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Taiyang disease is characterized by a floating pulse, headache, stiffness and pain in the neck and occiput, and aversion to cold.
This statement summarizes the general pulse and symptoms of wind-stroke (Zhongfeng) and cold-injury (Shanghan), serving as the overarching principle for the Upper, Middle, and Lower chapters of Taiyang. Taiyang corresponds to the Bladder meridian, which is associated with Cold Water. Why is the Bladder referred to as Cold Water? The Kidney is the Water of Heavenly One. As stated in the *Suwen: Shanggu Tianzhen Lun* (Treatise on the Natural Vitality of Antiquity): "The Kidney governs water, gathering the essence of the five zang and six fu organs to store it." This is because the Kidney and Bladder are a zang-fu pair, interior-exteriorly related and forming a unified system. Since it belongs to Cold Water, why is it also called Taiyang? The Kidney is Kan Water, with one Yang line situated between two Yin lines; True Yang is hidden within True Yin, meaning Fire exists within Water. When food enters the stomach, its clear and subtle part transforms into Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi), circulating within the vessels. The turbid part descends to the Lower Jiao, where the True Yang of the Kidney steams and ascends this Qi, circulating outside the vessels and reaching the skin to become Wei Qi (Defensive Qi). Thus, although the Bladder is the Fu organ of the Kidney's Cold Water, what steams and ascends within this Cold Water to become Wei Qi is precisely the True Yang of the Kidney. Therefore, the circulation of Wei Qi completes fifty cycles around the body in one day and night, twenty-five cycles during the day in the Yang aspects and twenty-five cycles at night in the Yin aspects. At dawn, when Yin Qi is exhausted, Yang Qi emerges from the eyes. When the eyes open, Qi ascends to the head, travels down the neck, and enters the Taiyang meridian. Hence, it is called Taiyang. Taiyang means Abundant Yang. If Yang Qi is not abundant, it cannot sufficiently consolidate the Couli (pores and interstices) to defend against Wind and Cold. Therefore, Taiyang is the head of the Six Meridians and the commander of the skin's Ying and Wei Qi. The *Lingshu: Yingwei Shenghui Pian* states: "Taiyin governs the interior, Taiyang governs the exterior." The *Suwen: Shengqi Tongtian Lun* states: "Yang protects the exterior and ensures solidity." It further says: "Yang moves upward and protects the exterior." All these statements indicate that Taiyang governs Ying and Wei Qi and constitutes the outermost first layer. A floating pulse refers to the three levels of palpation: Floating, Middle, and Deep. Floating refers to the superficial level. The Floating pulse is felt above the muscle and indicates an Exterior syndrome. Because Wind and Cold have just invaded the skin, hair, Ying, and Wei, and the pathogenic factor is at the Exterior of Taiyang, it manifests predominantly at the superficial level, resulting in a Floating pulse. The Foot-Taiyang meridian originates at the inner canthus, ascends to the forehead, intersects at the vertex, connects with the brain, re-emerges to descend separately along the nape, connects with the Fengfu point (GV16), runs along the shoulder blades, and runs alongside the spine internally to reach the waist, traveling alongside the Du meridian. When Wind and Cold invade, headache and stiffness/pain in the neck and occiput occur. When Wind and Cold remain at the Exterior, there is aversion to cold. The *Pibu Lun* states: "When pathogenic factors first enter, they cause the body hair to stand erect and the Couli to open." The *Yuji Zhenzang Lun* states: "When Wind and Cold invade a person, all body hairs stand erect, the skin closes, and heat results. At this time, sweating therapy should be employed." The text mentions only aversion to cold and not aversion to wind because those who experience aversion to cold likely also experience aversion to wind, and those with aversion to wind invariably experience aversion to cold; mentioning one implies the other. The symptoms listed in this clause are common to both wind-stroke and cold-injury, so they are summarized together at the beginning of the chapter. In the Upper Chapter of Taiyang, various symptoms of wind-stroke are derived from these general pulse and symptoms to distinguish Wind injuring Wei Qi. In the Middle Chapter, various symptoms of cold-injury are derived to show Cold injuring Ying Qi. In the Lower Chapter, symptoms of combined Wind and Cold are derived to differentiate cases where both Wind and Cold injure Ying and Wei Qi. Subsequently, treatment methods are established based on specific symptoms. Thereafter, any condition referred to as Taiyang disease must possess the characteristics of a floating pulse, headache, stiffness/pain in the neck and occiput, and aversion to cold to be correctly diagnosed.

