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The Way of Medicine originated with the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), was elucidated in the *Suwen* (Basic Questions) and *Nanjing* (Classic of Difficult Issues), and reached its completeness in the *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Pathogenic Disorders). The *Shennong Bencao Jing* is the work of Shennong; the *Suwen* and *Nanjing* are the works of Huangdi (Yellow Emperor), Qibo, and Yue Ren (Bian Que); the *Shanghan Lun* is the surviving work of Zhang Zhongjing. However, the *Bencao Jing* was produced in the era of Shennong; although its theories are passed down in the world, they are not seen in the classics. The *Preface to Jia Bencao* states: "Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs, and medical formulas arose." In ancient times, there were no written texts; knowledge was transmitted orally from teacher to student, hence it was called "Bencao" (Herbal Classics). It was only during the Two Han Dynasties that famous physicians such as Zhang Zhongjing and Hua Tuo began to compile and narrate based on ancient learning, attaching new interpretations. Thus, the *Bencao Jing* first appeared in the classics. If this is true, since Zhang Zhongjing had already taken the lead in this matter, and then composed this *Shanghan Lun*, its precedence over the *Suwen* and *Nanjing* and its role as their support—was its merit not far surpassing that of Shennong, Xuanyuan (Huangdi), Qibo, and Yue Ren, standing alone in its prosperity? Therefore, the medical community reveres it as a Sage, just as the Confucian community reveres Confucius as the Sage and takes him as a model. Given this, how great is this Way! Does it not greatly rely on this text to succeed the sages of the past and open up learning for future generations?

A Great Way cannot be spoken of unless it originates from a Sage. What is the Great Way? No Way is greater than that of Yao and Shun. When Confucius praised Yao, he said: "How lofty! Only Heaven is great; only Yao modeled himself upon it." Confucius gathered the great achievements of all sages; when Zigong praised Confucius, he said: "The Master is unattainable, just as Heaven cannot be climbed by means of a ladder." Thus, the greatness of the Sages all stems from Heaven. Alas! The *Bencao Jing*, authored by Shennong, established standards by following Heaven. The *Suwen* and *Nanjing*, authored by Xuanyuan, Qibo, and Yue Ren, revealed the secrets of Heaven and Humanity. This treatise (*Shanghan Lun*) is rooted in Wind, Summer-heat, Dampness, and Cold; it manifests through the Three Yang and Three Yin meridians. Wind, Summer-heat, Dampness, and Cold are the Four Qi of Heaven; the Three Yang and Three Yin are what humans receive from Heaven, circulating through the Six Meridians of the body. When the Four Qi are out of harmony, the Six Meridians become diseased. Therefore, diseases are unified under the meridians; injuries combine, pulses and symptoms transmit, root and branch, deficiency and excess, interior and exterior, cold and heat are analyzed. Methods such as sweating, vomiting, purging, and warming, along with correct/reverse and following/opposing principles, are detailed in laws. There are 397 laws, linked to 113 formulas. This is the natural result of the intricate interplay of Heaven, Humanity, affairs, and things. The reason it begins with Wind is consistent with the statement in the *Suwen*: "Wind is the chief of a hundred diseases." It extends to "ruined diseases" (Huai Bing). Instead of naming diseases by their specific names, it uses the term "ruined" because "ruined" cannot exhaust all variations, so it uses this general term. "Ruined" corresponds to the meaning in the *Suwen*: "All diseases arise from Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, Dampness, Dryness, and Fire." Analytically speaking, they are indeed myriad and distinct. Yet, once ruined, one says, "Know what deviation has occurred, and treat according to the syndrome"; "Know what deviation has occurred, and apply the appropriate method." The subtlety of being unified in one fundamental principle—how can this be compared to the shallow understanding of minor paths? Readers know this is the *Shanghan Lun*, but do not realize that it was established specifically for "Cold Damage," and what it discusses is not limited to Cold Damage alone. The revealing of benevolence and hiding of utility found in the *Bencao*, *Suwen*, and *Nanjing* are here fully expressed without reserve. Thus, it serves as the law for the world and the ancestor of formulas for all diseases. It anticipates gathering the great achievements of this Way, sharing the common destination of being the grand master for a hundred generations. Although the Ways differ, they all originate from Heaven. Heaven is Principle (Li). Principle resides in the human heart, with no difference between ancient and modern times or directions. Why then are there differences? Because hearts differ; if one does not take this as a model, but instead uses bells and hammers to save humanity and classify syndromes, once such methods emerge, this Way will be increasingly blocked. To follow the tracks of the *Suwen* and *Nanjing*, it is difficult to find anyone. Is this not a sorrow for the world, and an unfortunate fate for those who are ill? Why has this Way fallen to this state? Alas! If the Seven Chapters (referring to key canonical texts) do not appear, and the rampant spread of Yang Zhu and Mo Di's teachings continues unchecked, and the commentaries of the Lian, Luo, Guan, and Min schools do not emerge, then the Way of Yao, Shun, and Confucius will diverge house by house. Therefore, the debate between righteousness and profit, and the inquiries into images and life-nature, are unavoidable reasons; if positions were exchanged, the situation would be the same. Who am I to conduct these line-by-line analyses? I merely intend to provide a stepping stone for those who come later and aspire to enter the halls of Zhang Zhongjing.

Written by Fang Youzhi of Xin'an on the first day (Wu Shen) of the third month of spring, in the Ji-Chou year of the Wanli reign.