《孫真人備急千金要方》Vol. 2

Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand in Gold for Emergencies by Master Sun, juan 24

(Collated and corrected by Lin Yi and others, including the Court Gentleman for Court Audiences, Acting Junior Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and Collator of the Secret Pavilion)

Formulas for Women

First: Seeking Children (Discussion, formulas, moxibustion methods, and a method for turning a girl into a boy)

The discussion says: Women have medical formulas of their own because pregnancy, childbirth, flooding and spotting, and other conditions differ from those of men. For this reason, women’s illnesses are ten times harder to treat than men’s. The medical classics say that Yin Qi gathers in women and is often accompanied by dampness. After the age of fourteen, Yin Qi grows stronger; countless thoughts trouble the heart, injuring the five viscera within and damaging the complexion without. Menstruation may come or stop, its timing becoming irregular; stagnant blood congeals, and the channels may become obstructed. The resulting injuries and miscarriages take many forms and are too complex to describe one by one. Deficiency and excess in the reproductive organs become entangled; pathological blood leaks internally, and the channels of Qi and blood are depleted. Some women eat without restraint and suffer various kinds of harm; some have sexual intercourse before their sores and injuries have healed; others relieve themselves in high places, where wind enters from below and gives rise to what are called the “twelve chronic ailments,” illnesses that are difficult to cure. This is why women have their own medical formulas.

If an illness arises from changes in the seasons and the solar terms, or from deficiency, excess, cold, or heat, the condition is the same as in men. Only when a woman has another illness during pregnancy must toxic medicines be avoided. Other miscellaneous illnesses are the same as men’s and can be found in the other volumes of this book.

Women, however, have stronger desires than men and are more easily affected by illness. In addition, feelings such as affection, attachment, aversion, jealousy, sorrow, and anger readily build up and are difficult to restrain. As a result, the roots of illness run deeper and are harder to cure. Those who cultivate life should especially teach women to study these three volumes of Formulas for Women and become familiar with their contents, so that they will not panic when an urgent situation arises. The four virtues of women are the foundation of their conduct, while bearing and raising children is an important duty in a woman’s life. If they cannot understand this knowledge, how can they prevent needless early deaths? Women who care for and educate children, therefore, must also study it. A copy should be prepared in advance and kept close at hand, in case of an emergency.

The discussion also says: Everyone naturally wishes to surpass others and dislikes falling behind. Yet when it comes to learning, people often follow their desires and worldly concerns, spending their attention on affairs. How could they be willing to devote themselves to seeking the principles involved? As a result, most let their time pass without purpose and reach old age without having gained anything. Marriage and raising children…

Human relationships are the foundation of social order and the basis for the sage-kings’ instruction of the people. The sages established teachings and explained their purpose in great detail. Yet later generations often fail to understand them thoroughly, and when it comes to putting them into practice, they become confused and at a loss. This is the mistake of wanting to appear wise while refusing to work hard to catch up with others. In truth, they have not understood what it means to be surpassed in virtue, yet they blindly pursue empty fame and end up accomplishing nothing. I now set down together the methods for seeking children, leaving them to later generations in the hope that people who share this aim may find them useful.

The treatise says: Those who wish to have children should first learn the Five Phases of the birth-year destinies of both spouses and see whether these generate one another and are mutually harmonious in virtue. They should also check whether either destiny falls in an unfavorable temporal position such as “resting,” “decline,” “death,” or “tomb” for the child. If the spouses’ birth-year Five Phases generate one another, their destinies are harmonious in virtue, and neither falls in one of these unfavorable positions, then their efforts to conceive will certainly succeed. If their Five Phases overcome one another, and they also encounter unfavorable relations such as punishment, killing, clash, or breach, while their destinies fall among “resting,” “decline,” “death,” or “tomb” for the child, then there is thought to be no possibility of conceiving. They must not act rashly. Even if they happen to have a child, the child will later become a burden. If the spouses’ destinies generate one another and they also encounter good fortune and virtue, they must still follow the method and avoid all taboos. A child born in this way is considered good in every respect, beyond what can be fully described. The relevant taboos, days for conception, and methods for calculating the days of the flourishing and favorable phases and of auspicious stars are given in Volume Twenty-Seven.

The treatise also says: When people have no children, it is often because both spouses suffer from the “five strains and seven injuries”—a general term for various kinds of exhaustion and bodily harm—and are weak and afflicted by many illnesses. This may bring their line of descent to an end. The treatment is for the man to take “Powder of Seven Seeds” and the woman to take “Purple Stone and Asparagus Pill,” together with a vaginal suppository and the “Washing the Womb Decoction.” The text holds that this treatment will enable them all to have children.

“Powder of Seven Seeds” treats men’s wind-related deficiency, blurred vision, reduced Jing and Qi, and childlessness. It is a formula for supplementing what is deficient.

There are twenty-four ingredients: five coins each of schisandra fruit, powdered stalactite, chaste-tree fruit, dodder seed, plantain seed, shepherd’s purse seed, dendrobium, dried rehmannia root, Chinese yam, eucommia bark, deer antler, and polygala root; six coins each of aconite, cnidium fruit, and cnidium rhizome; five coins each of Asiatic cornelian cherry, Chinese aconite, ginseng, poria, astragalus, and achyranthes root; ten coins of cassia bark; eleven coins of cistanche; and twelve coins of morinda root.

Grind all twenty-four ingredients into a fine powder. Take one square-inch spoonful—a traditional measure for medicinal powders—twice a day, washed down with wine. If there is no response, increase the dose to two square-inch spoonfuls each time, until an effect appears. During the course of treatment, observe the usual restrictions for the medicines. Those who cannot drink wine…

Honey may also be combined with the medicine and taken in pill form. One prescription adds eight zhu of raspberry fruit. For methods of seeking to conceive, follow the later chapter, “The Art of the Bedchamber.”

Poxiao Decoction for Clearing the Womb

This prescription is used for women who have reached adulthood without ever giving birth, or who have been infertile for a long time, even for as long as thirty years.

The ingredients are: sodium sulfate, moutan bark, Chinese angelica, rhubarb, and raw peach kernels, three zhu of each; asarum, magnolia bark, platycodon, ginseng, red peony root, poria, cinnamon bark, licorice, achyranthes root, and dried tangerine peel, two zhu of each; aconite, six zhu; and ten gadflies and ten leeches.

Cut the eighteen ingredients into small pieces. Combine five sheng of clear rice wine with five sheng of water, and simmer the medicine until three sheng remain. Divide it into four doses, taking three during the day and one at night, with an interval of three hours between doses. After taking the medicine, cover yourself as usual and let your body sweat lightly. If you do not sweat, in winter you may warm yourself near a brazier.

After taking the medicine, you may pass accumulated blood, cold clots, and red, pus-like discharge, the color of red bean juice. The original text attributes this to harmful matter in the womb that prevents conception. It also says that pain below the navel on cloudy days and irregular menstruation may indicate cold blood in the body, making conception difficult.

If the medicine causes excessive discharge and leaves you weak and very tired, so that you cannot continue taking it, you may stop after two or three doses. If the discomfort is unbearable, you may eat a bite of rice mixed with vinegar or drink cold rice water to ease it. The original text cautions, however, that this may prevent the harmful matter from being fully expelled and weaken the medicine’s effect. If you can bear it and complete the course, the results will be better. One day later, insert the guiding medicine. According to the Qianjin Yifang, this prescription omits platycodon.

