Taiyang disease (Disease of the Taiyang/Bladder channel) presenting with tidal fever. How is this explained? Just as the tide comes and goes without missing its time, tidal fever occurs at specific times once a day. If it occurs three to five times a day, it is termed "fever" (Fa Re), not "tidal fever." Tidal fever belongs to the Yangming (Yangming Channel/Stomach) pattern. It must occur during the You hour (Shen and You hours, 3 PM to 7 PM) to be considered tidal fever. The Yangming corresponds to Earth in the Stomach; it prospers according to the seasons and specifically during the Wei and Shen hours (1 PM to 7 PM). The Classics state: "Yangming resides in the center, belonging to Earth, where all things gather, and there is no further transmission." Generally, when pathogenic factors enter the Stomach, it is called entering the Fu organs. "Fu" implies gathering, like a treasury. Once pathogens enter the Stomach, they do not transmit further. The pathogens stagnate and transform into excess heat, rising like the tide according to the prosperous time. Therefore, tidal fever occurring at the You hour belongs to Yangming. Because it belongs to Yangming, tidal fever is an indication for purgation (Xia Fa). The Classics state: "Tidal fever indicates excess." It also states: "When there is tidal fever, the exterior is about to resolve; one may attack the interior." Furthermore: "If the fever is not tidal, Do Not give Chengqi Tang." From this, it is evident that tidal fever belongs to the Stomach. Although tidal fever is an indication for purgation due to interior excess, if the pulse is floating and tight, or if there is tidal fever accompanied by diarrhea, difficulty in urination, or loose stools, it indicates that the heat has not fully entered the Fu organs and still carries exterior pathogenic factors. In such cases, one should first harmonize the exterior. Only after the exterior resolves, urination becomes normal, and stools become hard, can purgation be used. Some ask: Can tidal fever belong to Taiyang or Shaoyang? Shaoyang prospers during Yin-Mao hours (3 AM-7 AM), and Taiyang prospers during Si-Wu hours (9 AM-1 PM). Fever occurring at these times indicates the pathogen has not entered the Stomach and cannot be called tidal fever. Only fever occurring at the You hour is called tidal fever, indicating the pathogen is in the Stomach. When encountering diseases, careful verification is required to perceive the truth.

Taiyang disease presenting with spontaneous sweating. How is this explained? Spontaneous sweating refers to sweating naturally without the use of diaphoretic treatment. The *Neijing* states: "Yang Qi guards the exterior to maintain consolidation." Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) is Yang; it protects the skin, consolidates the interstices (Cou Li), and restricts body fluids from leaking abnormally. Sweat is the excretion of body fluids. When pathogenic factors interfere with Wei Qi, the Wei Qi fails to guard the exterior. Consequently, the skin becomes lax, and the interstices become open, causing body fluids to leak abnormally. This moist, continuous leakage is termed spontaneous sweating. For instance, fever with spontaneous sweating that does not resolve indicates disharmony of Wei Qi due to Wind pathogen interfering with Wei. In Sunstroke (Zhong Shu), sweating with aversion to cold, fever, and thirst indicate Summerheat pathogen interfering with Wei. Profuse sweating with damp skin indicates severe Wind-Dampness, where Damp pathogen interferes with Wei. Thus, Wei Qi normally guards body fluids; sweating occurs only when interfered with by pathogens. The toxic influences of Wind, Cold, Summerheat, and Dampness are the seasonal Qi. When invading humans, they cause Taiyang disease. Wind, Summerheat, and Dampness all cause spontaneous sweating. However, Cold pathogen invasion uniquely causes absence of sweating. Cold injures Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) but not Wei Qi. Since Wei Qi is not interfered with, the skin and interstices remain tight, and body fluids are consolidated, hence no sweating. When Cold gradually enters the interior and transforms into Heat, it leads to spontaneous sweating. Generally, Heat causes circulation of Ying and Wei, opening the interstices and leading to sweat secretion. However, spontaneous sweating has distinctions between Exterior and Interior, and Deficiency and Excess. Sweating with aversion to wind or slight aversion to cold indicates unresolved Exterior syndrome, requiring diaphoresis for resolution. Leakage of sweat with aversion to wind, or aversion to cold after diaphoresis, indicates Exterior Deficiency, requiring warming of the meridians. These cases involve pathogens in the Exterior. Sweating without aversion to cold indicates the Exterior has resolved but the Interior is disharmonious. The Classics state: "Yangming fever with sweating indicates Heat escaping outward." Also: "In Yangming disease, fever with profuse sweating requires urgent purgation." This differs from Exterior sweating which can be treated slowly. Spontaneous sweating in Taiyang disease is common. However, sweating with wet hair, oily sweat, or bead-like sweat sticking to the body without flowing are signs of untreatable death. A favorable sign is uniform moisture over the whole body and limbs for about the duration of a meal, followed by the cessation of irritability and heat, resulting in a cool and peaceful body. This represents harmony of Yin and Yang, descent of Fire and ascent of Water, smooth flow of Ying and Wei, and expulsion of pathogens. The *Neijing* states: "Human sweat is named after the rain of Heaven and Earth." This refers to the aforementioned phenomenon.