帝曰：人年老而无子者，材力尽邪?将天数然也。
Yellow Emperor asked: "People are unable to have any child when they are old, whether it is due to the exhaustion of their tendon's energy or it is the natural law of physiology?"
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（《太平圣惠方》，并无“太”字）脉盛，月事以时下，故有子。三七，肾气平均，故真牙生而长极。四七，筋骨坚，发长极，身体盛壮。五七，阳明脉衰，面始焦，发始堕。六七，三阳脉衰于上，面皆焦，发始白。七七，任脉虚，太冲脉衰少，天癸竭，地道不通，故形坏而无子也。
Qibo answered: "For a woman, her kidney energy becomes prosperous when she is seven, as kidney determines the condition of the bone, and teeth are the surplus of bone, her milk teeth fall off and the perminant teeth emerge when her kidney energy is prosperous; as hair is the extension of blood and the blood is transformed from the kidney essence, her hair
will grow when the kidney is prosperous.
"Her Taingui (the substance necessary for the promotion of growth, developement and reproductive function of human body)appears at the age of fourteen(2 X 7). At this time, her Ren channel begins to put through, and her Chong channel becomes prosperous and her menstruation begins to appear. As all her physiological conditions being mature, she can be
pregnant and bear a child.
"The growth of kidney energy reaches the normal status of an adult by the age of twenty one (3 X 7), her wisdom teeth have grown up by this stage, and her teeth are completely developed.
"By the age of twenty eight (4 X 7), her vital energy and blood become substantial, her extremities become strong, the developement of the tissues and hair of her whole body are flourishing. In this stage, her body is in the most strong condition.
"The physique of a woman turns from prosperity to decline gradually after the age of thirty five (5X7). So, by this time, her Yangming channel turns to debility, her face becomes withered, and her hair begins to fall.
"By the age of forty two (6X7), her three Yang channels (Taiyang, Yangming and Shaoyang)all begin to decline. By this time, her face complexion becomes wane, and her hair begins to turn white.
"After the age of forty nine (7X7), her Ren and Chong channels are both declining, her menstruation severs as her Taingui being exhausted. Her physique turns old and feeble, and by then, she can no more conceive."
丈夫八岁，肾气实（《圣济总录》引“实”作“盛”），发长齿更。二八，肾气盛，天癸至（ 三字衍），精气溢泻，阴阳和，故能有子。三八，肾气平均，筋骨劲强，故真牙生而长极。四八，筋骨隆盛，肌肉满壮。五八，肾气衰，发堕齿槁。六八，阳气衰竭于上、面焦，发鬓颁白（《太平圣惠方》引无“颁”字）。七八，肝气衰，筋不能动，天癸竭，精少，肾藏衰，形体皆极。八八，则齿发去。肾者主水，受五藏六府之精而藏之，故五藏盛，乃能泻。今五藏皆衰，筋骨解堕，天癸尽矣。故发鬓白，身体重，行步不正，而无子耳。
"For a man, his kidney energy becomes prosperous by the age of eight. By then, his hair developes and his permanent teeth emerge.
"His kidney energy becomes prosperous by the age of sixteen (2 X 8). he it is filled with vital energy and is able to let out sperm. If he conducts sexual intercourse with a woman, he might have a chid.
"By the age of twenty four (3 X 8), his kidney energy is well developed to reach the state of an adult. By this time, his extremities are strong, his wisdom teeth have grown up, and all his teeth are completely developed.
"By the age of thirty two (4 X 8). his whole body has developed to its best condition, and his extremities and muscles are very strong.
"By the age of forty (5 X 8), his kidney energy turns gradually from prosperous to decline. As a result, his hairs begin to fall and teeth begin to wither.
"By the age of forty eight (6 X 8), his kidney energy declines even more. As the kidney energy is the source of Yang energy the Yang energy of the whole body begins to decline due to the decline of kidney energy. As a result, his complexion becomes withered and his hair becomes white.
"After the age of fifty six (7 X 8), his liver energy declines in the wake of the deficiency of the kidney energy (the liver energy (wood) stems from kidney energy (water)). As liver determins the condition of the tendon, the deficiency of kidney energy will cause malnourishment to tendons which will become rigid and fail to act so nimbly.
"After the age of sixty four (8 X 8), his Tiangui being exhausted, his essence and vital energy being reduced, and his kidney energy becomes weak. As kidney determines the condition of the bone, the debility of kidney causes the weakness of the tendons and bones. Thus, at this stage, his essence and vital energy turn to the utmost decline, his teeth fall off, and
every part of his body becomes decrepit.
"The kidney energy is the congenital energy of human body, but it can only bring its functions into play when it is nourished by the postnatal energy. The essence of the five solid organs and six hollow organs are originated from the essence and energy of water and cereals. It is only after the receiving and storing the essence of water and cereals of the five solid and the six hollow organs in advance, can the organs provide the energy for kidney. Kidney associates with water, it receives and stores the essence and energy come from the five solid and six hollow organs. Therefore, the kidney can only spread its essence and energy to the whole body when the five solid and six hollow organs are substantially filled.
"As one's five viscera are then all declining, the tendons and bones are all becoming weak, and the Taingui is also exhausted, his hair turns white, his body becomes clumsy, unable to walk straight, and all his other physiologlcal functions are declining. So, it is imposible for him to have child anymore.
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