人乳，味甘，气平、寒，无毒。酒调服良，口吮更妙。入肺、胃、脾、肾。补精血，益
元阳
，肌瘦皮黄、毛发焦槁者速觅，筋挛骨痿、肠胃秘涩者当求。健四肢，荣五脏，明眼目，悦
容颜，安养神魂，滑利关格。
或问人乳即血也。乳通则经闭，非明验乎？曰∶以乳为血则可，以乳为经则不可也。子
生而
乳通，乳通而身旺，其故何欤？产妇未有不血亏者，血亏则宜无乳，何以生子不三日而乳即
下通？是人乳非血，可知矣。虽然以人乳为非血，则又不可，乳乃水也，血亦水也。血化为
乳，自是至理。而余曰∶人乳非血所生，乃气生之也。产妇至二、三日，止有气存，气存自
能生血，生血而后能生乳，故遗气而但言血，此余之所以辨也。至女子月信，乃血之余也。
血满则溢，血少则止，血枯则闭。故经之有无，视血之盛衰也。世往往有壮健之妇，上通乳
而下又通经；羸弱之女，下断经而上断乳。血有余者，上既能升，而下亦能降。血不足者，
下不能降，而上又何能升哉。故以乳为血则可，以乳为月经之上升而成汁者，断断不可也。
总之，气行则血行，气足则血足，气血行则乳行，气血足则乳足。血能下降为经，而经不能
上升为血，犹之气能上变为乳，而乳不能上升为气也。然则人乳乃气血所生，其补益气血，
何必言辞之辨哉。
或问乳乃气变而成，安得遽生其乳？吾疑乃血生而非气生，经助血以生乳，而非气行经
以变
乳也。曰∶乳乃有形之物也，而血与经亦皆有形，有形安得化有形哉。惟气乃无形，无形者
，有形之母也。无形之气，以生有形之乳，不必再辨。惟是经助血以生乳，非气行经以变乳
之说，不可不辨也。子谓血即经，而经即血也。谁知血之有余，则流为经，而经之有余，不
能反为血。盖经乃败血，非活血也。活血则能助气以生乳，而败血不能变经而生血。经既不
能变血，又何能生乳哉？然而人身之血有限，而乳房之汁无穷，此或疑为经之助血以生之，
不知实气之行经而变之，气行则血行，血行则血无瘀滞之忧，而有变化之妙，上通于乳房而
成乳，不下走于阴窍而为经。此实有大道存焉，而非一偏之见，可以私臆之也。
或又问乳即是气所成，何以乳有清乳、浓乳之别，非血虚之故乎？曰∶此正气虚之故也。
气
虚则血虚，故乳汁清，儿食之必有黄瘦之忧；气旺则血旺，故乳汁浓，儿食之必有肥白之喜
。世有妇人生子自乳，第二月又怀子者，正气足而能纳精，血旺而能荫胎也。然而所乳之子
必然多病，即或肥白，而长年者常少。正见血有余而气不足也。气之生乳，不益可见乎。
或问气化乳，而色白者宜也，今曰气血同化而成乳，血色赤而乳色白，又何变之耶？曰∶
乳
色之白，正见气变乳之验也。气生血而成赤，气生乳而成白，是乳乃气未变之血也。气变血
而腥，气变乳而甘者，又是何故？经曰∶饮入于胃，游溢精气，上输于脾，脾气散精，上归
于肺，肺通水道。食气入胃，浊气归心，淫精于脉，脉气流经，经气归于肺。故饮食之气，
虽遍输于五脏六腑，而其先入者必归于肺，而化其津液也。乳房在于肺之间，所以生乳最先
，而色白者虽气之色，亦肺之色也。肺属金，而金色白，又何疑乎？倘是血化为乳，毋论色
赤者不能变白，而血亦何能遽变为乳，以供小儿日夜之吞咽乎？惟气则易生而易化，然而气
之所化者，又资于胃土之生也。土之味甘，乳得胃土之气，故其味亦甘。又乳房为胃土之室
，胃气生乳，而乳归胃，更无可疑。小儿得乳则生，生于胃气也。然则人苟食乳，又何独不
生气血乎？气者，得于天之阳也。血者，得于地之阴也。阴有质而阳无质。天气下降，则霪
雨盈川，而天之气未尝耗也。故人之气至，即生津液，血能耗而气不能耗，似乎食乳不若食
气之为妙。不知乳乃气之初气，不比血之终气也。是以食乳之功效，不亚于采先天无形之气
也。
人乳，味道甘甜，气性平和、偏寒，没有毒性。用酒调服效果良好，直接口吮吸食更为奇妙。它进入肺、胃、脾、肾经。能补益精血，增益元阳（人体最根本的阳气）。对于肌肉消瘦、皮肤枯黄、毛发焦枯干枯的人，应迅速寻找服用；对于筋脉拘挛、骨骼痿弱、肠胃干结涩滞不通的人，应当寻求使用。它能强健四肢，滋养五脏，明亮眼目，使容颜悦泽，安定养护神魂，滑利关格（指上下不通的病症）。
有人问：人乳就是血啊。乳汁通畅则月经闭止，这不是明显的验证吗？回答说：把乳当作血是可以的，但把乳当作月经则是不可以的。婴儿出生后乳汁通畅，乳汁通畅则身体旺盛，这是什么缘故呢？产妇没有不血虚的，血虚则应该没有乳汁，为什么生下孩子不到三天乳汁就立即通畅下行？这说明人乳不是血，这是显而易见的了。虽然如此，说人乳完全不是血，也是不对的，乳是水，血也是水。血转化为乳，这自然是至理名言。但我认为：人乳并非由血所生，而是由气所生的。产妇到了二、三天，只有气存在，气存在自然能生血，生了血然后才能生乳，所以只谈气而忽略血，这就是我之所以要辨析的原因。至于女子的月经，是血的剩余部分。血满则溢出，血少则停止，血枯竭则闭止。所以月经的有无，取决于血的盛衰。世间往往有身体强壮的妇女，上面通乳汁下面又通月经；身体瘦弱的女子，下面断绝月经上面也断绝乳汁。血有余的人，上面既能升发，下面也能下降。血不足的人，下面不能下降，上面又怎么能升发呢？所以说把乳当作血是可以的，但把乳当作月经上升变成汁液，是绝对不可以的。