Sitting-Insertion Medicine

For those who have never given birth or have been infertile for a long time: after taking the Poxiao Decoction above, insert this medicine.

The ingredients are: Chinese honeylocust thorn, cornus fruit (the Qianjin Yifang gives “bitter gourd” instead), and Chinese angelica, one liang each; asarum, schisandra, and dried ginger, two liang each; rhubarb, alum, Rong salt, and Sichuan pepper, half a liang each.

Grind the ten ingredients into powder and place it in a silk pouch, making the pouch as thick as a finger and three cun long, and filling it with the powder. Insert it into the woman’s vagina. She may sit or lie down as she pleases, but should not walk around. When she urgently needs to urinate, remove the pouch and then insert a fresh one. Do this once a day. According to the original text, the medicine will cause a blue-yellow, cold fluid to be discharged. Once the fluid has all been expelled, the treatment can be stopped. The text goes on to say that intercourse may then take place, and conception may follow; if this has not yet occurred…

Treatment may continue after the illness, for up to ten days at most. There is also a formula made with half an ounce each of tinglizi and arsenic. It is used after taking the Puxiao Decoction if coldness remains in the body and harmful matter has not been fully expelled; a medicated enema then helps clear it. In cold, overcast weather, if the patient has no pain, there is no need to use the enema. Some people use salt for this purpose, but it is less effective than this formula. After taking the Puxiao Decoction, rest for one day, then take the Purple Stone and Asparagus Pill.

Purple Stone and Asparagus Pill: A formula for treating complete infertility or repeated loss of pregnancy.

Three liang each of purple fluorite and asparagus root; two liang each of Chinese angelica, chuanxiong, purple crape myrtle, selaginella, cinnamon heartwood, aconite, dried rehmannia, and mudan (called “mujing” in the Qianjin Yifang and “mumeng” in the Waitai Miyao), as well as yu yuliang, dendrobium, and magnolia flower; thirty zhu each of ginseng, mulberry mistletoe, teasel root, asarum, magnolia bark, dried ginger, Sichuan pepper, tree peony, and achyranthes; one liang of arborvitae seed; and one and a half liang each of Chinese yam, cuttlefish bone, and licorice.

Grind the twenty-six ingredients into a fine powder, mix with honey, and form pills the size of parasol tree seeds. Take ten pills with wine, three times a day, gradually increasing the dose to thirty pills, until warmth is felt in the abdomen. There is no need to abstain from sexual relations while taking the medicine; however, it cannot be taken when the husband is away. Follow the usual restrictions on foods and activities while taking medicine. Recently, someone took this formula and became pregnant before finishing it.

White Gentian Pill: A formula to help women conceive.

One liang each of white gentian, asarum, saposhnikovia, ginseng, Sichuan pepper, white ampelopsis (some versions give “angelica dahurica” instead), cinnamon heartwood, achyranthes, gentian, elm seed, glehnia, peony, schisandra, white silkworm, tree peony, and scarab beetle larvae; thirty zhu each of dried lacquer, arborvitae seed, dried ginger, selaginella, aconite, and chuanxiong; one and a half liang each of peach kernel and purple fluorite; two liang each of stalactite, dried rehmannia, and white fluorite; half a liang of woodlice; fifteen each of leeches and horseflies; eighteen zhu of evodia; and one chi of layered hemp cloth, burned to ash.

Grind the thirty-two ingredients listed above into a fine powder, mix with honey, and form pills about the size of parasol-tree seeds. Take them with wine, fifteen pills each time, twice a day, gradually increasing to thirty pills. The medicine should produce some discharge. If you feel even slightly unwell, stop taking it immediately.

Another formula is used to treat long-term infertility, childlessness, and various conditions such as heat in the upper body and cold in the lower body.

Baiwei, dried Rehmannia root, dried ginger, plantain seeds, and Sichuan pepper (eighteen zhu each); purple fluorite, gaoben, gypsum, yinchen seeds, and selaginella (thirty zhu each); zelan, red halloysite, white dragon bone, polygala root, ophiopogon, poria, and Taiyi residual grain (two liang each); Chinese angelica, chuanxiong, and cnidium seeds (one liang each); angelica dahurica, raspberry fruit, peach kernels, and ginseng (one and a half liang each); cinnamon bark and cattail pollen (two and a half liang each); asarum (three liang); dried tangerine peel (half a liang).

Grind the twenty-eight ingredients listed above into a fine powder, mix with honey, and form pills about the size of parasol-tree seeds. Take them with wine, fifteen pills each time, twice a day, increasing gradually according to how your body feels; the dose may be raised to fifty pills. While taking the medicine, avoid pork, chicken, raw or cold foods, vinegar, greasy or slippery foods, fish, garlic, and donkey, horse, or beef. Stop taking the medicine as soon as pregnancy is discovered. During the first three months of pregnancy, take care in choosing foods; beef liver and heart may be eaten, but there is no need to eat them in the fourth or fifth month. Do not deliberately slaughter animals to obtain these foods, lest, as the scripture says, “the child’s life be shortened.” To come across this formula is truly rare.

The Baiwei Pill of the Prefect of Jincheng is used to treat obstructed menstruation, amenorrhea, and infertility lasting as long as eighteen years. The scripture says that taking this medicine for twenty-eight days will bring about pregnancy. The formula is as follows:

Baiwei and asarum (thirty zhu each); ginseng, duheng (the Gu Jin Yan Lu replaces duheng with oyster shell), mudan, magnolia bark, pinellia, white stiff silkworm, Chinese angelica, and aster root (eighteen zhu each); achyranthes, adenophora, dried ginger, and gentian root (half a liang each); Sichuan pepper, aconite, and saposhnikovia root (one and a half liang each).

Grind the seventeen ingredients listed above into a fine powder, mix with honey, and form pills about the size of parasol-tree seeds. Take three pills before meals. If you notice no effect, gradually increase the dose to four or five pills. Do not take this medicine for a long time.

Once pregnancy is discovered, stop taking the medicine immediately; it is highly effective. (Cui’s prescription contains eighteen zhu each of Platycodon root and Salvia root.)

Ancient books record that people once commonly used the prescriptions Qingyun Powder and Chengze Pills to seek children. People today no longer use these remedies at all. Although I have not tested them myself, I believe they deserve attention, so I record them here.

Qingyun Powder: Used for men whose Yang Qi is insufficient to transform and generate Jing Qi, leaving them unable to father children.

Raspberry fruit and Schisandra fruit, one sheng each; Cuscuta seed, two sheng; Aconite, one liang; Dendrobium and Atractylodes rhizome, three liang each; mulberry mistletoe, four liang; asparagus root, nine liang; purple amethyst, two liang.

Grind the nine ingredients into a fine powder. Take one square-inch spoonful at a time, washed down with wine. Take it before meals, three times daily.

For people who are generally intolerant of cold, omit mulberry mistletoe and add four liang of Asarum. If Yang Qi is not deficient but the person simply has no children, omit Dendrobium and add fifteen areca nuts.

Chengze Pills: Used for the thirty-six kinds of disorders in women’s lower abdomen, as well as infertility and failure to conceive.

