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Mr. Ding Ganren was a famous physician of Menghe. Menghe was originally the cradle (academic center) of medicine, yet Mr. Ding stood out among them. His medical lineage continued to his great-grandson, Mr. Jiwan, without interruption, and the mantle was successfully inherited. Utilizing the essence obtained from the ancestral school's core methods, he categorized and compiled medical cases, making them public. He had been practicing in Shanghai for many years. In the summer of the Dingmao year, I wandered in Shanghai and met him; we felt like old friends upon first meeting. As expected, his reputation was well-deserved. By observing facial complexion and examining pulse, he cured diseases with a touch of his hand, bringing patients back to health. This was indeed due to his brilliant intelligence, akin to drinking the "water of Shangchi" (referring to Bian Que's ability to see through organs), inheriting the tradition of "Jujing Spring Fragrance" (symbolizing high medical skill and virtue), and extensively studying ancient medical texts. Subsequently, he showed me the medical cases compiled in the Sibushanfang Studio and requested that I write a preface for it.

Medicine as an art aims to save the world and revive the dying, yet people often regard it as mysterious and unfathomable, similar to the "mind seal" of Buddhism or the "oral secret" of Daoism, causing thousands of years of medical knowledge to be lost. Figures like Bian Que and Hua Tuo remain only in historical records, while their techniques have perished. Consequently, Western medicine rose to replace traditional Chinese medicine with its precise anatomy and rigorous research, leaving Chinese medicine seemingly lagging behind the times, which is truly lamentable! Witnessing this, Mr. Jiwan was moved and inspired. He revitalized his grandfather's insights, published them widely, established a unique school of thought, and set standards for future generations. He analyzed doubts and difficulties, corrected superficial contemporary practices, studied assiduously with painstaking effort, and sought to recover the national essence that had been lost. This reflects the charity of Christianity, the universal love of Mohism, and the Confucian concept of "Ren" (Benevolence), which means loving others.

There are successors to Mr. Ding Ganren who will guide through the ages, confirming this belief further.
Preface by Ma Fuxiang of Longyou, early days of the twelfth lunar month, Dingmao year.

Ancient formularies recorded include Changshang Jun's Secret Prescriptions, Ge Hong's *Zhouhou Beiji Fang* (Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies), Tao Hongjing's supplement to it, Sun Simiao's *Qianjin Fang* (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold), Hua Tuo's Qiyе Qingnian Powder, and collections like *Sunü Yujī Jinguì*. These fragments are as precious as auspicious feathers and single rays of light, treasured as secret manuals. Medicine having prescriptions is like officials having performance reviews, historians having critiques, poets having aesthetic judgments, and calligraphers having standards for evaluation. It serves to examine gains and losses, investigate benefits and harms, rather than merely valuing empty words for self-display. The *Rites of Zhou* stipulated that physicians were reviewed at year-end to determine their salary: perfect success was best, one failure in ten was next, two failures third, three failures fourth, and four failures worst. Such review essentially evaluated outcomes based on treatment plans. During the Song Dynasty, famous prescriptions were edited and distributed nationwide, detailing epidemic symptoms meticulously. In the Qingli era, Fan Zhongyan suggested gathering physicians from the capital to local regions for study to refine their skills, eliminating mediocrity and saving lives, thereby assisting governance. Their emphasis on medicine retained the spirit of the *Rites of Zhou*.

Medicine is a profound and specialized way. Patients entrust their lives to physicians; within a breath, life or death is decided. Hence the saying: "If not a good minister, then be a good doctor." Since the decline of society, academic rigor has faded, not just in medicine. Physicians fail to examine the dynamics of pulses, distinguish drug flavors, rely blindly on finger palpation under curtains, forget the subtle teachings of Fu Weng, focus on form over substance, follow conventions uncritically, and act unashamedly. I once visited markets where those claiming to be like He Huan (a legendary healer) or representing various schools operated. The better ones skimmed the surface; if they succeeded, they boasted; if they failed, they took no responsibility. Such individuals used clever tactics to gain fame quickly. The inferior ones groped in the dark, like a carpenter using a knife to cut ears—absurd. Those who wrote books based on experience to share with peers were rare, proving how difficult and valuable the medical path is.

I frequently heard of Mr. Ding Ganren while residing in Shanghai. Last summer, my chronic hematochezia worsened severely. Mr. Jin Xuecheng from Zhenhai advised me to seek treatment from Mr. Ding, praising his diagnostic precision. I visited him, but found he had finished consultations for the day. Days later, I received news of his passing. Our brief meeting became eternal; I regretted seeking his guidance too late. Later, I consulted his grandson, Mr. Jiwan. Within a month, my illness vanished. Mr. Jiwan’s learning stems from Mr. Ding. Having interacted frequently with Jiwan, I often thought of Mr. Ding, regretting not having studied directly under him. One day, Jiwan showed me the collected cases of Mr. Ding and asked for a preface. Reading it, I felt as if receiving Mr. Ding’s teachings personally. Corroborating with Mr. Jin’s accounts, the details matched perfectly, bringing great comfort to my long-held admiration. Medicine requires three generations of transmission to master and nine setbacks to perfect. Mr. Ding’s distinctiveness and Jiwan’s adherence to ancestral virtues are rare in recent times. The Ding family’s medical heritage is well-founded! When Bian Que treated diseases, after thirty days of medication, he could see through walls, similar to how scientists use X-rays to visualize internal organs and diagnose precisely. Are they not alike? Jiwan studies humbly and diligently, persevering relentlessly. He will soon rival ancient sages, not only promoting family learning but also revealing the essentials of this book. Regarding Mr. Ding’s diligent exploration of medical principles and his skill in saving lives, experts can speak of it sufficiently; no need for my superfluous words.
Preface by Shen Yuzhang of Xi, auspicious day of the eleventh lunar month, Dingmao year, written respectfully at Qiuping Cloud Chamber.