凡医妇人，先须调经，故以为初。
岐伯曰∶女子七岁肾气盛，齿更发长；二七而天癸至，任脉通，太冲脉盛，月事以时下
。天，谓天真之气降；癸，谓壬癸，水名，故云天癸也。然冲为血海，任主胞胎，肾气全盛
，二脉流通，经血渐盈，应时而下。所以谓之月事者，平和之气，常以三旬一见，以像月盈
则亏也。若遇经脉行时，最宜谨于将理。将理失宜，似产后一般受病，轻为宿疾，重可死矣
。盖被惊则血气错乱，经脉斩然不行，逆于身则为血分、痨瘵等疾。若其时劳力，则生虚热
，变为疼痛之根。若恚怒则气逆，气逆则血逆，逆于腰腿，则遇经行时腰腿痛重，过期即安
也。逆于头、腹、心、肺、背、胁、手足之间，则遇经行时，其证亦然。若怒极则伤肝，而
有眼晕、胁痛、呕血、瘰 、痈疡之病，加之经血渗漏于其间，遂成窍穴，淋沥无有已也。
凡此之时，中风则病风，感冷则病冷，久而不愈，变证百出，不可言者。所谓犯时微若秋毫
，感病重如山岳，可不畏哉！
（齐·光禄大夫褚澄遗书）
饮食五味，养髓、骨、肉、血、肌肤、毛发。男子为阳，阳中必有阴，阴中之数八，故
一八而阳精升，二八而阳精溢。女子为阴，阴中必有阳，阳中之数七，故一七而阴血升，二
七而阴血溢。皆饮食五味之实秀也。方其升也，智虑开明，齿牙更始，发黄者黑，筋弱者强
。暨其溢也，凡充身体、手足、耳目之余，虽针芥之历，无有不下。凡子形肖父母者，以其
精血尝于父母之身，无所不历也。是以父一肢废，则子一肢不肖其父；母一目亏，则子一目
不肖其母。然雌鸟、牝兽无天癸而成胎，何也？鸟兽精血往来尾间也。精未通而御女以通其
精，则五体有不满之处，异日有难状之疾。阴已痿而思色以降其精，则精不出而内败，小
便道涩而为淋。精已耗而复竭之，则大小便道牵疼，愈疼则欲大小便，愈便则愈疼。女人天
癸既至，逾十年无男子合，则不调；未逾十年，思男子合，亦不调。不调则旧血不出，新血
误行或渍而入骨，或变而之肿，或虽合而难子。合男子多则沥枯、虚人；产乳众则血枯杀人。
观其精血，思过半矣。
凡是诊治女性疾病，首先必须调理月经，因此将其作为开篇。
岐伯说：女子到了七岁，肾气开始充盛，牙齿更换，头发生长；到了十四岁（二七），天癸（促进生殖功能成熟的物质）到来，任脉通畅，太冲脉旺盛，月经按时来潮。“天”，指的是天真之气下降；“癸”，指的是壬癸（天干中属水的二字），水在中医理论中代表精血，所以称为天癸。然而，冲脉是血海，任脉主司胞胎，当肾气完全充盛，这两条经脉气血流通，经血逐渐充盈，便应时而下。之所以称之为“月事”，是因为平和的气血通常每三十天左右显现一次，以象征月亮满盈后就会亏损的规律。如果在月经期间，最应当谨慎地进行调养护理。如果调养不当，其患病情况类似于产后，轻则留下慢性旧疾，重则可能导致死亡。因为受到惊吓会导致气血错乱，经脉突然中断不行，逆乱于体内就会形成血分病、虚劳等疾患。如果在经期过度劳累用力，就会产生虚热，变成疼痛的根源。如果发怒，就会导致气机逆乱，气逆则血也逆，逆乱于腰腿，那么在月经来潮时就会出现腰腿沉重疼痛，过了经期就会缓解。逆乱于头部、腹部、心脏、肺部、背部、胁肋、手足之间，那么在月经来潮时，症状也是如此。如果愤怒至极则会损伤肝脏，从而出现头晕眼花、胁肋疼痛、呕血、瘰疬（颈部淋巴结结核）、痈疡等疾病，加之经血渗漏在这些部位，最终形成窍穴，淋漓不断没有休止。大凡在这个时候，感受风邪就会患风病，感受寒冷就会患寒病，时间久了不痊愈，变证百出，不可胜数。所谓触犯经期禁忌，起初微小如秋毫，但感生病害却重如山岳，怎么能不敬畏呢！
（出自齐代光禄大夫褚澄的遗书）
饮食的五味，能够滋养髓、骨、肉、血、肌肤、毛发。男子属阳，阳中必含有阴，阴中的基数是八，所以到八岁（一八）阳气精华上升，到十六岁（二八）阳气精华溢泄。女子属阴，阴中必含有阳，阳中的基数是七，所以到七岁（一七）阴血上升，到十四岁（二七）阴血溢泄。这都是饮食五味所化生的精华。当精气上升时，智力思虑开明，牙齿更换，头发由黄变黑，筋骨变得强健。等到精气溢泄时，凡是充实身体、手足、耳目余力的部分，即使像针尖芥子那样微小的瑕疵，也没有不能反映出来的。凡是子女形貌像父母的原因，是因为他们的精血曾受之于父母之身，无所不包罗。因此，父亲有一只肢体残疾，儿子就有一只肢体不像父亲；母亲有一只眼睛残缺，儿子就有一只眼睛不像母亲。然而雌鸟、母兽没有天癸却能受孕成胎，为什么呢？因为鸟兽的精血往来于尾闾之处。如果在精气尚未通调时就御女行房以强行通泄精气，那么五体就会有不完备的地方，日后会有难以形容的疾病。如果在阴气已经痿弱时还想着美色以降泄精气，那么精气排不出而在体内败坏，导致小便道涩滞而成为淋证。如果精气已经耗损又进一步竭尽，那么大、小便道会牵引疼痛，越疼痛越想大小便，越大小便就越疼痛。女人天癸既已到来，超过十年没有与男子交合，月经就会不调；未满十年，心里想着与男子交合，月经也会不调。月经不调则旧血不能排出，新血误行或渗入骨骼，或变为肿胀，或者虽然交合也难以怀孕。与男子交合过多则会导致精液枯竭、使人虚弱；生育哺乳众多则会导致血枯致死。观察精血的道理，思虑到这里也就过半了。
In the treatment of women's diseases, one must first regulate the menses; therefore, this is presented as the beginning.
