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I learned the art of saving lives from my teacher in my youth, never failing to pity people's illnesses and always keeping benevolence (Ren, humaneness) in my heart. By keeping benevolence in my heart, I also recognized that righteousness (Yi, appropriateness) resides within it. Righteousness is appropriateness. When people fall ill, they must seek a physician; when seeking a physician, they must seek a prescription. Using this prescription to treat this illness, there are deficiencies and excesses in the pulse patterns, there are root and branch aspects in the disease progression, there are sovereign-minister-assistant-courier roles in medication, and there are delays and speeds in achieving efficacy. To rely on these prescriptions to achieve appropriateness, how can one rigidly adhere to them?

The ancients formulated prescriptions as if holding a balance scale to weigh light and heavy, never failing to be appropriate. It was those who rigidly adhered to prescriptions who failed to be appropriate themselves. Rigidly adhering to a prescription to occasionally achieve appropriateness is like a rabbit hunter not looking for the rabbit's burrow but ordering people to surround it at four corners; if by chance someone catches a rabbit, they say, "This person can catch rabbits," and claim that rabbits are exclusively found there. Is this logical? Those who look for burrows are few. I feared that without looking for burrows, rabbits would not be caught by chance. Thus, inheriting the manuscripts of my ancestors, I explored the essential principles of ancient medicine, selected the best prescriptions, and compiled them into a collection. For each illness, I detailed its origin, deliberated on the medications, and dared not deceive people with empty traces; all were cases I had personally observed and treated. This is also like finding a rabbit by locating its burrow; it is not easy. If I abandoned these prescriptions and did not compile them, it would harm my benevolence; if I rigidly adhered to prescriptions and compiled them indiscriminately, it would harm my righteousness. This is the sickness of my heart! How dare I use them to cure the diseases of the world?

A benevolent person regards heaven, earth, and all things as one body. There are many people suffering from diseases in the world, and many physicians. Righteousness lies in each being suitable for its purpose and adapting to the times. As a physician, if I cannot fully achieve appropriateness, I dare not do so. For future generations of my clan and those aspiring to this art, who practice this skill with benevolence as their standard and righteousness as their criterion, why worry about the inappropriateness of medicine? Why worry about the inappropriateness of medicine?

In the spring of the Jiayin year of the Jiajing era (1524), Ding Feng, styled Zhuxi, a junior scholar in the medical forest, respectfully wrote the preface.

Human life suffers from plagues and diseases, and those who die prematurely or unjustly are countless. The body is fragile, yet harmed by various methods; those exhausted by thought have depleted spirits, those fatigued by labor have worn-out bodies, those indulged in desires have dried up, and those subject to extreme joys and sorrows have damaged Yin and Yang. If a tree is already rotten and still shaken, or chopped by axes, or whipped while full of cracks, the situation is severe, which is truly painful. Since the times of Yellow Emperor (Xuanyuan), Qibo, Bian Que (Qin Yueren), and Chunyu Yi (Cang Gong), examining herbs and distinguishing prescriptions has been long established. The bamboo slips of *Suwen* and *Nan Jing* have been revered as classics through generations. Theories such as Five Movements and Six Qi, overacting and bearing constraints, are illusory and profound; many craftsmen cannot read them, and even if they read them, they are hard to understand. When patients arrive, they often resign themselves to fate or hide their ignorance and try tentatively, merely for self-benefit. What good does this do for saving lives?

Within the span of a breath, deficiency and excess differ; following and opposing techniques vary; the weight and quantity of medications differ. In these lies the principle of appropriateness. Asking about symptoms reveals Yin; hearing about symptoms reveals Yang. Hearing little, gaining much, with divine clarity in the heart, using minuscule doses (guicui) brings immediate recovery. This is what is meant by "appropriateness." This is what sages can achieve, yet ordinary craftsmen are expected to do so. They stand idle, claiming their skills are exhausted. What is strange about common people's ignorance? Mr. Zenggong (Zhuxi) collected *Yishu*, likely because secret prescriptions were passed down through generations, gathering excellent formulas. Mr. Sili opened them in his tent and printed them under his eaves, benefiting Fujian and highlighting ancestral virtue. Mr. Zenggong said: "A benevolent person regards heaven, earth, and all things as one body. Abandoning prescriptions harms benevolence; rigidly adhering to them harms righteousness." Even Confucians may not fully grasp this, let alone practitioners of needle and knife.

In the past, Cang Gong was famous for discussing prescriptions. His teachings came from Gongsun Guang and Yin Qing, kept very secret, transmitted only to the precise and cautious. Was his intent narrow? After Cang Gong, the lineage became distant and extinct. The descendants of Jiyang, living by the river, continued the legacy of Bian Que and others. Their benevolent heritage was far-reaching. Fujian is mountainous and prone to floods, causing hardship. Your family's precious medical texts have saved millions across generations, an unparalleled achievement.

