《易》曰∶天地氤 ,万物化醇;男女媾精,万物化生。盖天地生生之道,终古为然矣。《颅囟经》曰∶成
胎之后,一月为胞胎,精气凝也,二月为胎形,始成胚也,三月阳神为三魂,四月阴灵为七魄,五月应五行,
分五脏也,六月应六律,定六腑也,七月精开窍通,光明也,八月元神具,降真灵也,九月宫室罗布,以御外侮,
十月受气足,万象成也。此胎元长养,造化自然,非人力也。第妊母脏气护胎,仍若四时之有序∶足厥阴肝、
足少阳胆,属木旺春,养胎在一月二月;手心主包络、手少阳三焦,属火旺夏,养胎在三月四月;足太阴脾、
足阳明胃,属土旺长夏,养胎在五月六月;手太阴肺、手阳明大肠,属金旺秋,养胎在七月八月;足少阴肾,
属水旺冬,养胎在九月。至十月,儿气已足,待时而生。惟手少阴心,君主之官,神明之脏,虽不主月,而无月
不在,其胎元长养,脏气护持,可谓至矣。而人事恣纵败坏,能保其冲任有恒乎?蓄德录曰∶世人无不急于生
子,要知生子之道,精气交媾,溶液成胎。故
少欲之人恒多子,且易育,气固而精凝也;多欲之人常艰子,且易夭,气泄而精薄也。譬之酿酒然,斗米下斗
水,则 酽且耐久,其质全也;斗米倍下水,则淡;三倍四倍则酒非酒,水非水矣,其真元少也。今人夜夜淫
纵,精气妄泄,邪火上升,真阳愈惫,安能成胎?即侥幸生子,又安能必其有成!所以年少生子者,或多羸弱,
欲勤而精薄也;老年生子者,反见强盛,欲少而精全也。且凡嗜于饮者,酒乱其性,精半非真,无非湿热。勤于
欲者,孕后不节,盗泄母阴,耗其胎气,所谓恣纵败坏者,殆以是欤!然父天母地,古人尝言之矣。父主阳施,
犹天雨露;母主阴受,若地资生。胎成之后,阳精之凝,尤仗阴气护养,故胎婴在腹,与母同呼吸、共安危,
而母之饥饱劳逸,喜怒忧惊、食饮寒温、起居慎肆,莫不相为休戚。古人胎教,今实难言。但愿妊娠之母,能
节饮食,适寒暑,戒嗔恚,寡嗜欲则善矣。此尤切于胞胎之急务,幸毋视为泛常而忽之。
The *Book of Changes* states: "When the Qi of Heaven and Earth blends, all things are transformed with richness; when male and female essence interact, all things are born." This is likely the way of Heaven and Earth generating life, unchanged from ancient times to the present. The *Cranium and Fontanelle Classic* (*Lunxin Jing*) states: After conception, in the first month it is called a "bao tai" (fetal sac), which is the condensation of essence and Qi; in the second month, the fetal form appears, beginning as an embryo; in the third month, Yang Spirit transforms into the Three Souls; in the fourth month, Yin Spirit transforms into the Seven Po; in the fifth month, it corresponds to the Five Elements, differentiating the Five Zang Organs; in the sixth month, it corresponds to the Six Pitch-pipes, determining the Six Fu Organs; in the seventh month, essence opens the orifices, bringing light/vision; in the eighth month, Yuan Shen (Original Spirit) is complete, descending true spirit; in the ninth month, the palace (uterus) is fully structured to defend against external evils; in the tenth month, received Qi is sufficient, and all phenomena are formed. This growth and nourishment of the fetal origin follows natural creation, not human effort. However, the maternal Zang organ Qi protecting the fetus still follows an order like the four seasons: The Foot Jueyin Liver and Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder belong to Wood and prosper in Spring, nourishing the fetus in the first and second months; the Hand Jueyin Pericardium and Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao belong to Fire and prosper in Summer, nourishing the fetus in the third and fourth months; the Foot Taiyin Spleen and Foot Yangming Stomach belong to Earth and prosper in Late Summer, nourishing the fetus in the fifth and sixth months; the Hand Taiyin Lung and Hand Yangming Large Intestine belong to Metal and prosper in Autumn, nourishing the fetus in the seventh and eighth months; the Foot Shaoyin Kidney belongs to Water and prospers in Winter, nourishing the fetus in the ninth month. By the tenth month, the child's Qi is sufficient, waiting for the time to be born. Only the Hand Shaoyin Heart, the official of the sovereign and the viscera of Shen Ming (Spirit), although not governing a specific month alone, is present in every month. The nourishment of the fetal origin and the protection by Zang organ Qi can be said to be perfect. Yet, if human conduct is indulgent and destructive, how can one ensure the constancy of the Chong and Ren vessels? The *Xude Lu* says: People are eager to have children, but one must know that the way of childbirth lies in the interaction of essence and Qi, forming the fetus through solution. Therefore, those with few desires often have many children and they are easy to raise, because their Qi is solid and Essence is condensed; those with excessive desires often struggle to conceive and their children may die young, because their Qi leaks and Essence is thin. It is like brewing wine: adding one dou of water to one dou of rice makes strong and durable wine, preserving its substance; doubling the water makes it weak; tripling or quadrupling it results in neither wine nor water, losing its true Yuan Qi. Today, people indulge nightly, leaking essence recklessly, causing evil fire to rise and True Yang to become exhausted. How can they conceive? Even if they luckily bear a child, how can they guarantee its healthy development? Thus, those who conceive at a young age often have frail children, due to frequent desire and thin essence; those who conceive at an older age often have robust children, due to less desire and complete essence. Furthermore, those addicted to alcohol have their nature disturbed by wine, resulting in sperm that is half-true and half-damp-heat. Those diligent in desire, lacking restraint after pregnancy, secretly drain the mother's Yin and consume fetal Qi. Such indulgence and destruction likely stem from this. As ancients said, Father is Heaven and Mother is Earth. The father governs Yang giving, like rain and dew from heaven; the mother governs Yin receiving, like earth nurturing life. After conception, the condensation of Yang essence relies heavily on Yin Qi for protection. Thus, while in the womb, the fetus breathes and shares safety/danger with the mother. The mother's hunger/fullness, labor/rest, joy/anger/worry/fright, diet temperature, and cautious or reckless daily habits are all interconnected and share weal and woe. Ancient prenatal education is hard to describe in detail today. I only hope that pregnant mothers can regulate diet, adapt to cold and heat, abstain from anger, and reduce desires. This is the urgent task concerning the fetal sac; do not treat it as trivial and ignore it.