Library

Chengde Lang (Attendant of the Palace for Meritorious Service), Vice Director of the Imperial Medical Academy, Subject Liu Wentai, and Xiuzhi Lang (Official of Cultivated Virtue), Imperial Physician of the Imperial Medical Academy, Subject Gao Tinghe, and others respectfully submit:

The *Bencao Huihui Jingyao* (Essential Compendium of Materia Medica) that we have compiled is hereby presented for Your Majesty's inspection.

With hearts full of extreme trepidation and reverence, we bow our heads to the ground and touch them to the floor. It is said that because people have desires, plans must be established to prevent potential disasters; the Kingly Way is unbiased and can broadly promote the art of benevolence. Even a Great Sage acknowledges that even minor arts (such as medicine) certainly have their merits. Regarding the compilation of this *Materia Medica*, it actually originated in the times of Yan Di (Flame Emperor) and Huang Di (Yellow Emperor). During the Li Tang Dynasty, each generation made new discoveries and elucidations; since the Zhao Song Dynasty, it has been continuously supplemented and corrected. Its transmission has spanned over a thousand years, and its woodblock printing has occurred countless times. However, inquiries and investigations were not conducted comprehensively across distant regions, and explanations were often confined to existing viewpoints, mostly remaining too superficial, knowing only the skin-deep aspects. This has left this timeless classic with the regret of unfinished work by previous dynasties. The time is now ripe; could this matter be merely coincidental?

This is due to encountering Your Majesty, who is both sagacious and divine, possessing both civil virtue and martial prowess. You study with an open mind, paying attention even to mountains, rivers, plants, and trees. You ensure that the people, as well as birds, beasts, fish, and turtles, live in harmony, achieving governance through non-action (Wuwei), becoming a ruler with the Dao. Recently, lamenting the decline of the medical tradition, You commanded us to restore and correct it. Reflecting on our decrepit bodies, how can we match Your profound strategies? The task of writing was frequently entrusted to the Shangfang (Imperial Workshop), and all directives issued from Your Imperial decision. We consulted old editions and adopted new illustrations. Personally overseeing the proofreading, we trembled with caution as if walking on thin ice; looking inward, we sweated with shame. We determined differences, cross-referenced various theories, generally simplifying complexity, distinguishing truth from falsehood, and collecting the strengths of numerous books. Occasionally supplementing omissions and compiling summaries, we strictly distinguished the roles of Sovereign (Jun), Minister (Chen), Assistant (Zuo), and Guide (Shi), categorizing herbs into Superior, Middle, and Inferior grades. We listed departments and attached comparative entries, detailing their origins. For all types of herbs, stones, metals, and gems, as well as the forms of hairy insects, flying birds, and running beasts, the general outline is fully enumerated; regarding the analysis of properties, flavors, qi, nature, bias, assistance, compatibility, opposition, and contraindications, the detailed items are all presented. Thus completing this book, names are gathered, and those who read briefly can understand by referring to the diagrams. Although based on ancient records, it is truly complete for today. Guided by canonical principles, we reverently carry out this task, expressing the loyalty of dogs and horses. How dare we claim there are no omissions in our single insights? We hope to be regarded as trusted advisors, hoping to contribute a fraction of benefit.

We disdain the fact that Hua Tuo's medical skills were eventually lost, and mock Emperor Han for considering medicine useless. I privately believe that physicians using medicines is akin to secular rulers selecting talent; if the selection and rejection are not precise, it indeed concerns matters of life and death. I hope Your Majesty will not forget the words of bitter medicine, remain vigilant in times of peace against danger, and understand governance through diagnosis. Furthermore, amidst the leisure of handling ten thousand affairs, may You kindly promote good governance, so that the people of this generation may all attain longevity, with their primordial Qi enduring as long as Heaven, and the imperial foundation being boundless as the Earth.

We are overwhelmed with the intense feeling of gazing up at Heaven and admiring Your Holiness. Respectfully, we present the completed *Bencao Huihui Jingyao*, consisting of forty-two volumes plus one volume of directory, bound into thirty-six fascicles, along with this memorial, for Your awareness.

