（灵枢五音五味篇）
黄帝曰∶妇人无须者，无血气乎？岐伯曰∶冲脉任脉，皆起于胞中，上循背里，为经络之海。（凡男妇之有须无须者，
皆由于冲任二脉之血有盛衰也。冲任为经络之海，其起脉之处，则在胞中而上行于背里。所谓胞者，子宫是也，此男女
藏精之所，皆得称为子宫；惟女子于此受孕，因名曰胞。然冲任督脉皆起于此，所谓一原而三岐也。胞义详气味类三。
子宫命门详义具附翼三卷，三焦包络命门辨中。）其浮而外者，循腹右上行，会于咽喉，别而络唇口。血气盛则充肤热肉，
血独盛则澹渗皮肤，生毫毛。（冲任，阴脉也，故循腹右上行。然左乳之下，则有胃之大络，此正左阳右阴，相配之妙也。
详脉色十一。）今妇人之生，有余于气，不足于血，以其数脱血也，冲任之脉，不荣口唇，故须不生焉。（数脱血，谓血
不留而月事以时下也。冲任为血之海，须为血之余，血不足则冲任之脉不荣于口，而须不生矣。数音朔。）黄帝曰∶士人
有伤于阴，阴气绝而不起，阴不用，然其须不去，其故何也？宦者独去何也？愿闻其故。（阴不用者，阳痿不举也。此言
士人之阴伤而绝者，须尚不去，何宦官之血不常脱而须独无也。）岐伯曰∶宦者去其宗筋，伤其冲脉，血泻不复，皮肤内
结，唇口不荣，故须不生。（士人者，阴气虽伤而宗筋未坏；彼宦官者，去其宗筋，则伤其冲脉矣。血一泻而不能复，皮
肤内结而经道不行，故冲脉不荣于口，而须不生也。）黄帝曰∶其有天宦者，未尝被伤，不脱于血，然其须不生，其故何
也？（谓身为男子，而终身无须，若天生之宦官然，故曰天宦。）岐伯曰∶此天之所不足也，其任冲不盛，宗筋不成，有
气无血，唇口不荣，故须不生。（天之所不足，言先天所禀，有任冲之不足者，故亦不生须也。）黄帝曰∶善乎哉！圣人
之通万物也，若日月之光影，音声鼓响，闻其声而知其形，其非夫子，孰能明万物之精？（日月有光，见影可识，音声
有应，闻响可知。惟圣人者，能明物理之精，故因此可以知彼，因外可以知内也。）是故圣人视其颜色，黄赤者多热气，
青白者少热气，黑色者多血少气。（黄赤者为阳，青白黑者为阴也。）美眉者太阳多血，通髯极须者少阳多血，美须者阳
明多血，此其时然也。（在颊曰髯，在口下及两颐者曰须，在口上曰髭。凡此所言者，即其经行之地。）夫人之常数，太
阳常多血少气，少阳常多气少血，阳明常多血多气，厥阴常多气少血，少阴常多血少气，太阴常多血少气，此天之常数
也。（十二经之血气多少，各有不同，两经所言之数凡三，皆有互异。意者气血多少四字，极易混乱，此必传录之误也，
当以素问血气形志篇者为是。详见经络二十。）
《灵枢·五音五味篇》记载：
岐伯回答说：冲脉和任脉，都起始于胞宫（子宫），向上沿着脊柱内部上行，成为经络之海。（凡是男女有胡须或无胡须的情况，都是由冲脉和任脉中血的盛衰决定的。冲脉和任脉是经络之海，它们起始的部位在胞宫并向上行于背部深处。所谓胞宫，就是子宫，这是男女藏精的地方，都可以称为子宫；只有女子在此受孕，所以特名为胞。然而冲脉、任脉、督脉都起始于此，这就是所谓的“一源三歧”。关于胞的含义详见《气味类》第三卷。关于子宫和命门的详细含义附在《附翼》第三卷的《三焦包络命门辨》中。）其中浮浅而向外行的部分，沿着腹部右侧上行，交会于咽喉，分支联络口唇。如果血气旺盛，就能充盈肌肤，使肌肉温暖；如果血特别旺盛，就能渗透皮肤，生长毫毛。（冲脉和任脉属于阴脉，所以沿着腹部右侧上行。然而在左乳之下，有胃的大络，这正是左阳右阴相互配伍的精妙之处。详见《脉色类》第十一卷。）现在妇女出生后，气有余而血不足，因为她们经常失血（月经来潮），导致冲脉和任脉不能滋养口唇，所以胡须不生长。（“数脱血”是指血液流失不停留，月经按时来潮。冲脉是血之海，胡须是血的余气，血不足则冲脉不能滋养口唇，因此胡须不生。“数”读作朔。）
黄帝又问：士人如果损伤了阴部，阴气衰竭而不能勃起，性功能丧失，但是胡须并不脱落，这是什么原因呢？为什么宦官却唯独没有胡须呢？我想听听其中的道理。（“阴不用”是指阳痿不举。这里说的是士人虽然阴气受伤衰竭，但胡须尚且不脱落，为什么宦官血液不经常流失却唯独没有胡须呢？）
岐伯回答说：宦官割去了宗筋（外生殖器），损伤了冲脉，导致血液泻出无法恢复，皮肤内部结滞，口唇得不到滋养，所以胡须不生长。（士人虽然阴气受伤，但宗筋未坏；而宦官割去宗筋，就损伤了冲脉。血液一旦泻出就不能恢复，皮肤内部结滞导致经脉运行不畅，所以冲脉不能滋养口唇，胡须就不生长。）
黄帝问：还有那种“天宦”的人，未曾受过外伤，也没有失血，但是胡须不生长，这是什么原因呢？（所谓“天宦”，是指身为男子，终身没有胡须，就像天生被阉割的宦官一样，所以叫天宦。）
岐伯回答说：这是先天禀赋不足，他的任脉和冲脉不旺盛，宗筋发育不全，只有气而没有血，口唇得不到滋养，所以胡须不生长。（所谓“先天所不足”，是指先天禀赋中，任脉和冲脉就有不足的情况，所以也不生胡须。）
黄帝赞叹道：圣人通晓万物，就像日月之光影、声音与回响一样，听到声音就知道形状，如果不是您，谁能阐明万物的精微呢？（日月有光，看到影子就可以识别；声音有回应，听到响声就可以知晓。只有圣人能明白物理的精微，所以由此可以知彼，由外在可以推知内在。）
因此，圣人观察人的面色，面色黄赤的多热气，青白的少热气，黑色的多血少气。（黄赤色属阳，青色、白色、黑色属阴。）眉毛漂亮的是太阳经血多，胡须浓密茂盛的是少阳经血多，胡须美观的是阳明经血多，这是当时的普遍规律。（脸颊部位叫髯，下巴及两腮部位叫须，上嘴唇部位叫髭。以上所说的，就是指这些经脉循行的部位。）