Apricot kernel and magnolia flower, one sheng each; seven blister beetles; Styrax root, three liang; Ligusticum root, one liang; five he of sedge seed.

Grind the six ingredients into a fine powder, mix with honey, and form pills the size of soybeans. Take two pills before meals, three times daily; if there is no response, gradually increase the dose. If there are no hard lumps or accumulations in the abdomen, omit the blister beetles and add one liang of Tetrapanax pith. If you dislike sweet flavors, first mix the powder with bitter wine (an ancient vinegar-like seasoning), then add a little honey to form pills.

Rhubarb Pills: Used for vaginal discharge and various gynecological disorders, as well as infertility. The original text says that after ten days of taking the medicine, blood will be discharged; after twenty days, long worms and a blue-yellow fluid will be expelled; after thirty days, the illness will be gone; and after fifty days, the body will become fuller and the complexion fairer.

Cut rhubarb into grains the size of rice and fry until black; Bupleurum, mirabilite, and dried ginger, one sheng each; Ligusticum, five liang; Sichuan pepper, two liang; one piece of Poria, about the size of an egg.

Grind the seven ingredients into a fine powder, mix with honey, and form pills the size of parasol tree seeds. Take seven pills before meals, washed down with rice water. The dose may gradually be increased to ten, according to the body’s response. After five days, there will be a slight purgative effect.

Auspicious Pills: Used for women who have been infertile for many years.

Gastrodia rhizome, willow catkins, and peony; poria, dried rehmannia root, and cinnamon bark (one liang each); schisandra berries, peach blossoms, atractylodes rhizome, and chuanxiong rhizome (two liang each); one dou of raspberries; one hundred peach kernels; and one sheng each of dodder seeds and paper mulberry fruits.

Grind these fourteen ingredients into a fine powder and mix with honey to make pills the size of beans. Take five pills on an empty stomach with yellow rice wine, once at midday and once in the evening.

Xiaoshi Dahuang Wan is used to treat twelve kinds of abdominal masses and accumulations, as well as vaginal discharge, amenorrhea, and infertility in women. Those who develop abdominal masses after taking cold-food medicines should first take the large pills to purge accumulated stagnation, then take the cold-food medicines. The large pills do not expel water or food; they expel only pathogenic influences, and do not leave a person extremely weak. The prescription appears in Volume Eleven.

Qinjiao Wan is used to treat infertility in women, especially those who have never given birth. The prescription book says this formula purges the internal organs and enables the “Jade Gate”—the female reproductive organs—to conceive.

Sichuan pepper and aconite root, eighteen zhu each; scrophularia root, ginseng, white peony root, woodlice, angelica dahurica root, astragalus root, platycodon root, wasp nest, white silkworm, peach kernels, beetle larvae, baiwei root, asarum, and elm seeds, one liang each; moutan bark, glehnia root, saposhnikovia root, licorice root, peony bark, achyranthes root, selaginella, schisandra berries, peony root, cinnamon bark, rhubarb, dendrobium, and atractylodes rhizome, thirty zhu each; arborvitae seeds, poria, angelica sinensis, and dried ginger, one and a half liang each; Chinese motherwort, dried rehmannia root, and chuanxiong rhizome, one liang and eighteen zhu each; dry lacquer, white quartz, purple quartz, and aconite, two liang each; stalactite, two and a half liang; seventy leeches; one hundred gadflies; and seven chi of hemp cloth folded into thick layers and burned to ash.

Grind these forty-four ingredients into a fine powder and use honey to make pills the size of parasol tree seeds. Take ten pills with wine twice a day, gradually increasing the dose to twenty pills. If substances resembling bean juice or nasal mucus are expelled, the prescription book regards this as the departure of pathogenic influences. If anything unusual is felt, stop taking the medicine.

Moxibustion is a treatment method that applies burning mugwort to acupuncture points.

For female infertility, moxa may be applied to the Rangu point for fifty cones. Rangu lies about one inch below the front of the inner ankle.

For a woman who cannot conceive or whose uterine gate is closed, apply moxa to Guanyuan for thirty cones, then repeat once.

If, after becoming pregnant, a woman cannot carry the fetus to term, or has a miscarriage, abdominal pain, or vaginal bleeding, apply moxa to Baomen for fifty cones. Baomen lies two inches to the left of Guanyuan; the point two inches to its right is called Zihu.

For a woman who cannot conceive, apply moxa to the Qimen points, located three inches to either side of Guanyuan. Apply one hundred cones at each point.

If a woman’s uterus is closed, preventing conception and causing pain, apply moxa to Baomen for fifty cones.

For a woman who cannot conceive and has red or white vaginal discharge, apply moxa to Quanmen for ten cones, repeating the treatment three times. Quanmen lies at the Henggu, directly opposite the upper edge of the genital area.

The discussion says: When Yin and Yang are in harmony, the two kinds of Qi respond to each other: Yang Qi gives, while Yin Qi transforms and nurtures, and conception can then occur. When the Three Yin converge, the chances of having a girl are greater. At two months of pregnancy, this stage is called “initial formation of the placenta”: Jing and Qi take shape within the womb. At three months, it is called “initial formation of the fetus”: the blood vessels begin to flow, and the fetus’s form changes, though it is not yet fixed. The fetus may be altered by what it sees. At this point, its sex is not yet distinct; therefore, before the end of the third month, a prescription or technique may be used to turn the fetus into a boy.

Salvia Pill: Used to nourish the fetus as soon as a woman realizes she is pregnant, and also to turn a female fetus into a male one.

Take two liang each of salvia, teasel root, peony, white gelatin, white atractylodes, arborvitae seeds, and licorice; thirty zhu each of ginseng, Chuanxiong, and dried ginger; one liang and eighteen zhu each of Sichuan pepper, tangerine peel, and angelica; one liang each of angelica dahurica and a crown cord, burned to ash; one and a half liang of dried rehmannia; eighteen zhu of elm seeds; one dried dog testicle; and the head of a rooster from the eastern gate.

Grind these nineteen ingredients into powder, mix with honey, and form pills the size of parasol tree seeds. Take ten pills with wine twice daily, gradually increasing the dose to twenty pills.

Another prescription: Take one silkworm pellet (also written “dropping,” meaning silkworm droppings) with well water drawn at dawn, three times a day.

Another prescription: Take a bow or crossbow string, place it in a red pouch, and tie it to the woman’s left arm. Another method is to tie it around her lower waist and remove it after one hundred days.

Another prescription: Take one liang of realgar, place it in a red pouch, and wear it. To have a girl, wear orpiment instead.

Another method: Place an axe beneath the bed of a woman in labor, with its blade secured and facing downward, and keep this secret. If you doubt this, try placing an axe beneath a hen’s nest when she is brooding eggs in the same way. Every chick in the brood will hatch male.

Second Treatise on Severe Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy (the second chapter on early pregnancy symptoms such as nausea and vomiting: discussion, prescriptions, and methods)

The treatise asks: How can the pulse reveal whether a woman is pregnant? During pregnancy, the pulse is even and slightly weak, indicating that the fetus is developing. The Classic says, “When the Yin pulse beats distinctly apart from the Yang, this is called having a child.” This means that if the pulse at the wrist’s chi position beats differently from the other pulses, pregnancy may be diagnosed. This results from Qi and blood being in harmony, with Yang Qi transforming and acting upon Yin.

