Library

(Wang Yinjun's Discourse)

When an infant is first born, whether carried in a cart, basket, or swaddling clothes varies according to local customs. Generally, at the moment of birth, do not wait for the infant to cry out; immediately wrap a finger with cloth and wipe away the foul blood on the tongue. If one hesitates in handling it, once the crying sound emerges, the blood will enter the abdomen, causing harm. If the infant cannot cry out after a short while upon landing, quickly give a small amount of warm water to drink, and they will cry out. If there is no sound for a long time, it is because the umbilical cord has rolled back into the abdomen; in this case, frequently blow air into the infant's mouth with your own mouth, and they will naturally cry. For the first bath, mix one pig gallbladder into warm water for bathing, which prevents sores and scabies. Next, use about two liang each of plum, peach, and plum tree roots or branches, chopped and decocted in water for bathing, to dispel misfortune. After bathing, immediately inspect the mouth, under the tongue, and the palate; if there are connected white blisters, pick them open and remove them immediately with a finger, thus preventing diseases such as double tongue (Chongshe). This is the general procedure.

After sixty days, when the pupils are forming and the infant can respond to human emotions, this marks the beginning of awareness. One should guide their pure nature, and parents and elders should gradually teach them to distinguish right from wrong. Servants, maids, and maternal relatives must not indulge the child in dancing wildly, cursing rudely, being lifted high and dropped suddenly, or pushed and dodged violently. Although the child may force a smile, they are internally frightened and alarmed, and perverse, malicious tendencies arise without cause. If the wet nurse indulges in strong flavors, pure alcohol, fried, and roasted foods, the infant receives these through breast milk, leading to conditions such as frightful gan syndrome (Jing Gan), accumulation masses (Pi Pi), diarrhea, and dysentery. When illness strikes, one often avoids administering bitter and pungent medicines, showing excessive tenderness and tolerance, which leads to various complications. Generally, maternal favoritism knows no bounds; allowing the child to eat until full based on preference inevitably causes injury. In my childhood, I had a strong craving for sweet maltose. One day, I noticed an earthworm emerging from the maltose, and thereafter I dared not eat it. Only upon growing up did I realize this was done by elders. Otherwise, chronic spleen gan syndrome would be deeply rooted and difficult to treat; how could one not suffer such harm?

Generally, the education in schools, the instruction in propriety and ritual, applies to young learners. Before they truly recognize characters, they must start with texts like *Thousand Character Classic* (*Qianziwen*) and *Mengqiu*, adjusting their sentence reading rhythms. Only when their tongue becomes flexible and speech clear can they enter higher learning to study classical texts. With a pure nature and undiminished spirit, what disease could there be?

The principles of human illness fall into five categories. First is congenital illness, present from birth. Second is karmic illness, such as Bo Niu's leprosy or Yuan Ang's sores. Third is illness caused by the Six Excesses (Liu Yin: Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire), resulting from external pathogenic invasion. Fourth is illness caused by the Seven Emotions (Qi Qing: Joy, Anger, Worry, Thought, Sorrow, Fear, Fright). Fifth is injury from metal wounds or falls, resulting from external trauma. The manifestations of external trauma are obvious and easy to understand. As for the seven emotions, who bears the responsibility? Diseases of the six excesses are also summoned thereby.