凡医妇人，先须调经，故以为初。
岐伯曰∶女子七岁肾气盛，齿更发长；二七而天癸至，任脉通，太冲脉盛，月事以时下
。天，谓天真之气降；癸，谓壬癸，水名，故云天癸也。然冲为血海，任主胞胎，肾气全盛
，二脉流通，经血渐盈，应时而下。所以谓之月事者，平和之气，常以三旬一见，以像月盈
则亏也。若遇经脉行时，最宜谨于将理。将理失宜，似产后一般受病，轻为宿疾，重可死矣
。盖被惊则血气错乱，经脉斩然不行，逆于身则为血分、痨瘵等疾。若其时劳力，则生虚热
，变为疼痛之根。若恚怒则气逆，气逆则血逆，逆于腰腿，则遇经行时腰腿痛重，过期即安
也。逆于头、腹、心、肺、背、胁、手足之间，则遇经行时，其证亦然。若怒极则伤肝，而
有眼晕、胁痛、呕血、瘰 、痈疡之病，加之经血渗漏于其间，遂成窍穴，淋沥无有已也。
凡此之时，中风则病风，感冷则病冷，久而不愈，变证百出，不可言者。所谓犯时微若秋毫
，感病重如山岳，可不畏哉！
（齐·光禄大夫褚澄遗书）
饮食五味，养髓、骨、肉、血、肌肤、毛发。男子为阳，阳中必有阴，阴中之数八，故
一八而阳精升，二八而阳精溢。女子为阴，阴中必有阳，阳中之数七，故一七而阴血升，二
七而阴血溢。皆饮食五味之实秀也。方其升也，智虑开明，齿牙更始，发黄者黑，筋弱者强
。暨其溢也，凡充身体、手足、耳目之余，虽针芥之历，无有不下。凡子形肖父母者，以其
精血尝于父母之身，无所不历也。是以父一肢废，则子一肢不肖其父；母一目亏，则子一目
不肖其母。然雌鸟、牝兽无天癸而成胎，何也？鸟兽精血往来尾间也。精未通而御女以通其
精，则五体有不满之处，异日有难状之疾。阴已痿而思色以降其精，则精不出而内败，小
便道涩而为淋。精已耗而复竭之，则大小便道牵疼，愈疼则欲大小便，愈便则愈疼。女人天
癸既至，逾十年无男子合，则不调；未逾十年，思男子合，亦不调。不调则旧血不出，新血
误行或渍而入骨，或变而之肿，或虽合而难子。合男子多则沥枯、虚人；产乳众则血枯杀人。
观其精血，思过半矣。
In the treatment of women's diseases, one must first regulate the menses; therefore, this is presented as the beginning.
Qibo stated: When a girl reaches seven years of age, her Kidney Qi (Kidney Energy) becomes abundant, her teeth change, and her hair grows. At fourteen (two sevens), Tian Gui (a substance promoting reproductive maturity) arrives, the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) becomes unobstructed, and the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) becomes vigorous, causing menstruation to occur on time. "Tian" refers to the descent of Tian Zhen Qi (innate vital energy); "Gui" refers to Ren and Gui (the Heavenly Stems associated with Water). Since Water in TCM theory represents essence and blood, it is called Tian Gui. The Chong Mai is the Sea of Blood, and the Ren Mai governs the uterus. When Kidney Qi is fully abundant and these two vessels circulate freely, menstrual blood gradually fills up and flows down at the appropriate time. It is called "Yue Shi" (Monthly Affairs) because harmonious blood and qi typically manifest every thirty days, symbolizing the waxing and waning of the moon. During menstruation, utmost caution in care and management is required. If mismanaged, the resulting illness resembles that of the postpartum period; mild cases may become chronic ailments, while severe cases can lead to death. Being startled causes blood and qi to become chaotic, and the meridians suddenly cease to flow. Rebellious flow within the body leads to disorders of the Blood Division, consumptive diseases, etc. Overexertion during menstruation generates deficiency heat, becoming the root of pain. Anger causes Qi rebellion; when Qi rebels, Blood also rebels. Rebellion in the waist and legs causes heavy pain in these areas during menstruation, which resolves after the period ends. Rebellion in the head, abdomen, heart, lungs, back, hypochondrium, hands, and feet produces similar symptoms during menstruation. Extreme anger damages the Liver, leading to dizziness, hypochondriac pain, hematemesis, scrofula (lymph node tuberculosis), and sores/ulcers. Combined with menstrual blood leaking into these areas, orifices are formed, resulting in continuous dripping without cessation. At such times, contracting wind pathogens leads to wind diseases, and contracting cold pathogens leads to cold diseases. If prolonged and unresolved, myriad transformational syndromes arise, too numerous to describe. Violating menstrual taboos initially seems minute as an autumn down, but the resulting disease is heavy as a mountain; how can one not revere this?
(From the遺書 (Legacy Book) of Chu Cheng, Guanglu Dafu of the Qi Dynasty)
The five flavors of food nourish the marrow, bones, flesh, blood, skin, and hair. Men belong to Yang, and within Yang there must be Yin; the number for Yin is eight. Thus, at eight years old (one eight), Yang essence rises, and at sixteen years old (two eights), Yang essence overflows. Women belong to Yin, and within Yin there must be Yang; the number for Yang is seven. Thus, at seven years old (one seven), Yin blood rises, and at fourteen years old (two sevens), Yin blood overflows. These are all the fruits of the essence derived from the five flavors of food. When essence rises, intellect and thought become clear, teeth change, yellow hair turns black, and weak sinews and bones become strong. When essence overflows, whatever fills the body, limbs, ears, and eyes—even if only as small as a needle tip or mustard seed—is reflected. Children resemble their parents because their essence and blood were received from their parents' bodies, encompassing everything. Therefore, if a father has a disabled limb, his son will have a limb that does not resemble the father's; if a mother has a defective eye, her son will have an eye that does not resemble the mother's. However, female birds and beasts conceive without Tian Gui; why is this? Because the essence and blood of birds and beasts circulate through the Wei Jian (tailbone area). If one engages in sexual intercourse before essence is regulated, forcing its release, the five viscera and six bowels will have incomplete aspects, leading to difficult-to-describe diseases later in life. If one desires beauty when Yin Qi is already weak, causing essence to descend, the essence will not exit but rot internally, causing涩 (stagnation) in the urinary tract and leading to Lin syndrome (dysuria). If essence is exhausted and then further depleted, the large and small intestinal tracts will pull and hurt; the more it hurts, the more one desires to defecate or urinate, and the more one does so, the more it hurts. Once a woman's Tian Gui has arrived, if she does not cohabit with a man for over ten years, her menses will be irregular; if under ten years, desiring cohabitation will also cause irregularity. Irregularity means old blood does not exit, new blood flows erroneously, soaking into bones or transforming into swelling, or even if cohabiting, conception is difficult. Frequent cohabitation depletes essence and weakens the person; frequent childbirth and lactation deplete blood and can kill. Observing the principles of essence and blood covers half the understanding.