A pronounced pulse in the Hand Shaoyin Heart channel can also indicate pregnancy. Shaoyin here refers to the Heart channel, and the Heart governs the blood vessels. The Kidneys are also called the “Gate of the Womb” and the “Portal of the Child,” while the chi position reflects the Kidney pulse. If the pulse at the chi position beats continuously, this indicates pregnancy. If the pulses at all three positions are even in depth and force, and remain continuous when pressed, this also indicates pregnancy.

In early pregnancy, the cun pulse is faint and fine; by the third month, the chi pulse becomes faster. At four months, some old methods for determining the fetus’s sex hold that a faster pulse on the left indicates a male fetus, while a faster pulse on the right indicates a female fetus. If both pulses are fast, the woman is carrying twins. Another account says that a deep, forceful pulse in the left hand indicates a male fetus, while a floating, large pulse in the right hand indicates a female fetus. If the pulses in both hands are deep and forceful, she may give birth to two boys; if both are floating and large, she may give birth to two girls.

Another account holds that a larger pulse at the left chi position indicates a male fetus, while a larger pulse at the right chi position indicates a female fetus. If both chi pulses are large, she may be carrying twins. A “large” pulse feels full when pressed. Yet another account says that a floating, large pulse at the left chi position indicates a male fetus, while a deep, fine pulse at the right chi position indicates a female fetus. If the pulse intermittently breaks off, this indicates irregular menstruation. Another view holds that if both chi pulses are floating, the woman may be carrying twin boys; otherwise, she may be carrying a girl. If both chi pulses are deep, she may be carrying twin girls; otherwise, she may be carrying a boy.

Another account says that the presence of a Taiyin pulse indicates a male fetus, while a Taiyang pulse indicates a female fetus; the Taiyin pulse is deep, and the Taiyang pulse is floating. Other methods include having the pregnant woman walk facing south and then calling to her as she returns. If she turns her head to the left, this is taken to indicate a male fetus; if she turns to the right, a female fetus. Alternatively, while she is using the toilet, her husband can call out to her suddenly from behind: turning left is taken to indicate a male fetus, and turning right a female fetus. Some also say that a lump in the husband’s left breast indicates a male fetus, while one in his right breast indicates a female fetus.

To determine whether birth is near, if the pregnant woman’s pulse is “departing from its regular course” and she also has abdominal pain that draws into her lower back, she may be close to giving birth. A pulse that departs from its regular course on its own, without other discomfort, does not count as illness. Another account says that the pulse departs from its regular course during labor; if abdominal pain begins at midnight, birth will take place by noon.

The commentary states: Some women are physically weak and thin, with insufficient Qi and blood and weakened Kidney Qi. Or they may have been exposed to wind or consumed too many cold drinks, causing phlegm-fluid—fluids accumulated in the body—to collect below the heart. They wish to conceive, but often suffer from “pregnancy obstruction,” the nausea and vomiting that can occur in early pregnancy.

“Wishing to conceive” refers to a woman whose menstruation still comes as usual and whose complexion and skin remain unchanged, but who feels heavy in the body and troubled at heart, has no desire to eat or drink, and cannot say exactly what is wrong. If her pulse is calm and smooth for the season, she may already be pregnant. If her period has been absent for two months, the fetus has taken shape.

Those suffering from pregnancy obstruction feel troubled at heart, with a heavy head and dizziness. Their limbs feel heavy and tired, and they have no desire to do anything. The smell of food makes them feel ill, yet they crave salty or sour foods and fruit. They often lie down and rarely get up. People commonly call this “food aversion.” After three or four months of pregnancy, the condition often worsens, bringing severe vomiting that is difficult to control.

This happens because, after menstruation stops, fluids remain in the organs and viscera, and their Qi cannot flow freely. This causes distress at heart, Qi to rise counterflow, and vomiting. When the blood vessels are blocked and the channels obstructed, the limbs become heavy. If wind pathogen also affects the body, dizziness and blurred vision may follow. When these symptoms occur, take several doses of Pinellia and Poria Decoction, followed by Poria Pill, to dispel the accumulated phlegm-fluid. The appetite will then return. Once the patient can eat, regain strength, and replenish Qi and blood, she will have the strength to nourish the fetus, and her own health will recover.

There are more than a dozen formulas for treating pregnancy obstruction, both ancient and modern. This formula has been used to rescue patients regardless of whether they are deficient or replete, have cold or heat, are young or old, or are even critically ill.

Pinellia and Poria Decoction

This formula treats pregnancy obstruction marked by distress and emptiness at heart, vomiting, inability to tolerate the smell of food, dizziness, bodily heaviness, pain and discomfort in the limbs and joints, frequent lying down and rarely getting up, aversion to cold, sweating, extreme fatigue, and a sallow, emaciated complexion.

Ingredients: Pinellia and fresh ginger, thirty zhu each; dried Rehmannia, eighteen zhu; Poria, eighteen zhu; tangerine peel, Inula flower, Asarum, ginseng, peony, Ligusticum, Platycodon, and licorice, twelve zhu each. (The zhu is an ancient unit of weight.)

Cut the twelve ingredients into pieces. Boil them in one dou of water until three sheng of liquid remain. Divide into three doses.

If pregnancy obstruction persists for several months without treatment, or if cold and heat are not properly balanced during treatment, the condition may develop into internal heat with intense thirst and sores in the mouth. In that case, remove tangerine peel and Asarum, and add twelve zhu each of Peucedanum root and Anemarrhena. If the condition turns to a cold pattern with diarrhea, remove…

If the appetite is poor and the stomach is weak, with internal heat, constipation, and scanty urine that is reddish in color, add twelve zhu of cinnamon bark (an ancient unit of medicinal weight) and eighteen zhu of rhubarb to the original formula. Remove Rehmannia root and add six zhu of Scutellaria root; keep the remaining ingredients as prescribed. After taking one dose, observe the patient’s condition and strength after a bowel movement, as well as any changes in sensations of cold and heat, then adjust the dosage as appropriate. Once the formula has been properly adjusted, take one more dose of the decoction. Then immediately take Poria Pills to restore the appetite and strengthen the body.

While taking the medicine, avoid raw or cold foods, sour foods, slippery foods, and greasy foods. Also avoid Chinese cabbage and seaweed.

Poria Pills: This formula treats pregnancy obstruction, including early pregnancy nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. It is effective when the patient feels distressed and stifled, has a heavy, dizzy head, feels nauseated and vomits at the smell of food, experiences discomfort and tightness in the chest, and feels too weak to support the body and limbs. First take two doses of Pinellia and Poria Decoction, then take this formula.

Ingredients: Poria, ginseng, toasted cinnamon bark, dried ginger, pinellia, and tangerine peel, one liang each; white atractylodes, kudzu root, licorice, and immature bitter orange, two liang each.

Grind the ten ingredients into a fine powder and mix with honey to make pills the size of Chinese parasol tree seeds. Take twenty pills at a time with water, gradually increasing to thirty pills, three times a day. The Zhouhou Fang records a version without dried ginger, pinellia, tangerine peel, white atractylodes, or kudzu root, using only five ingredients. Another account says cinnamon bark should be avoided during pregnancy, so it is toasted before use.

