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Huizhou, with the beauty of Mount Huangshan, the abundance of dense forests and tall bamboo, and the advantages of Xin'an River navigation, saw daily development in water transport since the Southern Song Dynasty. Its economy flourished, handicraft industries developed, and culture thrived. By the late Ming Dynasty, it had become a major town in Southeast China. Abundant in products and rich in cultural artifacts, no other famous city under heaven could rival it. However, lacking salt, it relied on our city, Yangzhou, for supply. At that time, due to the salt transport monopoly, Yangzhou was also the wealthiest place under heaven. Thus, interactions between Huizhou and Yangzhou became increasingly frequent, with economic and cultural exchanges forming a relationship as interdependent as lips and teeth. Consequently, many Huizhou people traveled to Yangzhou in the late Ming Dynasty, and many Huizhou physicians practiced there.

By the end of the Ming Dynasty, after the fall of the Northern Capital (Beijing) and the alarm at the Southern Capital (Nanjing), the fate of the nation depended on the battle of Yangzhou. At that time, many Huizhou residents living in Yangzhou boarded salt transport ships to return home to seek refuge. Shortly thereafter, the "Ten Days of Yangzhou" massacre occurred; the rebel leader Dodo slaughtered the city's inhabitants, leaving them nearly extinct. When order was restored, the first to return to Yangzhou were mostly Huizhou people. After the establishment of the Qing Dynasty, an Anhui Guild Hall was built in the South City, with buildings so extensive that they ranked first among all guild halls. Thereby, the influence of Huizhou customs on Yangzhou became even greater. In terms of literature, art, science, and technology, the connection was particularly deep. During the Qianlong and Jiaqing reigns, evidential scholarship (Kaoju Xue) flourished in the Southeast, and scholars today still speak of Dai Zhen, Duan Yucai, Qian Daxin, and Wang Nianshen together. Dai Zhen was from Anhui, Wang Nianshen from Yangzhou, while Mr. Wang Rongfu, Mr. Jiao Litang, and Mr. Ruan Yuntai of Yangzhou also influenced each other with scholars from Anhui Province. In the arts, Mr. Wang Shishen and Mr. Luo Lifeng of the "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou" were both from Xin'an; meanwhile, Mr. Deng Shiru from Huaining and Mr. Bao Shichen from Jingxian resided in Yangzhou for long periods, exerting profound influence on Yangzhou's calligraphy and seal carving. My fellow townsman, Mr. Wu Rangzhi, inherited their techniques, and later generations often grouped Deng, Bao, and Wu together, forming a major school of calligraphy.

Among the medical professionals who returned to Yangzhou city first after the Ten Days of Yangzhou was Mr. Cheng Yunlai, a Huizhou native who had previously resided in Yangzhou. During the Shunzhi reign, he compiled *Yixue Fenfa Leibian* (Classified Compilation of Medical Methods) in Yangzhou. His subsequent works, such as *Shengji Zonglu Zuanyao* (Essentials of the General Record of Holy Relief) and *Jinkui Zhijie* (Direct Explanation of the Golden Cabinet), were mostly written or printed in Guangling (Yangzhou). Thus, the medical lineage of the Cheng family from Xin'an had a profound impact on Yangzhou. Mr. Yunlai should be of the same clan as the compiler of *Yi Shu*.

Mr. Cheng Xingxuan was a learned scholar from Shexian and also a renowned physician. Having mastered the Four Books and extensively studied medical texts, and being skilled in textual research, he extracted essential statements on medicine and pharmacy to compile *Yi Shu* (Medical Discourse). His selection was extremely precise, moving from the broad to the concise. Reading this preface reveals that the work is comprehensive. Although *Yi Shu* is a compilation, every word has its source and origin. Compared to the original works, the text retains the true meaning through selective editing, convincing readers. While it largely excerpted published works, it also widely collected unpublished manuscripts from southern Anhui. Many writings that were later lost survived thanks to this book, meriting great credit. Although Danbo Yuanjian of Japan also compiled *Zabing Guangyao* (Broad Essentials of Miscellaneous Diseases), it ultimately did not match the precision of Cheng's selections. Therefore, when this book was published, physicians in Yangzhou competed to buy and read it. Unfortunately, the printing blocks were lost shortly after publication. Although reprinted later in Hanshang, its circulation remained limited. Scholars seeking it found it difficult to obtain.

My family has studied medicine for several generations, relying heavily on this book as a primary reference. In the year Dingchou (1937), when the Sino-Japanese War broke out and Yangzhou faced danger, Jian Ting, following strict orders, fled to Beihu, carrying only three medical books: one copy of *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica), one of *Zhengzui Huibu* (Compilation of Diagnosis and Treatment), and one of *Yi Shu*. With these three books, sufficient reference material was available. This example alone proves the lofty documentary value of this book.

Now, the Anhui Provincial Health Department and the Anhui Science and Technology Press have jointly planned to proofread and reprint this book, asking me for a postscript. Therefore, I have detailed my thoughts below, hoping it meets your intentions. Today, our Way (Dao) awaits promotion, and good books are hard to come by. Writing carries the Dao; if books are lost, the Dao will perish. Thus, reprinting medical texts is an urgent task. *Yi Shu*, being the most practical and useful book, once published, will benefit physicians' references and patients' health care. It is truly a significant event worthy of record. Hence, I write this postscript with enthusiasm to express my praise.

Summer of the Xinyou Year (1981), Geng Jianting of Yangzhou respectfully wrote this postscript at the Summer Palace in Beijing, aged sixty-seven.