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2. Differentiating Chills (Aversion to Cold) by Exterior/Interior and Yin/Yang: Fever with sweating indicates an Exterior Deficiency syndrome; fever without sweating indicates an Exterior Excess syndrome. For the Excess syndrome, use Mahuang Tang (Ephedra Decoction); for the Deficiency syndrome, use Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction). Absence of fever with chills indicates a disease originating in the Interior Yin aspect; Guizhi Jia Fuzi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction plus Aconite Root) is appropriate. Chills in the back with a harmonious mouth (no dryness) indicate Shaoyin disease (disease of the Lesser Yin), treated with Fuzi Tang (Aconite Root Decoction). Chills in the back with dry mouth and thirst indicate Yangming disease (disease of the Greater Yang), treated with Baihu Jia Renshen Tang (White Tiger Decoction plus Ginseng Root).

[Note] The symptom of chills requires differentiation between Exterior/Interior and Yin/Yang. Fever accompanied by chills originates from the Exterior Yang aspect; if there is sweating, Guizhi Tang is indicated; if there is no sweating, Mahuang Tang is indicated. Absence of fever with chills originates from the Interior Yin aspect; if there is sweating, Guizhi Jia Fuzi Tang is indicated; if there is no sweating, Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Tang (Ephedra, Aconite and Asarum Decoction) is indicated. "Back chills with a harmonious mouth" means the mouth is not dry and feels comfortable; "Yin" here refers to the Shaoyin channel, for which Fuzi Tang is suitable. "Back chills with dry mouth and thirst" means the mouth is dry; "Yang" here refers to the Yangming channel, for which Baihu Jia Renshen Tang is suitable.

[Commentary] Although both the Shaoyin and Yangming channels present with chills, they differ in whether the body has heat or not; one is treated by warming, the other by clearing heat. Although back chills are similar in Shaoyin and Yangming, they differ in whether the mouth is harmonious or not; one is treated by warming, the other by clearing. Although chills are a mild symptom, the principles established by Zhang Zhongjing allow for differentiation, and other conditions can be inferred by analogy.

3. Wind and Cold often accompany each other and rarely separate; all three Yang channels (Taiyang, Yangming, Shaoyang) may present with aversion to wind (Aversion to Drafts) and chills. Aversion to wind belongs to Yang and should be treated by releasing the exterior; aversion to cold in the three Yin channels (Jueyin, Taiyin, Shaoyin) does not include aversion to wind.

[Note] Wind pathogen and cold pathogen mostly accompany each other and rarely separate; when there is cold, there is not necessarily no wind, and when there is wind, there is not necessarily no cold. Therefore, the three Yang channels often present with both chills and aversion to wind together. Both aversion to wind and chills are exterior diseases, and the treatment principle is to address the exterior. However, wind belongs to Yang and cold belongs to Yin; thus, syndromes of the three Yin channels present with chills but not aversion to wind.

4. Headache in the three Yang channels is accompanied by whole-body heat; absence of heat with vomiting of saliva/phlegm indicates Jueyin channel disease. If there is constipation and red urine, purging methods should be considered; if the urine is clear and white, it indicates that the exterior pathogen has not yet been cleared.

[Note] "Three Yang" refers to the Taiyang, Yangming, and Shaoyang channels. "Headache with whole-body heat" refers to the fact that headaches in the three Yang channels are accompanied by systemic heat. Headaches in the three Yang channels should be treated according to the principles of the three Yang channels. Headache in the Jueyin channel is often accompanied by cold limbs (Jue) and absence of fever, along with vomiting of saliva/phlegm; this is due to cold pathogen counterflow in the Jueyin channel, and Wuzhuyu Tang (Evodia Fruit Decoction) should be used to warm and descend. In cases of headache in the three Yang channels, if there is constipation and red urine, it indicates interior excess-heat, and purging methods should be considered, using Chengqi Tang (Bowels-Regulating Decoction). If the urine is clear and white, even with constipation, it indicates that the interior heat is not yet solidified and the exterior pathogen has not been cleared; the treatment principle is to first address the exterior. Generally, the three Yin channels do not present with headache, except for the Jueyin channel, because its meridian intersects with the Du Mai (Governor Vessel) at the vertex. The three Yin channels generally do not present with fever, but Jueyin and Shaoyin channels may present with fever, termed "reverse fever," because the zang organs contain ministerial fire, and yin excess repels yang qi to the exterior.