Formula for treating pregnancy nausea and vomiting that prevent eating

Ingredients: fresh bamboo shavings and tangerine peel, eighteen zhu each; Poria and fresh ginger, one liang each; pinellia, thirty zhu.

Cut the five ingredients into pieces. Boil them in six sheng of water until two and a half sheng of liquid remain, and divide into three doses. If there is no improvement, the decoction may be prepared and taken again.

Tangerine Peel Decoction: Treats vomiting during pregnancy and inability to eat.

Ingredients: tangerine peel, bamboo shavings, ginseng, and white atractylodes, eighteen zhu each; fresh ginger, one liang; magnolia bark, twelve zhu.

Cut the six ingredients into pieces. Boil them in seven sheng of water until two and a half sheng of liquid remain, and divide into three doses. If there is no improvement, the decoction may be prepared and taken again.

Nurturing the Fetus, Third Section: Discussion, Formulas, Prohibitions, and Methods for Nurturing the Fetus Month by Month

The discussion says: According to an old account, in the third month of pregnancy the fetus changes in response to what it encounters, and its received form and disposition have not yet settled. Therefore, in the third month, it is suitable for the pregnant woman to look at rhinoceroses, elephants, fierce beasts, and precious objects such as pearls and jade. She should also meet worthy and noble people and virtuous teachers, and observe ritual and music, bells and drums, and the ritual vessels used in sacrifices.

When arranging a military camp, burn fragrant incense and recite poetry, books, and sayings from ancient and modern times. Daily life should be simple and quiet. When cutting meat, do not eat pieces that are irregular in shape, and do not sit on a mat that has not been laid out properly. At home, play the qin and se (ancient stringed instruments) to harmonize the mind and temperament, and restrain cravings and desires so that daily affairs remain calm and orderly. A child conceived under these conditions will be kind, long-lived, loyal and filial, humane and righteous, intelligent, and seldom ill. This was the method of prenatal education practiced by King Wen of Zhou.

Discussion: While the fetus is in the womb, the months of gestation are not yet complete, and the Qi of Yin-Yang is not yet fully formed. The internal organs, bones, and joints have not yet developed. For this reason, from the beginning of pregnancy until labor, there are restrictions on diet and daily habits.

Eating sheep’s liver during pregnancy is said to bring the child many misfortunes; eating goat meat is said to make the child prone to illness.

Eating donkey or horse meat during pregnancy is said to delay the child’s birth; eating mule meat is said to make delivery difficult.

Eating rabbit or dog meat during pregnancy is said to leave the child unable to speak or with a cleft lip.

Eating eggs and dried carp during pregnancy is said to make the child prone to sores.

Eating chicken and glutinous rice during pregnancy is said to give the child inch-long tapeworms.

Eating mulberries and duck eggs during pregnancy is said to cause the fetus to be born feet-first and leave the child with a cold heart.

Eating sparrow meat and fermented soybean paste during pregnancy is said to cover the child’s face with black spots.

Eating sparrow meat and drinking wine during pregnancy is said to make the child unruly in temperament, emotionally unsettled, and without a sense of shame.

Eating turtle during pregnancy is said to make the child’s neck short.

Drinking ice water during pregnancy can cause miscarriage.

During pregnancy, avoid urinating or defecating in unusual places; doing so is said to cause miscarriage and may even endanger the mother’s life.

Xu Zhicao’s Monthly Guide to Nourishing the Fetus

The first month of pregnancy is called “the beginning of the embryo.” Food should be finely prepared, thoroughly cooked, sour, and tasty. The pregnant woman should eat barley and avoid spicy foods. This is called “proper beginning.”

In the first month of pregnancy, the Foot Jueyin vessel, associated with the Liver channel, nourishes the fetus. Do not needle or apply moxibustion to this vessel. The Foot Jueyin vessel connects internally with the Liver, which governs the sinews and blood. In this month, the circulation of Qi and blood may be impaired. The pregnant woman should avoid strenuous work and sleep peacefully; do not frighten or alarm her.

In the first month of pregnancy, the Qi of Yin-Yang first joins to form the fetus. An excess of cold may cause pain, while an excess of heat may cause sudden fright. Lifting heavy objects may cause lower back pain, abdominal distention, and tightening of the womb, and may also trigger sudden bleeding. The pregnancy should be cared for in advance to protect the fetus; Black Hen Soup is suitable.

Black Hen Soup recipe: One black hen, slaughtered, cleaned, and prepared in the usual way; two liang each of poria and donkey-hide gelatin; one sheng of Evodia fruit; five ge of Ophiopogon; and three liang each of ginseng, peony, and atractylodes.

Licorice and fresh ginger, one liang each.

Coarsely chop the ten ingredients listed above. First, boil a chicken in one dou and two sheng of water, then take six sheng of the chicken broth and remove the meat. Add the medicinal ingredients and simmer until three sheng of liquid remain. Add three sheng of wine and the gelatin, and cook until the gelatin has fully melted. Take three sheng of the finished decoction. Let it cool until warm, then take one sheng per dose, three times a day.

Decoction for Supporting the Fetus

If you have previously miscarried at one month of pregnancy, take this formula in advance.

Asarum, one liang; Saposhnikovia root, two liang; dried rehmannia root and atractylodes, three liang each; fresh ginger, four liang; Evodia fruit and barley, five he each; and mume fruit, one sheng.

Coarsely chop the eight ingredients listed above. Simmer them in seven sheng of water until two and a half sheng remain. Divide into three doses and take before meals. If cold symptoms are pronounced, double the amounts of asarum and Evodia fruit. If heat symptoms are pronounced and there is thirst, omit these two ingredients and add two liang of trichosanthes root. If discomfort is due to excessive worry, omit the barley and add three he of arborvitae seed. Another version adds one liang of ginseng.

The second month of pregnancy is called “the beginning of the formation of the membranes,” meaning that the fetus begins to take shape. The pregnant woman should avoid spicy and strongly flavored foods and stay in a quiet place. Her husband should also avoid overexertion. At this time, pain may occur throughout the joints; this is the stage when the fetus begins to congeal and form.

During the second month of pregnancy, the fetus is nourished by the Foot Shaoyang channel, which is associated with the gallbladder. This channel should not be needled or treated with moxibustion at this time. The Foot Shaoyang channel connects internally with the gallbladder and governs Jing and Qi. In the second month, the fetus’s Jing and Qi take shape in the womb, so it should be carefully protected from disturbance.

In the second month of pregnancy, Yin and Yang Qi begin to attach to the channels. If cold Qi is excessive, the fetus may be harmed and fail to form; if heat Qi is excessive, the fetus may become weak and withered. If wind and cold invade and cause fetal movement, symptoms may include fullness in the chest, pulling and tightness below the navel, stiffness and pain in the lower back, sudden bleeding, and alternating chills and fever. In this case, take mugwort leaf decoction.

Mugwort leaf, red sage root, Chinese angelica, and ephedra, two liang each; ginseng and donkey-hide gelatin, three liang each; licorice, four liang; fresh ginger, six liang; and twelve jujubes.

Coarsely chop the nine ingredients listed above. Add three sheng of wine and one dou of water and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Strain out the herbs, add the donkey-hide gelatin, and simmer until it melts. Take three sheng, divided into three warm doses.

