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There are numerous books on formulas for treating postpartum conditions. Most of them merely address symptoms with treatments without examining the root cause. Occasionally, there are one or two good editions, but they cite extensively and cite too many sources, resulting in a chaotic mix. How can readers find a standard to follow?

After childbirth, women often suffer from excessive fatigue and abnormal physical states. Their *Couli* (pores and interstitial spaces) are not dense, their Spleen and Stomach functions are typically weak, and Qi and Blood are mostly deficient. It is urgent to tonify and nourish to restore their Yuan Qi (Original Qi). Other conditions should generally be treated as secondary matters. For those who need tonification but cannot receive it abruptly, this is specifically because the *Eluo* (lochia/residual blood and mucus after birth) has not yet cleared; thus, astringent, consolidating, and ascending herbs are difficult to administer suddenly. Once pain and masses have been removed, if regulation is improper, Zheng Qi (Upright Qi/Healthy Qi) will remain deficient for a long time, and various complicated syndromes will emerge endlessly, causing harms that are incalculable. Physicians of the world do not understand this principle. Some, due to irritability and heat, recklessly use cooling agents; some, due to blood stasis, mistakenly apply purgatives; some, due to external contraction, erroneously add diaphoretic dispersants; some, due to internal accumulation, exclusively focus on consuming agents. They treat the branch (symptoms) while abandoning the root (cause). Ultimately, the root becomes more deficient, and the branch cannot be treated either. Those who do not fall into critical danger are few indeed.

In the Bingwu year of the Daoguang reign (1846), my father, Guanglu Gong, was serving in the capital. He obtained the edition of *Ni Shi Chan Bao* (*Ni's Obstetric Treasure*) published by Cishi Xu Shanlin. Reading it, I privately sighed that it was a precious raft for saving lives. I had wanted to print it for public dissemination for a long time. After returning to my hometown, war and unrest broke out. Military training and fund-raising occupied my days and nights without respite, delaying the printing. Now, my late father has passed away for three years. While occasionally organizing his leftover book chest, seeing this book again made me feel deeply sorrowful. Therefore, I carefully corrected it and entrusted it to the engravers to fulfill my late father's wishes. I know that as its circulation widens day by day, like-minded scholars will surely treasure it carefully and publish successive editions. Consequently, every household will possess a copy, and people throughout the world will rejoice in safe childbirth. This is my earnest hope.

Preface by Huang Zu Jing of Shiyang at the Sanjia Family School, in the mid-autumn of the Xinwei year of the Tongzhi reign (1871).

My family obtained this book and had it woodblock printed ten thousand times to spread its transmission. Over the past decades, relatives, friends, and villagers who used the formulas according to the book achieved efficacy without fail. Events from distant years cannot be remembered, but regarding recent cases with miraculous effects, I may briefly mention one or two.

When I was serving in Zhejiang, my nephew Bao Zhi was serving in Jinling (Nanjing). In the Jiawu year of the Guangxu reign (1894), Bao Zhi, acting as Tongzhi (Associate Prefect), took charge of Yancheng County. He sent his family members to Hangzhou. His concubine, Lady Yang, had always possessed a strong constitution. She gave birth very quickly in summer. Immediately after wrapping the newborn, she went out of the room to attend to other affairs. Everyone advised against it. Upon re-entering the room, she washed her hands with cold water, pushed open the window, waved a fan, and sat facing the wind. Everyone advised against this again. At dusk, she suddenly developed chills, fever, and dizziness. Everyone said, "Her constitution is so strong, and she exposed herself to wind and cold so severely. This is because her Couli were not dense after birth, her defensive function was improper, leading to an external contraction." I privately doubted this diagnosis. Palpating her pulse revealed signs of deficiency. I administered Yangzheng Tongyou Tang (Nourishing Uprightness and Unblocking Darkness Decoction). After one dose, symptoms decreased; after two doses, she was completely cured.

In the autumn of the Jiachen year (1904), my granddaughter-in-law gave birth. Three days postpartum, she suffered from phlegm obstruction and convulsions/spasms. This was Wind generated from Blood deficiency. I administered Zirong Huoluo Tang (Nourishing Prosperity and Activating Collaterals Decoction) with added Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma), Zhuli (Bambusae Caulis in Taeniae Succus), and Jiangzhi (Zingiberis Recensis Succus). The effect was immediate, and she recovered.

Generally, when a parturient endures pain and exerts effort, excessive sweating leads to loss of Yang; Yang deficiency causes aversion to cold. Excessive blood loss injures Yin; Yin deficiency causes fever. When both Qi and Blood are deficient, Shen (Spirit/Mind) scatters, leading to dizziness. Severe cases involve phlegm obstruction and convulsions, resembling Stroke (Zhong Feng). Naturally, one should employ tonifying agents to harmonize Ying (Nutritive Qi) and Wei (Defensive Qi). If one mistakes this for an external pathogen and arbitrarily uses diaphoretic dispersants, few cases do not become critical due to weakness.

In the summer of the Bingwu year (1906), this matter was casually discussed. Prefect Hutang willingly undertook the responsibility of lithographically printing this edition and requested that I add a record to the beginning. Thus, I wrote this down with pen in hand.

Huang Zi respectfully records.