Library

*Huangdi Neijing Lingshu: Wuyin Wuwei Chapter* records:

The Yellow Emperor asked, "Do women lack blood and qi because they do not have beards?"

Qibo replied, "The Chong (Penetrating) vessel and the Ren (Conception) vessel both originate from the Baogong (uterus), ascend along the interior of the back, and serve as the Sea of the Collaterals. (Whether men or women have beards depends on the abundance or deficiency of blood in the Chong and Ren vessels. The Chong and Ren vessels are the Sea of the Collaterals; their origin is in the Baogong, ascending to the deep interior of the back. 'Baogong' refers to the uterus, which is the place where essence is stored in both men and women and can thus be called the uterus; however, since only women conceive here, it is specifically named Baogong. The Chong, Ren, and Du (Governing) vessels all originate here, known as 'one source branching into three.' For the meaning of Baogong, see Volume 3 of *Qiwei Lei*. For detailed meanings of the uterus and Mingmen, refer to Volume 3 of *Fuyi*, section *Differentiation of Sanjiao, Bao Luo, and Mingmen*.) The portion that floats outward ascends along the right side of the abdomen, meets at the throat, and branches to connect with the lips and mouth. When blood and qi are abundant, they fill the skin and warm the flesh; when blood is particularly abundant, it permeates the skin and generates fine hair. (The Chong and Ren vessels are Yin vessels, hence they ascend along the right side of the abdomen. However, below the left breast lies the great collateral of the Stomach meridian, illustrating the exquisite coordination of left Yang and right Yin. See Volume 11 of *Maise Lei*.) After birth, women have an excess of qi but a deficiency of blood due to frequent blood loss (menstruation). Consequently, the Chong and Ren vessels fail to nourish the lips, resulting in no beard growth. ('Frequent blood loss' refers to blood not stagnating, with menstruation occurring regularly. The Chong vessel is the Sea of Blood, and beards are the surplus of blood; insufficient blood means the Chong vessel cannot nourish the mouth area, so beards do not grow. 'Shuo' is pronounced 'shu'.)"

The Yellow Emperor further asked, "If a scholar injures his yin organ, causing the yin qi to fail and become impotent, yet his beard does not fall out, what is the reason? Why do eunuchs alone lack beards? I wish to hear the explanation." ('Yin bu yong' refers to erectile dysfunction. This passage states that although a scholar's yin qi is injured and depleted, his beard remains; why do eunuchs, whose blood does not frequently deplete, uniquely lack beards?)

Qibo answered, "Eunuchs have their Zongjin (external genitalia/tendons) removed, injuring the Chong vessel. Blood flows out and cannot recover; internal binding occurs in the skin, and the lips and mouth are not nourished, so beards do not grow. (For scholars, although yin qi is injured, the Zongjin is not destroyed; for eunuchs, removing the Zongjin injures the Chong vessel. Once blood is lost, it cannot recover; internal skin binding obstructs the meridians, so the Chong vessel cannot nourish the mouth area, and beards do not grow.)"

The Yellow Emperor asked, "What about those known as 'Tianhuan' (heavenly eunuchs)? They have never suffered injury nor lost blood, yet their beards do not grow. What is the reason?" ('Tianhuan' refers to men who are born without beards throughout their lives, resembling naturally castrated eunuchs, hence the name.)

Qibo replied, "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 beards do not grow. ('Congenital insufficiency' refers to innate endowment lacking in the Ren and Chong vessels, hence beards do not grow either.)"

The Yellow Emperor exclaimed, "How profound! The sage understands all things, much like the shadows of the sun and moon or the echoes of sound and drumbeats; hearing the sound reveals the form. Without you, Master, who could elucidate the essence of all things?" (The sun and moon have light, and shadows reveal their presence; sounds have resonance, and echoes confirm them. Only sages can comprehend the subtleties of natural principles, allowing them to know the other through this, and the internal through the external.)

Therefore, the sage observes facial color: yellow and red indicate abundant heat qi; blue-white indicates deficient heat qi; black indicates abundant blood and deficient qi. (Yellow and red belong to Yang; blue, white, and black belong to Yin.) Those with beautiful eyebrows have abundant blood in the Taiyang (Greater Yang) meridian; those with full sideburns and thick beards have abundant blood in the Shaoyang (Lesser Yang) meridian; those with aesthetically pleasing beards have abundant blood in the Yangming (Bright Yang) meridian. This reflects the general pattern of the time. ('Ran' refers to sideburns on the cheeks; 'Xu' refers to beards on the chin and jawlines; 'Zi' refers to mustaches above the lip. These descriptions correspond to the pathways of these meridians.)

The constant numbers for humans are: the Taiyang meridian usually has abundant blood and little qi; the Shaoyang meridian usually has abundant qi and little blood; the Yangming meridian usually has abundant blood and abundant qi; the Jueyin meridian usually has abundant qi and little blood; the Shaoyin meridian usually has abundant blood and little qi; the Taiyin meridian usually has abundant blood and little qi. These are the heavenly constants. (The blood and qi levels of the twelve meridians vary. The figures mentioned in the previous texts differ in three instances. It is speculated that the terms 'blood and qi abundance/deficiency' are easily confused, likely due to transcription errors; the content in *Suwen: Xueqi Xingzhi Pian* should be considered correct. See Volume 20 of *Jingluo Lei*.)