrome, he did not explicitly label them as "harmonizing"; only in Shaoyang (Lesser Yang) syndrome did he explicitly state harmonizing treatment methods. This was likely due to the fear that Taiyang syndrome mostly consists of exterior symptoms, which are difficult to treat solely through harmonizing. The Shaoyang meridian's pathology inherently involves the half-exterior and half-interior, so harmonizing is appropriate; however, this typically requires the pathogen to transmit from Taiyang to Shaoyang. If Shaoyang symptoms appear at the onset of the disease, accompanied by Taiyang aversion to cold, it constitutes a combined Taiyang-Shaoyang syndrome. Treatment should still follow the Taiyang approach rather than harmonizing via Shaoyang, with only Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix) added to the formula.