总之，气行则血行，气足则血足，气血运行则乳汁运行，气血充足则乳汁充足。血能下降成为月经，而月经不能上升变成血，就像气能上变成为乳汁，而乳汁不能上升变成气一样。既然这样，人乳是由气血所生，它的补益气血的功效，何必在言辞上争辩呢？
有人问：乳是由气变化而成的，怎么能立刻生出乳汁？我怀疑这是由血生而不是由气生，是月经辅助血来生乳，而不是气运行月经来转化乳。回答说：乳是有形的物体，而血和月经也都是有形的，有形的怎么能化生有形呢？只有气是无形的，无形者是形体的母亲。无形的气，化生有形的乳，不必再辩论。只是“月经辅助血来生乳，而不是气运行月经来转化乳”这种说法，不可不辨析。你说血就是经，经就是血。谁知道血有余，则流注为月经，而经有余，不能反过来变成血。因为经是败血，不是活血。活血则能辅助气来生乳，而败血不能转化经而生血。经既然不能变成血，又怎么能生乳呢？然而人身上的血是有限的，而乳房中的乳汁是无穷的，这或许让人怀疑是经辅助血来生成的，不知道实际上是气运行经而转化成的，气行则血行，血行则血没有瘀滞的忧虑，而有变化的妙用，向上通达于乳房而成乳，不向下流向阴窍而为经。这其中实在存有大道，而不是一偏之见，可以用私下的臆测来解释的。
又有人问：乳既然是气所成，为什么乳有清乳、浓乳的区别，不是血虚的缘故吗？回答说：这是正气虚的缘故。气虚则血虚，所以乳汁清稀，婴儿吃了必定有发黄消瘦的忧虑；气旺则血旺，所以乳汁浓稠，婴儿吃了必定有肥白健康的喜悦。世间有妇人自己生子并哺乳，第二个月又怀孕的，这是因为正气充足而能纳精，血旺而能荫护胎儿。然而所哺乳的孩子必然多病，即使或肥白，长寿的人也很少。这正是血有余而气不足的体现。气生乳的道理，不是更可见了吗？
有人问：气化乳，颜色白是适宜的，现在说气血同化而成乳，血色赤而乳色白，又是如何变化的呢？回答说：乳色的白，正是气变乳的验证。气生血而成红色，气生乳而成白色，这说明乳是气未完全转化的血。气变血而带腥味，气变乳而味甘，这又是什么缘故？《内经》说：饮入于胃，游溢精气，上输于脾，脾气散精，上归于肺，肺通调水道。食气入胃，浊气归心，淫精于脉，脉气流经，经气归于肺。所以饮食之气，虽然遍输于五脏六腑，但其先入者必归于肺，而化生其津液。乳房位于肺之间，所以生乳最先，而白色的虽说是气的颜色，也是肺的颜色。肺属金，而金色白，又有什么可怀疑的呢？如果是血化为乳，不论红色的不能变成白色，而且血又怎么能立刻变为乳，以供小儿日夜吞咽呢？只有气容易生成也容易化生，然而气所化的，又依赖于胃土的生养。土的味道甘，乳得到胃土之气，所以它的味道也甘。另外乳房是胃土的居室，胃气生乳，而乳归于胃，更无可怀疑。小儿得到乳就能生存，是生于胃气。既然这样，人如果吃乳，又怎么会单独不生气血呢？气，是得自天的阳气。血，是得自地的阴气。阴有质而阳无质。天气下降，则大雨充满河川，而天之气未曾消耗。所以人的气一到，就生津液，血能耗损而气不能耗损，似乎吃乳不如吃气那样奇妙。却不知道乳是气的初气，不比血是终气。所以吃乳的功效，不亚于采吸先天无形之气。
Human milk, its taste is sweet, its nature is neutral and cold, and it is non-toxic. It is beneficial when taken with wine, and even better when sucked directly from the breast. It enters the Lung, Stomach, Spleen, and Kidney meridians. It tonifies essence and blood (Jing and Xue), benefits Yuan Yang (the body's fundamental Yang Qi). For those with emaciated muscles, sallow skin, and scorched or brittle hair, one should seek it out quickly; for those with tendon spasms, skeletal flaccidity, and dryness/obstruction in the intestines and stomach, one should resort to it. It strengthens the four limbs, nourishes the five Zang organs, brightens the eyes, enhances facial complexion, calms and nurtures the Shen (Spirit) and Hun (Ethereal Soul), and lubricates Guan Ge (a condition of obstruction between upper and lower parts of the body).
