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The *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) states: When Shen spirit (Divine Spirit/Mental Activity) is in excess, laughter will not cease. It further states: In the Zang organs, it corresponds to the Heart; in the Five Sounds (Shouting, Laughing, Singing, Crying, Groaning), it corresponds to Laughter; in the Five Emotions (Anger, Joy, Pensive thought, Sorrow, Fear), it corresponds to Joy. It also states: Excessive Fire is termed "He Xi" (describing the majestic and blazing intensity of fire). In years governed by this phase, diseases manifest as playful chatter, madness, and abnormal behavior. It is also stated that the Shao Yin meridian governs joy and laughter. Furthermore, when Jing essence (Essence) converges in the Heart, joy arises. These statements all indicate that such conditions belong to Heart Fire. Treatment should first employ Xie Xin Tang (Drain the Heart Decoction) to clear Heart Fire, followed by Liu Wei Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia) to nourish Kidney Water. This aligns with what Taipu (Wang Bing) described as "Strengthening the Master of Water to control the Yang brilliance." Bian Que stated: If the patient's lips and mouth are red, the condition is treatable; if they are cyan or black, it is a death sign. If Kidney Water is depleted and fails to restrain Heart Fire, resulting in incessant laughter and gradually developing signs of mental unrest, Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia) should be used. If Liver Wood is excessive and upwardly invades Heart Fire, causing incessant laughter, Chai Hu Qing Gan San (Bupleurum Liver-Clearing Powder) is indicated. For other concurrent syndromes, treatment should be combined according to their respective categories.

Tracing clothes and grasping at empty air (involuntary finger movements grasping at bedding or void space) are caused by Liver Heat, malnourishment of sinews and vessels, blood depletion, and the stirring of internal Wind, leading to the fingers curling and grasping. Persistent administration of Liu Wei Wan is appropriate, occasionally yielding miraculous recovery. There are cases due to Spleen Deficiency with Liver Overacting on the Spleen, treated with Liu Jun Zi Tang (Six Gentlemen Decoction) plus Gou Teng (Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis) and Quan Xie Shao (Scorpio tail tip). For excess heat in the Liver channel, Xie Qing Wan (Drain the Green Pill) is used. Generally, tracing clothes and grasping at empty air represent a deteriorating stage of disease; true excess heat accounts for less than one in ten cases. Xu Shuwei stated: Tracing clothes and grasping at empty air indicate that Shen spirit is deficient and lacks mastery; without large doses of Du Shen Tang (Single Ginseng Decoction) or Bao Yuan Tang (Protect the Origin Decoction), vitality cannot be restored. For deficiency-cold patterns, Shi Quan Da Bu Tang (Ten Significant Tonifying Decoction), Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang (Ginseng Nourishing Blood Decoction), or Da Jian Zhong Tang (Great Establish the Middle Decoction) are used for warming and tonification. However, some cases are caused by extreme heat in the Pericardium. Wang Haizang treated a case of blood loss where the patient traced clothes, grasped at the bed, waved hands, shook head, spoke confusedly, and lost consciousness. The pulse was wiry, floating, and deficient. This indicated blood loss leading to internal dryness and extreme heat, accompanied by coarse breathing and dry nose, which is difficult to treat. Sheng Di Huang Huang Lian Tang (Rehmannia and Coptis Decoction) was prescribed.

