Objective To study the inducing factors and syndrome differentiation regulations of cholelithiasis in Shanghai area in order to establish the criteri a of syndrome differentiation.Methods A prospective cl inical epidemiological study was carried out to observe the inducing factors and syndrome differentiati on regulations of cholelithiasis.Results Of the 1042 c ases

there were 202 （1 9.39%） with irregular food intake

219 （21.02%） with a habit of not taking or on ly occasionally taking breakfast

435 （41.75%） with dinner-overeating

80 （7.68 % ） having exercise more than one hour per day

218 （20.92%） accompanied with fat t y liver or hyperlipidemia or diabetes or hypertension

and 41 （3.93%） having fam ily history.Totally 313 cases （30.04%） were suffering from the liver and gallb l adder damp heat syndrome

228 cases （21.88%） suffering from the liver-qi stagnat ion syndrome

56 cases （5.37%） suffering from the qi and yin deficiency syndrome

381 cases （36.56%） suffering from liver yin deficiency syndrome

and 64 cases （6.14%） involved in other syndromes.Conclusion In cholelithiasis cases with acute cholecystitis or complicated with hepatolith

the liver and gallbladder damp heat syndrome is high in percentage.In cholelithiasis cases with chronic cholecystitis

liver yi n deficiency and liver qi stagnation syndromes are high in percentage.In hepato lith cases

liver yin deficiency and liver and gallbladder damp heat syndromes a re high in percentage.