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Wang Yutai said: After the severe winter, there must be the warm spring. From this, we know that within heaven and earth, if one does not first converge and store, one cannot generate and grow; this is the natural principle. Nowadays, people fail to understand the principle of storage and conservation, indulging in desires and exhausting their essence, thereby depleting their true qi (vital energy). When they find themselves without offspring, they claim it is due to cold blood or cold essence, and administer drying and heating agents, which further depletes their true yin (substance/cooling aspect). How can they then have children? Generally speaking, the cause of infertility lies not only with the female but also often with the male. Excessive sexual activity and excessive emission lead to essence that is clear as water or cold as ice, along with endless mental worry, all of which make conception difficult. The heart governs the spirit (shen); when there are thoughts, the spirit wanders outward, causing injury to the Ministerial Fire (Jun Huo) so that it fails to descend. The kidney governs wisdom; when subjected to labor, wisdom becomes chaotic internally, leading to kidney deficiency so that it fails to ascend. If the upper and lower do not interact, and water and fire do not harmonize, there is no case where reproduction can occur.

Yuan Liaofan said: The way to gather essence involves five aspects: first, reducing desire; second, moderating labor; third, calming anger; fourth, abstaining from alcohol; fifth, being cautious about diet. The kidney is the mansion of essence. Whenever sexual intercourse occurs, the kidney is disturbed. When the kidney moves, essence and blood flow with it. Although external emission may not occur, the essence has already left its palace. Those lacking endurance will inevitably have a few drops of true essence overflow along with impotence; this is the evidence. Therefore, reducing desire is paramount. Essence is formed from blood. It is not only sexual intercourse that damages our essence. All daily activities that consume blood should be deeply avoided. For instance, visual fatigue consumes blood through sight; auditory fatigue consumes blood through hearing; mental fatigue consumes blood through thinking. By moderating these according to circumstances, blood is nourished and accumulates day by day. Thus, moderating labor is paramount. The organ responsible for closure and storage is the kidney; the organ responsible for dispersion and excretion is the liver. Both organs contain Ministerial Fire (Xiang Huo), which connects upward to the heart. The heart is the Sovereign Fire (Jun Huo). Anger injures the liver and stirs up Ministerial Fire. Once stirred, the function of dispersion takes over, and the function of storage fails in its duty. Even without intercourse, essence secretly flows and is quietly depleted. Therefore, calming anger is paramount. Blood in the human body coagulates normally when it returns to its residence. Alcohol can agitate blood; when people drink alcohol, their faces turn red, and hands and feet become red, indicating agitation of the blood. In individuals whose qi and blood are already deficient, after months of abstinence, the essence becomes thick and usable. However, if one gets drunk in one night, the essence becomes thin. Therefore, abstaining from alcohol is advisable. The Classics state: "When essence is insufficient, replenish it with flavors." Rich and strong flavors cannot generate essence; only bland flavors can nourish essence. Essentially, all things possess true flavor. If flavors are too heavily blended, the true flavor diminishes. Whether meat or vegetarian, if boiled plainly and correctly, there arises a mild, harmonious, and bland qi that benefits the stomach and intestines. The *Hongfan* discusses flavors, stating that crops produce sweetness. Among worldly items, only the five grains possess the correct flavor. Eating bland grain foods best nourishes essence. For example, in cooked porridge or rice, the concentrated liquid that forms a mass is the gathered essence of the rice. Consuming it best generates essence. Therefore, caution regarding diet is essential.