夫人之生也，秉两大以成形，藉阴阳而赋命，是故头圆象天，足方象地，五行运于内，一曜明于外。乃至
精神魂魄，知觉灵明，何者，非阴阳之造就，与气化相盛衰。然天地之气化有古今，斯赋禀由之分浓薄。上古
元气浑庞，太和洋溢，八风正而寒暑调，六气匀而雨 若，人情敦茂，物类昌明，当是之时，有情无情，悉归
于浓，非物之浓，由气浓也；及开辟既久，人物繁植，发泄过伤，攘窃天元，雕残太朴，世风渐下，人性浇漓，
故水旱有不时之扰，流灾有比户之侵，生物不蕃，民用目促。值此之际，有知无知咸归于薄，非物之薄，由气
薄也。然则今之受气于父母者，其不能不薄也可知矣。况有膏藜异养，贵贱殊形，医术称仁，顾可视为不经
之务。夫膏粱者，形乐气散，心荡神浮，口厌甘肥，身安华屋，颐养过浓，身质娇柔，而且珠翠盈前，娆妍列
侍，纵熊罴之叶梦，难桂柏以参天。复有痴由贪起，利令智昏者；有雪案萤窗，刳心喷血者；有粟陈贯朽，握
算持筹，不觉形衰气痿者；有志高命蹇，妄念钻营，以致心倦神疲者。凡此耗本伤元，胚胎之植，安保其深根
固蒂也！乃若藜藿之家，形劳志一，愿足心安，守盖廪瓶仓，对荆钗裙布，乃其神志无伤，反得胎婴自固，以
此较彼，得失判然矣。若夫怒伤元气，劳役形骸，迅雷烈风，严寒酷暑，日月薄蚀，病体初安，醉饱伤神，落
红未净，胎孕之由斯愈
薄，实又成于人所不觉者，故今之禀受，十有九虚，究其所因，多半率由于是。
业斯道者，当知气化浓薄，人事浇醇，因以察其胎元之受于父母者之盛衰坚脆，庶几近焉。若但以上古成
方，而治今时薄弱，胶柱鼓瑟，究归无当，泥而不通，未可以言达于理也。
人生在世，禀受天地阴阳二气而构成形体，依靠阴阳来赋予生命。因此头部圆润象征天，脚部方正象征地，五行之气在体内运行，日月星辰的光芒在体外显现。至于精神、魂、魄、知、觉等灵明特性，哪一样不是由阴阳所造就，并与气化过程的盛衰变化相适应呢？然而天地之间的气化作用有古今之别，所以人先天禀赋的厚薄也就由此区分。
上古时期元气浑厚庞杂，太和之气充盈洋溢，八方之风端正，寒暑调节适宜，六气均匀，雨水适时，人情淳朴茂盛，万物昌盛光明。在那个时候，无论有情识还是无情识的生命，都归于禀赋浓厚，并非事物本身浓厚，而是由于气候之气浓厚；等到天地开辟时间长久，人口和生物繁衍增多，过度发泄损伤元气，掠夺了天元的精华，破坏了原始的纯朴状态，社会风气逐渐下降，人性变得浮薄不诚，所以水旱灾害不时发生扰乱，流寇灾祸家家户户遭受侵袭，生物不能繁盛，百姓生活日益窘迫紧迫。处于这种时代，无论有知识还是无知识的人，都归于禀赋薄弱，并非事物本身薄弱，而是由于气候之气薄弱。那么现在从父母那里接受气的人，其禀赋不能不薄弱是可以知道的。
况且还有富贵与贫贱不同的养育方式，贵贱有不同的形态，医术号称仁爱，怎么可以视为无关紧要的事务呢？那些吃精细食物（膏粱）的人，身体安逸但气机涣散，心神动荡漂浮，口中厌倦甘甜肥腻之物，身体安处于华丽屋舍，保养过于浓厚，体质娇柔，而且面前珠翠满盈，妖娆美女侍奉左右，即使像熊罴那样纵欲享乐，也难以像桂树柏树那样参天生长。又有因贪婪而起痴愚，因利益使智慧昏乱的人；有在雪夜萤窗下苦读，呕心沥血的人；有粮食陈腐、铜钱朽烂，整天算计筹谋，不知不觉形体衰弱、气机痿弱的人；有志向高远但命运坎坷，妄念钻营，导致心力疲倦、精神疲乏的人。所有这些耗损根本、伤害元气的情况，对于胚胎的种植，怎么能保证根深蒂固呢！
至于吃粗劣食物（藜藿）的家庭，身体劳累但意志专一，愿望满足内心安宁，守着简陋的盖廪瓶仓，穿着荆钗布裙，他们的精神意志没有受到损伤，反而使得胎婴自然稳固。以此与彼相比，得失差别明显了。至于发怒损伤元气，劳役损害形体，迅雷烈风，严寒酷暑，日月蚀亏，病体刚刚安定，醉酒后饱食损伤神气，产后恶露未净等情况，都会使胎孕的禀受更加薄弱，实际上又是在人们不知不觉中形成的，所以现在禀受先天之气的人，十有八九是虚弱的，究其成因，多半都是由于这些原因。
从事医学这一行当的人，应当知道气化作用的厚薄，人事风俗的浇薄与淳厚，从而观察其胎元从父母那里接受的盛衰坚脆程度，这样就差不多接近真理了。如果只用上古的成方，来治疗当今时人体质薄弱的情况，拘泥固执不知变通，终究是不恰当的，拘泥不通达，不可以说是通晓医理。
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.