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Chu Cheng said: The five flavors of food and drink are used to nourish the bone marrow, muscles, and hair. Men belong to Yang; within Yang there must be Yin. The number associated with Yin in male development is eight. Thus, at age eight, Yang essence begins to rise, and at age sixteen, Yang essence overflows (seminal emission). Women belong to Yin; within Yin there must be Yang. The number associated with Yang in female development is seven. Thus, at age seven, Yin blood begins to rise, and at age fourteen, Yin blood overflows (menstruation). All of this is the solidified essence derived from the five flavors of diet. When these essences begin to rise, intelligence and thought become clear, teeth regenerate, yellow hair turns black, and weak sinews and bones become strong. When they overflow, whatever nourishes the body, limbs, hands, feet, ears, eyes, and other parts reaches even the minutest points, like a needle or grass seed. Therefore, children resemble their parents in form because parental Jing-Xue (Essence-Blood) has circulated throughout the entire body without exception. Hence, if one limb of the father is disabled, the corresponding limb of the son may not develop properly; if an eye of the mother is defective, the corresponding eye of the child may not resemble the mother. However, why do female birds and beasts conceive without Tian Gui (Heavenly Water/sexual maturity)? It is because the Jing-Xue of birds and beasts circulates through the Weili point (Baihui GV20 area/tailbone region). Therefore, if a man engages in sexual intercourse to drain his essence before his essence is mature, his limbs will suffer from insufficiency, and later he will suffer from inexplicable diseases. If his Yin Qi is already flaccid but he still desires women to discharge his essence, the essence will not exit but will rot internally, causing painful and difficult urination, becoming Lin syndrome (Strangury). If his essence is exhausted yet he continues to deplete it, pain will radiate during defecation and urination; the more painful it is, the more he feels the urge to go; the more he goes, the more painful it becomes. When a woman’s Tian Gui arrives, if she does not have intercourse with a man for over ten years, her menses will become irregular; if under ten years she desires intercourse, her menses will also be irregular. Irregularity means old blood remains while new blood flows erratically, either seeping into the bones or floating to cause swelling. Later, even if she has intercourse, conception will be difficult. Frequent intercourse dries up fluids and debilitates the weak; bearing many children exhausts blood and can be fatal (Zhong Gui said: Bearing many children causes blood deficiency, leading to whole-body weakness, premature aging, and a sudden increase in the husband's burden. In wealthy families, there may be no impact, but poor families endure great hardship. This is why Lady Shan’e advocated birth control). By observing Jing-Xue, one understands half the matter.

According to Danxi: Humans are born receiving the Qi of Heaven and Earth. The Yang Qi of Heaven transforms into Qi, and the Yin Qi of Earth transforms into Blood. Thus, Qi is often in surplus, while Blood is often deficient. For humans, men achieve seminal emission at sixteen, and women begin menstruation at fourteen. Therefore, ancients waited until men were thirty and women twenty before marriage. This shows that Yin Qi is hard to form, and its preservation must aim at stability. The Classics state: At forty, a person’s Yin Qi naturally halves, and daily activities decline. The formation of Yin Qi serves only thirty years of operation. Men cease producing essence at sixty-four, and women stop menstruating at forty-nine. The Kidney is Yin within Yin, governing storage; the Liver is Yang within Yin, governing dispersion. Both organs contain Ministerial Fire (Xiang Huo), which connects upward to the Heart. When Heart Fire moves, Ministerial Fire rises vigorously with it. Thus, Mr. Danxi taught people to gather their mind and nourish their nature, a profound intent. Generally, Heaven and Earth form the four seasons through the alternating rise and fall of the Five Elements. The human Zang-Fu organs correspondingly rise and fall. For example, the fourth month corresponds to Si, and the fifth to Wu, belonging to Fire. Fire is the controlling element of Metal; if Fire is too strong, Metal weakens. The sixth month corresponds to Wei, belonging to Earth. Earth controls Water; if Earth is too strong, Water weakens. Moreover, Kidney Water often relies on Lung Metal as its mother to supplement deficiencies. Therefore, ancients lived apart during summer (Zhong Gui said: Living apart in winter and summer is suitable for conservation and maintenance; even normally, sleeping separately reduces sexual intercourse. Couples sharing a bed easily arouse carnal desire. From a hygiene perspective, co-sleeping is harmful. *Chunqiu Fanlu* states: Young and vigorous people should engage in sexual activity once every ten days. This shows ancients foresaw this). They ate bland foods, acted with caution, and preserved Lung Metal and Kidney Water, precisely because they disliked the excess of Fire and Earth. The Classics also state: Those who store Essence in winter will not suffer from Warm diseases in spring. The tenth month corresponds to Hai, and the eleventh to Zi, when Fire Qi is hidden. One must nourish the root to assist the generative Qi of the coming spring. Then, in late spring and early summer, there will be no headaches, weak legs, poor appetite, low-grade fever, or Summerheat malaise. I privately believe that appearing old in youth, intolerance to wind and cold, inability to bear labor, and illness across all seasons are due to mental depletion while Qi and Blood are still growing, or early dissipation before Jing-Xue is fully formed. Thus, symptoms are hard to describe. If the Left Chi pulse is weak, it indicates True Yin deficiency; use Liuwei Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia) (Zhong Gui said: Liuwei Wan contains Cornus officinalis fruit, Moutan bark, and Alisma rhizome, which are not very suitable for True Yin deficiency; Jiling Gao is better). If the Right Chi pulse is fine and weak, it indicates True Yang deficiency; use Bawei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill). If both Chi pulses are weak, it indicates both Yin and Yang are deficient; use Shibu Wan (Ten-Ingredient Pill). All these tonify the source of transformation.