觀音義疏 2.12

2.12

又為二：一、求男，二、求女。文云：「女人求男，若是無子則絕嗣，有子則父母俱欣。」云何獨標女人求男耶？解者或云：「女厭女身，非求子也。」又解：「女性多愛，欣子偏重。」故標女人。今解女人以無子為苦，夫之所棄、並婦所輕、旁人所笑。又，婦有七失，六猶可忍，無子最劇：容惡、性妬、不能事公、姑、貪食、無子、拙。無子既苦，故以標女人求男也。

This again has two parts: first, seeking a boy; second, seeking a girl. The text says: 'A woman seeking a boy: if there is no son, the lineage is cut off; if there is a son, both parents rejoice.' Why does it specifically designate a woman seeking a boy? Commentators sometimes say: 'The woman is weary of the female body, not seeking a child.' Another explanation says: 'The female nature has much affection, and joy in children is especially heavy.' Hence it designates a woman. We now explain: a woman takes being childless as suffering—she is abandoned by her husband, slighted by co-wives, and mocked by onlookers. Furthermore, a wife has seven faults; six can still be endured, but being childless is the most severe: bad appearance, jealous disposition, inability to serve parents-in-law, greed for food, childlessness, and clumsiness. Since childlessness is indeed suffering, it therefore designates a woman seeking a boy.