人体的常规常数：太阳经通常多血少气，少阳经通常多气少血，阳明经通常多血多气，厥阴经通常多气少血，少阴经通常多血少气，太阴经通常多血少气，这是天生的常数。（十二经脉的血气多少各不相同，上述两处经文提到的数值凡有三处，都有差异。我推测“气血多少”这四个字极易混淆，这一定是传抄记录的错误，应当以《素问·血气形志篇》的内容为准。详见《经络类》第二十卷。）
*Huangdi Neijing Lingshu: Wuyin Wuwei Chapter* records:
The Yellow Emperor asked, "Do women lack blood and qi because they do not have beards?"
Qibo replied, "The Chong (Penetrating) vessel and the Ren (Conception) vessel both originate from the Baogong (uterus), ascend along the interior of the back, and serve as the Sea of the Collaterals. (Whether men or women have beards depends on the abundance or deficiency of blood in the Chong and Ren vessels. The Chong and Ren vessels are the Sea of the Collaterals; their origin is in the Baogong, ascending to the deep interior of the back. 'Baogong' refers to the uterus, which is the place where essence is stored in both men and women and can thus be called the uterus; however, since only women conceive here, it is specifically named Baogong. The Chong, Ren, and Du (Governing) vessels all originate here, known as 'one source branching into three.' For the meaning of Baogong, see Volume 3 of *Qiwei Lei*. For detailed meanings of the uterus and Mingmen, refer to Volume 3 of *Fuyi*, section *Differentiation of Sanjiao, Bao Luo, and Mingmen*.) The portion that floats outward ascends along the right side of the abdomen, meets at the throat, and branches to connect with the lips and mouth. When blood and qi are abundant, they fill the skin and warm the flesh; when blood is particularly abundant, it permeates the skin and generates fine hair. (The Chong and Ren vessels are Yin vessels, hence they ascend along the right side of the abdomen. However, below the left breast lies the great collateral of the Stomach meridian, illustrating the exquisite coordination of left Yang and right Yin. See Volume 11 of *Maise Lei*.) After birth, women have an excess of qi but a deficiency of blood due to frequent blood loss (menstruation). Consequently, the Chong and Ren vessels fail to nourish the lips, resulting in no beard growth. ('Frequent blood loss' refers to blood not stagnating, with menstruation occurring regularly. The Chong vessel is the Sea of Blood, and beards are the surplus of blood; insufficient blood means the Chong vessel cannot nourish the mouth area, so beards do not grow. 'Shuo' is pronounced 'shu'.)"
