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Gancao (Licorice Root) and Dazao (Jujube Fruit) tonify Spleen essence to nourish Liver blood; Shaoyao (White Peony Root) clears heat in the Ying (Nutritive) level; Guizhi (Cinnamon Twig) unblocks stagnation of Ying Qi.

Guizhi (San liang, bark removed), Shaoyao (San liang), Gancao (Liang, roasted), Shengjiang (San liang), Dazao (Shi er mei, broken open).

The above five herbs are crushed, boiled in seven sheng of water with mild fire until three sheng remain, then strained. When warm, drink one sheng. Shortly after taking the medicine, drink a little more than one sheng of hot thin porridge to assist the medicinal power. Guizhi itself cannot induce sweating, hence the need for hot porridge as an aid. The *Neijing* states: "When grain enters the stomach, its essence is transmitted to the lungs." Lung Qi disseminates to the skin and hair, from where sweat emerges. Porridge enriches Stomach Qi to reach the Lungs. From this, it can be seen that in Shanghan (Cold Damage), food intake is not strictly prohibited. Cover the patient with blankets for about one hour; slight, uniform perspiration over the whole body is ideal. Do not allow profuse sweating like a flowing stream, otherwise the disease will certainly not be resolved. This is the method of resolving the muscle layer. If sweating is profuse, it disturbs Ying Qi, and the pathogenic factor in the Wei (Defensive) level remains. If symptoms resolve after one dose, stop subsequent doses; there is no need to finish the entire prescription. If there is no sweating, administer again according to the previous method. If still no sweating, shorten the interval between doses so that three doses are completed within half a day. For severe cases, administer continuously day and night, observing for twenty-four hours. If symptoms persist after finishing one full prescription, prepare another. If there is still no sweating, continue up to two or three prescriptions. A full prescription of Guizhi Tang is called one ji (dose); one-third is called one fu (serving). One ancient liang equals slightly more than two qian today. Thus, excluding ginger and jujube, one prescription weighs only slightly more than one liang six qian, and one serving is no more than five qian plus. The dosage for treating major Shanghan conditions is thus modest. If sweating occurs after one serving, do not administer further; if no sweating, administer up to two or three servings, always aiming for the effect to match the condition. Later physicians, seeing effective results, often instructed excessive dosing; when ineffective, they suspected drug error and changed formulas, leading to inevitable mistakes. Consume cold, raw, sticky, slippery foods, meat, wheat products, the Five Pungents (Wuxin), dairy, alcohol, and foul-smelling substances.

Taiyang Zhongfeng (Wind Strike at Taiyang) presents with a floating Yang pulse and weak Yin pulse. Wind is external, hence the Yang pulse floats; Wei Qi is affected by pathogens and cannot protect Ying Qi, hence the Yin pulse is weak. Floating Yang indicates spontaneous heat generation. Wind is a Yang pathogen, causing fever; the pungency of Guizhi disperses it. Weak Yin indicates spontaneous sweating; the sourness of Shaoyao astringes it, and the sweetness of Gancao moderates it. The patient feels chilly (Sese) and shivery (Xixi) due to aversion to wind and cold. Aversion to wind invariably involves aversion to cold, but here it is mild, unlike the severity seen in Cold Strike or Yin channel diseases.

There is a mild fever (Xixi), less intense than in Yangming disease. Nasal congestion/sound (Biming) and dry retching (Gan'ou) seem to involve Yangming and Shaoyang respectively, as the Three Yang channels are close, leading to slight concurrent involvement, though not severe. The primary treatment is Guizhi Tang.

In Taiyang Bing (Taiyang Disease), presenting with headache, fever, sweating, and aversion to wind, Guizhi Tang is indicated. This summarizes the general syndrome for Guizhi Tang.

Ying Qi has a nature of expansion, while Wei Qi has a nature of constriction. Wind damages Wei Qi, opening the pores, causing sweating.

After purgative treatment for Taiyang Bing, if Qi rushes upward, Guizhi Tang may be given using the prior method. This addresses mismanagement. If Qi does not rush upward, do not give it. This addresses post-purgative syndromes.

If Qi rushes upward after erroneous purgation, the pathogen remains in the Yang level, so Guizhi should still be used to release the exterior. If it does not rush upward, the pathogen has sunk inward, leading to various transformations requiring tailored treatment. The methods for managing mismanagement in the Treatise are clear upon detailed study.

In Taiyang Bing, if initial administration of Guizhi Tang causes irritability without resolution, first puncture Fengchi and Fengfu acupoints, then administer Guizhi Tang for cure. This is not mismanagement; rather, wind pathogens are condensed in key pathways of the Taiyang channel, blocking medicinal flow. Puncture resolves this condensation. Severe wind pathogens affect not just Wei but also the channels. Puncture drains channel Qi. Fengfu (DU16) is located one cun above the posterior hairline, inside the large tendons, in the depression, meeting point of Du Mai and Yangwei Mai. Insert four fen, retain for three breaths. Fengchi (GB20) consists of two points, located behind the temporal region in the depression at the hairline, behind the ear, where pressure radiates to the ear, meeting point of Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Channel and Yangwei Mai. Insert three fen, retain for three breaths.

For Taiyang Bing with unresolved exterior signs and a floating-weak pulse, sweating therapy is appropriate; Guizhi Tang is suitable. Even if the disease duration has passed, if pulse and signs belong to Taiyang, Guizhi method remains applicable.

For Taiyang Bing with unresolved exterior signs, purgation is contraindicated. This is the general rule against purgation. Purgation is contrary to treatment principles. To resolve the exterior, Guizhi Tang is indicated. Even if internal excess signs exist, if exterior signs persist, purgation must be avoided; resolve the exterior first, then address the interior.

