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The method of warming the meridians is used only for treating "Zhonghan" (Cold Strike) syndromes where cold pathogenic factors directly invade the Yin meridians. Zhang Zhongjing discussed this in the *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage) alongside general cold damage theories originally because Yin and Yang are interdependent and facilitate cross-reference; thus, they were listed in the same treatise precisely to distinguish between the Yang syndromes of Shanghan and the Yin syndromes of Zhonghan. Later generations failed to understand this original intent. Seeing them both within the *Shanghan Lun*, they mistakenly believed that Shanghan also includes Zhonghan, which is a significant error. Therefore:
1. When Shanghan involves exterior pathogenic factors causing fever with aversion to cold, resembling Zhonghan, warming the meridians is contraindicated.
2. When Shanghan involves "Xiere Xieli" (Diarrhea with accompanying heat), characterized by watery diarrhea with undigested food, resembling cold-type diarrhea, warming the meridians is contraindicated.
3. When Shanghan involves deep heat leading to deep extremity cold ("Reshen Jueshen"), where limbs are cold, resembling Yin syndromes, warming the meridians is contraindicated.
4. When Shanghan Yang pathogens cause a submerged pulse ("Maifu"), resembling the submerged pulse of Yin syndromes, warming the meridians is contraindicated.
5. Summer-autumn summerheat diarrhea, presenting with cold body and submerged pulse, resembling interior cold syndromes, warming the meridians is contraindicated.

Indications for purgation (Gongxia): Purgation is indicated when exterior sweating has occurred, exterior pathogens have been resolved, heat is consolidated internally, and various symptoms requiring purgation are present. Thus, Zhang Zhongjing established various Chengqi Decoctions (e.g., Dachengqi Tang) to purge dry feces, Didang Decoction (Diding Tang) and Taoren Decoction (Taoren Tang) to purge blood stasis, Xiaoxianxiong Decoction (Minor Chest-Trap Decoction) and Daxianxiong Decoction (Major Chest-Trap Decoction) to attack chest binding (Jie Xiong), and various Xiexin Decoctions (Pile-Expelling Decoctions) to attack fullness and obstruction (Pi Man). However, the text distinguishes between urgent purgation (Jixia), permissible purgation (Kexia), suitable purgation (Yixia), mild harmonization of stomach Qi (Weihe Weiqi), waiting/observation (Sizhi), and guiding methods (Daofa), reflecting differences in urgency and severity.
Therefore:
- If there is no significant fever, abdominal distension and fullness, and constipation, purgation is suitable.
- If there is tidal fever (Chaore), profuse sweating, hard stool, difficulty defecating, or passage of foul-smelling gas, purgation is suitable.
- If there is dry mouth and throat with thirst, constipation, sweating of hands and feet, and a slightly yellow tongue coating, purgation is suitable.
These cases involve purging dry feces.
- If the lower abdomen is hard and full, and urination is normal/spontaneous, purgation is suitable.
- If there is epigastric distension and fullness, with water held in the mouth but unable to be swallowed, purgation is suitable.
These cases involve purging blood stasis.
- After erroneous purgation, if there is no fever, the pulse is not floating, there is hardness and pain in the epigastrium, and symptoms requiring purgation are present, purgation is suitable.
This case involves purging chest binding.
Examining Zhang Zhongjing's methods of purgation, they are not detailed in the sections on constipation but are detailed in the sections on spontaneous sweating. This is likely because the greatest fear with purgation is that exterior pathogens have not dispersed and exterior sweat has not emerged. Since spontaneous sweating indicates that exterior pathogens have mostly dispersed, purgation becomes safer.