下苗之日,必择成日、开日、栽种日及合天月二德日则吉。倘三者不能兼备,即成、
开之日亦可。若值人神所在之日,忌不可种。
种痘吉日∶
成日 开日 栽种日
天月二德日∶正、五、九月在丙。二、六、十月在甲。三、七、十一月在壬。四、八、十
二月在庚。
人神所在之日∶十一日在鼻柱。十五日在遍身。
种痘之在调摄,最为紧要,自始至终,不可稍忽,如避寒热、慎饮食是也。天气严寒,
盖覆宜温暖,勿使受寒,恐被寒气所触,则痘不得出。亦不可过于重棉叠褥,使热气壅
滞,致痘不宣发。天气温暖,盖覆宜适中,恐客热与毒相并,致增烦热。亦不可轻易着单
露体,使寒邪外侵,阻遏生发之气。此寒热所以贵得其平也。人之气血,必藉饮食生化,
痘之始终,全赖贵此。若饮食亏少,气血何所资助乎?但不可过甚,若过饮,则饮停不
化津液;过食,则食滞必生痰热。所以吮乳之儿,不多乳、不阙乳;能食之儿,勿餐辛
热炙爆,勿啖粘硬生冷,勿恣意茶水,勿使饮凉浆,食不过饱,亦不过饥,此饮食所以
贵得其平也,至于寒热饮食之外。凡举止动作,既不可任意骄纵,亦不可过于拂逆,惟
在调摄之人,耐其性情,兢兢业业,善为保护。不但慎于既种之后,且当慎于未种之先;
不但慎之见苗之初,尤当慎之落痂之后。种痘者,宜谆谆告诫,务期详细,使彼知关系
匪轻,心存谨慎,如法调摄,始保万全。倘稍有不谨,以致小儿或为寒热所侵,或为饮
食所伤,咎将谁诿乎?此不知调摄者,所以断不可与种也。
On the day of inoculation, one must select auspicious days such as Cheng (Completion), Kai (Opening), Zai Zhong (Planting), and those blessed by the Heavenly Virtue (Tiande) and Monthly Virtue (Yuede). This is considered propitious. If these three categories cannot be fully met, then either a Cheng or Kai day is acceptable. However, if the day coincides with the location of the "Human Spirit" (Renshen), inoculation is taboo and should be avoided.
Auspicious Days for Inoculation:
Cheng Day, Kai Day, Zai Zhong Day.
Distribution of Tiande and Yuede Days:
For the 1st, 5th, and 9th months, it falls on Bing; for the 2nd, 6th, and 10th months, it falls on Jia; for the 3rd, 7th, and 11th months, it falls on Ren; for the 4th, 8th, and 12th months, it falls on Geng.
Days when the Human Spirit is located: On the 11th day, it is at the nasal bridge; on the 15th day, it is throughout the body.
Post-inoculation care and regulation are of utmost importance and must not be neglected from beginning to end, such as avoiding extreme cold and heat and being cautious with diet. When the weather is severely cold, coverings should be warm to prevent exposure to cold, lest the child be affected by cold qi, causing the variolae (pox) to fail to erupt. Conversely, one must not use excessively thick cotton or layered mattresses, which would cause heat qi to stagnate, preventing the variolae from venting and emerging. When the weather is warm, coverings should be moderate to avoid external pathogenic heat combining with the toxin, leading to increased irritability and heat. One must not lightly dress in thin clothes or expose the body, allowing cold pathogens to invade externally and obstruct the vital qi of generation. Thus, balancing cold and heat is prized. The body's Qi and Blood rely on food and drink for transformation and production; the entire course of the variolae depends entirely on this. If dietary intake is insufficient, where will the Qi and Blood find support? However, excess must also be avoided. Over-drinking leads to fluid retention that fails to transform into Jin Ye (body fluids); over-eating leads to food stagnation that generates Phlegm-Heat. Therefore, for infants nursing, milk frequency should not be excessive nor deficient; for children who can eat solid food, they should avoid pungent, hot, roasted, or fried foods, sticky, hard, or raw/cold foods, excessive tea drinking, and cold beverages. Meals should not be too full nor too hungry. This balance in diet is prized. Beyond temperature and diet, regarding movements and actions, one should neither indulge them arbitrarily nor oppose them excessively. It relies on the caregiver to tolerate the child's temperament, acting with diligence and caution to provide proper protection. Caution is required not only after inoculation but also before; not only when the rash first appears but especially after the scabs fall off. The inoculator should earnestly warn and explain in detail, ensuring the parents understand the gravity of the matter, maintain a cautious mindset, and follow regulatory methods strictly, thereby ensuring complete safety. If even slight negligence occurs, causing the child to be invaded by cold/heat or injured by diet, whose fault would it be? This is why those who do not understand the importance of post-care absolutely should not undergo inoculation.