皇甫谧帝王世纪曰黄帝命雷公岐伯教制九针着内外经素问之书咸出焉黄帝内传曰帝升为
天子针经脉诀无不备也故金匮甲乙之类皆祖黄帝
黄帝御极坐明堂之上临观八极考建五常以谓人生负阴而抱阳食味而被色寒暑相荡喜怒交
侵乃
与岐伯上穷天纪下极地理远取诸物近取诸身更相问难雷公之伦授业传之而内经作矣苍周之兴
秦和述六气之论具明于左史厥后越人得其一二演述难经西汉仓公传其旧学东汉仲景撰其遗论
晋皇甫谧刺为甲乙隋扬上善纂为太素唐王冰笃好之大为次注(林亿素问序)
班固曰内经十八卷素问即其经之九卷兼灵枢九篇乃其数焉虽年代移革而授学犹存惧非其
人时
有所隐故第七一卷师氏藏之今之奉行惟八卷尔周有和缓汉有淳于魏有张公华公皆得斯道妙者
也(王冰素问序)
帝王世纪曰黄帝使岐伯主典医疾以疗众疾说文曰巫彭初作医吕氏春秋亦曰巫彭作医
世诸方书药法虽损益随时大抵祖述黄帝如脉诀之出于晋王叔和病源之出于隋巢元方汤液
经之出于商伊芳尹伤寒论于汉张机千金备急出于唐孙思邈外台秘要出于唐王
皇朝太平集天下名方为太平圣惠其余纷纷无代无之高氏小史曰炎帝作药方以救时疾(事
物纪原)
帝王世纪曰黄帝命雷公岐伯论经脉旁通问难八十一为难经杨元操难经序曰黄帝八十一难
经者秦越人所作按黄帝内经一秩秩九卷其义难究越人乃采精要八十一章为难经(同上)
Huangfu Mi stated in *Diwang Shiji* (Chronicles of the Emperors): The Yellow Emperor ordered Leigong and Qibo to teach the making of the Nine Needles, composing the *Neiwaijing* (Classic of Internal and External Medicine) and the *Suwen* (Basic Questions), all originating from the Yellow Emperor. The *Huangdi Neizhuan* (Inner Biography of the Yellow Emperor) records: After ascending the throne as Son of Heaven, the Yellow Emperor’s techniques for puncturing meridians were complete. Therefore, medical texts such as the *Jingui* (Golden Cabinet) and *Jia Yi* (A B C) all revere the Yellow Emperor as their ancestral master.
Upon assuming power, the Yellow Emperor sat in the Mingtang (Bright Hall), observing the eight extreme directions and establishing the Five Constants (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness). He reasoned that human beings carry Yin and embrace Yang, taste flavors, and indulge in beauty; cold and heat interact violently, while anger and joy invade alternately. Thus, he engaged in mutual questioning with Qibo, tracing heaven’s principles to their source, exploring geography to its depths, drawing analogies from distant things, and referencing the human body itself. Leigong and others received instruction and transmitted this knowledge, leading to the creation of the *Neijing* (Inner Canon). When the Zhou dynasty rose, Qin He expounded on the theory of the Six Qi (Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, Dampness, Dryness, and Fire), which was clearly recorded by the Left Historian. Later, Bian Que (Yue Ren) grasped its essence, elaborating it into the *Nanjing* (Classic of Difficult Issues). Cang Gong (Chunyu Yi) of the Western Han inherited his teachings, and Zhang Zhongjing (Zhang Ji) of the Eastern Han compiled his remaining discussions. Huangfu Mi of the Jin Dynasty selected and edited these into the *Jiayi Jing* (Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion); Yang Shangshan of the Sui Dynasty compiled them into the *Taisu* (Grand Simplicity); Wang Bing of the Tang Dynasty cherished them greatly and provided detailed annotations. (Lin Yi, Preface to *Suwen*)
Ban Gu stated: The *Neijing* consists of eighteen volumes. The *Suwen* comprises nine of these volumes, combined with the nine chapters of the *Lingshu* (Spiritual Pivot), totaling this number. Although dynasties have changed, the transmission of learning remains. Fearing that later interpolations might obscure the original text, the seventh volume was kept by the Shi family; currently, only eight volumes are in circulation. The Zhou Dynasty had He and Huan; the Han Dynasty had Chunyu Yi; the Wei Dynasty had Zhang Ping and Hua Tuo; all were adept in the profound mysteries of this path. (Wang Bing, Preface to *Suwen*)
*Diwang Shiji* states: The Yellow Emperor appointed Qibo to oversee medical practices to treat various diseases. The *Shuowen Jiezi* states: Wu Peng was the first to create the concept of "medicine." The *Lüshi Chunqiu* also states: Wu Peng created medicine.
Although prescriptions and pharmacological methods in various books have been added or omitted over time, they generally follow the teachings of the Yellow Emperor. For instance, the *Maijue* (Pulse Secrets) originated from Wang Shuhe of the Jin Dynasty; the *Bingyuan* (Source of Diseases) from Chao Yuanfang of the Sui Dynasty; the *Tangye Jing* (Decoction Classic) from Yi Yin of the Shang Dynasty; the *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage) from Zhang Ji of the Han Dynasty; the *Qianjin Yaofang* (Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) from Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty; and the *Waitai Miyao* (Secret Essentials from the Outer Cabinet) from Wang Tao of the Tang Dynasty. Our dynasty (Song) collected famous prescriptions from across the realm into the *Taiping Shenghui Fang* (Holy Benefit Formulas of the Taiping Era). Other miscellaneous works exist in every era. Gao’s *Xiaoshi* states: The Flame Emperor (Yandi) created medicinal formulas to cure contemporary epidemics. (*Shiwu Jiyuan*)
*Diwang Shiji* states: The Yellow Emperor ordered Leigong and Qibo to discuss the lateral connections of meridians through eighty-one questions and answers, known as the *Nanjing*. Yang Yuancuo, in his preface to the *Nanjing*, stated: The *Yellow Emperor’s Eighty-One Difficult Issues* was authored by Qin Yue Ren. According to the *Yellow Emperor’s Neijing*, there are nine volumes whose meanings are difficult to fully explore. Yue Ren therefore extracted the essentials, dividing them into eighty-one chapters to compose the *Nanjing*. (Ibid.)