褚澄云∶饮食五味，所以养骨髓肌肉毛发者也。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，齿牙更生，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，故子形肖父母者，以其精血常
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者何也?鸟兽精血往来尾间也。故男子精未盛而御女以通其精，则
四肢有不满之虞，异日有难状之疾。阴已痿而思色以降其精，则精不出而内败，小便涩痛，
为淋。若精已竭而复耗之，则大小便牵引而痛，愈痛则愈便，愈便则愈痛。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，不调则旧血不去、新血误行，或渍而入
骨，或浮而为肿，后虽合而难子，合多则沥枯虚人，产众血枯杀人(仲圭曰∶妇人产众能使
血液不足，全体衰弱，容颜易老，而男子之负担又骤然增加。在富裕者，虽无何种影响，而
贫乏之家茹尽艰辛矣。此山额夫人所以有节制生育之说也)。观其精血，思过半矣。
按丹溪云∶人受天地之气以生，天之阳气为气，地之阴气为血，故气常有余，血常不足
。夫
人之生也，男子十六岁而精通，女人十四岁而经行，故古人必待三十、二十而后嫁娶。可见
阴气之难成，而养之必欲其固也。经曰∶人年四十，阴气自半，而起居衰矣。夫阴气之成，
止供三十年之运用，男子六十四而精绝，女人四十九而经断。肾乃阴中之阴，主闭藏者，肝
乃阴中之阳，主疏泄者。二脏皆有相火，其系上属于心，心火一动则相火翕然从之，所以丹
溪先生教人收心养性，其旨深矣。盖天地以五行更迭衰旺而成四时，人之五脏六腑亦应之而
成衰旺。如四月属巳五月属午，为火，火为金之夫，火太旺则金衰。六月属未为土，土为水
之夫，土太旺则水衰，况肾水常藉肺金为母，以补其不足，所以古人于夏月必独宿(仲圭曰
∶冬夏固宜独宿，藉资保养，即平时亦可分眠，以减性交。盖伉俪同床共枕，最易引起肉欲
。而自卫生方面言之，同眠亦至有害。春秋繁露曰∶少壮者，十日一游于房中。可见古人先
见及此矣)淡味，兢兢业业，保养金水二脏，正嫌火土之旺耳。经又曰∶冬藏精者，春不病
温。十月属亥，十一月属子，正火气潜藏，必养其本。然之真以助来春生发之气，则春末夏
初无头痛脚软、食少体热、疰夏之病矣。窃谓人之少有老态，不耐风寒，不胜劳役，四时迭
病，皆因气血方长而劳心亏损，或精血未满而早年斫丧，故其见症难以名状。若左尺虚弱，
真阴不足也，用六味丸(仲圭曰∶六味丸内有萸肉、丹皮、泽泻，不甚宜于真阴不足之症，
不若集灵膏为妙)。右尺细弱，真阳不足也，用八味丸。至于两尺微弱，是阴阳俱不足也，
用十补丸，皆滋其化源也。
褚澄说：饮食的五味，是用来滋养骨髓、肌肉和毛发的。男子属阳，阳中必含有阴，阴的成数在人体发育中体现为八，所以男子八岁时阳气开始升发，十六岁时阳气充盈而精液满溢。女子属阴，阴中必含有阳，阳的成数在人体发育中体现为七，所以女子七岁时阴血开始升发，十四岁时阴血充盈而月经来潮，这都是饮食五味化生的精华。当精气血开始升发时，人的智力思虑变得开明，牙齿重新生长，头发由黄变黑，筋骨由弱变强。等到精气血满溢时，凡是充养身体手足耳目等部位的营养，即使像针尖草籽那样细微的东西，没有不到的，所以孩子的形体相貌像父母，是因为父母的精血曾经遍布全身，无所不至。因此，如果父亲的一肢残疾，孩子的那一肢也可能长得不好；如果母亲的眼睛有缺陷，孩子的那只眼睛也可能不像母亲。然而雌鸟和母兽没有天癸却能受孕是怎么回事呢？这是因为鸟兽的精血是通过尾闾穴往来的。所以，男子精气未盛时就与女子交合以泄其精，那么四肢就会有不满（发育不良）的忧虑，日后会有难以名状的疾病。如果阴气已经痿弱却还贪恋女色以泄精，那么精液排不出而在体内败坏，导致小便涩痛，成为淋证。如果精气已经枯竭还继续耗损，那么大小便牵引疼痛，越痛越想排便，越排便越痛。女子天癸已到，超过十年不与男子交合则月经不调，未满十年就想与男子交合也不调，不调则旧血不去、新血妄行，或者渗入骨骼，或者浮泛成为肿胀，以后虽然交合也难以怀孕，交合过多则津液枯竭使体虚之人更虚，生育众多则血液枯竭致人死亡（仲圭说：妇女生育众多能使血液不足，全身衰弱，容颜易老，而男子的负担又骤然增加。在富裕人家，虽然没有何种影响，但贫乏之家却要茹尽艰辛了。这就是山额夫人所以有节制生育的说法）。观察精血的道理，思虑就过半了。
按丹溪先生说：人承受天地之气而生，天的阳气化为气，地的阴气化为血，所以气常有余，血常不足。女子的出生，男子十六岁精通，女子十四岁月经来潮，所以古人一定要等到三十岁、二十岁以后才嫁娶。可见阴气难以形成，而养护它必须想要使其坚固。经书说：人到了四十岁，阴气自然减半，起居生活就开始衰惫了。阴气的形成，仅供三十年运用，男子六十四岁精气绝，女子四十九岁月经断。肾是阴中之阴，主闭藏；肝是阴中之阳，主疏泄。这两脏都有相火，其系上属于心，心火一动则相火随之翕然兴起，所以丹溪先生教导人们收心养性，旨意深远啊。大概天地以五行更迭衰旺而成四季，人的五脏六腑也相应地形成衰旺。比如四月属巳五月属午，为火，火是金的夫（克星），火太旺则金衰。六月属未为土，土是水的夫（克星），土太旺则水衰，何况肾水常借助肺金作为母亲，来补充其不足，所以古人在夏天一定独居（仲圭说：冬夏固然适宜独居，借以资养保养，就是平时也可以分床睡，以减少性交。大概夫妻同床共枕，最容易引起肉欲。而从卫生方面来说，同睡也有害。《春秋繁露》说：年轻力壮的人，十天一次游于房中。可见古人早就预见到了这一点）清淡饮食，兢兢业业，保养肺金和肾水两脏，正是嫌弃火土之旺。经书又说：冬天能藏精的人，春天不患温病。十月属亥，十一月属子，正是火气潜藏的时候，必须保养根本。用真阴来助长来年春天的生发之气，那么春末夏初就不会有头痛脚软、食少体热、疰夏的病了啊。我私下认为人之所以年少就有老态，不耐风寒，不胜劳役，四季交替生病，都是因为气血正在生长时却劳心亏损，或者精血未满却早年斫丧，所以出现的症状难以名状。如果左尺脉虚弱，是真阴不足，用六味丸（仲圭说：六味丸内有山茱萸、牡丹皮、泽泻，不太适宜真阴不足的病症，不如集灵膏好）。右尺脉细弱，是真阳不足，用八味丸。至于两尺脉微弱，是阴阳都不足，用十补丸，都是滋生化之源。
