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Yin and Yang, along with the Five Phases (Wu Xing), are interwoven and complex, alternating in their functions. When Qi exhibits excess, the therapeutic principle lies in supporting the righteous Qi and suppressing pathogenic factors. This involves assessing the severity and urgency of the condition, balancing excess, tonifying deficiency, correcting deviation, and remedying dysfunction. One must examine minute details and guide treatment through subtle gaps; this is indeed extremely difficult.

Mr. Ding Ganren came from a prestigious medical lineage in Menghe and was an esteemed teacher in Shanghai (Xiepu). His profound foundation and rich experience need not be elaborated upon. His grandson, Ding Jiwan, compiled his late father's medical cases into a volume and prepared it for printing, seeking a preface from me. I smiled and said, "This is akin to peering at the sky through a tube or measuring the sea with a gourd dipper—using limited insight to fathom the vast." Nevertheless, I have had the opportunity to consult jointly with Mr. Ding. I observed his humility, willingness to suppress his own ego, and steadfast perseverance, which commanded respect. Now, reading his surviving medical cases, I am convinced that his learning truly enabled him to clearly understand Yin and thoroughly penetrate Yang. By balancing excess, tonifying deficiency, correcting deviation, and remedying dysfunction, he has benefited future generations of learners. Only one with a profound foundation and rich experience could achieve such mastery.

Written respectfully by Wang Zhongqi of Gushui, October of the Dingmao Year.

I have known Mr. Ganren for many years. He once said, "The Dao cannot be practiced without Shu (skill/methods)." Although I had heard this before, I harbored doubts, privately believing that quack doctors sometimes conceal their strengths to extort heavy fees. Medicine, though considered a minor art, entrusts the lives of patients; life and death hang in the balance, leaving no room for delay. Where can "Shu" (manipulation/skill) be applied? Mr. Ding replied, "There is a reason for this." In ancient times, Bian He presented a fine jade lump to the King of Chu, who mistook it for common stone. After three presentations were rejected, Bian He’s feet were cut off. Similarly, when the King of Qi enjoyed playing the Yu (a pipe instrument), Yongmenzi stood at the palace gate holding his qin (zither) for three years without being seen. Yongmenzi’s zither skills were excellent, but what could he do if the King did not appreciate them? Establishing trust through deep conversation when relationships are shallow is difficult. Moreover, in moments of life and death, if one seeks rapid results by administering harsh remedies, the patient will fear; if one opens up intimately without prior acquaintance, the patient will suspect. Suspicion and fear mutually obstruct; even with prescriptions from a master physician, they may ultimately be discarded. Alas! This is why Bian He and Yongmenzi felt heartbroken. It is said that ancient skilled physicians were called "He" and "Huan." "He" implies no harsh or drastic remedies; "Huan" implies no hasty or urgent effects. The methods used to avoid patient suspicion and fear, thereby strengthening their confidence, lie here. This is why He and Huan became famous, and this constitutes their "Shu." Thus spoke Mr. Ding, revealing what he valued. Alas! Since the Four Masters of Jin and Yuan, each adhered to one aspect of Zhang Zhongjing’s teachings, leading to mutual contradiction and the rise of divergent theories, causing the loss of orthodox lineage. From Ye Tianshi and Xue Yue onwards, the tradition nearly faded into obscurity. Mr. Ding was deeply concerned by this. Whenever consulted, he established guidelines based on the Six Channels (Jing Luo), always striving to align with ancient principles. Therefore, in his medical cases: for Chest Bi (Chest Impediment), he used Gualou Xiebai Decoction; for Water Qi (Edema/Water Retention), he used Ephedra, Aconite, and Licorice Decoction; for blood disorders presenting with black discoloration, he used Aconite and Poria Decoction; for cold-damp diarrhea, he used Peach Kernel Decoction; for damp-heat, he used Coptis Decoction; for Yangming Fu organ Qi not yet solidified, he used White Tiger Decoction; for Stomach Fullness, he used Regulate the Stomach Chengqi Decoction; for jaundice, he used Gardenia and Phellodendron Bark Decoction; for Yin Jaundice, he used Aconite. Although the dosages were often light, and sometimes ineffective for severe conditions, requiring five or six doses to achieve slight improvement, this was precisely Mr. Ding’s "Dao" and "Shu," employed to alleviate patient suspicion and fear. Since Mr. Ding passed away last year, his grandson Jiwan intends to publish these cases and asked for a preface. Being straightforward by nature, I prefer to keep my insights like Bian He’s jade or Yongmenzi’s zither, waiting for true appreciation, rather than betray Mr. Ding’s legacy. Thus, I briefly outline the general principles so that readers of his cases may verify them.

Preface respectfully written by Cao Jiada (Yingfu), November of the winter of the Dingmao Year.