彭祖曰。美色妖丽。娇姿盈房。以致虚损之祸。知此可以长生。阴符经云。淫声美色。
破骨
之斧锯也。世之人若不能秉灵烛以照迷津。仗慧剑以割爱欲。则流浪生死之海。害生于恩也
书曰。年高之人。血气既弱。阳事辄盛。必慎而抑之。不可纵心恣意。一度一泄。一度火
灭。一度增油。若不制而纵欲。火将灭更去其油。
秦医和视晋侯之疾。曰。是谓近女室。非鬼非食。惑于丧志。公曰。女不可近乎。曰。
节之。
灵枢曰。元气者。肾间动气也。右肾为命门。精神之所合。爱惜保重。则荣卫周流。神
气充足。
书曰。恣意极精不知惜。虚损身也。譬枯朽之木。遇风则折。将溃之岸。值水先颓。苟
能爱惜节情。亦长寿也。
抱朴子曰。才不逮强思之。力不胜强举之。伤也。甚矣强之一字。真为戕生伐寿之本。
夫养
生赖乎饮食。然使醉而强酒。饱而强食。未有不伤生者。况欲乎。欲而强。元精去。元神离
元气散。戒之。
书曰。饮食过房。劳损血气。流溢渗入大肠时。便清血腹痛。病名肠癖。又曰。大醉入
房。
气竭肝伤。男人则精液衰少。阳痿不举。女子则月事衰微。恶血淹留。生恶疮。又曰。忿怒
中尽力行房事。精虚气竭。发为痈疽。恐惧中入房。阴阳偏虚。自汗盗汗。积而成劳。远行
疲乏入房。为五劳。月事未绝而交接生驳。又冷气入内。身痿面黄不产。
一金疮未瘥而交会。动于气血。故令金疮败坏。忍小便而入房者。得淋病。茎中疼痛。
面失血色。致胞转脐下。急痛死。书云。时疾未复。犯房者。舌出数寸而死。
Peng Zu said: Beautiful and enchanting colors, and charming figures filling the bedroom, lead to the disaster of deficiency and damage. Understanding this can enable one to attain longevity. The *Yin Fu Jing* (Scripture of the Hidden Talisman) states: Licentious sounds and beautiful faces are axes and saws that break bones. People in the world who cannot hold up a spiritual candle to illuminate the ferry of delusion, or rely on a sword of wisdom to cut off love and desire, will wander in the sea of life and death, where harm arises from excessive affection.
The *Shangshu* (Book of Documents) states: For elderly people, blood and qi have already weakened, yet sexual function is often vigorous. One must be cautious and restrain it, not indulging the mind or acting arbitrarily. Each ejaculation extinguishes fire once; each ejaculation adds oil [metaphorically consuming vital essence]. If one does not control desires and indulges them, when the fire is about to go out, the oil is removed.
The Qin physician Yi He examined the illness of the Marquis of Jin and said: This is called "approaching the women's chamber" (excessive sexual activity). It is neither caused by ghosts nor food, but by being confused and losing one's will due to lust. The Marquis asked: Can women not be approached at all? Yi He replied: Restrain oneself.
The *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot) states: Yuan Qi (Original Qi) is the moving qi between the kidneys. The right kidney is called Mingmen (Gate of Life), where spirit and essence combine. Cherishing and protecting it allows Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) and Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) to circulate throughout the body, ensuring sufficient Shen Qi (Spiritual Qi).
Ancient texts state: Indulging in exhausting essence without cherishing it damages the body. It is like rotten wood meeting wind, which breaks easily; or a collapsing bank meeting water, which crumbles first. If one can cherish and regulate emotions and desires, one can also achieve longevity.
Baopuzi (Ge Hong) stated: If talent is insufficient but one forces thinking, or if strength is inadequate but one forces lifting, it causes injury. Indeed, the character "forcing" (Qiang) is truly the root of destroying life and reducing longevity.
Nourishing life relies on diet and drink. However, forcing alcohol while drunk, or forcing food while full, invariably harms life. How much more so with sexual desire? Forcing desire leads to the departure of Yuan Jing (Original Essence), the separation of Yuan Shen (Original Spirit), and the scattering of Yuan Qi. One must beware.
Ancient texts state: Overeating and frequent intercourse damage blood and qi. When blood overflows and seeps into the large intestine, it causes bloody stools and abdominal pain; this disease is named Chang Pi (Intestinal Dysentery). It is also said: Intercourse after heavy drunkenness exhausts qi and injures the liver. Men suffer from decreased semen, impotence, and inability to erect. Women suffer from diminished menstruation, retention of evil blood, and the generation of malignant sores. It is also said: Engaging in intercourse with great effort while angry leads to empty essence and exhausted qi, causing carbuncles and ulcers. Engaging in intercourse while fearful leads to yin-yang deficiency, spontaneous sweating, and night sweats, accumulating into chronic fatigue syndrome. Intercourse while fatigued from long travel causes the Five Wastes (Wu Lao). Intercourse before menstruation has ceased causes irregular bleeding. Cold qi entering the interior causes physical emaciation, yellow complexion, and infertility.
If a metallic wound (Jin Chuang) has not healed and intercourse occurs, it disturbs blood and qi, causing the wound to deteriorate. Holding urine during intercourse leads to Lin Disease (Strangury), pain in the penis, loss of facial color, and bladder inversion below the umbilicus, resulting in acute pain and death. Ancient texts say: If one engages in intercourse immediately after recovering from an epidemic disease, the tongue may protrude several inches, leading to death.