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The Taiyin meridian is located between the three Yang meridians and the two Yin meridians. It does not originally suffer from external cold invasion; even if wind-stroke occurs, it must enter due to loose interstices (couli) after dietary intake. Therefore, Taiyin disease presents only with Guizhi Tang syndrome, without Mahuang Tang syndrome. The Shanglun school argues that mentioning only Guizhi Tang implies Mahuang Tang syndrome is self-evident; this understanding is also a failure to grasp the principle. Some ask: If Taiyin has no mid-cold (Zhonghan), how can there be Sini Tang syndrome? The answer is: This likely affects individuals with constitutionally weak Spleen and Stomach, caused by internal injury from diet. Thus, Taiyin cold syndromes are termed "Zang cold" (internal organ cold) rather than "mid-cold." Other transmitted syndromes may result from prior dietary injury or erroneous purgation. Hence, transmitted pathogens in Taiyin do not present with high heat, unlike Shaoyin and Jueyin. Only the Guizhi Dahuang Tang syndrome results from erroneous purgation causing Yang pathogen to sink inward, leading to abdominal pain; it is used to vent the sunk Yang pathogen, not because Taiyin has a standard indication for purgation. Even if transmission follows dietary injury, the pathogen must have entered the Stomach Fu organ before purgation is applicable. Generally, whether to use purgation or warming depends on distinguishing deficiency and excess via abdominal fullness or pain. If transmission proceeds from Shaoyang to Taiyin along the meridian, symptoms are limited to alternating chills and fever. When Shaoyang symptoms resolve, restlessness, abdominal fullness, intermittent pain, naturally warm hands and feet, heat upon deep palpation of muscles but not the surface, deep-thin or faint pulse, aversion to cold, and cold feet appear. These should be treated according to transmission patterns, resolving symptoms accordingly.

Taiyin disease manifests as abdominal fullness and vomiting, inability to eat, worsening spontaneous diarrhea, and intermittent spontaneous abdominal pain. If purged erroneously, epigastric knotting and hardness will definitely occur.

Abdominal fullness and spontaneous diarrhea are the root syndromes of Taiyin. Vomiting and inability to eat indicate pathogen forcing upward; severe diarrhea and abdominal fullness indicate pathogen forcing downward. Upper and lower chaos empties the Stomach. In such cases, only warming and dispersing methods are suitable. Ignorance leading to erroneous purgation removes pathogen below but sinks pathogen above, resulting in chest knotting similar to Jie Xiong (chest binding) variations. Stomach fluids knot in the chest, Yang Qi fails to distribute, making rapid resolution difficult.

Spontaneous diarrhea without thirst belongs to Taiyin due to internal Zang cold. Warming treatment is indicated, preferably Sini Tang.

Spontaneous diarrhea without thirst belongs to Taiyin. Taiyin governs water and grain; thus, internal true cold causes diarrhea without thirst. Commentaries claiming dampness excess justifies Sini Tang to warm Earth and dry dampness are incorrect. Zhang Zhongjing's main point is: diarrhea without thirst belongs to Taiyin, while diarrhea with thirst belongs to Shaoyin. Differentiating meridians is crucial. Taiyin belongs to wet Earth; when heat pathogen enters and steams dampness, excess appears, causing non-thirst and often jaundice. Shaoyin belongs to Kidney Water; when heat pathogen enters and consumes water, deficiency appears, causing thirst and irritability. Now, with diarrhea and no thirst, knowing it is Taiyin Zang cold, warming with Sini Tang is appropriate. The rationale for Lizhong Tang becomes self-evident. Using Sini Tang instead of Lizhong Tang for Taiyin wet Earth cold exists because Water and Earth share a source: winter warmth warms Earth, summer cold chills Earth. Earth cold implies Yin inside and Yang outside, hence Sini Tang warms Earth.

Above are Taiyin Zang cold syndromes.

Original Taiyang disease treated erroneously with purgation leads to abdominal fullness and intermittent pain, belonging to Taiyin, treated with Guizhi Ji Shaoyao Tang.

Erroneous purgation in Taiyang usually affects the chest and hypochondrium, injuring Yang division. Here, post-purgation abdominal fullness and intermittent pain without chest/hypochondrium symptoms indicate pathogen entering Yin positions, thus Taiyin. Abdominal fullness indicates insufficient interior Qi of Taiyin; intermittent pain is not severe constipation/pain. Thus, Guizhi Tang's muscle-releasing method lifts Yang pathogen, doubling Baishao to collect rebellious Taiyin Qi. Not adding any herb makes it divine.

For severe excessive pain, Guizhi Dahuang Tang is indicated.