Chu Cheng said: The five flavors of food and drink are used to nourish the bone marrow, muscles, and hair. Men belong to Yang; within Yang there must be Yin. The number associated with Yin in male development is eight. Thus, at age eight, Yang essence begins to rise, and at age sixteen, Yang essence overflows (seminal emission). Women belong to Yin; within Yin there must be Yang. The number associated with Yang in female development is seven. Thus, at age seven, Yin blood begins to rise, and at age fourteen, Yin blood overflows (menstruation). All of this is the solidified essence derived from the five flavors of diet. When these essences begin to rise, intelligence and thought become clear, teeth regenerate, yellow hair turns black, and weak sinews and bones become strong. When they overflow, whatever nourishes the body, limbs, hands, feet, ears, eyes, and other parts reaches even the minutest points, like a needle or grass seed. Therefore, children resemble their parents in form because parental Jing-Xue (Essence-Blood) has circulated throughout the entire body without exception. Hence, if one limb of the father is disabled, the corresponding limb of the son may not develop properly; if an eye of the mother is defective, the corresponding eye of the child may not resemble the mother. However, why do female birds and beasts conceive without Tian Gui (Heavenly Water/sexual maturity)? It is because the Jing-Xue of birds and beasts circulates through the Weili point (Baihui GV20 area/tailbone region). Therefore, if a man engages in sexual intercourse to drain his essence before his essence is mature, his limbs will suffer from insufficiency, and later he will suffer from inexplicable diseases. If his Yin Qi is already flaccid but he still desires women to discharge his essence, the essence will not exit but will rot internally, causing painful and difficult urination, becoming Lin syndrome (Strangury). If his essence is exhausted yet he continues to deplete it, pain will radiate during defecation and urination; the more painful it is, the more he feels the urge to go; the more he goes, the more painful it becomes. When a woman’s Tian Gui arrives, if she does not have intercourse with a man for over ten years, her menses will become irregular; if under ten years she desires intercourse, her menses will also be irregular. Irregularity means old blood remains while new blood flows erratically, either seeping into the bones or floating to cause swelling. Later, even if she has intercourse, conception will be difficult. Frequent intercourse dries up fluids and debilitates the weak; bearing many children exhausts blood and can be fatal (Zhong Gui said: Bearing many children causes blood deficiency, leading to whole-body weakness, premature aging, and a sudden increase in the husband's burden. In wealthy families, there may be no impact, but poor families endure great hardship. This is why Lady Shan’e advocated birth control). By observing Jing-Xue, one understands half the matter.
