Dongui Bogam_22_Essence Is the Ultimate Treasure

[精爲至寶]
[Essence Is the Ultimate Treasure]

夫精者, 極好之稱, 人之精最貴而甚少. 在身中通有一升六合. 此男子二八未泄之成數, 稱得一斤, 積而滿者至三升, 損而喪之者不及一升. 精與氣相養, 氣聚則精盈, 精盈則氣盛. 日啖飮食之華美者爲精, 故從米從靑. 人年十六則精泄. 凡交一次則喪半合, 有喪而無益, 則精竭身憊. 故慾不節則精耗, 精耗則氣衰, 氣衰則病至, 病至則身危. 噫, 精之爲物, 其人身之至寶乎. 《養性》
Essence refers to the extremely good. The essence is of the most treasurable in a person, and the amount is very small. There is 1 doe 6 hop in total inside the body, and this is the amount before one starts letting the semen out of the body at the age of 16, and it weighs 1 geun. If it is all gathered to fill up, it totals up to 3 doe, but it becomes even less than 1 doe if one uses up and spends too much. Essence and qi raise one another, so when essence is filled when qi is gathered, qi becomes strong if essence is abundant. The essence of everyday food makes up the essence, which is why the character "精" is made up of the parts meaning rice (米) and blue (靑). The essence is let out when one turns 16; one loses one-half hop at one intercourse. The essence is depleted soon if one only lets out and does not refill, and the body easily becomes worn out. Therefore, the essence is wasted if one does not control one's desire; qi becomes weak if the essence is worn out and diseases follow. The body will be in danger. Oh, the essence! It is the treasure of our body!

仙書曰, 陰陽之道, 精液爲寶, 謹而守之, 後天而老. 經頌云, 道以精爲寶, 寶持宜秘密, 施人卽生人, 留己則生己, 結嬰尙未可, 何況空廢棄, 棄損不覺多, 衰老而命墜. 人之可寶者命, 可惜者身, 可重者精. 肝精不固, 目眩無光. 肺精不足, 肌肉消瘦. 腎精不固, 神氣減少. 脾精不堅, 齒髮浮落. 若眞精耗散, 疾病卽生, 死亡隨至.
It is said as follows in the Immortals' Writings (仙書), "Essence is considered a treasure in the Dao of yin-yang. When it is protected carefully, one will age slowly. In the Songs for the Classics (經頌) it says: "Essence is treasured in the Tao, and one should be covert when protecting his treasure. Given to other, a child will be born, and when kept within oneself, it will extend one's lifespan. Why would one waste it when it is not even enough to make children? One would get old and lessen the lifespan if one does not realize how much is thrown away. It is destiny that it should be kept as a treasure, the body that must be saved, and the essence that must be considered important. One's eyes get dizzy and lose sparkle when liver essence is not enough. The flesh gets thinner when lung essence is not enough. Kidney qi decreases when kidney essence is not enough. One's teeth become bare and hair falls out when spleen essence is not enough. Diseases occur and eventually death follows if the true essence is all used up." 

象川翁曰, 精能生氣, 氣能生神, 榮衛一身, 莫大於此. 養生之士, 先寶其精, 精滿則氣壯, 氣壯則神旺, 神旺則身健, 身健而少病, 內則五藏敷華, 外則肌膚潤澤, 容顔光彩, 耳目聰明, 老當益壯矣.
Xiang Chuanweng said: "Essence engenders qi and gi engenders spirit. It nurtures and protects the body;  there is nothing more important than this essence. A person who cares for one's health must value essence first of all. Qi gets healthy if there is enough essence, and the spirit is full if qi is healthy, and the body becomes healthy if the spirit is full. Fewer diseases follow if the body is healthy. Inside the five viscera become replete and outside the skin gets rich; the face glows, the eyes and ears get brighter, and one gets healthier as one ages." 

黃庭經曰, 急守精室勿妄泄, 閉而寶之可長活.
It is said in the Scripture of the Yellow Court (黃庭經): "One is able to live long only when the essence is not let out for leakage; one must treasure it dearly and value it."