鸡肉合糯米食,令子生寸白虫。食犬肉,令子无声。鲤鱼同鸡子食,令子
生疳多疮。食兔肉,令子缺唇。食羊肝,令子多厄。食鳖肉,令子项短缩头。鸡子
与桑椹同食,令子倒生心寒。鲜鱼同田鸡食,令子喑哑。雀肉同豆酱食,令子面生
黯黑子。食螃蟹,令子横生。食生姜,令子多指。食水浆,令绝产。食雀肉饮酒,
令子多淫无耻。食茨菰,消胎气。食驴、马肉,过月难产。豆酱合藿香食,堕胎。
食山羊肉,令子多病。食鳅鳝无鳞鱼,难产。食诸般菌,生子惊风而夭。食雀脑,令子患雀目。
歌曰∶ 斑水蛭及虻虫,乌头附子配天雄,野葛水银并巴豆,牛膝薏苡与蜈蚣,
三棱代赭芫花麝,大戟蛇蜕黄雌雄,牙硝芒硝丹皮桂,槐花牵牛皂角同,半夏南星
与通草,瞿麦干姜桃仁通, 砂干漆蟹脚爪,地胆茅根莫用好。
《便产须知》云∶勿乱服药,过饮酒。勿针灸举重,登高涉险,心有大惊,犯之
产难,子必癫痫。勿多卧,时时行步。勿劳力过伤,使肾气不足,生子解颅,脑破
不合。衣毋太温,食毋太饱。若脾胃不和,荣卫虚怯,子必羸瘦多病。若自家及邻
家修造动土,犯其胎气,令子破形殒命。刀犯者形必伤,泥犯者窍必塞。打击者色
青黯,系缚者相拘挛。此皆验如影响。
《脉经》曰∶妇人怀躯七月而不可知,时时衄血而转筋者,此为躯也。《脉经》
曰∶妊娠初时,寸微小,呼吸五至。三月而尺数也。脉滑疾,重以手按之散者,胎
已三月也。脉重手按之不散,但疾不滑者,五月也。尺脉左偏大为男,右偏大为女。
左右俱大,产二子。大者,如实状。妇人妊娠四月,欲知男女法,左疾为男,右
疾为女。俱疾为生二子。《胎经》曰∶若胎病不动,欲知生死,令人摸之。如覆
杯者则男,如肘颈参差起者女也。观此说,则前如箕如釜之义了然。
Consuming chicken meat together with glutinous rice may cause the child to be born with *Taenia saginata* (Beef tapeworm, 寸白虫). Consuming dog meat may cause the child to be mute. Consuming carp together with eggs may cause the child to develop *Gan syndrome* (Pediatric malnutrition syndrome, 疳) and multiple sores. Consuming rabbit meat may cause cleft lip in the child. Consuming sheep liver may lead to a life full of misfortunes for the child. Consuming soft-shelled turtle meat may cause the child to have a short neck and retracted head. Consuming eggs together with mulberries may cause breech presentation and coldness of the heart in the child. Consuming fresh fish together with frogs may cause aphonia or muteness in the child. Consuming sparrow meat together with bean paste may cause dark spots on the child's face. Consuming crab may cause transverse lie in childbirth. Consuming ginger may cause polydactyly in the child. Excessive consumption of water or beverages may lead to infertility. Consuming sparrow meat while drinking alcohol may cause the child to have excessive libido and lack of shame. Consuming *Colocasia esculenta* (Taro/Cogon grass tuber, 茨菰) dissipates fetal Qi. Consuming donkey or horse meat may lead to post-term pregnancy and difficult labor. Consuming bean paste together with *Agastache rugosa* (Patchouli, 藿香) causes abortion. Consuming goat meat may cause the child to be prone to illness. Consuming loach, eel, and other scaleless fish may cause difficult labor. Consuming various mushrooms may cause the child to die from convulsions (*Jing Feng*, 惊风). Consuming sparrow brain may cause the child to suffer from night blindness (*Que Mu*, 雀目).