With hearts full of extreme trepidation and reverence, we bow our heads to the ground and touch them to the floor, respectfully stating.

On the third day of the third month, the 18th year of Hongzhi, Chengde Lang, Vice Director of the Imperial Medical Academy, Subject Liu Wentai, and others respectfully submitted this memorial.

List of Officials Appointed to Compile the *Bencao Huihui Jingyao*:

Director-General: Eunuch Zhang Yu of the Sishi Jian (Palace Establishment Supervision Bureau)
Supervisors: Shi Qin, Zhongyi Dafu (Grand Master of Civil Discourse), Zanzhi Yin (Assistant Administrator), Right Tongzheng of the Tongzheng Si (Office of Transmission and Reception), in charge of the Imperial Medical Academy; Wang Yu, Zhongxian Dafu (Grand Master of Honorable Constitution), Right Tongzheng of the Tongzheng Si, co-in-charge of the Imperial Medical Academy
Chief Directors: Liu Wentai, Chengde Lang, Vice Director of the Imperial Medical Academy; Wang [Name Missing], Chengde Lang, Vice Director of the Imperial Medical Academy; Gao Tinghe, Xiuzhi Lang, Imperial Physician of the Imperial Medical Academy
Deputy Chief Directors: Cui Dingyi, Imperial Medical Academy Physician with Ribbon; Lu Zhi, Imperial Medical Academy Physician; Tang [Name Missing], Imperial Medical Academy Physician with Ribbon
Compilers: Xu Zhen, Imperial Medical Academy Physician with Ribbon; Xia Ying, Imperial Medical Academy Physician with Ribbon; Qian Zhou, Imperial Medical Academy Physician; Xu Pu, Imperial Medical Academy Physician with Ribbon; Xu Hao, Imperial Medical Academy Physician with Ribbon; Wu Qian, Imperial Medical Academy Physician with Ribbon; Zheng Tong, Imperial Medical Academy Physician with Ribbon; Wang Long, Confucian Scholar of the Zhongshu Ke (Secretariat); Liu [Name Missing], Imperial Medical Academy Physician; Zhang Duo, Imperial Medical Academy Physician with Ribbon
Expeditors: Zhang Lun, Chengde Lang, Vice Director of the Imperial Medical Academy; Fang Shuhe, Chengde Lang, Vice Director of the Imperial Medical Academy; Qian Dun, Chengde Lang, Vice Director of the Imperial Medical Academy
Transcribers: Ji Qing, Confucian Scholar with Ribbon of the Zhongshu Ke; Zhou Shichi, Confucian Scholar with Ribbon of the Zhongshu Ke; Jiang Chengru, Confucian Scholar of the Zhongshu Ke; Yang Zhongzhan, Confucian Scholar of the Zhongshu Ke; Wu En, Imperial Medical Academy Physician; Zhu Shou, Imperial Medical Academy Physician; Wang Tang, Imperial Medical Academy Physician; Fang Rong, Imperial Medical Academy Physician; Zhu En, Imperial Medical Academy Physician; Wang Yishou, Confucian Scholar with Ribbon of the Imperial Medical Academy; Dai Zhongshen, Imperial Medical Academy Physician; He Xiang, Imperial Medical Academy Physician with Ribbon; Li Run, Imperial Medical Academy Physician with Ribbon; Lian Yuanxian, Confucian Scholar with Ribbon of the Zhongshu Ke
Inspectors of Herb Properties and Forms: Qiu Yu, Fengyi Dafu (Grand Master of Enlightened Advice), Right Canyi of the Tongzheng Si; Li Zongzhou, Fengyi Dafu, President of the Imperial Medical Academy; Shi Jian, Xiuzhi Lang, Imperial Physician of the Imperial Medical Academy; Liu Zhen, Xiuzhi Lang, Imperial Physician of the Imperial Medical Academy; Yang Heng, Deputy Commissioner of the Huimin Pharmacy Bureau of the Imperial Medical Academy