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It is also said: Confucius, in his commentary on the *I Ching* (Book of Changes), praised the Qianyuan (the origin of Heaven) for assisting the beginning of all things, calling it "Great"; and praised the Kunyuan (the origin of Earth) for generating all things, calling it "Ultimate." The Kun Dao (Way of Earth) follows and receives from the Tian Dao (Way of Heaven) to accomplish the merit of creating living beings. Therefore, it is said that "Qi" (wife) means "Qi" (equal), implying equality with the husband. Thus, the presence or absence of offspring depends primarily on the man, but even more so on the woman. Although a woman does not directly participate in external affairs, if she develops a character that is contrary to reason and perverse/violent, disaster will first befall the household. Having lost the virtue of Kun-shun (yielding and accommodating), how can she fulfill the function of generating life? Consequently, there are many cases where pregnancy fails to result in childbirth, or where children are born but do not live long. A woman's heart may be most eager for children, praying and sacrificing to deities, yet the deities will not bless her. Why not seek blessings closer to home, within the family? Be filial to parents-in-law, respectful to the husband, harmonious with sisters-in-law, compassionate towards servants, and lenient in handling various matters. In this way, perverse qi will dissipate, and harmonious qi will overflow. Doing good brings auspiciousness; the celebration of abundant descendants will surely be blessed by the divine. There are also women whose nature is not fierce or violent, and who appear gentle on the outside, yet still struggle with infertility. This is because women are endowed with Yin essence, which easily turns into toxic qi. Their daily conduct in the household and their inner thoughts and calculations have a significant relationship [to fertility]. One often sees capable housewives who manage the household diligently and frugally, restrain themselves strictly and rigorously, make no errors in trivial calculations, and clearly distinguish between gratitude and resentment. Investigating their general tendency, they simply have more selfishness and less room for forgiving and tolerating others. They seem to have no major moral failings, yet the family fortune declines secretly, and there are no heirs. Why is this? Because a woman's virtue, if not broad and thick (generous and nurturing), tends towards harshness and meanness. She unconsciously depletes Yuanqi (Original Qi); this is a hidden vice. Therefore, not only is being contrary and perverse an obvious cause of infertility, but even if righteousness outweighs affection in every matter, it no longer embodies the Kun principle of thickly generating life. If a woman has no children, she violates the "Seven Outs" (seven grounds for divorce in ancient China). Should she not painfully cultivate herself and reflect, assist her husband in doing good, and strive for the joy of abundant offspring?

Minister Chu said: The five flavors of food nourish the marrow, bones, flesh, blood, skin, and hair. Men belong to Yang; within Yang there must be Yin, and the number associated with Yin is eight. Thus, at age eight, Yang Jing (Yang Essence/Semen precursor) rises; at age sixteen, Yang Jing overflows. Women belong to Yin; within Yin there must be Yang, and the number associated with Yang is seven. Thus, at age seven, Yin Xue (Yin Blood/Menstrual blood precursor) rises; at age fourteen, Yin Xue overflows. Both Yang Jing and Yin Xue are the fruits of the essence of the five flavors of food. When they rise, wisdom and thought become clear, teeth are replaced, yellow hair turns black, and weak sinews and bones become strong. When they overflow, whatever fills the body, limbs, hands, feet, ears, and eyes—even drops as small as a needle point or mustard seed—descends without exception. Children resemble their parents in form because their Jing-Xue (Essence-Blood) has experienced everything within their parents' bodies. Therefore, if a father loses the use of one limb, the son will have one limb that does not resemble the father; if a mother loses the sight of one eye, the son will have one eye that does not resemble the mother. If one engages in sexual intercourse with women before Jing-Tong (the opening/development of Jing) to force the release of Jing, the five organs and body will have imperfections, leading to difficult-to-describe illnesses later in life. If one seeks sexual gratification due to visual stimuli when the Yin energy is already weak, causing the release of Jing, the Jing will not exit but rot internally, leading to obstruction in the urinary channel and becoming Lin syndrome (dysuria/painful urination). If Jing is exhausted and then further depleted, the large and small bowel channels will pull and hurt; the more it hurts, the more one desires to defecate or urinate; the more one does so, the more it hurts. When a woman's Tiangui (Heavenly Water/Menstruation) has arrived, if she does not cohabit with a man for over ten years, her cycle will be irregular; if under ten years she desires cohabitation, it will also be irregular. Irregularity means old blood does not exit, and new blood flows erroneously, either seeping into the bones or transforming into swelling. Even if cohabitation occurs, conception may be difficult. Frequent cohabitation with men leads to the depletion of fluids; a weak person having many pregnancies and lactations leads to blood exhaustion, which can be fatal. Observing Jing and Xue, one understands half the matter.