The verse states: *Mylabris* (Cantharides, 斑蝥), leeches, and horseflies; Aconite (*Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata*, 乌头), Prepared Child Root (*Aconiti Radix Praeparata*, 附子) paired with *Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix* (Heavenly Hero, 天雄); Wild ginger (*Kadsurae Longipedunculati Fructus*, 野葛), mercury, and croton seed (*Crotonis Fructus*, 巴豆); Achyranthes root (*Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix*, 牛膝), Coix seed (*Coicis Semen*, 薏苡仁), and centipede (*Scolopendra*, 蜈蚣); *Bupleuri Radix*? No, *Sparganii Rhizoma* (Three-edged rhizome, 三棱), Ocher (*Haematitum*, 代赭), *Kadsurae Longipedunculati Fructus*? No, *Genkwa Flos* (Daphne flower, 芫花), Musk (*Moschus*, 麝香); *Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix* (Great spurflower root, 大戟), snake skin (*Ophichius Skin*, 蛇蜕), realgar and orpiment (*Realgar et Orpimentum*, 黄雌雄); Sodium sulfate (*Natrii Sulfas*, 牙硝), Mirabilite (*Natrii Sulfas Crystallizatus*, 芒硝), Moutan bark (*Paeoniae Moutan Cortex*, 丹皮), Cinnamon twig (*Cinnamomi Ramulus*, 桂); Sophora flower (*Sophorae Flos*, 槐花), Morning glory seed (*Pharbitidis Semen*, 牵牛), Gleditsia sinensis (*Gleditsiae Sinensis Fructus*, 皂角) used together; Pinellia (*Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum*, 半夏), Arisaema (*Arisaematis Rhizoma*, 南星), and Tongsao (*Tetrapanacis Medulla*, 通草); Sedum (*Sedum Sarmentosum Herba*? No, likely *Qu Mai*, 瞿麦), Dried ginger (*Zingiberis Rhizoma*, 干姜), Peach kernel (*Persicae Semen*, 桃仁) promote flow; Cardamom (*Amomi Fructus*, 砂仁), Dry lacquer (*Rhus Vernicifluae Lacca*, 干漆), Crab claws; *Chenopodium album*? No, *Di Dan* (Ground beetle, 地胆), Imperata rhizome (*Imperatae Rhizoma*, 茅根) should not be used well.
*Bi Chan Xu Zhi* (Essentials for Easy Childbirth) states: Do not take medicines indiscriminately, and do not drink alcohol excessively. Do not undergo acupuncture, lift heavy objects, climb heights, or venture into danger. If one experiences great fright, violating these taboos will lead to difficult labor, and the child will surely suffer from epilepsy. Do not lie in bed too much; walk occasionally. Do not overexert yourself, as this damages Kidney Qi, leading to a condition where the fontanelle remains open (*Jie Lu*, 解颅) and the brain does not heal after birth. Clothing should not be too warm, and food intake should not be too excessive. If the Spleen and Stomach are disharmonious, and Ying and Wei (Nutritive and Defensive Qi) are deficient and weak, the child will surely be emaciated and prone to illness. If construction or earth-moving activities occur at home or in neighboring houses, offending the fetal Qi, it may cause fetal deformity or death. Offended by blades, the form will be injured; offended by mud, the orifices will be blocked; struck, the complexion will be dark blue; bound, the limbs will be contracted and spasmodic. These validations are as accurate as shadows following forms.
*Mai Jing* (Pulse Classic) states: When a woman is seven months pregnant but unaware, and frequently suffers from epistaxis and muscle cramps (tendon contraction), this indicates fetal movement. *Mai Jing* also states: At the beginning of pregnancy, the Cun (inch) pulse is minute and small, with five breaths per pulse beat. By three months, the Chi (cubit) pulse becomes rapid. A slippery and rapid pulse that scatters when pressed heavily indicates three months of pregnancy. A pulse that does not scatter under heavy pressure but is rapid without being slippery indicates five months of pregnancy. An enlarged Chi pulse on the left indicates a male fetus; an enlarged Chi pulse on the right indicates a female fetus. Enlargement on both sides indicates twins. "Enlarged" means full and solid like a real object. For a woman four months pregnant wishing to know the sex of the fetus: a rapid left pulse indicates a male, a rapid right pulse indicates a female. Rapid pulses on both sides indicate twins. *Tai Jing* (Fetal Classic) states: If fetal movement is imperceptible and one wishes to know if the fetus is alive or dead, let someone palpate the abdomen. If it feels like an inverted cup (round and smooth), it is a male; if it feels uneven like an elbow or neck protrusions, it is a female. Viewing this explanation, the previous meanings of "like a winnowing basket" and "like a cauldron" become clear.