王宇泰曰∶严冬之后，必有阳春。是知天地之间，不收敛则不能发生，自然之理也。今人既昧收藏之理，
纵欲竭精，以耗真气。及其无子，既云血冷，又谓精寒，燥热之剂投而真阴益耗矣，安得而有子。大抵无子之故，
不独在女，亦多由男。房劳过度，施泄过多，精清如水，或冷如冰，及思虑无穷，皆难有子。盖心主神，有所思
则心驰于外，致君火伤而不能降。肾主智，有所劳则智乱于中，俾肾亏而不能升，上下不交，水火不媾，而能
生育者，无有也。
袁了凡曰∶聚精之道，一曰寡欲，二曰节劳，三曰息怒，四曰戒酒，五曰慎味。肾为精之府，凡男女交接，
必扰其肾。肾动则精血随之而流，外虽不泄，精已离宫。未能坚忍者，必有真精数点，随阳痿而溢出，此其验
也，故贵乎寡欲。精成于血，不独房室之交，损吾之精。凡日用损血之事，皆当深戒。如目劳于视，则血于视
耗。耳劳于听，则血以听耗。心劳于思，血以思耗。随事节之，则血得其养，而与日俱积矣，故贵乎节劳。主
闭藏者，肾也。司疏泄者，肝也。二脏皆有相火，其系上属于心。心，君火也。怒则伤肝而相火动，动则疏泄
用事，闭藏不得其职，虽不交合，亦暗流潜耗矣，故贵乎息怒。人身之血，各归其舍则常凝，酒能动血，人饮
酒则面赤，手足俱红，是扰其血也。血气既衰之人，数月无房事，精始浓而可用。使一夜大醉，精随薄矣，故
宜戒酒。经云，精不足，补之以味。浓郁之味，不能生精，唯恬淡者，能补精耳。盖万物皆有真味，调和胜，
真味衰矣。不论腥素，淡煮得法，自有一段冲和恬淡之气，益人肠胃。《洪范》论味，而曰稼穑作甘。世物唯
五谷得味之正，但能淡食谷味，最能养精。如煮粥饭中，有浓汁滚作一
团者，此米之精液所聚，食之最能生精，故宜慎味。
王宇泰说：严冬过后，必然会有温暖的春天。由此可知，天地之间，如果不先收敛闭藏，就不能发生生长，这是自然的规律。现在的人既然不明白收藏的道理，放纵欲望、竭尽精气，从而耗损真气。等到没有子嗣时，既说是血冷，又说是精寒，于是投用燥热之剂，导致真阴更加耗损，怎么能得到子嗣呢？大抵无子的原因，不仅在于女方，也多由男方造成。房事过度，施泄过多，导致精液清稀如水，或寒冷如冰，以及思虑无穷，都难以有子。因为心主宰神志，有所思念则心神驰于外，致使君火受伤而不能下降。肾主宰智慧，有所劳倦则智乱于中，使得肾亏而不能上升，上下不交，水火不媾和，而能生育的，是没有的。
袁了凡说：聚精的方法，一是寡欲，二是节劳，三是息怒，四是戒酒，五是慎味。肾是精的府库，凡是男女交接，必定扰动其肾。肾动则精血随之流动，外表虽然不泄，精已离开宫室。不能坚忍者，必有少量真精，随着阳痿而溢出，这就是验证，所以贵在寡欲。精由血生成，不仅仅是房事会损伤我们的精。凡是日常生活中损耗血的事情，都应当深以为戒。如眼睛因视物而劳累，则血因视物而耗损。耳朵因听声而劳累，则血因听声而耗损。心因思虑而劳累，则血因思虑而耗损。随事节制，则血得到滋养，并与日俱积，所以贵在节劳。主管闭藏的是肾，主管疏泄的是肝。这两脏都有相火，其系上属于心。心，是君火。发怒则伤肝而相火动，动则疏泄功能主导，闭藏功能不得其职，即使不交合，也暗中流潜耗了，所以贵在息怒。人身之血，各归其舍则常凝，酒能扰动血，人饮酒则面赤，手足俱红，这是扰动其血。气血已经衰弱的人，数月无房事，精才浓稠而可用。如果一夜大醉，精就变薄了，所以宜戒酒。经书说，精不足，用味道来补它。浓郁的味道，不能生精，只有恬淡的，才能补精罢了。大概万物都有真味，调和过胜，真味就衰微了。不论荤素，淡煮得法，自然有一段冲和恬淡之气，有益肠胃。《洪范》论味道，说稼穑作甘。世间万物只有五谷得味之正，只要能吃淡谷味，最能养精。如在煮粥饭中，有浓汁滚作一团者，这是米的精液所聚，吃它最能生精，所以宜慎味。
Wang Yutai said: After the severe winter, there must be the warm spring. From this, we know that within heaven and earth, if one does not first converge and store, one cannot generate and grow; this is the natural principle. Nowadays, people fail to understand the principle of storage and conservation, indulging in desires and exhausting their essence, thereby depleting their true qi (vital energy). When they find themselves without offspring, they claim it is due to cold blood or cold essence, and administer drying and heating agents, which further depletes their true yin (substance/cooling aspect). How can they then have children? Generally speaking, the cause of infertility lies not only with the female but also often with the male. Excessive sexual activity and excessive emission lead to essence that is clear as water or cold as ice, along with endless mental worry, all of which make conception difficult. The heart governs the spirit (shen); when there are thoughts, the spirit wanders outward, causing injury to the Ministerial Fire (Jun Huo) so that it fails to descend. The kidney governs wisdom; when subjected to labor, wisdom becomes chaotic internally, leading to kidney deficiency so that it fails to ascend. If the upper and lower do not interact, and water and fire do not harmonize, there is no case where reproduction can occur.
