Library

Human beings are born by receiving the Qi of Heaven and Earth. The Yang Qi of Heaven transforms into Qi, and the Yin Qi of Earth transforms into Blood; therefore, Qi is often in excess, while Blood is often deficient. Why is this so?

Heaven and Earth are the parents of all things. Heaven is vast, belonging to Yang, and moves outside the Earth; Earth resides within Heaven, belongs to Yin, and is held up by the great Qi of Heaven. The Moon is full (solid), also belonging to Yang, and moves outside the Earth; the Moon is waning (hollow), belonging to Yin, and derives its brightness from the light of the Sun. The Yin Qi in the human body fluctuates like the waxing and waning of the Moon. Thus, after birth, males reach seminal emission at sixteen years old, and females begin menstruation at fourteen years old. After forming the physical body, one still relies on milk, food, and water for nourishment; only then does Yin Qi mature enough to pair with Yang Qi, enabling adulthood and the capacity to become parents. In ancient times, marriage was typically delayed until around twenty or thirty years of age, demonstrating the difficulty of maturing Yin Qi and the ancients' proficiency in self-care. The commentary on the *Book of Rites* states: "Only after fifty can one effectively nourish Yin." The *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) says: "At forty, Yin Qi naturally halves, and daily activities decline." It further states: "Males experience seminal exhaustion at sixty-four, and females cease menstruation at forty-nine." Given the arduous process of forming Yin Qi, it barely suffices for thirty years of vision, hearing, speech, and movement, yet it is already depleted. Human desires are boundless; how can this difficult-to-form and easy-to-lose Yin Qi possibly sustain such demands? The classics state: "Yang represents Heavenly Qi, governing the exterior; Yin represents Earthly Qi, governing the interior." Therefore, the Path of Yang is solid, and the Path of Yin is hollow. It also says: "When Yin is extremely deficient, Heavenly Qi is cut off; when Yang is excessively abundant, Earthly Qi is insufficient." Observing where deficiency and abundance lie, this is not my exaggerated claim. The Zang organ responsible for closure and storage is the Kidney; the one responsible for dispersion and excretion is the Liver. Both organs contain Ministerial Fire (Xiang Huo, fire residing in the Liver and Kidneys), and their connections ascend to the Heart. The Heart houses Sovereign Fire (Jun Huo, the fire that governs life activities), which is easily stirred by external stimuli. When the Heart moves, Ministerial Fire also stirs; once stirred, Essence (Jing) leaks spontaneously. If Ministerial Fire flares up suddenly, even without sexual intercourse, Essence may flow secretly and be dispersed. Hence, sages merely teach people to gather and nurture their Heart-Mind, a profound principle indeed.

Heaven and Earth form the four seasons through the alternating rise and fall of the Five Elements (Wu Xing); similarly, the human Zang-Fu organs correspondingly wax and wane. The fourth month corresponds to Si, and the fifth to Wu, periods of intense Fire prosperity. Fire controls Metal (Lung Metal); thus, when Fire is prosperous, Metal declines. The sixth month corresponds to Wei, a period of intense Earth prosperity. Earth controls Water; thus, when Earth is prosperous, Water declines. Moreover, Kidney Water often relies on Lung Metal as its mother (Metal generates Water) to supplement its deficiencies. Therefore, the *Huangdi Neijing* repeatedly emphasizes nourishing the source of transformation (the Spleen and Stomach). In summer, the ancients would sleep separately and consume bland flavors, diligently protecting their health. They preserved Lung Metal and Kidney Water precisely because they feared the excessive prosperity of Fire and Earth. The *Huangdi Neijing* states: "Those who do not store Essence in winter will suffer from Warm diseases in spring." The tenth month corresponds to Hai, and the eleventh to Zi, periods when Fire Qi is stored and latent, nurturing its original true essence, serving as the root for the rising and moving energy of the coming spring. If one indulges in desires during this time, damaging the body, when spring arrives and energy rises, there will be no root below, Yang Qi will float lightly, and Warm diseases will inevitably occur. The prosperity of Fire and Earth in summer and the latency of Fire in winter refer only to seasonal deficiencies. Additionally, the periods before the first quarter moon, after the last quarter moon, and when the moon is new constitute monthly deficiencies; strong winds, heavy fog, rainbows, lightning, sudden cold or heat, solar/lunar eclipses, sorrow, anger, fear, grief, drunkenness, overeating, fatigue, excessive mental effort, and hard labor all constitute daily deficiencies. If a patient has just recovered from illness or suffers from active sores, the deficiency exceeds even a single day. Nowadays, many people suffer from headache, weak legs, poor appetite, and low-grade fever in late spring and early summer. Zhang Zhongjing noted that conditions worsening in spring and summer but improving in autumn and winter, accompanied by a wiry and large pulse, correspond to the common "Summer Malaise" (Zhu Xia Bing). If one encounters these four types of deficiency, one cannot avoid this condition. One might exhibit an elderly demeanor in youth, failing in duties to superiors and dependents. Hearing this, I am deeply alarmed. The ancients said: "Do not look at objects of desire, so the Heart remains undisturbed." With gentle bodies filling the senses, sounds filling the ears, colors delighting the eyes, and fragrances pleasing the nose, who could be so iron-willed that their Heart remains unmoved? Those skilled in preserving life should reside apart during these five months. If encountering a monthly deficiency, they should temporarily avoid intimate quarters, cherish themselves, preserve natural harmony, and hope not to fail the teaching of respecting the body. This would be fortunate indeed.