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Whenever a woman is pregnant, she should abstain from sexual intercourse. If she fails to exercise self-restraint, desire may stir and the uterus may open. This not only frequently leads to spontaneous abortion or bleeding during pregnancy, but even if the child is born, it often suffers from sores, toxins, premature death, or injury.

Why is this? It is due to the scorching of the fetus by "lustful fire" (hyperactive ministerial fire). For animals such as horses and cattle, after conception, if a male approaches the female, people drive them away with kicks, preventing closeness; this is called "protecting the fetus." How could there be cases of miscarriage in such instances? Humans, however, are prone to excessive desires and thus often fail to protect the fetus. Both *Chanbao Lun* (Treatise on Obstetrics) and gynecological texts lack this specific point. Therefore, I have collected the account recorded in *Shuyuan Zaji* (Miscellaneous Records of Shuyuan) and polished it into the following text.

Someone asked Shengshengzi (Sun Yikui's pseudonym): "I observe that when you diagnose diseases and prescribe medicines, you often seek strengths among various medical schools. I have rarely seen you use solely Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen), yet why do you argue incessantly about it here?" I replied: "My constant argumentation aims to clear the injustice done to Lord Wang (Wang Jiezai) and to critique the habits of contemporary physicians. Lord Wang originated from the study of the Six Channels (of Cold Damage), practiced the Way of Huangdi and Qibo, and established his writings and words, fulfilling my ambition broadly. His work supports the theories of Zhu Danxi, intending to facilitate the perfection of others' achievements. Zhu Danxi eradicated the abuses of warming and tonifying methods. Although his books circulated, later practitioners confused matters within them, failing to clearly cut off erroneous traces. Thus, Lord Wang advised earnestly, fearing that later generations would not follow Danxi's theory of Yin deficiency and would trespass into the realm of warming and tonifying. Unexpectedly, later generations did not investigate the origins. Regarding his warnings, they rigidly applied them like wooden idols and clay statues. Whenever encountering diseases with fever, cough, or bleeding, without investigating the etiology or asking about accompanying symptoms, they declared: 'This is exactly the disease of Yin deficiency with hyperactive fire described by Lord Wang, where Ginseng is contraindicated.' They treated it with methods to nourish Yin and descend fire. Unjust! Unjust! Did Lord Wang intend to facilitate others' achievements only to see disasters accumulate until now?

Contemporary physicians reciting Lord Wang's book say regarding *Zazhuo*: 'He was earnest about nourishing Yin.' Reciting *Bencao Ji Yao*, regarding Ginseng, they say: 'It is warm.' They repeat constantly: 'Accumulated warmth can generate heat; this is Yang. When Yang is prosperous, Yin is further depleted. It can be taken for cold lungs, but will injure hot lungs.' Occasionally, someone wishes to use Ginseng, but the crowd rises to oppose him, saying: 'Is Ginseng easily taken? Taking it kills people.' Consequently, patients and their families settle for nourishing Yin therapies, dying without regret. Physicians with profound insight and integrated reasoning often find themselves helpless. It is like one person teaching while many disturb; seeking peace of mind is difficult. Tracing Lord Wang's heart, did he ever claim Ginseng does not nourish Yin but specifically tonifies Yang? In his preface to *Bencao Ji Yao*, he wrote: 'Ancients formulated prescriptions based on diseases, not created prescriptions to wait for diseases. The way of learning medicine begins with studying Materia Medica; once drug properties are understood, one then learns to prescribe.' Contemporary readers only look for minor flaws, how could they know the general meaning of the chapter, let alone the implied meanings akin to ancient admonitions?