Sun Simiao said: When an infant is born, if the crying sound is continuous and uninterrupted, longevity is indicated. If the sound ceases and then rises abruptly and urgently, life is short. Scattered crying indicates failure to mature. Deep crying also indicates failure to mature. Absence of blood in the umbilicus is good. A small umbilicus indicates failure to mature. A body soft as if boneless indicates short life. Bright white skin and large size indicate longevity. Eyes naturally open at birth indicate failure to mature. Eyes looking askance with frequent movement are very unfavorable. Sweating blood indicates danger and short life. Absence of sweating indicates failure to mature. Urine congealing like paste indicates failure to mature. Four cracks on the head indicate failure to mature. Constant shaking of hands and feet indicates failure to mature. Whorls on the forehead indicate early nobility but harm to parents. Incomplete occipital bone development leads to death after speech. Incomplete sacral bone development leads to death after squatting. Incomplete palmar bone development leads to death after crawling. Incomplete calcaneal bone development leads to death after walking. Incomplete patellar bone development leads to death after standing. Inability to control the body results in death. Fish-like eyes result in death. Lack of flesh between the thighs results in death. Broken chin results in death. Non-erect genitals result in death. White scrotum results in death. Red scrotum results in death. Testicular seams reaching black and transparency indicate longevity. Infants who are unusually perceptive and agile in childhood often die young, becoming figures like Xiang Tuo or Yan Hui in adulthood. Regarding pediatric skeletal morphology, those with dignified demeanor, slow and graceful movements, requiring considerable effort to cultivate, live long. Those who anticipate others' thoughts and move quickly die young, becoming figures like Yang Xiu or Kong Rong.

Zhang Jiebin stated: The causes of longevity or brevity of life in children are twofold: constitution (Bing Fu) and upbringing (Fu Yang). Constitution is the root of the fetal origin, receiving Jing Qi from parents. Upbringing refers to the regulation of cold and warmth in the living environment, and the appropriateness of dietary intake regarding hunger and satiety. Children of young parents are often frail because sexual activity is frequent and essence is sparse. Children of older parents are often robust because sexual activity is infrequent and essence is preserved. Men who drink excessively often have offspring that do not survive, as alcohol dampness disturbs essence, making it impure and prone to damp-heat. Men with excessive desires often have offspring that do not survive, as lack of restraint during pregnancy depletes maternal Yin and steals the Qi nourishing the fetus. Additionally, factors such as hunger/satiety, labor/rest, and the Seven Emotions and Six Evils all play a role; these constitute constitution. Regarding upbringing, folk wisdom says, "To keep a child safe, keep them slightly hungry and cold." This view is imprecise. Allowing slight hunger prevents overeating, which damages the Spleen and causes disease; thus, slight hunger is acceptable. However, "cold" is critical. Children have unformed Qi and Blood and tender skin, differing vastly from adults. How can they endure cold? I have seen newborns suffer convulsions due to midwives' negligence allowing Wind-Cold invasion, often leading to death. As they grow, fever is common; mild cases present as nasal congestion and cough, severe cases as Pediatric Taiyang Disease. Unskilled pediatricians mislabel these as "Bian Zheng" (metamorphic eruption) and administer drugs, causing death. Cold damaging the Zang organs causes vomiting and diarrhea; cold generating heat causes convulsions and Gan syndrome. Most variations stem from external pathogens. Although strong children resist Wind-Cold, they are only one-third; weak children are two-thirds. Thirty percent suffer heat damage; seventy percent suffer cold damage. Moreover, temperament differs between rich and poor families. Physicians who fail to observe and merely attack heat upon seeing fever, while infants cannot speak and families cannot distinguish symptoms, leave fate to chance, which is lamentable. Another erroneous theory claims children are "Pure Yang" bodies and should be treated with cooling agents. Wang Jiezhai argued against kidney tonification in children, stating male kidneys fill only at sixteen; before fullness, tonification is unnecessary, and if congenitally deficient, it cannot be supplemented. This is flawed. "Pure Yang" in children means Yin is undeveloped, indicating Kidney Deficiency. Parental excess desire leads to water deficiency, also Kidney Deficiency. Without supplementing insufficient Yin, Yin extinction leads to the extinction of solitary Yang. How can it be said there is nothing to supplement? Qian Yi's Liu Wei Di Huang Wan specifically treats pediatric Kidney Deficiency manifesting as Jie Lu (delayed closure of fontanelles) due to pure Yang lacking Yin. It derives from Cui Shi Ba Wei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill from Cui's Formulas) but removes Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig) and Fu Zi (Aconite Root) to solely tonify Kidney Water. Only Xue Li Zhai understood this principle; unfortunately, most contemporary physicians have not realized it.