In Taiyang disease, if headache persists for seven days or more and resolves spontaneously, it is because the pathogenic factor has completed its course through the meridian. If the pathogen intends to transmit to another meridian, needling the Foot-Yangming meridian can prevent transmission and lead to recovery.
Headache is a symptom of Taiyang syndrome. "Seven days or more" refers to within the seventh day. "Meridian" refers to the channels of qi and blood. The Taiyang meridian is described as originating at the inner canthus, ascending to the forehead, intersecting at the vertex, connecting with the brain, descending the nape to connect with Fengfu, running alongside the spine to the waist, passing through the buttocks into the popliteal fossa, crossing the thigh, exiting at the lateral malleolus, and ending at the tip of the little toe. "Completing its course through the meridian" means that after the pathogen invades the Exterior of Taiyang and circulates within the Taiyang meridian, when the meridian's pathway is exhausted, the pathogenic factor declines and dissipates. This corresponds to the statement in the *Neijing: Re Lun*: "On the seventh day, the Juyang (Taiyang) disease declines, and the headache lessens." "Re-acting as a meridian" refers to the pathogen transmitting to the next meridian. That is, when the Taiyang meridian's cycle ends, if the pathogen has not declined but intends to transmit to the Foot-Yangming meridian, its momentum is still strong. One should observe if the pathogen has transmitted and immediately needle the acupoints of the Foot-Yangming meridian to drain the pathogen, preventing transmission and ensuring recovery. This aligns with the classic principle of "meeting and seizing" (Yinger DuoZhi) to drain excess. The *Lihé Zhenxie Lun* also states: "When encountering the pathogen suddenly, block its path early." However, why needle only Yangming and not Taiyang? Because the Stomach is the Sea of Water and Grain, rich in Qi and Blood. The *Suwen: Re Lun* states: "Yangming is the leader of the twelve meridians, and its blood and Qi are abundant." The *Lingshu: Zhongshi Pian* states: "Yangming governs the Stomach and is rich in Gu Qi (Grain Qi)," allowing for twice-daily needling, whereas other meridians may require once-daily or every-two-days needling. This selects meridians suitable for draining. Previous commentaries claiming that Yangming, belonging to Central Earth, is the destination of all things and does not transmit further is incorrect. Zhang Zhongjing was discussing pathogens entering the Interior with Stomach Excess syndromes treatable by purgation, hence saying "no further transmission." This does not apply to pathogens remaining in the Meridians. If the pathogen has not entered the Stomach, transmission can occur through any meridian. Only by needling the Yangming meridian when the pathogen transmits there can the transmission route be blocked. The use of the word "meridian" three times in "completing its course through the meridian, intending to re-act as a meridian, preventing transmission through the meridian" clearly distinguishes between Exterior (Meridian) and Interior conditions.

Taiyang disease tends to resolve between the hours of Si (09:00–11:00) and Wei (13:00–15:00).
The classics state: "Where pathogenic factors gather, Qi must be deficient." Although the pathogen has entered the Taiyang meridian and the condition might seem ready to resolve due to declining Qi, the meridian Qi is already deficient and unable to self-revitalize. Recovery requires waiting for the time when meridian Qi is prosperous. Taiyang is the meridian of Abundant Yang, which peaks during Si and Wu hours. Si hour represents Pure Yang, governed by the Qian trigram. Although Wu hour marks the initial generation of Yin, it is also the time when Yang Qi reaches its peak abundance. The *Shengqi Tongtian Lun* states: "At midday, Yang Qi is robust; in the evening, Yang Qi is deficient." Therefore, resolution occurs from Si to Wei hours.

Spontaneous resolution typically begins with vexation (Fan), followed by sweating and recovery. How do we know this? Because the pulse is Floating, we know recovery will come through sweating.
Vexation can arise from various causes, differing in Exterior/Interior, Yin/Yang, and Deficiency/Excess. In this case, it is due to Exterior pathogenic stagnation during the transition from unresolved to resolving stages, where the pathogen cannot be freely dispersed, causing vexation. Just as stagnant atmospheric Qi leads to Yang steaming Yin to form rain, stagnant human Qi leads to Yang steaming Yin fluids to form sweat. Yang Qi mobilizes, Yin fluids exude externally, and the pathogen exits with them. The pulse reflects the movement of Qi and Blood prior to their manifestation. When the pathogen is at the Exterior, the pulse floats. If there is stagnation and vexation, Qi desires to escape outward, causing the pulse to float first. Given the Floating pulse, we deduce that recovery will occur through sweating.