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Individuals with beautiful eyebrows indicate that the Taiyang channel (Taiyang Meridian) is abundant in blood. Those with whiskers extending fully and extremely thick beards indicate that the Shaoyang channel (Shaoyang Meridian) is abundant in blood. Those with aesthetically pleasing beards indicate that the Yangming channel (Yangming Meridian) is abundant in blood. Given this, do women without beards lack blood and qi? The answer is: The Chong vessel (Penetrating Vessel) and Ren vessel (Conception Vessel) both originate from the Baozhong (uterus/womb), ascend along the interior of the back, and serve as the sea of the meridians. Their branches floating outward follow the right side of the abdomen upward, converge at the throat, and branch off to connect with the lips and mouth. When blood and qi are abundant, they nourish the skin and warm the flesh; when blood is particularly abundant, it permeates the skin and generates body hair. Women are physiologically characterized by an excess of qi and a deficiency of blood, primarily because they frequently lose blood through menstruation. Consequently, the Chong and Ren vessels fail to nourish the lips and mouth, resulting in the absence of beard growth.

If a scholar suffers injury to the yin organ (genitals), causing the yin qi to cease and function to fail (note: "yin qi" here refers to the genitalia, not a textual error), and the genitals become impotent, yet the beard does not fall out; however, eunuchs' beards do fall out. Why is this? The answer is: Eunuchs suffer damage to the Zongjin (tendons of the genitals/genital region), causing the blood of the Chong vessel to drain and fail to recover. Internal stagnation occurs in the skin, the lips and mouth are not nourished, and thus the beard does not grow. What about those born as "Tianhuan" (heavenly eunuchs/congenitally hairless)? They have never suffered trauma nor lost blood, yet why do they not grow beards? The answer is: This is due to congenital insufficiency. Their Ren and Chong vessels are not vigorous, the Zongjin fails to develop properly, there is qi but no sufficient blood, the lips and mouth are not nourished, and thus the beard does not grow. (The above discusses the conditions for women, eunuchs, and Tianhuan lacking beards.)

The Yangming channel is abundant in both blood and qi. The Taiyang channel is abundant in blood but deficient in qi. The Shaoyang channel is abundant in qi but deficient in blood. The Taiyin channel is abundant in blood but deficient in qi (another version states deficient in blood and abundant in qi. Lin Yi cites Yang Shangshan's *Taisu*, stating: Since Taiyin and Yangming are exterior-interior pairs with both blood and qi abundant, it should be abundant in both blood and qi). The Jueyin channel is abundant in blood but deficient in qi (another version states abundant in qi and deficient in blood). The Shaoyin channel is abundant in qi but deficient in blood (another version states abundant in blood and deficient in qi). Therefore, needling the Yangming channel can release both blood and qi; needling the Taiyang channel can release blood but should avoid releasing qi (the character 'e' is pronounced with the departing tone, meaning 'to dislike' or 'avoid'); needling the Shaoyang channel can release qi but should avoid releasing blood; needling the Taiyin channel can release blood but should avoid releasing qi; needling the Jueyin channel can release blood but should avoid releasing qi; needling the Shaoyin channel can release qi but should avoid releasing blood. (The above outlines the abundance and deficiency of blood and qi in the six channels, all sourced from the *Ling Shu*.)

(From the *Ling Shu*)

Spring wind is called Qingfeng (Green Wind); summer wind is called Yangfeng (Sun Wind); autumn wind is called Liangfeng (Cool Wind); winter wind is called Hanfeng (Cold Wind). The diseases caused by these seasonal winds manifest differently. Individuals with yellow complexion, thin skin, and weak flesh cannot withstand the empty wind of spring. Those with white complexion, thin skin, and weak flesh cannot withstand the empty wind of summer. Those with blue/green complexion, thin skin, and weak flesh cannot withstand the empty wind of autumn. Those with red complexion, thin skin, and weak flesh cannot withstand the empty wind of winter. Individuals with black complexion, thick skin, and firm muscle are naturally resistant to the winds of the four seasons. However, those with thin skin, unfirm muscle, and irregular complexion (not truly black) will fall ill if exposed to empty wind during the late summer period. Those with thick skin and firm muscle will not fall ill even if exposed to empty wind during late summer, unless they are doubly affected by cold, suffering from both external and internal pathogenic factors. This is analogous to the differences among timber: some have thick bark, some thin; some have much sap, some little. Trees that flower early and leaf before others, when encountering spring frost and fierce winds, will have their flowers fall and leaves wither. Under prolonged exposure and severe drought, brittle trees with thin bark will have few juices in their branches and withered leaves. Under prolonged heavy rain, trees with thin bark and high sap content will have rotting bark and leaking fluids. Sudden violent storms will cause rigid and brittle trees to break their branches and suffer structural damage. Autumn frost and rapid winds will cause rigid and brittle trees to shake their roots and drop their leaves. All these five scenarios involve specific types of damage; how much more so for humans? ('Wu' is identical to 'Wu', referring to a tree stump, here implying broken or damaged wood.)