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According to *San Yin Fang*, there are four patterns of night crying in infants: one is cold, two is heat, three is double tongue or mouth sores, and four is Ke Wu (sudden fright from strange influences). In the cold pattern, the infant cries due to abdominal pain, with a cyan-white complexion, cold breath, a cold abdomen, and cries while bending the waist; this is the cold pattern. In the heat pattern, the infant cries with mental restlessness, a red face, dark urine, hot breath, a warm abdomen, sometimes sweating during crying, and cries while extending the body backward; this is the heat pattern. If it is double tongue or mouth sores, the infant wants to suckle but cannot, crying as soon as the lips touch the nipple, with slight fever on the body and forehead; one should immediately examine the mouth with a lamp. If there are no sores, the tongue must be double. Ke Wu refers to crying triggered by seeing strangers, where external pathogenic qi offends the body; treatment should follow the specific pattern.

Zeng stated that night crying includes night crying due to fright-heat, night crying due to heart-heat, night crying due to cold hernia, and night crying due to accidentally offending spiritual entities, detailed as follows. Fright-heat arises from thick clothing or sitting too long in a very warm place, causing stuffiness and vexation, allowing pathogenic heat to attack the Heart. The Heart governs the Spirit; when the Spirit is disordered, fright occurs. Since the Heart and Small Intestine are exterior-interior partners, the infant cries, weeps, and enures. The treatment method is to reduce heat and calm the Heart to restore peace, using Bai Jie San (for acute fright), Niubang Tang (for throat conditions), or San Jie San (for tidal fever). Heart-heat manifests as intensified crying under light, a red face, and excessive tears, with relief in darkness. Fire belongs to Yang; when Heart-heat meets fire, two Yangs clash, causing intense crying upon seeing light. As the classics state, "Rapid fire generates wind, which brings rain," illustrating this principle. One should cool the Heart and calm the Spirit, using Bai Jie San or Wu Ling San (both for fright) plus Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix) and Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), decocted in water. Subsequently, treat with Niubang Tang, San Jie San, and Hupo Baolong Wan (for fright). Some infants cry excessively and sleep little from dusk until midnight, continuing until dawn. This is cold contracted in the womb; at night, Yin prevails and Yang is weak, leading to a curved waist, sweating on the forehead, tearless eyes, a bright white complexion with cyan tinges, prone crying, and symptoms resembling Pan Chang Nei Diao (intestines coiling inward), named Cold Hernia. The treatment is to eliminate old cold and warm the Lower Jiao, using Baishao Yao Tang (for hernia), Wumei San (for abdominal pain), and Chonghe Yin (for cold damage) plus salt-fried Zhuyu (Euodiae Fructus) and Huixiang (Foeniculi Fructus), decocted with ginger and water. Diaoteng Gao is also effective.

Accidentally offending spiritual entities presents with a purple-black complexion, Qi stagnation resembling anger, fearful cries, startles during sleep, holding the mother tightly, and incessant loud crying. This results from offending taboo spirits or being invaded by evil influences. Infants see things but cannot speak, only crying in fright without end, with hidden finger veins. Thus, *Yuhuan Ji* states: "Suddenly the hands appear formless, surely knowing the evil spirit was offended." The treatment first releases the exterior, using Bai Jie San (for fright), then expels evil and calms the Heart, using Suhexiang Wan (for Ke Wu) and Hupo Baolong Wan (for fright), which will be effective.

Wang Yanshan quoted Master Shuijing: "The sky is vast, the earth is great, clear the hall to dispel the infant's night crying." He also said: "Crying without wailing is vexation; wailing without crying is agitation." *Wugu Fu* says: "Crying much at night resembles possession." For newborns crying day and night as if possessed, some say heat is in the Heart, treating with anticonvulsants and purgatives; others say cold stays in the Zang-Fu, treating with warming agents. Physicians should observe and treat accordingly. If the infant cries with a protruding chest, head retracted backward, and aversion to light, it indicates Heat in the Heart Meridian, suitable for purgation, treating with Sanhuang Wan or Xixin San plus Dengxincao (Junci Medulla) and Maidongzi (Ophiopogonis Semen). If the infant cries with the head down, body curved, eyes closed, and tight abdomen, it indicates Cold retained in the Zang-Fu, suitable for warming, treating with Weifeng Tang plus Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma) decocted, which is effective. If the pattern is unrecognized, use fourteen intact Cicada Sloughs (Chan Tui), remove the large legs, powder them, add one zi of Zhusha (Cinnabar), mix with honey, and apply to the lips for immediate effect.

Xue Ji stated that night crying has two types: Spleen-Cold and Heart-Heat. Night belongs to Yin; when Yin prevails, Spleen-Cold intensifies. The Spleen is Supreme Yin, preferring warmth and detesting cold. Cold causes abdominal pain, leading to crying with a bent waist. Symptoms include a cyan-white complexion, cold hands/abdomen, and anorexia; this is also called Fetal Cold, treated with Diaoteng San. If crying intensifies under light, it is Heart-Heat. The Heart belongs to Fire; seeing light generates internal vexation-heat, two Yangs clash, leading to backward-extending crying. Symptoms include a red face, warm hands/abdomen, and hot breath, treated with Daochi San. If the complexion is white with small black pupils, it indicates Kidney-Qi deficiency, crying at night due to Yin deficiency, treated with Liuwei Wan. If accompanied by diarrhea and refusal to nurse, it is Spleen-Kidney deficiency, treated with Liushen San. If accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, and poor appetite, it is Spleen-Stomach deficiency-cold, treated with Liujun Zi Tang and Pao Muxiang (Aucklandiae Radix). If stool is undigested with poor appetite and abdominal distension, it is Spleen-Qi deficiency, treated with Yigong San. For Heart-Blood deficiency, use Mizhi Anshen Wan. For Wood-Fire conflict, use Chaihu Zhizi San. For Liver-Blood deficiency, use Dihuang Wan. Generally, this condition may result from fluid loss due to vomiting/diarrhea, congenital Kidney-Yin insufficiency failing to nourish Liver-Wood, or maternal anger causing Liver-Fire insulting Metal. One should use Liujun Zi Tang to tonify Spleen-Earth to generate Lung-Metal, and Dihuang Wan to strengthen Kidney-Water to nourish Liver-Wood. If caused by maternal depression, use Jiawei Guipi Tang. If caused by maternal sudden anger, use Jiawei Xiaochaihu Tang. If maternal Heart-Liver heat conflicts, use Chaihu Zhizi San. Refer also to discussions on Ke Wu and fright crying.

*Xin Jian* treats night crying in infants within 120 days after birth using 49 Cicada Sloughs, removing the anterior segment, using the posterior segment, powdering it, dividing into four doses, and administering with Diaoteng Tang.

*Puji Ben Shi Fang* Chan Hua San treats incessant night crying in infants, resembling ghost possession. Use the lower half of Cicada Slough as powder, one zi dose, mixed with Bohe Tang (Menthae Haplocalycis Herba Decoction) and a little wine. Those who do not believe may use the upper half powder mixed with the same decoction, which will cause crying to resume. The ancients' prescription methods hold mysteries unknown to us.