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If a person can indeed follow the harmony of the Six Qi (Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire) and level the aberration of the Seven Emotions (Joy, Anger, Worry, Thought, Sorrow, Fear, Fright), thereby preventing disease from arising, would this not be excellent? However, disease is something that even the Sage treats with caution. Only the wise practice "treating undiseased states" (preventing disease before it occurs). Waiting until one is already ill to seek medicine is like digging a well only when one is thirsty; few will succeed in saving themselves. Moreover, good physicians are hard to find, and genuine medicines are difficult to identify. I have seen three out of ten die from their diseases, while seven out of ten die from medical malpractice. The art of medicine requires knowing astronomy above, geography below, and human affairs in between. Only when these three aspects are clearly understood can one discuss human diseases. Otherwise, it is like wandering at night without eyes or walking by day without feet; one will inevitably stumble and fall. It is impossible to cure others' diseases under such conditions.

Regarding the use of medicines, some may not be from authentic origins, leading to vast differences in quality between good and bad. Others may be counterfeit in the market, with flavors and properties completely contrary to expectations. Not only will they fail to treat the disease correctly, but they may also aggravate it. If users do not examine carefully and administer them casually, once swallowed, there is no return; life and death are decided instantly. Is this not terrifying? Thus, many who take medicines die, while those who do not take medicines survive.

In the Gengyin year, I was appointed to an official post in the capital. A senior relative of my clan, also awaiting appointment as a Prefect, was residing in Minzhong Temple. He had suffered from a chronic illness for two years but firmly refused medication, relying only on regulating his breathing, diet, and daily routine. His condition neither improved nor worsened. A close friend visited him in the capital, went to Minzhong Temple to visit him, and strongly recommended a physician, praising his miraculous healing skills. Unable to refuse, the senior relative reluctantly engaged the doctor. The friend purchased the herbs with great enthusiasm, predicting immediate effects. The senior relative feigned agreement. Although the decoction was prepared, he did not touch his lips to it. The next day, the friend fell ill himself, though not severely, and used the medicine prescribed by the recommended physician. The senior relative sent his servant daily to inquire after the friend's health, perhaps to acknowledge the friend's previous kindness. Just a few days later, the servant returned suddenly to report: "The close friend has died." The senior relative sighed with regret. Soon after, his own illness completely healed, and he obtained his official appointment and left the capital.

Furthermore, my clan uncle, Mr. Tao Cun, who served as the Magistrate of Laiyang County, had his eldest son suffer from Wind-Cold disease. Various physicians failed to produce any effect. Upon seeking a renowned physician, several doses of medicine were administered, but the condition worsened critically. When the physician arrived, the patient firmly refused treatment. The physician shouted loudly, "The medicinal power cannot overcome the pathogen. If taking more medicine is ineffective, I accept punishment." Half-doubting and half-believing, the uncle forced his son to swallow the medicine. Shortly thereafter, phlegm surged, and breath ceased immediately. They urgently sought another physician, but he had fled without a trace. Alas, how terrifying! Books record countless instances of quacks killing patients, which cannot be fully enumerated; these are cases I have witnessed with my own eyes and ears.

One might ask: "Should medicine then be abolished?" I reply: "How could it be? One must simply be cautious." Being cautious about medicine is less important than being cautious about disease; and being cautious about disease requires understanding it. Therefore, I will now categorically explain the causes of disease in the Five Zang Organs, errors in disease differentiation, and secrets to avoiding disease. Among hundreds of disease types, I have selected only those that are common and easily contracted. This aims to enable people to know what to guard against before illness strikes, so that they may attain longevity and health without needing to rely on hospitals or pharmacies.

According to the preface of Dongyuan's *Gezhi Yulun*: "Therefore, formulas and diseases rarely match perfectly; adhering rigidly to formulas can kill people." This compilation records diseases but does not include formulas, reflecting this very principle.