尺者划分寸。量短长。取其准也。尺而以玉为之。分寸所划。坚久不磨。尤准之准也。
余窃思短长之数。必取准于尺。于物然。于病亦然。于妇女之病更无不然。何则。妇女深居
闺房。则情不畅。妇女见地拘局。则识不开。妇女以身事人。则性多躁。妇女以色悦人。则
心偏妒。稍有不遂。即为忧思。忧思之至。激为怨怒。不知忧则气结。思则气郁。怨则气沮。
怒则气上。血随气行。故气逆而血亦逆。血气乖争。百疾于是乎作。及其疾作。又苦不自知。
即或知之。而幽私隐曲。又不肯自达。且多掩蔽。于是其家一委之医。医一凭之脉。而此翕
翕跳动之脉。欲借以测妇女幽私。达妇女隐曲。毫厘千里。贻祸不小。岂非妄意揣度。而未
知用玉尺以量之。且用玉尺以求得其准乎。昔者仓公诊女子。知其欲男子不得。脉出鱼际一
寸。是以玉尺量准者也。古来如仓公之医者不乏。亦皆量以玉尺而能准者。举古人为法。求
得其准焉。夫何幽私隐曲之不可达哉。虽然。言医之书甚繁。其不能读者无论已。有能读者。
苟非识精见卓。确有把持。将此纷纷聚讼者。何自援以为准。余故不惮参稽。着为妇科六卷。
所言诸病。必按脉切症。要于的当。不失幽私隐曲之所在。摘录前人之语及方。悉皆至精至
粹。百用百效者。以是而当。尽之分寸。庶几如玉所划。坚久不磨。取以量妇女病。应无不
得其准之准者欤。
乾隆甲午清明前二日无锡沈金鳌自书
The "chi" (a traditional Chinese unit of length, here metaphorically referring to a standard of measurement) is used to divide the "cun" and measure length and shortness, aiming for accuracy. If the chi is made of jade, its markings are firm, durable, and resistant to wear, representing the utmost precision.
I privately reflect that the numbers of length and shortness must take the chi as their standard. This applies to objects, it applies to diseases, and it applies even more so to women's diseases. Why? Women live deep within the inner chambers, so their emotions often remain unexpressed; women's perspectives are constrained, so their understanding fails to broaden; women serve men, so their temperaments tend to be irritable; women please others with their beauty, so their hearts tend toward jealousy. If things do not go as they wish, they fall into worry and rumination. Extreme worry causes Qi stagnation; excessive rumination causes Qi constraint; resentment causes Qi depression; anger causes Qi rebellion. Blood follows the movement of Qi; therefore, when Qi rebels, blood also rebels. When Qi and Blood conflict and contend, myriad diseases arise. Once the disease manifests, patients suffer from not knowing the cause themselves. Even if they know, due to private and hidden matters, they are unwilling to disclose them openly, and often conceal them. Consequently, the family entrusts everything to the physician, and the physician relies solely on the pulse. However, this subtly pulsating pulse seeks to measure the private and hidden thoughts of women; a slight error leads to great deviation, causing significant harm. Is this not mere speculation, failing to use the "jade chi" to measure and seek precision?
In ancient times, Cang Gong diagnosed a woman and knew she desired a man but could not obtain him; his pulse was found one cun above the Yuji point (LU10). This was an example of using the "jade chi" to achieve precision. Physicians like Cang Gong have been numerous throughout history, all achieving precision by measuring with the "jade chi." Taking ancient figures as models, we seek this precision. Then what private or hidden matter cannot be understood?
Nevertheless, books on medicine are abundant. Those that are unreadable need not be discussed. For those that can be read, unless one has profound insight and distinct vision, maintaining firm principles, how can one derive a standard from these conflicting theories? Therefore, I did not shy away from extensive reference and compilation, writing six volumes of *Guke Yuchi* (Jade Ruler for Gynecology). The diseases described herein are strictly based on pulse diagnosis and symptomatology, aiming for accuracy, without missing the key aspects of women's private conditions. The excerpts of previous scholars' words and prescriptions are selected for being extremely refined and effective in practice. Using these as standards, fulfilling our duty down to the finest detail, perhaps we can be like the markings on a jade ruler—firm, durable, and unworn. Used to measure women's diseases, there should be no failure to achieve the utmost precision.
Written by Shen Jin'ao of Wuxi, two days before Qingming Festival in the year Jiawu of the Qianlong reign.