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Luo Zhouyan stated: Women possess a yin-soft constitution and regard blood as their root. Yin-blood is like water flowing on the earth, while yang-qi is like wind rotating in the sky. Therefore, when wind blows, water moves; when yang-qi is smooth, blood is harmonized. This is the principle of nature. Examining ancient prescriptions, they often used methods that deplete qi to regulate menstruation. The Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) governs qi, and the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) governs blood. When qi ascends, it ascends; when qi descends, it descends; blood follows the movement of qi. If one solely depletes qi, blood has no power to act. Once healthy qi is deficient, pathogenic qi will inevitably prevail, giving rise to myriad diseases. How can menstruation be regulated then? Moreover, the Heart generates blood, the Spleen controls it, and the Stomach is the origin of Wei Qi (Defensive Qi). Nourishing the Heart leads to blood generation, and strengthening the Spleen leads to sufficient blood. When qi is abundant, blood flows smoothly. How can one solely deplete qi? This is the most crucial point in regulating menstruation. During menstruation, one must guard against violent anger, for anger damages the Chong and Ren vessels. One should avoid sexual intercourse, as excessive desire injures the Sea of Blood. If there is any depression or stagnation of emotions, old blood will surely stagnate, flowing into the waist and hypochondrium, and pouring into the legs and knees. When it contends with new blood, it causes unceasing pain. If it scatters to the four limbs, it results in numbness and insensitivity. If it enters the Blood Chamber, it causes alternating chills and fever. All these are caused by the Four Qi (Four Seasons' Climate) and Seven Emotions.

Shen Zhai commented: The above five points outline the methods for regulating menstruation, prioritizing the smoothing of qi and resolving stagnation. However, in smoothing qi and resolving stagnation, one must not specialize in depleting qi. Instead, one should strengthen the Spleen and nourish the Heart as the essential method for regulating menstruation. The Classics state that all diseases arise from qi, which is especially true for women. Women's illnesses first manifest as irregular menstruation. Although women rely on blood for physiological functions, and menstruation belongs to blood disorders, seeking treatment solely from the perspective of blood fails to grasp the key mechanism of the disease. If one seeks the cause from the perspective of qi, then one knows the root of regulating menstruation.

Chu Yushi said: At age fourteen, Tian Gui (Essence of Menstruation) arrives in women, the Ren Mai becomes patent, and menstruation occurs at regular intervals. Its flow should not be excessive nor insufficient. Both too much and too little are considered pathological. Amenorrhea is particularly severe and gives rise to myriad diseases. Since blood cannot nourish the body, hair falls out, the face turns sallow, and the body emaciates. Blood deficiency causes fever, and insufficient fluids lead to blazing dryness-qi. Blazing dryness-qi damages Metal (Lung), and when Lung Metal is damaged, coughing occurs, leading to hemoptysis and vomiting blood. Physicians, seeing amenorrhea, use blood-invigorating drugs such as *Tabanus* (Mengchong) and *Hirudo* (Shuizhi); seeing fever, they use cold drugs to clear heat. This exhausts menstrual blood, leaving nothing to nourish the body, so how can menstruation proceed? One should merely take herbs that nourish qi and benefit blood, and Tian Gui will recover naturally. Additionally, there are some women with robust constitutions who suffer from menstrual stasis and obstruction; using purgative or draining methods will restore flow, presenting specific clinical manifestations.