问曰∶胁痛何以是半表半里证？答曰∶足少阳胆经，布之胁下，故有胁痛。至于他经，
或出于巅背，或布于面目，则无此症。又问曰∶水气亦有胁痛，何也？答曰∶水气胁痛，必
见干呕，咳引胁下痛，小半夏加茯苓汤主之，极重者，十枣汤攻之。若半表半里胁痛，外必
兼见少阳证。
问曰∶目眩口苦，何以是半表半里证？答曰∶目者，肝之窍也，胆附于肝，今少阳胆病
故目眩。口苦者，胆之汁也，热泄胆汁，故口苦。凡目眩、口苦者，即是少阳半表半里证
当和解之。
问曰∶呕吐何以是半表半里证？答曰∶邪气将入里，里气上冲，邪正分争，故呕吐。仲
景云∶伤寒三日，三阳为尽，三阴当受邪，其人反能食而不呕，此为三阴不受邪也。由此观
之，是知呕吐者，邪气入阴之机，然犹在将入未入之间，故和解可愈也。然亦有胃热而呕者
有胃寒而呕者，有停饮而呕者，有食积而呕者。病患口燥渴，呕吐黄水者，胃热也；呕吐
清涎沫，口鼻气冷，手足厥冷者，胃寒也；渴饮水而复呕，咳引胁下痛者，停饮也；呕吐饮
食，胸膈胀痛，吞酸嗳腐者，食积也。以此为别。
问曰∶寒热往来，何以是半表半里证？答曰∶人身外阳内阴，足少阳胆经，正阴阳交界
之所，邪传至此，阴阳相争，故寒热往来。又问曰∶阳明亦有寒热往来，何也？答曰∶阳明
经病，邪在肌肉中，则身发热，焉得有往来寒热？由少阳传入阳明之腑，表证未除，里热已
结，故兼见往来寒热，当用大柴胡汤攻之。书曰∶阳明内实，则为寒热往来，此说非也。盖
由少阳邪气未除，故见寒热，并非阳明正病也。
问：胁痛为什么属于半表半里证？答：足少阳胆经分布于胁下，所以会出现胁痛。至于其他经络，有的上行至头顶背部，有的分布于面部眼部，就不会出现这种症状。又问：水气病也有胁痛，这是为什么呢？答：水气引起的胁痛，必定伴有干呕、咳嗽牵引胁下疼痛的症状，用小半夏加茯苓汤主治；病情极重的，用十枣汤攻逐水饮。如果是半表半里引起的胁痛，外部必定兼见少阳病的证候。
问：目眩口苦，为什么属于半表半里证？答：眼睛是肝的窍道，胆附在肝脏旁边，现在少阳胆发生病变，所以导致目眩。口苦是因为胆汁的味道，热邪迫使胆汁外泄，所以感到口苦。凡是出现目眩、口苦的人，就是少阳半表半里证，应当采用和解的方法治疗。
问：呕吐为什么属于半表半里证？答：邪气将要入里，里气向上冲逆，邪气与正气相互争斗，所以发生呕吐。张仲景说：伤寒三天，三阳经的病势已尽，三阴经应当受到邪气侵袭，如果病人反而能进食且不呕吐，这说明三阴经没有受到邪气。由此看来，可知呕吐是邪气进入阴经的契机，但此时邪气尚处于将入未入之间，所以通过和解法可以治愈。然而也有因胃热而呕吐的，有因胃寒而呕吐的，有因停饮（水饮停滞）而呕吐的，有因食积而呕吐的。病人若口燥渴，呕吐黄水，这是胃热；若呕吐清稀涎沫，口鼻气息冷，手足厥冷，这是胃寒；若口渴饮水后又呕吐，咳嗽牵引胁下疼痛，这是停饮；若呕吐饮食，胸膈部胀痛，吞酸嗳腐，这是食积。以此作为鉴别区分。
问：寒热往来，为什么属于半表半里证？答：人体外部属阳内部属阴，足少阳胆经正是阴阳交界的地方，邪气传变到这里，阴阳相互争斗，所以出现寒热往来的症状。又问：阳明病也有寒热往来，这是为什么呢？答：阳明经病，邪气在肌肉中，身体发热，怎么会有寒热往来呢？只有当邪气由少阳传入阳明之腑，表证尚未解除，里热已经结聚时，才会兼见寒热往来，应当用大柴胡汤攻下治疗。书上说：阳明内实，就会表现为寒热往来，这种说法是不对的。这是因为少阳邪气尚未清除，所以见到寒热，这并不是阳明病的正证。
Q: Why is hypochondriac pain considered a Shaoyang (Half-Exterior Half-Interior) syndrome? A: The Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian distributes to the hypochondriac region; therefore, hypochondriac pain occurs. As for other meridians, some ascend to the vertex and back, while others distribute to the face and eyes, so they do not present this symptom. Another question: Water Qi pathology also presents with hypochondriac pain; why is this? Answer: Hypochondriac pain caused by Water Qi must be accompanied by dry retching and coughing that draws pain in the hypochondriac region. It is primarily treated with Xiaobanxia Jia Fuling Tang (Minor Pinellia Decoction plus Poria). In extremely severe cases, Shizao Tang (Ten Date Pill) is used to purge water accumulation. If hypochondriac pain is due to a Half-Exterior Half-Interior condition, it must externally present with Shaoyang symptoms.
Q: Why are dizziness and bitter taste considered Shaoyang (Half-Exterior Half-Interior) syndromes? A: The eyes are the orifices of the Liver. The Gallbladder is attached to the Liver. Now, because the Shaoyang Gallbladder is diseased, dizziness occurs. Bitter taste in the mouth is due to bile juice; when heat forces bile to leak out, a bitter taste results. Anyone presenting with dizziness and bitter taste has a Shaoyang Half-Exterior Half-Interior syndrome and should be treated with harmonizing methods.
