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The breasts of women and the kidneys of men are both the roots of life. The qi and blood of humans circulate without interruption. At Yin time (3-5 AM), it begins in the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian, emerging from Yunmen (Cloud Gate) acupoint, which is located above the breast. At Chou time (1-3 AM), it returns to the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian, entering Qimen (Gate of Hope) acupoint, which is located below the breast. Qi emerges from above, blood enters from below; the Lung governs the reception of Qi, and the Liver stores Blood. The breast lies precisely between them. The meridian of the Foot Yangming Stomach descends from Quepen (Collarbone Pit) to the breast. Additionally, the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) originates at Qichuan (Gas Street), runs parallel to the Foot Yangming, flanking the navel upwards, and disperses in the chest. Therefore, the breast belongs to the Foot Yangming Stomach Meridian, and the nipple belongs to the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian. If women fail to maintain proper regulation, damaging the Chong and Ren vessels, and if anger causes Qi rebellion, depression causes Qi stagnation, and rich flavors brew damp-heat, then the Qi of the Foot Jueyin Liver fails to move smoothly, and the Blood heat of the Foot Yangming Stomach becomes severe. If invaded by Wind pathogen, Qi becomes congested and does not disperse, accumulating in the breast, becoming hard or swollen, painful with a breast nodule, gradually extending to skin swelling, with alternating chills and fever, this is called Ru Yong (Breast Carbuncle). If Wind predominates, it is hard, swollen, and white; if Heat predominates, it is red and swollen. If untreated, blood flow obstructs, Qi becomes stagnant, and it struggles with the fluids in the breast, ulcerating and turning into pus. The treatment method: whenever there are initial chills, fever, and pain, one should release the exterior and scatter pathogens, soothe the Wind and clear Stomach heat, rapidly unblock milk secretion, and guide out the congestion, so the disease can be cured. If it dissipates but fails to form pus, use Tuo Li (Supporting the Interior) methods; if after ulceration muscles do not regenerate and pus water is thin, tonify the Spleen and Stomach; if pain persists after pus discharge with chills and fever, harmonize Ying and Wei (Nutritive and Defensive levels); if afternoon tidal fever and local swelling/pain occur, tonify Yin and Blood; if poor appetite and vomiting occur, tonify Stomach Qi. Strictly avoid cooling and detoxifying herbs, as they will damage the Spleen and Stomach.

Ru Yong (Breast Carbuncle) is commonly called "Blown Breast." "Blown" refers to Wind. Wind-Heat pathogens knot in the breast, causing blood vessels to congeal and stagnate. Over time, they do not disperse, ulcerate, rot, and turn into pus. Whenever there is sudden congestion, swelling, nodules that are red, and after several days, distending pain, ulceration, and thick pus flowing out, this belongs to Gallbladder and Stomach Heat-Toxin, with Qi and Blood stagnation, named Ru Yong (Breast Carbuncle), which is easy to treat. Treatment method: Qingpi (Green Tangerine Peel) soothes Foot Jueyin stagnation, Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum) clears Foot Yangming heat, Sheng Cao Jie (Raw Licorice Node) detoxifies and moves turbid blood, Jingjie (Schizonepeta) and Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia) scatter Wind and assist drugs reaching the exterior, Gualou (Trichosanthes Root), Moyao (Myrrh), Qingjuye (Murraya Leaf), Jiaoci (Acanthopanacis Senticosi Spina), Jinyinhua (Lonicerae Japonicae Flos), Tubeimmu (Fritillaria Thunbergii Bulb), Danggui (Angelica Sinensis), and wine aid these actions, all aiming to soothe the Liver, harmonize Blood, and detoxify. Applying Moxibustion with garlic partition (Ai Ge Suan Jiu) 20-30 moxa cones on the painful area is most effective. Strictly avoid knife or needle incisions injuring tendons and vessels, as the harm is significant.

Some cases arise because the nursing infant has phlegm-stagnation in the diaphragm and hot breath; sleeping while sucking milk blows hot air into the breast, causing stagnation that does not disperse, forming nodules. If massaged soft and milk sucked out during the initial stage, it can dissipate. Missing this opportunity leads to abscess formation. Other cases occur after weaning when milk cannot be reabsorbed, or when a woman produces excessive milk but the infant drinks little, leading to accumulation and condensation. Or due to irregular menstruation with retrograde flow. Also, internal pathogen depression forms abscesses. In the initial stage, never use cold medicines, because milk is transformed from blood and cannot leak out, thus solidifying and swelling. Milk nature is clear and cold; adding cold medicine leads to Yin rot. Cold medicines are only suitable after the abscess has ruptured. For initial stages, apply Nanxing (Arisaema Cum Bile) and Ginger Juice externally to resolve internally; adding Caowu (Aconitum Carmichaelianum Radix Preparata) breaks bad blood and removes masses, dissipating when cold and suppurating when hot. Add Ruxiang (Olibanum) and Moyao (Myrrh) to relieve pain. Internally, take Gualouren (Trichosanthes Seed), Shixuan San (Ten Acupoints Powder), and Tongqi San (Unblocking Qi Powder) alternately. Those under forty years old mostly recover because their Qi and Blood are vigorous. Those over fifty should not be treated, as many die because Tian Gui (Menstrual Essence) has ceased; untreated, they may live out their natural lifespan. If treatment is desired, focus mainly on regulating and tonifying Qi and Blood.

Women with chronic worry, anger, and depression accumulate day and night, damaging Spleen Qi, causing Liver Qi to rebel horizontally, depleting Qi and Blood, leaving tendons without nourishment. Depression and Phlegm knot into hidden nodules, non-red, non-painful, gradually enlarging over years before erupting with deep internal ulceration, named Ru Yan (Breast Rock/Cancer), because the wound shape resembles a rock cave. Do not treat this. This is a syndrome of Liver Meridian Qi and Blood exhaustion caused by Seven Emotions. Treatment method: At initial chills and fever, release the exterior and scatter pathogens. While soothing the Liver, simultaneously use herbs to tonify Qi and Blood, such as Yiqi Yangrong Tang (Qi-Supplementing and Nourishing Decoction) or Jiawei Xiaoyao San (Modified Free Wanderer Powder). Use Wind herbs to follow its nature, Qi herbs to move stagnation, Renshen (Ginseng), [Text missing, likely Huangqi], Danggui (Angelica Sinensis), and Shaoyao (Peony) to tonify Qi and Blood, Wuyao (Litsea) and Mutong (Akebia) to drain accumulation and relieve congestion, Chaihu (Bupleurum), Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia), and Ziye (Perilla Leaf) to release the exterior, Baizhi (Angelica Dahurica) to expel pus and harmonize Ying and Wei, and Guirui (Cinnamon Bark) to move Blood and harmonize vessels. Mild cases heal with prolonged use; severe cases can prolong life. Using cooling, Qi-moving, and Blood-breaking methods accelerates death.