The Yellow Emperor further asked, "If a scholar injures his yin organ, causing the yin qi to fail and become impotent, yet his beard does not fall out, what is the reason? Why do eunuchs alone lack beards? I wish to hear the explanation." ('Yin bu yong' refers to erectile dysfunction. This passage states that although a scholar's yin qi is injured and depleted, his beard remains; why do eunuchs, whose blood does not frequently deplete, uniquely lack beards?)
Qibo answered, "Eunuchs have their Zongjin (external genitalia/tendons) removed, injuring the Chong vessel. Blood flows out and cannot recover; internal binding occurs in the skin, and the lips and mouth are not nourished, so beards do not grow. (For scholars, although yin qi is injured, the Zongjin is not destroyed; for eunuchs, removing the Zongjin injures the Chong vessel. Once blood is lost, it cannot recover; internal skin binding obstructs the meridians, so the Chong vessel cannot nourish the mouth area, and beards do not grow.)"
The Yellow Emperor asked, "What about those known as 'Tianhuan' (heavenly eunuchs)? They have never suffered injury nor lost blood, yet their beards do not grow. What is the reason?" ('Tianhuan' refers to men who are born without beards throughout their lives, resembling naturally castrated eunuchs, hence the name.)
Qibo replied, "This is due to congenital insufficiency. Their Ren and Chong vessels are not vigorous, the Zongjin fails to develop properly, there is qi but no sufficient blood, the lips and mouth are not nourished, and thus beards do not grow. ('Congenital insufficiency' refers to innate endowment lacking in the Ren and Chong vessels, hence beards do not grow either.)"
The Yellow Emperor exclaimed, "How profound! The sage understands all things, much like the shadows of the sun and moon or the echoes of sound and drumbeats; hearing the sound reveals the form. Without you, Master, who could elucidate the essence of all things?" (The sun and moon have light, and shadows reveal their presence; sounds have resonance, and echoes confirm them. Only sages can comprehend the subtleties of natural principles, allowing them to know the other through this, and the internal through the external.)
Therefore, the sage observes facial color: yellow and red indicate abundant heat qi; blue-white indicates deficient heat qi; black indicates abundant blood and deficient qi. (Yellow and red belong to Yang; blue, white, and black belong to Yin.) Those with beautiful eyebrows have abundant blood in the Taiyang (Greater Yang) meridian; those with full sideburns and thick beards have abundant blood in the Shaoyang (Lesser Yang) meridian; those with aesthetically pleasing beards have abundant blood in the Yangming (Bright Yang) meridian. This reflects the general pattern of the time. ('Ran' refers to sideburns on the cheeks; 'Xu' refers to beards on the chin and jawlines; 'Zi' refers to mustaches above the lip. These descriptions correspond to the pathways of these meridians.)
The constant numbers for humans are: the Taiyang meridian usually has abundant blood and little qi; the Shaoyang meridian usually has abundant qi and little blood; the Yangming meridian usually has abundant blood and abundant qi; the Jueyin meridian usually has abundant qi and little blood; the Shaoyin meridian usually has abundant blood and little qi; the Taiyin meridian usually has abundant blood and little qi. These are the heavenly constants. (The blood and qi levels of the twelve meridians vary. The figures mentioned in the previous texts differ in three instances. It is speculated that the terms 'blood and qi abundance/deficiency' are easily confused, likely due to transcription errors; the content in *Suwen: Xueqi Xingzhi Pian* should be considered correct. See Volume 20 of *Jingluo Lei*.)