According to Danxi: Humans are born receiving the Qi of Heaven and Earth. The Yang Qi of Heaven transforms into Qi, and the Yin Qi of Earth transforms into Blood. Thus, Qi is often in surplus, while Blood is often deficient. For humans, men achieve seminal emission at sixteen, and women begin menstruation at fourteen. Therefore, ancients waited until men were thirty and women twenty before marriage. This shows that Yin Qi is hard to form, and its preservation must aim at stability. The Classics state: At forty, a person’s Yin Qi naturally halves, and daily activities decline. The formation of Yin Qi serves only thirty years of operation. Men cease producing essence at sixty-four, and women stop menstruating at forty-nine. The Kidney is Yin within Yin, governing storage; the Liver is Yang within Yin, governing dispersion. Both organs contain Ministerial Fire (Xiang Huo), which connects upward to the Heart. When Heart Fire moves, Ministerial Fire rises vigorously with it. Thus, Mr. Danxi taught people to gather their mind and nourish their nature, a profound intent. Generally, Heaven and Earth form the four seasons through the alternating rise and fall of the Five Elements. The human Zang-Fu organs correspondingly rise and fall. For example, the fourth month corresponds to Si, and the fifth to Wu, belonging to Fire. Fire is the controlling element of Metal; if Fire is too strong, Metal weakens. The sixth month corresponds to Wei, belonging to Earth. Earth controls Water; if Earth is too strong, Water weakens. Moreover, Kidney Water often relies on Lung Metal as its mother to supplement deficiencies. Therefore, ancients lived apart during summer (Zhong Gui said: Living apart in winter and summer is suitable for conservation and maintenance; even normally, sleeping separately reduces sexual intercourse. Couples sharing a bed easily arouse carnal desire. From a hygiene perspective, co-sleeping is harmful. *Chunqiu Fanlu* states: Young and vigorous people should engage in sexual activity once every ten days. This shows ancients foresaw this). They ate bland foods, acted with caution, and preserved Lung Metal and Kidney Water, precisely because they disliked the excess of Fire and Earth. The Classics also state: Those who store Essence in winter will not suffer from Warm diseases in spring. The tenth month corresponds to Hai, and the eleventh to Zi, when Fire Qi is hidden. One must nourish the root to assist the generative Qi of the coming spring. Then, in late spring and early summer, there will be no headaches, weak legs, poor appetite, low-grade fever, or Summerheat malaise. I privately believe that appearing old in youth, intolerance to wind and cold, inability to bear labor, and illness across all seasons are due to mental depletion while Qi and Blood are still growing, or early dissipation before Jing-Xue is fully formed. Thus, symptoms are hard to describe. If the Left Chi pulse is weak, it indicates True Yin deficiency; use Liuwei Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia) (Zhong Gui said: Liuwei Wan contains Cornus officinalis fruit, Moutan bark, and Alisma rhizome, which are not very suitable for True Yin deficiency; Jiling Gao is better). If the Right Chi pulse is fine and weak, it indicates True Yang deficiency; use Bawei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill). If both Chi pulses are weak, it indicates both Yin and Yang are deficient; use Shibu Wan (Ten-Ingredient Pill). All these tonify the source of transformation.