Library

Medical books are numerous enough to make the ox sweat and fill the barns, yet they are broad but not concise, leaving learners without a standard for judgment. I previously heard that Mr. Cheng Xingxuan of Xin'an authored "Yi Shu" (Record of Medicine) in sixteen volumes. From the *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot) and *Su Wen* (Basic Questions) at the top, down to the famous doctors of our dynasty, it categorizes syndromes and analyzes prescriptions, collecting various theories and comparing them. It takes the essence of the techniques from ancient sages as a guide for later generations. Although it is said to be "transmitting without creating," its merit far exceeds that of the original authors. Due to war and fire, the printing blocks were destroyed, making it impossible to obtain the original book. Later, I learned that Hu Dan, a physician from Huizhou, had a complete copy in his family collection. I wished to borrow it for publication, but medical formulas were guarded as secret treasures kept under the pillow. Through Zeng Cheng, the clan brother of Huai Sun, efforts were made through intermediaries, and the book was finally released. Coincidentally, Zhu Po's younger brother Qian Cheng, You Zheng's younger brother Shucheng, Yaopu's nephew Da, Xianping's nephew Dayong, Zhijing's nephew Dajian, Shaoping's nephew Dadi, and Yanxiang's grand-nephun Puyang shared my aspirations. Thus, the task was entrusted to the printers again. Huai Sun alone undertook the supervision of the carving; Cai Zhi's clan uncle Zhongxiu, Shicheng's clan brother Jiangcheng, and Yanxiang's grand-nephew Puyang assisted with the collation and proofreading. Furthermore, three volumes of Mr. Cheng's separately printed medical cases were appended to the end to demonstrate that his insights were internalized and manifested in his hands; where there are established methods, there must be effective results. In this way, the book became flawless. Consequently, its dissemination became even wider, with every household possessing a copy. Not only can those studying the *Shanghan Lun* (Book of Living People) trace the source to aid in verification, but even practitioners can understand syndromes through the book, differentiate prescriptions based on syndromes, and know how to select good medicines. Thus, Mr. Cheng's merit in benefiting the world continues to spread endlessly. After nine months, the work was completed. I recorded the origin of this project and placed it at the beginning of the book.
Preface by Zhu Qincheng, Old Man of Yunxi on the Jing River, in the ninth month of the autumn season of the year Xinsi (1891).

The *Rites of Zhou* records that physicians were in charge of medical administration. The *Zuo Zhuan* states: "He who has fractured his arm three times becomes a good physician." The ancients were indeed cautious regarding medicine! Physicians in later generations, unable to read all the books of the ancients, took treatment as their duty. Once their skills showed slight efficacy, they arrogantly believed that Bian Que or Lu Yi could not surpass them. However, when encountering difficult and complicated diseases, they were bewildered and unable to distinguish them. Unwilling to admit their inability to diagnose, they would speculate based on similar symptoms, attempt treatments, or otherwise administer medications that had negligible effects to shirk responsibility. Alas! With such skills controlling life and death, relying on them in the brief moment of respiration, how could one expect salvation? Yet believers say, "Medicine lies in intuition/mindset," arguing that it does not lie in reading ancient books, and that reading while being rigid about antiquity leads to fatal prescriptions. The ancients used books to teach people, certainly to teach them to examine pulse principles and differentiate drug properties. Verified prescriptions were occasionally preserved for selection. Did they teach people to stick to prescriptions without examining pulses? Or did they teach people to prescribe only after identifying the disease? Therefore, if pulse principles are not examined and drug properties are not familiar, using ancient prescriptions causes death. This is the fault of those who do not study well, and the ancients bear no blame. Mr. Cheng Xingxuan of Huizhou deeply understood medical principles. His readings, from the *Su Wen*, *Ling Shu*, and various Materia Medica classics, to the theories of major masters from Qin and Han dynasties up to modern times, were all broadly mastered and thoroughly analyzed. Thus, when he applied his skills to treat diseases, his results were often miraculous. He once adopted the principle of "transmitting without creating" to write several volumes of "Yi Shu" (Record of Medicine), synthesizing various theories with his personal insights. It is truly a fine prescription for benefiting the world and a raft for medical practitioners. In the past, I studied medicine under Mr. Fei Jinqing of Menghe, Changzhou, and frequently heard of the excellence of this book but could not acquire it. Later, while serving in Chu Bei, Observer Zou Shaosong showed me his collected copy. I read it for dozens of days, heartily approving of it, and wished to borrow it for publication, but lacked the means. In the year Xinsi, I was appointed as Vice Magistrate of Jiangling. In Dinghai, upon completion of my term, I returned to the provincial capital. At that time, I was also treating patients and witnessed the decline of contemporary medicine, thinking of ways to correct it. In the spring of Jichou, I initially borrowed the original text from the collections of Mr. Hu Zhongqing and Mr. Yu Xiancheng through my friend Mr. Wu Hanchen, intending to give it to the printers, but still lacked the resources. Mr. Ji Huaqing and Mr. Zhu Huaishun happened to share my sentiments. They presented the matter to Old Man Zhu Yunxi and his clan relatives, who generously covered the publishing costs, allowing it to be printed. The ancients said: "Publishing the posthumous works of others to widely disseminate them is equivalent in merit to burying human bones." Old Man Yunxi's family indeed practiced all virtues and truly buried the exposed bones. Previously, he published the *Zhaixing Lou Smallpox Book*, saving countless infants; now he expends heavy funds to accomplish this act. Is his merit not significant? Moreover, in helping others do good and completing the beauty of others, the efforts of Mr. Huaqing and Mr. Huaishun are particularly praiseworthy. Having obtained these gentlemen, Mr. Xingxuan's intention to benefit future scholars through his writings can be comforted, and my own ardent search over decades can also find solace. Thus, I record the origin of this event.
Respectfully Prefaced by Zhu Gan, Xiaosheng of Renhe, in the early ten days of the first month of winter in the 16th year of Guangxu (1890).