Library

I once read the *Rites of Zhou* (Zhou Li), which records that physicians in charge of diseases (Ji Yi) managed the illnesses of all people, nourishing their conditions with five grains and five medicines. They assessed life and death by observing five colors, five qi, and five sounds, combining this with changes in the nine orifices and movements of the five zang organs to identify medical conditions. Since the duties of physicians were subordinate to the Heavenly Officials, medicine was specialized at that time. In later generations, the state had no dedicated officials, and families had no specialized learning. The teachings of Qibo and Wupeng long lost their true essence. Although their texts were transmitted, they were mostly forgeries or additions by later authors. Only Zhang Zhongjing's *Treatise on Cold Damage* (Shanghan Lun) from the Han Dynasty remained the unabolished ancestor for thousands of years. However, its chapters, sentences, and volumes were somewhat scattered and disordered. Since Wang Shuhe and Cheng Wuji successively rearranged the text arbitrarily and added annotations, creating contradictions and forced interpretations, the original meaning of Zhang Zhongjing became obscure for the first time. When Zhu Gong (Fengyi Dafu) compiled the *Book of Living People* (Huoren Shu), and Wang Shuhe edited the *Song of Hundred Symptoms* (Baizheng Ge), summarizing vaguely, the original meaning of Zhang Zhongjing became obscure for the second time. Even books such as *Quan Sheng Ji*, *Yun Yao*, and *Zhun Sheng* were regarded as guides by scholars, yet none could fully deduce their profundity, causing the original meaning of Zhang Zhongjing to remain ultimately obscure throughout the world.

Recently, my friend Mr. Yu Jiayan (Yu Chang), lamenting the fragmented nature of popular opinions and mourning the overgrowth of the orthodox lineage, selected Fang Youzhi's *Tiao Bian* (Analysis of Clauses), re-examined and explained it, and composed the *Shang Lun Pian* (Further Discussion Chapters). This made the original meaning of Zhang Zhongjing clear as if arranged like eyebrows, finally allowing the obscured meaning to cease being permanently hidden. In the autumn of the Jiachen year, my junior relative, Mr. Zhang Luyu from my family, passed through Loudong and showed me his two treatises titled *Zuan Xu*. Its main gist is based on the book of Zhang Zhongjing, rearranged into a new sequence, integrating the words of hundreds of schools from ancient and modern times, carefully selecting with precision and rigor, expressing his own insights, and distinguishing syndrome differentiation and treatment methods. Not only did this bring order to the chapters and volumes, but the meaning of Zhang Zhongjing, obscured for thousands of years, became even more manifest and evident without any flaw. When I first read it, I was joyfully excited; upon reading it repeatedly, I suddenly felt sorrowful. This is because Jiayan has passed away deeply, and I cannot see this book nor discuss it up and down with Mr. Zhang to understand each other.

In the past, Xu Yinzong was skilled in medicine. Someone advised him to write a book. Yinzong said, "The intent of medicine is what I understand in my mind, but my mouth cannot express it." Now, Mr. Zhang, relying on thirty years of scholarly effort, has written hundreds of thousands of words. Though separated by ages, our minds resonate, much like Qibo and Wupeng gathering in the court of Youxiong, jointly opening the lineage of saving the world and the people. How can this be merely compared to the specific duty of the Disease Physician in the Rites of Zhou? Mr. Zhang is about to have this printed to benefit future learners. I casually wrote these few words to serve as a preface.

In the spring of the Yisi year of the Kangxi reign, your humble brother Hu Zhou, a fellow provincial graduate from Loudong, inscribed.