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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 hour (3:00-5:00 AM), it begins at the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, emerging from Yunmen (Cloud Gate) acupoint, which is located above the breast. At Chou hour (1:00-3:00 AM), it returns to the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian, entering Qimen (Period Door) acupoint, which is located below the breast. Emerging from above and entering below, the Lung governs Qi, and the Liver stores Blood; the breast lies precisely between them. The meridian of the Foot-Yangming Stomach descends from Quepen (Empty Basin) to the breast. Additionally, the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) originates at Qichuan (Gas Street), runs parallel to the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian flanking the umbilicus upwards, and disperses upon reaching 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, they may injure the Chong and Ren vessels. Furthermore, anger causes Qi rebellion, depression causes Qi stagnation, and rich, greasy foods brew damp-heat. This leads to the failure of Qi in the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian to move freely, and excessive heat in the blood of the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian. If invaded by Wind pathogen, Qi becomes congested and fails to disperse, accumulating in the breast, becoming hard or swollen, painful with a palpable mass, gradually extending to skin swelling, with alternating chills and fever. This is called Ru Yong (Breast Abscess). If Wind predominates, the hardness and swelling are white; if Heat predominates, the redness and swelling are red. If untreated, blood circulation is obstructed, Qi becomes stagnant, and it combats with the body fluids within the breast, turning the ulcer into pus. The treatment method: whenever there are initial chills, fever, and pain, one should immediately release the exterior and scatter pathogens, soothe the Liver and clear the Stomach, rapidly promote lactation, and guide the resolution of congestion, so the disease can be cured. If the pus does not disperse and fails to mature easily, use the method of supporting the interior to expel pus. If after ulceration the flesh does not regenerate and the pus is thin and clear, tonify the Spleen and Stomach. If pain persists after pus discharge, accompanied by aversion to cold and fever, harmonize Ying and Wei. If afternoon fever and localized swelling/pain occur, tonify Yin and Blood. If appetite is poor and vomiting occurs, tonify Stomach Qi. Strictly avoid cooling and detoxifying herbs, as they will damage the Spleen and Stomach.

Ru Yong (Breast Abscess) is commonly known as "Blown Breast." "Blowing" refers to Wind pathogen. Wind-Heat pathogen accumulates between the breasts, causing blood vessels to coagulate and stagnate. Over time, it fails to disperse, ulcerates, rots, and turns into pus. Whenever there is sudden congestion, swelling, nodules, and redness, followed by distending pain and ulceration after several days, with thick pus flowing out, this belongs to Gallbladder and Stomach Heat-Toxin, with Qi and Blood congestion and stagnation, named Ru Yong (Breast Abscess), which is easy to treat. Treatment method: Qingpi (Green Tangerine Peel) unblocks the stagnation of the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian; Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum) clears the heat of the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian; Sheng Caojie (Raw Licorice Root Tip) detoxifies and moves turbid blood; Jingjie (Schizonepeta) and Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia) scatter Wind and assist drugs in reaching the exterior; Gualou (Trichosanthes Fruit), Moyao (Myrrh), Qingjuye (Mandarin Orange Leaf), Jiaoci (Gleditsia Spine), Jinyinhua (Honeysuckle), Tubeim (Fritillaria Thunbergii), Danggui (Angelica Sinensis), and wine are used, all for the purpose of soothing the Liver, harmonizing Blood, and detoxifying. Applying moxibustion with garlic partitioning (Garlic-Moxa Moxibustion) on the painful area for 20-30 moxa cones is most effective. One must strictly avoid using knives or needles to cut, as damaging tendons and vessels causes significant harm.

Some cases arise because the nursing infant has phlegm-stagnation in the diaphragm and hot breath. When the infant sleeps while holding the nipple, hot air is blown into the breast, causing stagnation that does not disperse, leading to nodules. If, at the onset, one endures the pain to massage it soft and suck out the milk, it can dissipate. Missing this opportunity and failing to treat it will inevitably lead to an abscess. Other cases occur after weaning, where milk cannot be reabsorbed, or when a woman produces excess milk but the infant drinks little, causing accumulation and condensation. Or due to irregular menstruation with retrograde flow. Also, internal pathogenic stagnation can form an abscess. At the initial stage, do not use cooling medicines. Milk is transformed from Blood and cannot leak freely; thus, it solidifies and swells. Milk nature is cool and cold; adding cooling medicine leads to Yin rot. Cooling medicines are only suitable after the abscess has ruptured. For initial stages, apply Nanxing (Arisaema Cum Bile) mixed with Ginger Juice externally to resolve it internally. Adding Caowu (Aconitum Kusnezoffii) can break bad blood and drive away masses; it resolves when cold and suppurates when hot. Add Ruxiang (Frankincense) and Moyao (Myrrh) to relieve pain. Internally, take Gualouren (Trichosanthes Seed), Shixuan San (Ten Acupoints Powder), and Tongqi San (Qi-Unblocking Powder) alternately. Patients under forty years old often recover well because their Qi and Blood are vigorous. Patients over fifty years old should not be treated aggressively; many die because Tian Gui (Menstrual Essence) has ceased. Without aggressive treatment, they may live out their natural lifespan. If treatment is desired, focus primarily on regulating and tonifying Qi and Blood.

Women who suffer from worry, anger, and depression accumulate day and night, causing Spleen Qi to be obstructed and Liver Qi to flare horizontally. This leads to Qi and Blood deficiency, with tendons losing nourishment. Stagnation and Phlegm bind to form hidden nodules, which are neither red nor painful. They gradually enlarge over years before erupting, with deep internal ulceration and rotting. This is named Ru Yan (Breast Cancer/Rock-like Ulcer), because the wound shape resembles a rock cave. It must not be treated aggressively. This is a syndrome caused by emotional injury, with exhaustion of Qi and Blood in the Liver Meridian. Treatment method: At the initial stage with chills, fever, and pain, immediately release the exterior and scatter pathogens. While soothing the Liver, simultaneously use herbs to tonify and nourish Qi and Blood, such as Yiqi Yangrong Tang (Benefit Qi and Nourish Prosperity Decoction) or Jiawei Xiaoyao San (Modified Free and Easy Wanderer Powder). Use Wind herbs to follow its nature, Qi herbs to move stagnation, Renshen (Ginseng), Huangqi (Astragalus - *inferred from context*), Danggui (Angelica Sinensis), and Baishao (White Peony Root) to tonify Qi and Blood, Wuyao (Lindera) and Mutong (Akebia) to drain accumulation and relieve congestion, Chaihu (Bupleurum), Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia), and Zisuye (Perilla Leaf) to scatter the exterior, Bai Zhi (Angelica Dahurica) to drain pus and unblock Ying and Wei, and Guirui (Cinnamon Bark) to move Blood and harmonize vessels. Mild cases often heal with prolonged administration; severe cases can still prolong life. Using cooling, Qi-moving, and Blood-breaking methods accelerates death.