On an auspicious day in early summer of the Wuwu year of the Wanli era (1558), Ding Qizhen, a Jinshi graduate and official, bowed and wrote.

Ancient sages said: Herbs are administered by physicians, and prescriptions are inherited from antiquity. Transmitting ancient prescriptions is not difficult; making them appropriate for the disease is difficult. This is why *Jiyi* was compiled. "Appropriateness" is easy to discuss but relies on Observation, Auscultation/Olfaction, Inquiry, and Palpation. Observation can confuse with false signs; Auscultation can disturb with mixed sounds; Inquiry can raise doubts about interior/exterior; Palpation can mix rapid/slow pulses. Under such conditions, rigidly applying ancient prescriptions to modern contexts—even the wisdom of Qi Bo and Huang Di, or the skills of Cang Gong and Bian Que—would struggle. How could Dong Yuan or Danxi transmit their intuitive understanding? Moreover, a prescription suitable in the past may not be suitable now. Why? Because cosmic cycles vary, climates differ, herb origins affect properties, and constitutions vary. Ancient prescriptions cannot be rigidly applied. Arbitrary modifications lead to significant errors.

My ancestor possessed unique qualities, taming tigers and returning gold, praised for kindness. My ancestor, the Magistrate of Chaocheng, received secret arts from a divine being, earning respect from nobles. Heaven rewards accumulated goodness, entrusting him with healing the world. Mr. Zhuxi studied ancient principles and verified them against contemporary needs, compiling *Yifang Jiyi*. He categorized diseases, symptoms, and pulse methods, mastering the Four Diagnostic Methods. His treatments were precise, balancing sovereign-minister-assistant-courier roles, attacking and defending effectively. This surpasses mere observation, combining sage-like insight. Mr. Zhuxi viewed all suffering as his own body, treating everyone without discrimination until appropriateness was achieved. Thus, benevolence spread, helping those cultivating life. Only the book remained unpublished in our home library until Governor Lianlü commissioned its printing. I read it and believe: Medicine requires Confucian transmission and family heritage. Governor Ding's family exemplifies this. Fujian benefits from their benevolence, ensuring harmony and health.

On an auspicious day in early summer of the Wuwu year of the Wanli era (1558), Cai Yinglin, a Jinshi graduate and official, bowed and wrote.

Bian Que received secret prescriptions from Chang Sang Jun. Hua Tuo's *Qingnang* prescriptions survived fire. Xu Yinzong said, "Medicine is intuition; pulse nuances cannot be spoken." Ge Hong compiled *Jingui Fang* and *Zhouhou Beiji Fang*. If all sacred prescriptions were hidden, future seekers of the Orange Well and Apricot Grove would find nothing. Why value Bian Que's mystery or Hua Tuo's miracles over practical utility? Our local official, Mr. Ding, whose grandfather Mr. Zhuxi practiced Qi-Huang medicine in Jinling, descends from ancestors like Zhongbao, Degang, and Boyuan, who all possessed miraculous healing abilities. Mr. Zhuxi compiled *Yifang Jiyi*, tracing disease origins and matching symptoms with prescriptions. This allows doctors to retrieve remedies easily, avoiding rigid adherence. Not becoming a prime minister, one becomes a renowned doctor. Saving lives is akin to governing the state. Mr. Ding's grandson, Governor Lianlü, applies medical principles to governance, showing mercy and justice. His benevolence extends beyond medicine to statecraft.

On the fifteenth day of the third month of the Wuwu year (1558), Hu Gongzhou, a junior relative, bowed and wrote.

*Yifang Jiyi* was compiled by my teacher's grandfather, Mr. Zhuxi, to transmit benevolent arts. My fellow scholars have described it in detail. Physicians must have both a compassionate heart (Shengxin) and a constant mind (Changxin). Compassion saves lives; constancy ensures transmission. Medicine requires prescriptions, and prescriptions require appropriateness. Just as governance requires benevolence, medicine requires appropriateness. My teacher's ancestors received secret prescriptions from divine beings in Longdong Mountain, passing down healing arts through generations. Mr. Zhuxi clarified these principles, compiling the book to broaden its transmission. He governed our prefecture, overturning unjust verdicts and saving many lives. He applied medical wisdom to governance, using leniency like Yao Shengzhi or severity like Liang Yuan. He resolved grievances like Qin Yueren. His ancestors saved countless lives without official power; his grandson, holding office, continues this mission, caring for the people's welfare. This compilation, originally kept secret, was published by Mr. Zhuxi, then used by physicians, and finally applied by officials to govern. Its influence grows deeper and wider. I, a humble student, am grateful to learn from this tradition.