Someone asked: Human milk is blood. When lactation flows, menstruation stops; is this not clear evidence? I replied: It is acceptable to consider milk as blood, but unacceptable to consider milk as menstruation. After childbirth, milk flows, and the body thrives; what is the reason for this? Postpartum women invariably suffer from blood deficiency. If blood is deficient, there should be no milk. Why does milk flow freely within three days after giving birth? This shows that human milk is not blood, which is evident. Nevertheless, saying human milk is absolutely not blood is also incorrect. Milk is water, and blood is also water. Blood transforming into milk is indeed a profound truth. However, I assert: Human milk is not generated by blood, but by Qi (Vital Energy). By the second or third day postpartum, only Qi remains; when Qi exists, it naturally generates blood. Once blood is generated, milk can then be produced. Therefore, focusing solely on Qi while ignoring blood is why I feel compelled to clarify this distinction. As for women's menstruation, it is the surplus of blood. When blood is full, it overflows; when blood is scant, it stops; when blood is exhausted, it closes. Thus, the presence or absence of menstruation depends on the abundance or decline of blood. In the world, there are often robust women whose milk flows above while their menstruation continues below; conversely, frail women may have their menstruation cease below and their milk stop above. Those with abundant blood can both ascend (milk) and descend (menstruation). Those with insufficient blood cannot descend, so how can they ascend? Hence, it is acceptable to regard milk as blood, but absolutely unacceptable to regard milk as menstruation rising up to become fluid.
In summary, when Qi moves, blood moves; when Qi is sufficient, blood is sufficient. When Qi and blood circulate, milk circulates; when Qi and blood are abundant, milk is abundant. Blood can descend to become menstruation, but menstruation cannot ascend to become blood, just as Qi can ascend to transform into milk, but milk cannot ascend to become Qi. Since human milk is generated by Qi and blood, its efficacy in tonifying Qi and blood needs no verbal debate.
