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Yangming Wind-Stroke, with pulse string-taut, floating, and large, accompanied by shortness of breath, general abdominal fullness, pain in the hypochondrium and heart region, where qi flow remains blocked even after prolonged pressing, dry nose without sweat, lethargy, complete yellowing of the whole body and face, difficulty in urination, tidal fever (fever occurring at regular times), swelling before and behind the ears, which improves slightly after acupuncture. If the exterior syndrome is not yet resolved, and the disease has lasted more than ten days, but the pulse continues to be floating, administer Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction).

In Yangming Disease, if there is tidal fever, loose stools, normal urination, and persistent fullness in the chest and hypochondrium, Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) is the primary formula.

In Yangming Disease, if there is hardness and fullness in the hypochondrium, constipation, vomiting, and a white coating on the tongue, Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) may be administered.

After five or six days of Cold Damage or Wind-Stroke, if there are alternating chills and fever, bitter fullness in the chest and hypochondrium, silence with lack of desire for food, irritability and frequent vomiting; or alternatively, irritability in the heart without vomiting, thirst, abdominal pain, palpable hardness in the hypochondrium, palpitations in the epigastrium, difficulty in urination, absence of thirst, slight fever on the body, or cough, Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) is the primary formula.

When blood is weak and qi is exhausted, the couli (skin texture and pores) open, allowing pathogenic factors to enter and contend with healthy qi, knotting in the hypochondrium. The contention between healthy and pathogenic qi causes alternating chills and fever, occurring at specific times, along with silence and lack of desire for food. Since the zang-fu organs are connected, pain must manifest below; pathogenic factors are high while pain is low, thus causing vomiting. Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) is the primary formula.

In Cold Damage or Wind-Stroke, if there are Chai Hu (Bupleurum) patterns, observing just one symptom is sufficient for diagnosis; it is not necessary for all symptoms to be present.

After four or five days of Cold Damage, if there is body heat with aversion to cold, stiffness in the neck and nape, fullness in the hypochondrium, warm hands and feet, and thirst, Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) is the primary formula.

If there is vomiting with fever, Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) is the primary formula.

If Taiyang Disease has passed ten days, and the pulse is floating and fine with lethargy, the exterior has been resolved. If there is chest fullness and abdominal pain, administer Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction).

In Cold Damage, if the yang pulse is choppy and the yin pulse is string-taut, according to the method, there should be acute pain in the abdomen. First use Xiao Jian Zhong Tang (Minor Construct the Middle Decoction); if it does not improve, Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) is the primary formula.

After five or six days of Cold Damage, if there is sweating only on the head, slight aversion to cold, cold hands and feet, fullness in the epigastrium, lack of desire to eat, hard stools, and a fine pulse, this is called Yang Wei Jie (Yang Micro-Knotting). There is both an exterior and an interior aspect; a deep pulse also indicates the interior. Sweating indicates Yang micro-knotting. If it were pure Yin Knotting, there would be no exterior signs, as everything would be internal. This is half-exterior and half-interior. Although the pulse is deep and tight, it cannot be Shaoyin Disease because yin conditions generally do not have sweating; since there is head sweating, it is known not to be Shaoyin. Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) may be administered. If the patient still feels unwell, relief will come after defecation.

If a woman suffers Wind-Stroke for seven or eight days and subsequently develops alternating chills and fever at regular times, coinciding with the cessation of menstruation, this is Re Ru Xue Shi (Heat Entering the Blood Chamber). The blood must be knotted, causing malaria-like symptoms at regular times. Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) is the primary formula.

If a woman suffers Wind-Stroke with fever and aversion to cold, coinciding with the onset of menstruation, and after seven or eight days the heat subsides, the pulse becomes slow, and the body cools, but there is fullness in the chest and hypochondrium resembling Jie Xiong (Knotting Chest); if there is delirium, this is Re Ru Xue Shi (Heat Entering the Blood Chamber). One should puncture Qi Men (Liv14) to drain the excess.

If a woman suffers Cold Damage with fever coinciding with menstruation, being lucid during the day but delirious at night, seeing ghosts, this is Re Ru Xue Shi (Heat Entering the Blood Chamber). Do not violate the Stomach Qi or the Upper Two Jiao; it will heal spontaneously.

If original Taiyang Disease does not resolve and transfers to Shaoyang, presenting with hardness and fullness in the hypochondrium, dry retching, inability to eat, alternating chills and fever, without prior emesis or purgation, and a deep-tight pulse, administer Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction).

For any Chai Hu Tang pattern treated incorrectly with purgation, if the Chai Hu pattern persists, administering Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) again will cause shivering and trembling, followed by fever and sweating, leading to resolution.

After recovery from Cold Damage, if fever recurs, Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) is the primary formula.

Note: Shaoyang patterns exist between the exterior and interior. If interior yin is deficient, it will enter the Fu organs of Yangming; if interior yang is deficient, it will enter the Zang organs of Taiyin. Thus, it is not merely an exterior pattern. However, using Chai Hu (Radix Bupleuri) and Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix) is ultimately a clearing and resolving method; using interior medicines merely precludes the path of transmission. Therefore, it is classified under Exterior Heat Patterns.

Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction):
Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix, 4 qian), Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix, 1.5 qian), Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, 1.5 qian, honey-fried), Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix, 1.5 qian), Sheng Jiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens, 1.5 qian), Ban Xia (Pinelliae Tuber, 2 qian), Da Zao (Jujubae Fructus, 2 pieces). Boil two cups of water to obtain one and a half cups, remove dregs, decoct again to obtain eight parts, and take warm. If there is irritability in the chest without vomiting, remove Ban Xia and Ren Shen, add Gua Lou (Trichosanthis Fructus, 2 qian). If there is thirst, remove Ban Xia, add Ren Shen (0.5 qian) and Gua Lou Gen (Trichosanthis Radix, 2 qian). If there is abdominal pain, remove Huang Qin, add Bai Shao Yao (Paeoniae Radix Alba, 1.5 qian). If there is palpable hardness in the hypochondrium, remove Da Zao, add Mu Li (Ostreae Concha, 2-3 qian). If there are palpitations and difficulty in urination, remove Huang Qin, add Fu Ling (Poria, 2 qian). If there is no thirst and slight fever on the exterior, remove Ren Shen, add Gui Zhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus, 1.5 qian), cover with blankets to induce slight sweating. If there is cough, remove Ren Shen, Da Zao, and Sheng Jiang, add Wu Wei Zi (Schisandrae Fructus, 0.7 qian) and Gan Jiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma, 1 qian). Note: In Shaoyang, qi stagnation leads to disharmony between exterior and interior. Thus, Chai Hu and Huang Qin clear the semi-exterior and drain Jia Wood (Gallbladder Fire); Ren Shen, Gan Cao, and Da Zao warm the semi-interior and supplement Ji Earth (Spleen Earth); Sheng Jiang and Ban Xia descend rebellious Stomach Qi to stop vomiting.