Another method is to take a well-fed black hen, slaughter and prepare it in the usual way, then mix its blood into three sheng of wine. First, boil the chicken in one dou and two sheng of water. Take the chicken broth and remove the meat, then add the medicinal ingredients and simmer until three sheng of liquid remain. Add the wine and chicken blood mixture and the donkey-hide gelatin, then simmer until the gelatin melts. Take three sheng, divided into three warm doses.

If you have previously miscarried in the second month of pregnancy, take Coptis Decoction in advance.

One liang each of coptis and ginseng; five ge of evodia; three liang of fresh ginger; and five liang of raw rehmannia root (another formula uses donkey-hide gelatin instead of raw rehmannia root).

Chop the five ingredients and simmer them in seven sheng of sorrel juice until three sheng of liquid remain. Divide it into four doses: take three during the day and one at night, for ten consecutive days. Prepare the entire prescription at once. If you feel somewhat unwell, add one sheng of smoked plum. When adding smoked plum, use plain water instead of sorrel juice. Another version adds half a liang of Chinese angelica root.

The third month of pregnancy is called “the beginning of the fetus.” At this stage, the fetus has not yet taken a fixed form and may change in response to what the mother sees. To have a boy, she may hold a bow and arrows; to have a girl, she may handle pearls and jade. To wish for a beautiful child, she should look often at jade discs; to wish for a virtuous and upright child, she should sit quietly and remain calm. This is called the influence of things outside the body on the heart, which in turn affects the fetus.

In the third month of pregnancy, the fetus is nourished by the Hand Jueyin Pericardium channel, a channel that the ancients associated with the heart. This channel should not be needled or treated with moxibustion at this time. The Pericardium channel connects internally with the heart, so grief, anxious thought, and alarm should be avoided.

In the third month of pregnancy, the fetus begins to take shape. If the mother is exposed to cold, her stool may turn green; if she has heat, urination may become difficult, and the urine may be yellow or not reddish. Sudden fright, sorrow, or anger, or a severe fall, may affect the channels and cause abdominal distension, pain around the navel, sudden discomfort in the lower back, or the sudden discharge of something.

Rooster Decoction

One rooster, prepared in the usual way for cooking; one liang each of scutellaria root, atractylodes, and fresh ginger; five ge of ophiopogon root; four liang of peony root; twelve jujubes, split open; and two liang each of licorice, ginseng, poria, and donkey-hide gelatin.

Chop the eleven ingredients. First boil the rooster in one dou and three sheng of water. When the liquid has reduced by half, remove the rooster and add the herbs. When the liquid has again reduced by half, add the clarified medicinal liquid and three sheng of clear rice wine, then add the donkey-hide gelatin and simmer. Reduce the liquid to three sheng and divide it into three doses. After taking each dose, keep warm and rest in bed. Another version uses two liang each of Chinese angelica root and Sichuan lovage root, omitting scutellaria root and fresh ginger.

If you have previously miscarried in the third month of pregnancy, take Poria Spirit Decoction in advance.

One liang each of poria spirit, salvia root, and dragon bone; two liang each of donkey-hide gelatin, Chinese angelica root, licorice, and ginseng; and twenty-one jujubes and twenty-one red adzuki beans.

Chop the nine ingredients above and decoct them in one dou of vinegar and rice-washing water. Reduce the liquid to three sheng, then divide it into four doses. Take before meals for seven consecutive days, then take one more dose. If there is lower-back pain, add two liang of Taxillus parasiticus. (The Shenshi Formula also includes two liang of Chinese chives and one sheng of hemp seeds.)

In the fourth month of pregnancy, the fetus begins to absorb the essence of water, which forms its blood vessels. The diet should include rice and polished rice; soups should be made with fish or wild goose. This nourishes the Blood and Qi, sharpens hearing and vision, and keeps the channels and network vessels flowing freely.

In the fourth month of pregnancy, the Hand Shaoyang channel governs the fetus’s nourishment, so the related channels should not be needled or cauterized. The Hand Shaoyang channel connects internally with the Triple Burner. During this month, the fetus’s six internal organs gradually take shape. The pregnant woman should rest quietly, keep her mind calm, and moderate her diet.

In the fourth month of pregnancy, exposure to cold may cause oppression below the heart, nausea, fullness and distension in the chest and diaphragm, and loss of appetite. Exposure to heat may cause difficulty urinating and frequent, urgent urination resembling strangury, along with cramping pain in the lower abdomen. Sudden exposure to wind and cold may bring stiffness and pain in the neck, alternating chills and fever, or involuntary bodily movements, with pain that comes in spasms in the lower back, back, and abdomen. At times, fetal Qi may press upward against the chest and heart, causing distress and agitation; bleeding may also come on suddenly.

Chrysanthemum Decoction Formula

One chrysanthemum, about the size of an egg; one sheng of Ophiopogon; twelve jujubes; one and a half liang of ginseng; two liang each of licorice and Chinese angelica; three liang each of ephedra and donkey-hide gelatin; four liang of pinellia; and five liang of fresh ginger.

Chop the ten ingredients above and decoct them in eight sheng of water until reduced by half. Add three sheng of clear wine and the donkey-hide gelatin, then continue decocting until the liquid measures three sheng. Divide into three warm doses. After taking the medicine, cover yourself and lie down quietly until you sweat. Then dust the body with powder and avoid wind and cold. After taking the medicine for four or five days, one version recommends using the water in which a black hen has been boiled to decoct the medicine.

Center-Regulating Decoction Formula

If the fetus was injured during the fourth month of pregnancy, take this formula in advance.

Four liang each of white peony and fresh ginger; three liang each of magnolia bark, immature bitter orange, fresh plum-root bark, white atractylodes, and bupleurum; one liang each of teasel root, Ligusticum, and licorice; one and a half liang of Chinese angelica; and one sheng of smoked plums.

Chop the twelve ingredients above and decoct them in one dou of water until reduced to three sheng. Divide into four doses: take three during the day and one at night. After eight days, take another dose.

In the fifth month of pregnancy, the fetus begins to receive “fire essence,” which forms Qi. The pregnant woman should get up later, bathe and wash clothes regularly, live in a quiet and secluded place, and wear warm, thick clothing. In the morning, she should take in the light of Heaven to ward off the harm of cold. Her diet should be based on rice and wheat, with soups made from mutton or beef, and Cornelian cherry fruit used to harmonize the five flavors. This is called “nourishing Qi,” and it is intended to stabilize the five viscera.

In the fifth month, the fetus is nourished by the Foot Taiyin channel, which corresponds to the Spleen. This channel must not be needled or treated with moxibustion. The Foot Taiyin channel connects internally with the Spleen. At this time, the fetus’s limbs have all formed. The pregnant woman should not become excessively hungry or eat until overly full. She should avoid dry foods, not heat herself by roasting over a fire, and not overexert herself.

If a heat condition occurs in the fifth month of pregnancy, she may feel dizzy and unsettled in spirit, and may vomit. A cold condition may cause abdominal distension and pain, frequent urination, sudden fright, pain in the limbs, alternating chills and fever, restless fetal movement, gripping abdominal pain, near-fainting, or sudden bleeding. E-jiao Decoction may be used for treatment.