In the Ginseng entry of *Bencao Ji Yao*, Lord Wang states: 'Sweet taste, warm nature, slightly cold.' Since it treats tonifying the five zang organs, calming the spirit, stabilizing the soul, stopping palpitations, eliminating pathogenic factors, brightening the eyes, opening the mind, benefiting wisdom, regulating the middle, generating fluids, unblocking blood vessels, and treating five exhaustion and seven injuries—which of these conditions is not Yin deficiency of the five zang organs? Why did Lord Wang not delete or abbreviate this? He likely considered its sweet taste; although warm, it possesses slight coldness, thus collecting this as the key method for those nourishing Yin. Although he stated 'Do not use for lung affected by fire pathogen causing wheezing/cough, nor for Yin deficiency with hyperactive fire, labor cough, or hemoptysis,' this refers to inappropriate tonification. He again cited Zhang Zhongjing's treatment for blood loss and pulse deficiency, using it to tonify, stating that for Qi deficiency and blood weakness, tonifying Qi generates Blood naturally; Yin arises from Yang, and sweet flavor generates Blood. Viewing the general meaning of the whole chapter, did Lord Wang ever say Ginseng does not nourish Yin? Zhu Danxi used Qiongyu Gao (Jade Dew Paste) for Yin deficiency cough; Ge Kelijiu used Dushen Tang (Single Ginseng Decoction) for hemoptysis; both principles align with this.

In the Astragali Radix (Huangqi) entry, he states: 'Sweet taste, slightly warm nature.' Since it treats tonifying men's deficiency and wasting, five exhaustion and emaciation, tonifying the middle and generating blood, tonifying Lung Qi, solidifying skin and hair, draining ministerial fire, serving as a holy medicine for reducing fever, treating deficiency sweating (inducing sweat if absent, stopping if present), treating thirst-wasting, abdominal pain, diarrhea/dysentery, intestinal wind, uterine bleeding, leukorrhea, irregular menstruation, and all pains before and after childbirth. Among drugs tonifying Kidney, Sanjiao, and Mingmen Yuan Qi, it is called 'mutton' (referring to its rich nourishment). Which of these conditions is not Yin deficiency of the five zang organs? Why did Lord Wang not delete or abbreviate this? He believed its sweetness generates blood, and its slight warmth warms the flesh and solidifies the skin. Viewing the general meaning, did Lord Wang ever say Huangqi does not nourish Yin? Li Dongyuan treated blood deficiency with fever using Huangqi (1 liang) and Danggui (2 qian), named Buxue Tang (Blood Tonifying Decoction). For night sweats, he used Danggui Liu Huang Tang, with Huangqi as the sovereign drug. These principles originate here. The purpose of compiling Materia Medica is to describe the rigidity/flexibility of drugs, the warmth/coolness of flavors/natures, and the specific effects of tonification/draining, serving as standards for prescribing. Who says the general meaning of the chapter is unreliable, relying solely on the phrase 'accumulated warmth generates heat'?

If, as contemporaries claim, one takes Siwu Tang (Four Substances Decoction) as the main blood-nourishing formula, adds Phellodendri Cortex (Huangbai) and Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Zhimu), and considers it a superb agent for nourishing Yin and descending fire, accepting it without doubt, yet fails to reflect that Danggui has a sweet/pungent taste and warm nature, and Chuanxiong has a pungent taste and warm nature. Although Danggui nourishes blood, it also breaks blood because it contains pungency. Chuanxiong ascends to the vertex and descends to the Sea of Blood; it is the Qi-moving drug within blood. It treats all Qi disorders, warms the middle, disperses cold, opens stagnation, moves Qi, and dries dampness. It is also said: 'Long-term use scatters true Qi' due to pungent dispersion. Compared to Ginseng, what is the superiority/inferiority of their tonifying properties? Both are statements from the same Materia Medica, both collected by Lord Wang. Since contemporaries revere Lord Wang, why do they fear the pungency of Chuanxiong and Danggui but solely fear the sweetness of Ginseng? What prejudice is this!

In *Danxi Xinfa · Zhuan*, Luo Chengzhi said: 'The Master [Zhu Danxi] still considered the nature of Chuanxiong and Danggui as pungent and warm, unsuitable for those with Yin deficiency, let alone other drugs.' Since contemporaries follow Lord Wang, they should seek the source of Lord Wang's thought. Knowing the source allows one to understand Zhu Danxi's intent. Therefore, I say: Zhu Danxi speaking of Yin deficiency was a statement to save the times; Lord Wang speaking of Yin deficiency was to facilitate others' reputations; contemporaries speaking of Yin deficiency were biased and stubborn; those who fear Ginseng like tigers are sinners of Danxi and Wang, misleading the common people of the world! My verbose speech, is it out of love for debate? No, I merely wish to be a loyal minister to Lord Wang."