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Treats Shaoyang disease (Shaoyang syndrome) caused by cold damage or wind strike, with symptoms including bitter taste in the mouth, dry throat, vertigo, deafness, alternating chills and fever, fullness and distress in the chest and hypochondrium, silence with loss of appetite, irritability, and frequent vomiting; or irritability in the chest without vomiting, or thirst, or abdominal pain, or hardness and stuffiness under the ribs, or palpitations in the epigastrium with difficult urination, or no thirst but slight body heat, or cough, or residual heat remaining after sweating, or alternating chills and fever during malaria attacks, or women suffering from cold damage where heat enters the blood chamber causing delirium at dusk; also treats Yangming disease characterized by yang qi slight binding, head sweating, cold limbs, fine pulse, and hard stool, which also belongs to the half-exterior half-interior syndrome.

Chai Hu (Caulis Bupleuri) (8 liang), Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae), Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng), Zhi Gan Cao (Prepared Radix Glycyrrhizae), Sheng Jiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens) (each 3 liang), Ban Xia (Rhizoma Pinelliae Preparatum) (0.5 sheng), Da Zao (Fructus Jujubae) (12 pieces). Boil in 12 dou of water, reduce to 6 sheng, remove dregs, and decoct again. (This formula is a harmonizing agent. Removing dregs and decocting again allows the medicinal properties to blend harmoniously without conflict.) Reduce to 3 sheng, divide into three warm doses.

Treats Yangming disease with tidal fever, loose stools, free urination, and persistent fullness in the chest and hypochondrium. First administer one dose of Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction), then proceed with other treatments.
Chai Hu (Caulis Bupleuri) (2 liang 16 zhu), Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae), Zhi Gan Cao (Prepared Radix Glycyrrhizae), Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng), Sheng Jiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens) (each 1 liang), Ban Xia (Rhizoma Pinelliae Preparatum) (20 zhu), Da Zao (Fructus Jujubae) (4 pieces), Mang Xiao (Natrii Sulfas) (2 liang). Boil in 4 sheng of water, reduce to 2 sheng, remove dregs, add Mang Xiao, boil slightly until simmering, divide into two warm doses. If not resolved, continue administration.

Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) is used for harmonization. (Shaoyang is located between the exterior and interior; sweating, emesis, and purgation are all contraindicated; the treatment method should be harmonization, and this formula is primary.) It contains Ban Xia, Ren Shen, and Gan Cao, along with Huang Qin, Sheng Jiang, and Da Zao; it serves as the master formula for various Shaoyang diseases. (This is the main formula for harmonizing Shaoyang. Chai Hu ascends yang qi to reach the exterior, Huang Qin clears heat and harmonizes yin, Ban Xia harmonizes the stomach and connects yin and yang, while Ren Shen, Gan Cao, Sheng Jiang, and Da Zao tonify middle qi and regulate Ying and Wei. The classic text states "to interact yin and yang, one must harmonize the middle," which is the principle here.)

Regarding "alternating chills and fever": In Taiyang disease, chills and fever occur simultaneously; in Shaoyang disease, fever follows chills and vice versa, hence termed "alternating"; whereas Yangming disease presents with fever only, distinguishing it.
"Fullness in chest and hypochondrium": Since the Shaoyang meridian runs along the side of the body, there is distress and fullness in the chest and hypochondrium.
"Frequent vomiting and irritability": Due to rebellious Wood and Fire qi, leading to irritability and vomiting; vomiting releases the Wood and Fire qi, bringing relief.
"Vertigo and deafness": Occurs when clear Qi of Shaoyang fails to ascend.
"Cough, palpitations, or abdominal pain": Wood pathogen invading the Lung causes cough, invading the Heart causes palpitations, and overacting on the Spleen causes abdominal pain. This shows that when Shaoyang is diseased, the San Jiao cannot remain tranquil. As Shaoyang is a wandering part of the body, it manifests symptoms wherever there are gaps in the exterior-interior meridians due to deficiency, resulting in these optional symptoms.
"Bitter mouth and dry throat": These symptoms accurately reflect the pathology of the Shaoyang pivot mechanism.
"White thick tongue coating": A white thick coating indicates pathogenic factors in the half-exterior half-interior region; if fully entering the interior, the coating would turn scorched yellow.

These symptoms need not all be present; it can be used for miscellaneous diseases and wind-cold patterns. (As stated in the *Shanghan Lun* · Taiyang Chapter: ...)
Exterior syndrome... (Combined syndromes... Yangming, while Shaoyang resides... Chai Hu harmonizes it, pathogen... Xiao Chai Hu Tang for tidal fever does not... Enter blood chamber resembling malaria... Formation of stasis, then Liver qi with... Puncture Qimen method, (Qimen... Blood stasis becomes a tangible condition... Tao Ren and Hai Ge attack. [Note:... Heat, has remarkable efficacy, thus attached... Delirium at dusk, this pattern is common... Differentiation requires flexibility, hard stool and fine pulse... Said "pure Yin binding". This... Heat binds but is not severe... Same) Head sweat indicates not Shaoyang... Yin and Yang both tight, conversely... Yang collapse sweating, greatly... Fine, cannot be called Yin syndrome... Deep indicates interior, head sweat is... Administer Xiao Chai Hu Tang without doubt... Qi ascending upward sign, if... Then no contraindication.)