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Human life is formed by inheriting the two great forces (Yin and Yang), and life is endowed through Yin and Yang. Thus, the head is round symbolizing Heaven, the feet are square symbolizing Earth; the Five Elements circulate within, and the luminous body (Sun/Moon) shines without. Regarding spirit, soul, ethereal soul, corporeal soul, perception, and clarity of mind, which of these is not created by Yin and Yang, nor subject to the waxing and waning of Qi transformation? However, the Qi transformation of Heaven and Earth differs between ancient and modern times, so the endowment received at birth varies in thickness or thinness.

In ancient times, primordial Qi was profound and undifferentiated, and supreme harmony overflowed. The eight winds were upright, cold and heat were regulated, the Six Qi were uniform, and rain fell in due season. Human nature was honest and flourishing, and all species prospered. At that time, both sentient and non-sentient beings returned to a state of "thickness" (abundance); it was not that things themselves were thick, but because the atmospheric Qi was thick. As time passed since the creation of the world, people and creatures multiplied excessively, leading to over-expenditure and injury, plundering the heavenly origin, and carving away the original simplicity. Social customs gradually declined, and human nature became frivolous and insincere. Consequently, floods and droughts occurred irregularly, disasters invaded every household, living things did not flourish, and the livelihood of the people became increasingly urgent and short. In such an era, those with and without knowledge alike returned to a state of "thinness" (scarcity); it was not that things themselves were thin, but because the atmospheric Qi was thin. Therefore, it can be known that those who receive Qi from their parents today inevitably have a thinner endowment.

Moreover, there are different nourishments for the rich and poor, and distinct forms for nobility and commonality. Medical art claims benevolence; how can it be regarded as an insignificant matter? Those who consume rich foods (Gao Liang) have bodies at ease but disperse their Qi; their hearts wander and spirits float. They become weary of sweet and fatty foods in their mouths, yet remain comfortable in luxurious houses. Their nurturing is too abundant, making their physical constitution delicate. Furthermore, with pearls and cinnabar filling the view, and enchanting beauties serving as attendants, even indulging in dreams like bears and tigers cannot help them grow tall like cassia and cypress trees. There are also those whose folly arises from greed, whose wisdom is confused by profit; those who study hard by snowy desks and firefly windows, exhausting their hearts and spitting blood; those with piles of grain and rotten coins, calculating and planning, unaware of their declining form and withered Qi; those with high ambitions but thwarted fates, engaging in delusional schemes, resulting in mental fatigue and spiritual exhaustion. All these factors deplete the root and injure the Yuan Qi. For the planting of the embryo, how can one guarantee deep roots and a firm foundation?

On the other hand, families consuming coarse food (Li Huo) have laborious bodies but unified wills. They are content with little and peaceful in heart, guarding simple granaries and jars, wearing simple hairpins and cloth skirts. Their spirit and will are unharmed, and thus the fetus naturally stabilizes. Comparing these two, the gain and loss are clearly distinguished. Anger injures primal Qi, labor damages the body, sudden thunder and fierce winds, severe cold and intense heat, solar and lunar eclipses, recovering from illness, intoxication and overeating injuring the spirit, and lochia not yet cleared—all these cause the endowment of pregnancy to become thinner. This is actually formed unconsciously by people. Hence, nine out of ten people today have weak endowments. Investigating the causes, most stem from these reasons.

Practitioners of this path must understand the thickness or thinness of Qi transformation, and whether human affairs are frivolous or sincere, thereby observing the strength, weakness, solidity, or fragility of the fetal origin received from parents. Only then can one approach the truth. If one merely uses ancient established formulas to treat the frailty of modern times, sticking rigidly to old methods without flexibility, the result will ultimately be inappropriate. Being stuck and inflexible means one cannot claim to have mastered the principles.