Q: Why is vomiting considered a Shaoyang (Half-Exterior Half-Interior) syndrome? A: When pathogenic factors are about to enter the interior, the Interior Qi rushes upward, and pathogens contend with healthy Qi, resulting in vomiting. Zhang Zhongjing stated: "In three days of Shanghan (Cold Damage), the Yang meridians' pathogenic influence is exhausted, and the Yin meridians should receive the pathogen. If the person can eat and does not vomit, this indicates the Yin meridians have not received the pathogen." From this, we know that vomiting is the mechanism by which pathogens enter the Yin levels; however, at this stage, the pathogen is still in the transition between entering and not yet having entered, so it can be cured by harmonizing methods. Nevertheless, there are also cases of vomiting due to Stomach Heat, Stomach Cold, retained fluids (Water-Dampness), and food stagnation. If the patient has dry mouth and thirst, vomiting yellow fluid, this is Stomach Heat; if vomiting clear saliva/froth, with cold breath from mouth/nose and cold extremities, this is Stomach Cold; if thirsty for water but vomiting after drinking, with cough drawing pain in the hypochondriac region, this is retained fluids; if vomiting ingested food, with distending pain in the chest and diaphragm, acid regurgitation, and belching with rotten smell, this is food stagnation. These serve as distinctions.
Q: Why is alternating chills and fever considered a Shaoyang (Half-Exterior Half-Interior) syndrome? A: The exterior of the human body is Yang, and the interior is Yin. The Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian is precisely the junction of Yin and Yang. When pathogens transmit to this location, Yin and Yang contend, resulting in alternating chills and fever. Another question: Yangming disease also presents with alternating chills and fever; why is this? Answer: In Yangming Meridian disease, when pathogens are in the muscles, the body fevers; how could there be alternating chills and fever? Only when pathogens transmit from Shaoyang to the Yangming Fu-organs, where exterior symptoms remain unresolved and interior heat has already consolidated, will alternating chills and fever appear concurrently. In such cases, Da Chaihu Tang (Major Bupleurum Decoction) should be used to purge. Some texts state: "Yangming interior excess leads to alternating chills and fever"; this statement is incorrect. This occurs because Shaoyang pathogens have not yet been cleared, hence chills and fever are seen; this is not the primary pathology of Yangming.