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Xin Jian (Mirror of the Heart) states: Ancient medical texts record that when a newborn infant first lands after birth, they are administered Calomel (Mercurous Chloride), Cinnabar, White Honey, and Coptis Rhizome to expel fetal toxins. People nowadays mostly follow this practice, unaware that modern people's constitutional endowment and nurturing methods differ from those of the ancients. These medicines are substances that damage the Spleen and deplete Yang Qi. If given to infants, they will inevitably lead to various strange syndromes later in life. It is only appropriate to decoct Light Fermented Soybean (Dan Dou Chi) into a thick liquid and feed the infant three or five mouthfuls; the toxins will naturally be expelled, and it can also assist in nourishing Spleen Qi and digesting milk and food. However, the methods of the ancients should not ultimately be obscured. Many people today use them with effect, or at least not as severely as described in Xin Jian. The following lists these methods in order.

Zhang Huan says: On the first day after an infant is born, once the umbilical cord is cut and the swaddling clothes are arranged, observe the infant's complexion and form. If the face is ruddy and red, and the crying sound is loud and brisk, the Calomel method is suitable. After some time, if umbilical feces are discharged, it is a good sign. Next, use the Licorice Root method, then the Cinnabar-Honey method. Temporarily, one must again look at the complexion and form. If the face is mostly cyan-white and the crying sound is not loud, there is no need to administer medicine; instead, use the Calculus Bovis method. Ancient prescriptions also include the Coptis Rhizome method, Leek Juice method, and Pig Milk method. One should choose the appropriate method based on whether the infant is cold or hot, timid or robust.

Licorice Root Method: Use good quality Yuanzhou Licorice Root (Gancao), about the length of one middle finger joint, crush it, add two shell-sized portions of water, and decoct until one shell-sized portion remains. Wrap cotton around a finger, dip it in the liquid, and let the infant suckle. If foul fluid is vomited out, it is auspicious. If one shell-sized portion is taken without vomiting, there is no need to take more. Regardless of whether the infant is deficient, excess, cold, or hot, this must be administered. (The Emergency Handbook [Zhouhou Fang] states: Administer again after vomiting; after two doses stop vomiting, ensure a full unit [he] is consumed.) Xue Shi pre-cut a small amount of fine Licorice Root, wrapped it in cotton before delivery, kept it warm by covering a cup of boiling water, and upon delivery, used soft cotton-wrapped fingers dipped in Licorice Root juice to wipe the infant's mouth, followed by the Coptis Rhizome method and the Cinnabar-Honey method.

Coptis Rhizome Method: The Collection of Proven Prescriptions [Jiyan Fang] records that foul fluid remaining in the chest and diaphragm of a newborn causes obstruction, easily leading to accumulated heat, fright convulsions, sores, and boils. Use several pieces of good quality fat Coptis Rhizome (Huanglian), pound them, wrap them in cotton like a nipple shape, soak them in hot water until the liquid turns yellow, pinch out one or two drops into the infant's mouth, and the foul fluid will naturally discharge, making milk and food taste better. If not fully discharged, use empty cotton to soak Coptis Rhizome separately, then alternate with Cinnabar-Honey. Hai Zang Formula: Pure Coptis Rhizome one qian, one cup of water, decoct beforehand. When the infant is born but has not yet cried, administer immediately to remove foul matter and umbilical stool from the abdomen, and to resolve accumulated heat and toxins in the womb. This prevents sores for life and cures diseases such as neonatal tetanus (Umbilical Wind).

Leek Juice Method: The Materia Medica [Bencao] states: For a newborn, instill leek root juice, which will cause the expulsion of foul water. The Holy Benefit Formulas [Shenghui Fang] state: After the Licorice Root method, soak leek seeds in warm water to extract juice, apply to the infant's lips. Reapply when dry, stop after several times, ensuring it does not enter the mouth.

Cinnabar-Honey Method: Take good quality Cinnabar (Zhusha) the size of a large soybean, grind finely, process by water flotation (shui fei), mix with one shell-sized portion of refined red honey, adjusting consistency to form a paste. Each time, use a bean-sized amount, dissolve in breast milk, and drip into the infant's mouth occasionally. Within three days, limit to three grains. Temporarily check the complexion; if the face is mostly cyan-white and crying is weak, do not administer.

Calculus Bovis Method: The Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold [Qianjin Fang] states: After the Cinnabar-Honey method, administer Calculus Bovis (Niuhuang). Not only does it benefit the Liver and Gallbladder, clear heat, stabilize spirit, stop fright, and repel evil qi, but it also eliminates hundred diseases. Zhang Huan's method: One piece of genuine Calculus Bovis, mixed with refined honey into a paste. Each dose is bean-sized, dissolved in milk, and dripped into the mouth. Infants with insubstantial complexion/form should not take much. If the infant has fetal heat or yellowish body color, it is suitable to take more.