Qibo stated: When a girl reaches seven years of age, her Kidney Qi (Kidney Energy) becomes abundant, her teeth change, and her hair grows. At fourteen (two sevens), Tian Gui (a substance promoting reproductive maturity) arrives, the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) becomes unobstructed, and the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) becomes vigorous, causing menstruation to occur on time. "Tian" refers to the descent of Tian Zhen Qi (innate vital energy); "Gui" refers to Ren and Gui (the Heavenly Stems associated with Water). Since Water in TCM theory represents essence and blood, it is called Tian Gui. The Chong Mai is the Sea of Blood, and the Ren Mai governs the uterus. When Kidney Qi is fully abundant and these two vessels circulate freely, menstrual blood gradually fills up and flows down at the appropriate time. It is called "Yue Shi" (Monthly Affairs) because harmonious blood and qi typically manifest every thirty days, symbolizing the waxing and waning of the moon. During menstruation, utmost caution in care and management is required. If mismanaged, the resulting illness resembles that of the postpartum period; mild cases may become chronic ailments, while severe cases can lead to death. Being startled causes blood and qi to become chaotic, and the meridians suddenly cease to flow. Rebellious flow within the body leads to disorders of the Blood Division, consumptive diseases, etc. Overexertion during menstruation generates deficiency heat, becoming the root of pain. Anger causes Qi rebellion; when Qi rebels, Blood also rebels. Rebellion in the waist and legs causes heavy pain in these areas during menstruation, which resolves after the period ends. Rebellion in the head, abdomen, heart, lungs, back, hypochondrium, hands, and feet produces similar symptoms during menstruation. Extreme anger damages the Liver, leading to dizziness, hypochondriac pain, hematemesis, scrofula (lymph node tuberculosis), and sores/ulcers. Combined with menstrual blood leaking into these areas, orifices are formed, resulting in continuous dripping without cessation. At such times, contracting wind pathogens leads to wind diseases, and contracting cold pathogens leads to cold diseases. If prolonged and unresolved, myriad transformational syndromes arise, too numerous to describe. Violating menstrual taboos initially seems minute as an autumn down, but the resulting disease is heavy as a mountain; how can one not revere this?
(From the遺書 (Legacy Book) of Chu Cheng, Guanglu Dafu of the Qi Dynasty)
The five flavors of food nourish the marrow, bones, flesh, blood, skin, and hair. Men belong to Yang, and within Yang there must be Yin; the number for Yin is eight. Thus, at eight years old (one eight), Yang essence rises, and at sixteen years old (two eights), Yang essence overflows. Women belong to Yin, and within Yin there must be Yang; the number for Yang is seven. Thus, at seven years old (one seven), Yin blood rises, and at fourteen years old (two sevens), Yin blood overflows. These are all the fruits of the essence derived from the five flavors of food. When essence rises, intellect and thought become clear, teeth change, yellow hair turns black, and weak sinews and bones become strong. When essence overflows, whatever fills the body, limbs, ears, and eyes—even if only as small as a needle tip or mustard seed—is reflected. Children resemble their parents because their essence and blood were received from their parents' bodies, encompassing everything. Therefore, if a father has a disabled limb, his son will have a limb that does not resemble the father's; if a mother has a defective eye, her son will have an eye that does not resemble the mother's. However, female birds and beasts conceive without Tian Gui; why is this? Because the essence and blood of birds and beasts circulate through the Wei Jian (tailbone area). If one engages in sexual intercourse before essence is regulated, forcing its release, the five viscera and six bowels will have incomplete aspects, leading to difficult-to-describe diseases later in life. If one desires beauty when Yin Qi is already weak, causing essence to descend, the essence will not exit but rot internally, causing涩 (stagnation) in the urinary tract and leading to Lin syndrome (dysuria). If essence is exhausted and then further depleted, the large and small intestinal tracts will pull and hurt; the more it hurts, the more one desires to defecate or urinate, and the more one does so, the more it hurts. Once a woman's Tian Gui has arrived, if she does not cohabit with a man for over ten years, her menses will be irregular; if under ten years, desiring cohabitation will also cause irregularity. Irregularity means old blood does not exit, new blood flows erroneously, soaking into bones or transforming into swelling, or even if cohabiting, conception is difficult. Frequent cohabitation depletes essence and weakens the person; frequent childbirth and lactation deplete blood and can kill. Observing the principles of essence and blood covers half the understanding.