Severe excessive pain differs from intermittent pain. The previous formula doubled Shaoyao; this adds Dahuang. Dahuang's bitter-cold nature sweeps excessive heat. Although excessive fullness requires urgent purgation, newly sunk Yang pathogen in Taiyin cannot be aggressively attacked. Adding small amounts of Dahuang to Guizhi Tang disperses pathogen through seven exterior and three interior layers.

In Taiyin disease with weak pulse and continuous normal bowel movements, even if Dahuang or Shaoyao were indicated, doses should be reduced because weak Stomach Qi is easily disturbed.

This section echoes the Yangming chapter. Yangming warns against damaging Spleen Qi (e.g., hard stool turning loose). Here, reducing Dahuang/Shaoyao in Taiyin with weak pulse and loose stools protects Yangming Stomach Qi.

In cold damage, floating and slow pulse with warm hands and feet indicates Taiyin involvement. Taiyin typically causes jaundice; if urination is free, jaundice does not develop. By day 7-8, sudden irritability and frequent diarrhea (10+ times/day) will self-resolve because Spleen Qi becomes sufficient to expel rotting filth.

Taiyin pulse is inherently slow. Floating-slow pulse with irritability differs from Taiyang wind-stroke fever. Warm hands/feet differ from Shaoyin cold limbs/jue. Thus, "Taiyin involvement" is accurate. Floating-slow pulse with intense damp-heat steams body yellow. Free urination drains damp-heat, preventing jaundice. Day 7-8 sudden irritability/diarrhea resembles Shaoyin, but once filth is expelled, it stops, unlike Shaoyin's endless diarrhea. If Shaoyin irritability/diarrhea presents with warm hands/feet and disappearing tight pulse, recovery is imminent. Misusing Sini Tang would worsen the condition. Although Yangming and Taiyin are connected, hard stool vs. diarrhea distinguishes Yang/Yin divisions. Diarrhea treatment distinguishes warming interior (Sini Tang) vs. strengthening Spleen (Wuling San). Draining water strengthens Spleen; strong Spleen expels filth without aggressive purgation.

Above are heat-transmitted Taiyin syndromes from erroneous purgation.

Cold damage with floating-slow pulse and warm hands/feet indicates Taiyin. Taiyin usually causes jaundice. Free urination prevents jaundice. By day 7-8, hard stool indicates Yangming disease.

This is Taiyin transferring to Stomach Fu. Floating-slow pulse is exterior, but lack of fever/chills and warm extremities show pathogen moved interior. Slow pulse confirms Taiyin (Spleen governs slowness). Pathogen steams dampness to yellow; free urination prevents this. However, drained dampness dries Stomach, hardening stool, transforming into Yangming interior excess requiring purgation. Guizhi Dahuang Tang is suitable.

Cold damage with faint-choppy pulse is originally Huoluan (cholera-like disorder). Now it is cold damage, progressing to Yin meridians by day 4-5, causing diarrhea. Original vomiting and diarrhea should not be blindly treated. If one feels urge to defecate but passes gas without diarrhea, it belongs to Yangming. Stool will be hard. Recovery by day 13 occurs because the meridian cycle completes.

Huoluan involves stagnant cold in Stomach, causing faint-choppy pulse. Cold damage (external pathogen) causes floating-abundant pulse, not faint-choppy. Day 4-5 transition to Yin brings sudden diarrhea/vomiting with faint-choppy pulse, suggesting abrupt Yang/Yin rebellion, unpredictable, hence caution. Feeling urge to defecate but passing gas indicates Taiyin transferring to Yangming, hard stool, amenable to purgation. Recovery by day 13 follows meridian completion.

After diarrhea cessation, stool should harden; ability to eat indicates recovery. Inability to eat suggests empty Stomach Qi despite cleared pathogen. After one meridian cycle, Qi recovers, eating resumes. Prolonged inability to eat leads to Spleen-Stomach deficiency-cold and vomiting. Ability to eat but prolonged illness indicates excess heat, likely leading to abscess/pus.

Above are Taiyin transferring to Yangming syndromes.

Taiyin disease with floating pulse allows sweating; Guizhi Tang is suitable.

Taiyin pulse is normally deep-thin at both cun and chi. Floating pulse indicates interior pathogen returning to exterior. Guizhi Tang drives out pathogen, guiding it back.

Taiyin wind-stroke with painful limbs shows desire for recovery if Yang pulse is faint, Yin pulse is choppy, yet long. Painful limbs reflect Spleen governing limbs and wind affecting extremities. Faint Yang and choppy Yin indicate wind pathogen gone, showing deficiency. Deficiency fears Yuan Qi loss. Long pulse within faint-choppy indicates intact Yuan Qi, predicting self-healing. Commentators wrongly calling choppy blood stasis/qi stagnation is erroneous; stasis never predicts recovery.

Above are Taiyin transferring to Yangming meridian syndromes.

Taiyin disease resolves from Hai hour to Chou hour.

The previous section discussed Taiyin meridian syndrome resolution timing.