Someone asked: If milk is formed by the transformation of Qi, how can it be produced so quickly? I suspected it was generated by blood rather than Qi, believing that menstruation assists blood in generating milk, rather than Qi moving through menstruation to transform it. I replied: Milk is a tangible entity, and blood and menstruation are also tangible entities. How can the tangible transform into the tangible? Only Qi is intangible, and the intangible is the mother of the tangible. The intangible Qi generates the tangible milk; this need not be debated further. However, the theory that "menstruation assists blood in generating milk, rather than Qi moving through menstruation to transform milk" must be clarified. You stated that blood is menstruation, and menstruation is blood. Who knows that when blood is abundant, it flows as menstruation, but when menstruation is abundant, it cannot reverse to become blood? Menstruation is stale blood, not active blood. Active blood can assist Qi in generating milk, but stale blood cannot transform menstruation to generate blood. Since menstruation cannot transform into blood, how can it generate milk? However, the blood in the human body is limited, while the milk in the breasts is inexhaustible. This might lead one to suspect that menstruation assists blood in generating it, unaware that it is actually Qi moving through menstruation that transforms it. When Qi moves, blood moves; when blood moves, there is no worry of blood stasis, but rather the wonder of transformation. It ascends to the breasts to become milk, rather than flowing downward to the yin orifice as menstruation. There lies a great Dao here, not a partial view that can be explained by private speculation.
Another asked: If milk is formed by Qi, why is there a difference between thin milk and thick milk? Is this not due to blood deficiency? I replied: This is due to the deficiency of Zheng Qi (Upright Qi). When Qi is deficient, blood is deficient, so the milk is thin; if a child consumes it, there will be worries of jaundice and emaciation. When Qi is vigorous, blood is vigorous, so the milk is thick; if a child consumes it, there will be joy in becoming fat and white. There are cases where a woman nurses her newborn and becomes pregnant again in the second month. This is because her Zheng Qi is sufficient to retain Jing (Essence), and her blood is vigorous to nourish the fetus. However, the nursed child will inevitably suffer from many illnesses; even if fat and white, few live to old age. This precisely shows that there is excess blood but insufficient Qi. Does this not further demonstrate that Qi generates milk?
Someone asked: Qi transforms into milk, so its white color is appropriate. Now you say Qi and blood transform together to form milk. Blood is red, yet milk is white; how does this transformation occur? I replied: The whiteness of milk is exactly the verification of Qi transforming into milk. Qi generates blood, making it red; Qi generates milk, making it white. Thus, milk is blood that has not yet fully transformed by Qi. Why does Qi-transformed blood smell fishy, while Qi-transformed milk tastes sweet? The *Neijing* states: "Drinks enter the Stomach, their essence floats up, is transported upward to the Spleen, the Spleen scatters the essence, which returns upward to the Lung, and the Lung regulates the water passages." Food qi enters the Stomach, turbid qi returns to the Heart, permeates the essence into the vessels, vessel qi flows through the meridians, and meridian qi returns to the Lung. Thus, although the qi of food and drink is distributed throughout the five Zang and six Fu organs, the first to enter must return to the Lung to transform into Jin Ye (Body Fluids). The breasts are located between the Lungs, so milk generation begins earliest. The white color, though belonging to Qi, is also the color of the Lung. The Lung belongs to Metal, and the color of Metal is white; what is there to doubt? If blood were transforming into milk, regardless of whether red could turn white, how could blood instantly transform into milk to supply a child's day and night swallowing? Only Qi is easy to generate and easy to transform. However, what Qi transforms relies on the generation of Stomach Earth. Earth's taste is sweet; milk receives the Qi of Stomach Earth, so its taste is also sweet. Furthermore, the breasts are the chamber of Stomach Earth; Stomach Qi generates milk, and milk returns to the Stomach, leaving no room for doubt. A child survives by receiving milk because it is born from Stomach Qi. Then, if humans consume milk, why would it not alone generate Qi and blood? Qi is obtained from Heaven's Yang. Blood is obtained from Earth's Yin. Yin has substance, while Yang does not. When Heaven's Qi descends, heavy rain fills the rivers, yet Heaven's Qi is never depleted. Thus, when human Qi arrives, it generates Jin Ye. Blood can be consumed/exhausted, but Qi cannot. It seems that consuming milk is not as wondrous as consuming Qi. However, one does not realize that milk is the initial Qi, unlike blood which is the final Qi. Therefore, the efficacy of consuming milk is no less than absorbing the primordial intangible Qi.