E-jiao Decoction: four liang of E-jiao, one liang of ginseng, six liang of fresh ginger, two liang each of angelica, peony, licorice, and Scutellaria, two ge of Inula flower, seven ge of Evodia, and one sheng of Ophiopogon.

Cut the ten ingredients into pieces and simmer them in nine sheng of water until the liquid is reduced by half. Add three sheng of clear wine and the E-jiao, then simmer over low heat until three and a half sheng remain. Divide into four doses: take three during the day and one at night, before meals. It will usually take effect; if it does not, take one more dose. An alternative formula calls for one hen: cut its throat and collect the blood in wine. Boil the hen in water, reduce the broth by half, then add the wine and E-jiao and simmer until three and a half sheng remain. Divide into four doses.

If the fetus was injured during the fifth month of a previous pregnancy, take Anzhong Decoction in advance.

Anzhong Decoction: one liang of Scutellaria; two liang each of angelica, Sichuan lovage, dried rehmannia, and ginseng; three liang each of licorice and peony; six liang of fresh ginger; one sheng of Ophiopogon; five ge each of Schisandra and hemp seed; and twenty-five jujubes.

Cut the twelve ingredients into pieces and simmer them in seven sheng of water and five sheng of clear wine until three and a half sheng remain. Divide into four doses: take three during the day and one at night. Take another dose after seven days.

In the sixth month of pregnancy, the fetus begins to receive “metal essence,” which forms the sinews. The pregnant woman should engage in moderate activity.

Do not remain in quiet places all the time. Go outdoors and walk around, observing dogs and horses as they run.

In your diet, it is suitable to eat the meat of birds of prey and fierce beasts. The ancients believed this helped transform and strengthen the skin’s interstices—the textures between skin and muscle—and toughen the sinews and vessels, thereby increasing strength and strengthening the back.

In the sixth month of pregnancy, the Foot Yangming channel (the Foot Yangming meridian) governs the nourishment of the fetus. At this time, this channel should not be needled or treated with moxibustion. The Foot Yangming meridian connects internally with the stomach and is associated with the mouth and eyes. Ancient texts say that by this time the fetus’s mouth and eyes have formed. The diet should balance the five flavors. Eat suitable amounts of sweet, palatable foods, and do not eat until overly full.

If, during the sixth month of pregnancy, you are suddenly startled and become distressed, with alternating chills and fever, abdominal fullness, bodily swelling, fright, a sudden sensation of downward pressure, abdominal pain as if labor were beginning, or painful discomfort in the hands and feet, it is suitable to take Maimendong Decoction.

Maimendong Decoction: One sheng of Maimendong; two liang each of ginseng and licorice; two liang of Scutellaria; three liang of dried Rehmannia; four liang of donkey-hide gelatin; six liang of fresh ginger; and fifteen jujubes. Cut and combine the eight ingredients, add seven dou of water, and boil until reduced by half. Add two sheng of rice wine and the donkey-hide gelatin, then boil down to three sheng. Take in three portions, eating some thin rice porridge between doses. Another method is to boil a black-boned hen in water and use the chicken broth to decoct the medicine.

If you have previously suffered fetal injury during the sixth month of pregnancy, take Bupleurum Decoction in advance.

Bupleurum Decoction: Four liang of Bupleurum; one liang of cistanche; two liang each of Atractylodes, peony (another version gives purple crape myrtle), licorice, Maimendong, and Ligusticum; six liang of fresh ginger; five liang of dried Rehmannia; and thirty jujubes. Cut the ten ingredients, add one dou of water, and boil down to three sheng. Take in four portions: three during the day and one at night, eating some thin rice porridge between doses. Do not eat raw, cold, or hard foods. Take another dose after seven days.

In the seventh month of pregnancy, ancient texts say that the fetus begins to receive the Qi of Wood, which forms the bones. The pregnant woman should move her body moderately and swing her limbs; she should not remain still all the time. Bend and stretch to circulate Qi and blood. Keep the living space dry, avoid cold foods, and eat polished rice regularly. The ancients believed that this kind of appropriate care helped fill out the skin’s interstices, strengthen the bones, and harden the teeth.

In the seventh month of pregnancy, the Hand Taiyin channel (the Hand Taiyin meridian) governs the nourishment of the fetus. At this time, this channel should not be needled or treated with moxibustion. The Hand Taiyin meridian connects internally with the lungs and is associated with the skin and hair. By the seventh month, the fetus’s skin and hair…

The preceding passage said that the fetus has already taken shape. At this stage, the pregnant woman should not speak loudly or weep uncontrollably, dress too lightly, bathe, or expose herself to cold or drink cold liquids.

Seventh month of pregnancy: If a sudden fright or shaking of the body is followed by abdominal pain, signs that the fetus is descending, cold hands and feet, a pulse like that seen in cold damage, agitation and fever, abdominal distension, shortness of breath, or frequent stiffness in the neck and back, treat with Scallion White Decoction.

Formula for Scallion White Decoction: fourteen scallion whites, each about four inches long; one sheng each of pinellia and dwarf lilyturf; two he each of inula flower; one liang of scutellaria; one and a half liang of ginseng; three liang each of licorice, Chinese angelica, and astragalus; four liang of donkey-hide gelatin; and eight liang of fresh ginger. Pound the eleven ingredients into coarse pieces. Add eight sheng of water and boil until reduced by half. Then add three sheng of clear rice wine and the donkey-hide gelatin, and boil down to four sheng. Take one sheng per dose, three times during the day and once at night. Drink it warm, then lie down; sweating should follow. If there is no sweating, add one liang of ephedra and prepare it in the same way. After the Beginning of Autumn, do not force sweating. Another version uses one yellow hen: slit its throat and collect the blood in wine, then boil the chicken and use its broth to prepare the medicine.

Apricot Kernel Decoction: If the fetus has been harmed during the seventh month, this formula should be taken in advance. Use two liang each of apricot kernels and licorice; one liang of aster root; three liang each of stalactite and dried ginger; one sheng each of dwarf lilyturf and evodia; five he of polished rice; and three he of schisandra. Pound the nine ingredients, add eight sheng of water, and boil down to three and a half sheng. Divide into four doses, three during the day and one at night. Food may be eaten between doses. Take one preparation every seven days. Another version uses the broth from boiling one white chicken to prepare the medicine.

Eighth month of pregnancy: At this time, the fetus begins to receive the essence and Qi of Earth, and its skin forms. The pregnant woman should remain calm and rest quietly, without allowing her Qi to become excessively depleted. This is called making the skin’s texture dense and the complexion radiant.

In the eighth month, the Hand Yangming channel (Large Intestine channel) nourishes the fetus, and this channel must not be needled or treated with moxibustion. The Hand Yangming channel connects internally with the Large Intestine and governs the nine orifices; by the eighth month, all nine of the fetus’s orifices have formed. The pregnant woman should avoid dry foods, avoid carelessly skipping meals, and avoid holding back bowel movements or standing up suddenly.

If, in the eighth month, she is exposed to wind and cold, her whole body may ache, she may alternate between feeling cold and feverish, the fetus may become restless, she may often feel dizzy and have headaches, and the area from the navel to the lower abdomen may feel cold.

Sometimes the urine is white like rice water, or may be greenish or yellow. The woman may even feel cold and shiver. Her lower back often feels cold and painful, and her eyes may feel uncomfortable. Peony Decoction may be used to treat this condition.

