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I was unfortunate enough to lose my father in childhood. Inheriting my grandfather's teachings, I studied for the imperial examinations, intending to distinguish myself through Confucianism. In the autumn of the Wumu year, my mother suffered from a carbuncle on her buttocks. Various physicians examined her, all hastily resorting to external treatments without investigating the root cause. The condition dragged on for nearly a year with no effect. My mother was quite indignant and said to me, "You people have misled me. You must take up this profession, so that those suffering from such ailments need not endure their mothers' suffering." I thought, if a physician cannot fulfill his duty as a physician, he will mislead people just like this; then how much more disastrous would it be for a scholar who fails to fulfill his duty as a scholar? Thus, I abandoned rigid adherence to Confucian studies, obeyed my mother's wish, and daily studied the internal classics of the *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot) and *Su Wen* (Basic Questions), extending down to the works of various schools of thought. For any external physical manifestation, I sought to thoroughly understand its internal essence, never being vague about deficiency, excess, yin, or yang. Later, when I applied my skills to others, people often achieved partial cures. Therefore, I collected several empirically verified prescriptions, whether ancient or newly created, compiled them into one volume, titled it *Yi Jing* (Medical Mirror), truly intending to use it as a mirror to reflect upon my own gains and losses. Last spring, I suffered from hemoptysis and was near death. After my mother prayed to heaven and vowed to make this book public, I recovered suddenly. I reasoned that perhaps the illness was due to naturally reach recovery, or else it must have been my mother's sincerity that moved heaven. Could it be that heaven truly intended for me to become known through this medical art? I was indeed reluctant to withhold this book, but I feared that my own unawareness of misleading others might lead others to mislead further, which would be no different from failing as a Confucian scholar and ultimately harming the world. Hence, I hesitated until now. Fortunately, Mr. Song Ziyun saw it and strongly urged me to fulfill my mother's will. Now, having written down the beginning and end, I privately hope that those in the world who are not misled by me will also correct my errors, which would be most fortunate.

Written in the middle of autumn in the Guiwei year of the Guangxu era, by Zhen'an Shi of Qinghe, at Heyan Hall at the foot of Shan Mountain.

The *Nei Jing* (Inner Canon) states: "All pain, itching, and sores belong to the Heart." This is because the Heart governs blood vessels and circulates Qi. When Qi and Blood stagnate, toxins develop; treatment should first differentiate between Yin and Yang. If there is severe swelling and pain, irritability, thirst with a preference for cold drinks, fever, constipation, and a surging, rapid, and full pulse, it is a Yang syndrome. Even in deep winter, cooling agents must be used to resolve heat toxins. If there is no swelling or pain, a fine pulse, aversion to cold, vomiting, inability to eat, diarrhea, night sweats, and cold limbs, it is a Yin syndrome. Even in midsummer, acrid-hot agents must be used to assist Yang Qi. If there is slight swelling and pain, appearing ulcerated but not fully so, with occasional discharge of clear pus, it is a half-Yin, half-Yang syndrome, treated with acrid-hot agents to tonify Stomach Qi. This is the general principle of treatment. There is also the principle of "avoiding cold when using cold [agents], and avoiding heat when using hot [agents]; reverse this for false patterns." Even if this contradicts the season, one must follow the pattern. Adhering rigidly to conventional methods inevitably leads to error. (Carbuncles and gangrenes are two types of toxins, differing significantly in Yin and Yang nature. Red carbuncles represent a Yang excess syndrome, characterized by hot Qi and Blood with stagnant toxins. White gangrene represents a Yin deficiency syndrome, characterized by cold Qi and Blood with coagulated toxins. These two conditions are as different as heaven and earth; an error in treatment is akin to mixing ice and charcoal. Having reviewed many medical texts, I find that Carbuncles and Gangrenes are often treated together, which is extremely confusing and causes endless harm. Practitioners of this specialty must exercise caution. Below, Carbuncles and Gangrenes are classified, and prescriptions are listed item by item.)