典藏书目

Living together as man and woman is the great ethical principle of humanity. Alone, Yang cannot generate, and alone, Yin cannot accomplish; there are aspects of the human way that cannot be abandoned. Zhuangzi said: "What people should fear is within the bedchamber; those who do not take heed will commit excesses." This body flows with creation: the left Kidney belongs to Water, and the right Mingmen (Gate of Life) belongs to Fire. Yang Qi arises at Zi hour (11 PM - 1 AM), and Fire is actually stored within it, just as the North has the Turtle and Snake. The Bladder is the mansion of the left Kidney. In the Sanjiao (Triple Burner), there is a fatty membrane about the size of a palm, directly opposite the Bladder. Two white meridians emerge from the center, running alongside the spine upwards, penetrating into the brain. The Upper Jiao is located at Danzhong (Conception Vessel 17), internally corresponding to the Heart; the Middle Jiao is at Zhongwan (Conception Vessel 12), internally corresponding to the Spleen; the Lower Jiao is below the umbilicus, which is the moving Qi between the Kidneys, distributed throughout the body. When one is in a state of tranquility and desires do not arise, Jing (Essence) and Qi disperse through the Sanjiao, nourishing and glorifying the hundred vessels. However, once a desire arises, the fire of lust blazes fiercely, contracting the Sanjiao, causing Jing and Qi to overflow and flow out from the Mingmen. How terrifying this is!

Alas! Yuan Qi (Original Qi) is limited, but human desires are boundless. Fire is born from Wood; when Fire erupts, it destroys Wood. If the Tailgate Pass (Weilu) is not controlled, even the vast ocean will dry up. In youth, when Blood and Qi are not yet settled, one fails to observe Confucius's warnings regarding sexual activity; in old age, when one should reduce desires and calm the mind, one fails to understand Liezi's methods for preserving life. I do not know how such a person can succeed.

Master Mayi said: Heaven, Earth, and Man are listed as the Three Powers. Man obtains the Mean Dao and can learn to become a Sage or an Immortal. Moreover, the number of humans exceeds that of all things in Heaven and Earth. Yet, if humans fail to cultivate the Human Way, indulging in greed and lust, their depletion becomes no different from that of beasts. Thus, they suffer from illness, premature aging, and early death. Recognizing this, one must value oneself, thereby attaining the longevity of Tianyuan (Heavenly Origin).

The Yellow Emperor said: "One Yin and one Yang constitutes the Dao; deviation towards Yin or Yang constitutes disease." He also said: "When these two are not in harmony, it is like Spring without Autumn, or Winter without Summer. To harmonize them accordingly is called the measure of the Sage." The Sage's method of harmony values closure and secrecy, to preserve innate truth.

Su Nu said: "At twenty years of age, one should release essence every four days; at thirty, every eight days; at forty, every sixteen days; at fifty, every twenty days." These are words of truth. If one's constitution is robust, diet is abundant, and vitality is strong, slightly exceeding this limit is permissible. It is like a well: if the source is deep and the flow long, although water is drawn, it refills instantly, and one need not fear its exhaustion. However, if one's constitution is weak, Yuan Qi is inherently deficient, and diet is scant, forcing sexual activity is like a coward attempting Feng Fu's tiger-killing technique—it is merely throwing oneself to the tiger's teeth. Those with weak Dao must also abstain and should not follow this guideline for release.

Su Nu also said: "At sixteen years of age, one should retain essence and not release it. If physical strength is still vigorous, one should not forcibly suppress it either; prolonged retention without release may lead to sores and abscesses."

Peng Zu said: "Men cannot exist without women, and women cannot exist without men. If the mind is pure and free from distracting thoughts, this is excellent and promotes longevity." He also said: "If a person releases essence twice a month, totaling twenty-four times a year, they can attain a lifespan of one hundred years."

*Famous Doctors' Discourse* states: "Endless desires and unfulfilled wishes cause mental lust to project outward, leading to 'White Turbidity' (seminal emission or leukorrhea). Excessive intercourse causes the Zongjin (Gathering of Sinews) to become flaccid and relaxed." Books state: "For men, Essence is primary; for women, Blood is primary." Therefore, abundant Essence leads to a desire for a partner, and abundant Blood enables conception. If there is isolated Yang without Yin, or isolated Yin without Yang, and the heart of desire burns intensely without fulfillment, Yin and Yang will contend, resulting in alternating chills and fever, eventually developing into Consumption (Lao disease).

Tang Jing, a young man from a wealthy family, developed a sore on his genitals that became severely ulcerated. The Daoist priest Zhou Shouzhen said: "This disease arose from a desire to release essence that could not be fulfilled."

*Records of the Grand Historian* records that Han Nu, a concubine of King Jibei, suffered from cold and heat sensations in her waist and back. Cang Gong said: "This disease arose from a desire for a man that could not be satisfied."