Peony Decoction: four liang each of peony and fresh ginger; two liang of magnolia bark; three liang each of licorice, Chinese angelica, white atractylodes, and ginseng; and one sheng of Chinese chive bulb. Chop the ingredients and decoct them together in five sheng of water and four sheng of rice wine until three sheng remain. Divide into three doses: take two during the day and one at night. Another version of the formula uses the broth from boiling a black hen to decoct the herbs.

If fetal movement or injury to the fetus occurred during the eighth month of a previous pregnancy, Sunflower Seed Decoction should be taken in advance.

Sunflower Seed Decoction: two sheng of sunflower seeds; two liang each of licorice and magnolia bark; three liang each of white atractylodes and bupleurum; four liang of peony; six liang of fresh ginger; and twenty jujubes. Chop the ingredients and decoct them in nine sheng of water until three sheng remain. Divide into three doses and take three times daily. Ten days of treatment make one course. Another version of the formula uses the water from boiling one black hen to decoct the herbs.

In the ninth month of pregnancy, the fetus begins to absorb “stone essence”—the refined vital energy described in ancient medical texts—to form its skin and hair. The six viscera and bowels and all the joints are also fully developed. The pregnant woman should drink nourishing beverages, eat sweet foods, loosen her clothing, and rest calmly as she awaits childbirth. This is called nourishing the fetus’s hair and strengthening its body.

In the ninth month of pregnancy, the Foot Shaoyin channel, which is connected to the kidneys, governs the fetus’s nourishment. This channel should not be needled or cauterized with moxa at this time. The Foot Shaoyin channel connects internally to the kidneys; according to ancient belief, the kidneys are linked to the continuity of the fetus’s growth. By the ninth month, the fetus’s channels and all parts of its body have taken shape. The pregnant woman should avoid damp, cold places and should not wear clothes that have become wet.

In the ninth month of pregnancy, if sudden diarrhea and tight, distended abdominal pain occur, accompanied by the feeling that the fetus is pressing upward against the heart, pain in the lower back, difficulty turning over, and shortness of breath, Pinellia Decoction may be used.

Pinellia Decoction: three liang each of pinellia, ophiopogon, evodia, Chinese angelica, and donkey-hide gelatin; one liang of dried ginger; and twelve jujubes. Chop the ingredients and decoct them in nine sheng of water until three sheng remain. Strain out the herbs, add eight he of white honey, and warm the mixture over a low flame. Divide into four doses. The text says that the diarrhea will stop after taking it. Another version of the formula uses the broth from boiling one black hen to decoct the herbs.

If fetal movement or injury to the fetus occurred during the ninth month of a previous pregnancy, Pig Kidney Decoction should be taken in advance.

One pig kidney, Poria, Chinese taxillus, dried ginger, dried Rehmannia root, and Ligusticum chuanxiong (also called Sichuan lovage root), three liang each; white atractylodes, four liang; aconite, one medium-sized piece; soybeans, three ge; and Ophiopogon, one sheng.

Cut all ten ingredients into small pieces. First boil the pig kidney in one dou of water. When it is cooked, remove it, then add the other ingredients and continue boiling until the liquid is reduced to three and a half sheng. Divide it into four doses: take three during the day and one at night. Continue for ten days, then prepare a fresh batch.

By the tenth month of pregnancy, all five organs are formed and the six bowels are functioning smoothly. The fetus draws in the Qi of Heaven and Earth at the Dantian (the area below the navel), so its joints and Shen (spirit) are fully developed; it waits only for the right time to be born.

In the first month of pregnancy, the embryo begins to form; in the second, a paste-like substance begins to develop; in the third, the fetus begins to take shape within the womb; in the fourth, its bodily form develops; in the fifth, it can move; in the sixth, its sinews and bones grow; in the seventh, its hair appears; in the eighth, its organs are complete; in the ninth, the Qi of grain enters its stomach; and in the tenth, all its Shen (spirit) is complete. When the term of pregnancy is fulfilled, birth follows.

One should take medicine to help the fetus be delivered smoothly. Once pregnancy has begun, one may take Salvia Paste, a preparation made with Salvia and other herbs to nourish the fetus. Taken as birth approaches, it can make labor smooth and easy. The formula is as follows:

Half a jin of Salvia; two liang each of Ligusticum chuanxiong and Chinese angelica; and five he of Sichuan pepper. For someone with internal heat, five he of hemp seeds may be used instead of the Sichuan pepper.

Cut the four ingredients into small pieces and moisten them with clear wine; leave them overnight. Add four sheng of refined lard, then simmer over low heat until the paste turns blood-red. Once prepared, strain it through new cloth to remove the herbs. Each day, take a portion the size of a jujube and swallow it with wine. Do not take it ahead of time; it should be taken only as birth approaches. This formula was often effective in earlier times.

Licorice Powder can help labor proceed smoothly. If the mother has no illness, she may begin taking it one month before her due date. After taking it for thirty days, she can still walk and move about as usual, and may not even notice when the child is born. The formula is as follows:

One liang each of licorice and Scutellaria (some versions give Poria instead); three liang each of dried ginger, Evodia, fermented soybeans, hemp seeds, cinnamon bark, and malted barley (some versions give nonglutinous rice instead).

Grind all eight ingredients into a fine powder. Take one square-inch spoonful—the ancient measure for powdered medicine, roughly equivalent to a spoonful—with wine three times a day. It may also be taken with warm water.

Qianjin Pills, a medicinal formula, are used to nourish the fetus and to treat difficult labor, a breech presentation, or failure of the afterbirth to emerge. Take one pill. If an injury occurs but the fetus is still not delivered, or if after childbirth there is poor sweating, persistent agitation, or upward-rebellious Qi with distention and fullness, …

Take one pill with wine. This prescription is also called “Life-Preserving Pills.”

The ingredients are licorice root, fritillaria bulb, Sichuan pepper, sprouted black soybeans, dried ginger, cinnamon bark, baical skullcap root, nonglutinous rice (some versions say glutinous rice), dendrobium, and gypsum (six zhu each); Chinese angelica root (twelve zhu); and hemp seeds (three ge).

Grind the twelve ingredients into powder, mix with honey, and form pills the size of a marble. Take one pill three times a day, with jujube decoction. Another version of the prescription also includes one liang of cattail pollen.

Steamed Rhubarb Pills: a prescription for caring for the fetus during pregnancy and helping ensure an easy delivery.

Rhubarb (thirty zhu, steamed), immature bitter orange, Szechuan lovage rhizome, atractylodes, and apricot kernels (eighteen zhu each); peony root, dried ginger, and magnolia bark (twelve zhu each); and evodia fruit (one liang).

Grind the nine ingredients into powder, mix with honey, and form pills the size of parasol tree seeds. Take two pills on an empty stomach with wine, three times a day. If they have no effect, gradually increase the dose.

A prescription to promote delivery and help ensure an easy birth.

Donkey-hide gelatin (eight liang), talc (two liang), and plantain seeds (one sheng).

Grind the three ingredients finely and sift them. Take one square-inch spoonful (an ancient measure for powdered medicine) twice a day, beginning only in the month when labor is expected. According to the original text, this medicine “opens the nine orifices,” so it should not be taken earlier.