This is hypochondriac pain caused by water qi (fluid retention), not hypochondriac pain of Shaoyang (Lesser Yang) syndrome. If the hypochondriac pain is located in the half-exterior and half-interior region, there must externally be signs of the Gallbladder Meridian disease.
Slippery Tongue Someone asked: Why does a slippery tongue indicate the half-exterior and half-interior stage? The answer is: The tongue reflects the condition of the stomach and intestines, and changes in cold and heat are manifested here. When pathogenic factors are in the exterior, the tongue appears normal and harmonious; when they are in the interior, the tongue becomes dry and various pathological colors appear. Currently, the tongue is slippery with retained fluids and moisture, though not entirely normal. This indicates that the pathogen is about to enter the fu organs but has not yet done so; it is neither in the exterior nor in the interior. Therefore, it is said to belong to the half-exterior and half-interior stage.
Alternating Chills and Fever Someone asked: Why does alternating chills and fever indicate the half-exterior and half-interior stage? The answer is: When pathogens are in the yin aspect, chills occur; when in the yang aspect, fever occurs. The Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian is precisely the junction of yin and yang. When pathogens invade this meridian, they cause a struggle between yin and yang, resulting in an equal mix of cold and heat. Thus, the alternation of chills and fever belongs to the half-exterior and half-interior stage.