Calomel Method: Zhang Huan's formula: For infants with ruddy/red faces and loud/brisk cries, use half a qian of Calomel (Gongfen), letting the infant suckle slowly. After a while, if umbilical feces are discharged, it is auspicious. Baojian uses Silver Powder (Yinfen) applied to the upper and lower lips and both cheeks, then feed Cinnabar-Honey.

Pig Milk Method: From birth until one month old, frequently dripping pig milk into the infant's mouth is good. When a piglet is nursing, lift its hind legs off the teat and squeeze urgently to obtain milk.

Umbilical Cord Method: Use the umbilical cord dropped by the infant itself, bake dry on tiles, powder it, add Cinnabar (Chensha), Coptis Rhizome, and Licorice Root, each powdered to five fen, mix evenly with honey. Apply to the mother's nipple in three to five doses, waiting for the infant to swallow. Ensure all is swallowed within one day and night. The next day, all foul toxins will exit via stool. In the future, not only will smallpox/variolae be sparse, but some may not develop it at all. Once the umbilical cord falls off, immediately apply this method; doing so between the sixth and seventh days is optimal. The Cinnabar must be ground to an extremely fine powder and processed by floating in Licorice Root decoction (guo fei); it is harmless to take. This formula detoxifies and nourishes. The umbilical cord is the "Heche" (Placenta) of initial life, connected to the Mother Gate (Mingmen) of the mother, governed by the two Kidneys. Thus, it uses Kidney to tonify Kidney. Once the Kidney is sufficient, pathogens cannot invade, preventing future syndromes of blackening returning to the Kidney and fontanelle non-closure. Protecting one child protects one child; truly the best method for preservation of life.

Clothing Storage Method (i.e., Placenta): Cui Shi says: Wash the infant's placenta with clear water, avoiding sand, soil, or grass contamination. Wash again with clear wine, place a copper coin inside the clothing/placenta, put it in a new bottle, wrap the bottle mouth with green cotton, seal tightly, and place in a convenient spot for three days. Then, according to the auspicious lunar date, bury it three chi deep in a sunny, high, and dry place. Pile earth seven chi seven cun thick on the bottle, compact firmly, to grant the infant longevity and intelligence. If not careful, and it is eaten by pigs or dogs, it causes madness. Eaten by insects or ants, it causes malignant sores. Eaten by dogs or birds, it causes death by war. Near shrine temples, it causes hallucinations. Near deep dirty pools, it causes drowning. Near old stoves, it causes fright. Near wells, it causes deafness and blindness. Discarded on roads or alleys, it causes extinction of lineage. Facing the door, it causes voice loss and deafness. Flowing downstream, it causes amblyopia. Discarded in fire, it causes rotting sores. Buried in tree trunks, it causes strangulation. These taboos must be observed carefully. Bury on days of Tian De (Heavenly Virtue) and Yue Kong (Monthly Emptiness) (In the first month, Tian De is Ding, Yue Kong is Bing/Ren; see official almanacs for others). If encountering Fan Zhi (Reverse Branch) days, hang it outside the house at the Fu De (Fortune and Virtue) altar in a sunny, high, dry place. Wait until the month passes, then bury according to the method; this is auspicious. Born on Jia/Yi days, store on Bing/Ding days. Born on Bing/Ding days, store on Wu/Ji days. Born on Wu/Ji days, store on Geng/Xin days. Born on Geng/Xin days, store on Ren/Gui days; auspicious.

Head Shaving Method: The Collection of Proven Prescriptions [Jiyan Fang] states: A child's first head shave is not done on a specific day, but always on the full-month day, as per custom. The mother has not yet left her room, so she comes out with the infant on the full-month day. It is believed that lanugo hair is filthy and evil, offending the Kitchen God, causing infant unrest. Therefore, shaving the head on this day is mandatory before coming out. Whenever shaving the head, do so in a warm, wind-sheltered place. After shaving, take three almonds, remove skin and tips, grind finely, add three mint leaves, grind together, add three or four drops of raw sesame oil, mix with Nifen (likely Zinc Oxide or similar powder), and rub on the head to ward off wind pathogenic factors, preventing sores, scabies, and heat toxins. Subsequent children should also use this method.

Supplementary Formulas
[Ha] Baishou San (Hundred Longevity Powder): Used for infants under one month old; ensures no sores or scabies in old age.
Coptis Rhizome (one liang), Cinnabar (one qian).
Decoct in water. Have an old woman wipe the infant's saliva clean, then administer. Pour the remaining medicine into a basin to bathe the infant, and rub over the whole body; excellent.
Luxi [Cranial Fontanelle]: Give Pinghe Yinzi (Peaceful Decoction) on the first day of birth. ([Zhimi]: Give to the mother three days after birth.)
Ginseng Radix, Poria, Licorice Root, Cimicifugae Rhizome (each two qian five fen).
One cup of water, decoct to one he and a half. Administer occasionally. The nursing mother must avoid greasy food. At one month and one hundred days, if there is external cold, add Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome; if heat, add Natrii Sulfas (Xiao); each half a qian.