In Taiyang Bing, if initial sweating fails and purgation follows, yet the pulse remains floating, the disease persists. Floating indicates the pathogen is external; erroneous purgation prevents resolution. Current floating pulse confirms the pathogen is still on the exterior; exterior resolution is required for cure, preferably with Guizhi Tang. Floating pulse followed by purgation is an error; persistence of floating pulse post-purgation indicates the pathogen did not sink but remains in Taiyang. Do not withhold Guizhi Tang simply because sweating and purgation have occurred.

Patients with chronic spontaneous sweating have harmonious Ying Qi. "Harmonious" here means Ying Qi is not diseased, not necessarily balanced externally. The lack of harmony arises because Wei Qi does not coordinate with Ying Qi. Ying circulates within the vessels, Wei outside. Re-inducing sweating restores harmony between Ying and Wei, curing the condition. Guizhi Tang is indicated. Spontaneous sweating differs fundamentally from therapeutic sweating. Spontaneous sweating represents separation of Ying and Wei; therapeutic sweating reunites them. Spontaneous sweating damages healthy Qi; therapeutic sweating expels pathogens. "Re-sweating" utilizes the mechanism of spontaneous sweating to restore Ying-Wei harmony, thereby stopping spontaneous sweating.

If a patient has no internal organ pathology but experiences periodic fever and spontaneous sweating without resolution, this indicates disharmony of Wei Qi. Induce sweating before the onset of fever to achieve cure. Guizhi Tang is indicated. Without other illnesses, not all Taiyang symptoms need be present; isolated fever and sweating warrant Guizhi Tang.

In Shanghan, constipation for six to seven days usually suggests indications for purgation. However, if accompanied by headache and fever, Chengqi Decoctions should not be used immediately. With Taiyang signs persisting, purgation is inappropriate despite prolonged constipation. Note: The phrase "should not" (Weike) was added from *Jingui Yaolue*; it is missing in some versions of *Shanghan Lun*. Clear urine indicates the pathogen is not in the interior but remains on the exterior; dark urine suggests interior heat. Sweating is required. If headache persists, epistaxis (Nü) may occur. If sweating fails to resolve headache, accumulated heat in the channels may force blood out. Guizhi Tang is indicated.

After Shanghan sweating resolves symptoms, recurrence of irritability after half a day with a floating-rapid pulse indicates the need for further sweating. Incomplete initial sweating caused irritability due to insufficient medication. Guizhi Tang is indicated.

If a physician erroneously purges Shanghan, leading to continuous diarrhea with undigested food (Qinggu), this is a Interior Syndrome. Body pain indicates an Exterior Syndrome. Urgent rescue of the Interior is required. Erroneous purgation drew external pathogens into the Yin, causing Qinggu diarrhea and risking Yang collapse. Although exterior signs persist, rescuing the Interior is urgent.

The *Shanghan Lun · Chapter on Contraindications to Purgation* states: Excessive cold from erroneous purgation leads to Qinggu diarrhea; excessive heat leads to pus and blood in stool. Subsequent body pain with normal bowel movements requires urgent exterior rescue. Once Qinggu stops but pain persists, treat the exterior. Generally, exterior should be treated before interior, except in cases of Qinggu diarrhea where supporting Yang is urgent and exterior treatment is secondary. Treating exterior and interior separately maintains order; attempting to treat multiple syndromes with one formula leads to errors. Rescue Interior with Sini Tang; rescue Exterior with Guizhi Tang.

Taiyang Bing with fever and sweating indicates weak Ying and strong Wei, causing sweating. To counteract wind pathogens, Guizhi Tang is indicated. Mentioning "wind pathogens" highlights Guizhi as a premier herb for dispelling wind.

Yangming Bing with slow pulse, profuse sweating, and slight aversion to cold indicates unresolved exterior. Sweating is permissible; Guizhi Tang is indicated. Yangming typically presents with profuse sweating but aversion to heat, not cold. Profuse sweating with aversion to cold indicates the pathogen remains in Taiyang. Although diagnosed as Yangming, treatment follows Taiyang principles.

Taiyin Bing with a floating pulse allows for sweating. Guizhi Tang is indicated. Taiyin typically lacks sweating methods, but a solitary floating pulse indicates the pathogen remains on the exterior. Thus, Guizhi is used, prioritizing pulse over symptoms.

Patients with irritability and heat who improve after sweating, resembling malaria with recurrent fevers, may experience afternoon (Ribu) fever, indicating Yangming. Afternoon fever signifies Yangming tidal fever, not malaria. Solid pulse indicates purgation is suitable; deficient-floating pulse indicates sweating is suitable. Treatment varies entirely based on pulse, prioritizing pulse over symptoms. Purgation uses Dachengqi Tang; sweating uses Guizhi Tang.

Diarrhea with abdominal fullness is an Interior Syndrome; body pain is an Exterior Syndrome. Warm the Interior first, then attack the Exterior. Warm Interior with Sini Tang; attack Exterior with Guizhi Tang. This section pertains to Jueyin syndromes, possibly not resulting from mismanagement, but since exterior signs are present, concurrent treatment is appropriate.

If vomiting and diarrhea cease but body pain persists, gently harmonize the exterior. Guizhi Tang in a mild dosage is indicated. With interior resolved but exterior signs remaining, Guizhi method is appropriate, using reduced dosage and modifications.

Following severe purgation and subsequent sweating in Shanghan (double mismanagement), epigastric stuffiness (Pi) indicates pathogen entering the Middle Jiao. Aversion to cold indicates unresolved exterior; attacking Pi is contraindicated. Resolve exterior first, then treat Pi. Resolve exterior with Guizhi Tang; treat Pi with Dahuang Huanglian Xiexin Tang. Methods of bitter-cold descending are detailed later.