Yuan Liaofan said: The way to gather essence involves five aspects: first, reducing desire; second, moderating labor; third, calming anger; fourth, abstaining from alcohol; fifth, being cautious about diet. The kidney is the mansion of essence. Whenever sexual intercourse occurs, the kidney is disturbed. When the kidney moves, essence and blood flow with it. Although external emission may not occur, the essence has already left its palace. Those lacking endurance will inevitably have a few drops of true essence overflow along with impotence; this is the evidence. Therefore, reducing desire is paramount. Essence is formed from blood. It is not only sexual intercourse that damages our essence. All daily activities that consume blood should be deeply avoided. For instance, visual fatigue consumes blood through sight; auditory fatigue consumes blood through hearing; mental fatigue consumes blood through thinking. By moderating these according to circumstances, blood is nourished and accumulates day by day. Thus, moderating labor is paramount. The organ responsible for closure and storage is the kidney; the organ responsible for dispersion and excretion is the liver. Both organs contain Ministerial Fire (Xiang Huo), which connects upward to the heart. The heart is the Sovereign Fire (Jun Huo). Anger injures the liver and stirs up Ministerial Fire. Once stirred, the function of dispersion takes over, and the function of storage fails in its duty. Even without intercourse, essence secretly flows and is quietly depleted. Therefore, calming anger is paramount. Blood in the human body coagulates normally when it returns to its residence. Alcohol can agitate blood; when people drink alcohol, their faces turn red, and hands and feet become red, indicating agitation of the blood. In individuals whose qi and blood are already deficient, after months of abstinence, the essence becomes thick and usable. However, if one gets drunk in one night, the essence becomes thin. Therefore, abstaining from alcohol is advisable. The Classics state: "When essence is insufficient, replenish it with flavors." Rich and strong flavors cannot generate essence; only bland flavors can nourish essence. Essentially, all things possess true flavor. If flavors are too heavily blended, the true flavor diminishes. Whether meat or vegetarian, if boiled plainly and correctly, there arises a mild, harmonious, and bland qi that benefits the stomach and intestines. The *Hongfan* discusses flavors, stating that crops produce sweetness. Among worldly items, only the five grains possess the correct flavor. Eating bland grain foods best nourishes essence. For example, in cooked porridge or rice, the concentrated liquid that forms a mass is the gathered essence of the rice. Consuming it best generates essence. Therefore, caution regarding diet is essential.