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The above compiles the medicinal properties of herbs from the Upper, Middle, and Lower categories of the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), totaling a certain number of species, for the purpose of ingestion for health preservation and expelling pathogens to treat diseases. If scholars can personally recognize and understand the learning of ancient sages who investigated things to acquire knowledge, then regarding the medicinal additions below the *Bielu* (Additional Records by Famous Physicians) and those supplemented during the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, although the categories are numerous, none lacks its inherent rationale. These can be used to interpret the meaning of the *Bencao Jing*, extending by analogy and categorization, ultimately returning to the theory of Five Movements and Six Qi (Wuyun Liuqi) for explanation. Grasping the general principles allows for comprehensive understanding; if one abandons this foundation to engage with the clinical experiences of various schools, it becomes scattered and divergent, making enlightenment even more difficult. This is neglecting the root for the branches. Those seeking to advance in the Dao of medicine, if they know what comes first and what follows, may well attain success.

Adhering to the crude and simple, abandoning the root to pursue the branches, is the greatest fault of scholars. Today, those discussing medicinal properties often indiscriminately adopt vulgar and rash theories, treating them as laws and regulations, while discarding the *Shennong Bencao Jing* as if it were worn-out shoes. It is like scholars who do not study the Four Books and Five Classics but only memorize stale eight-legged essays for examination purposes, hoping to pass through luck; how can they expect to succeed? The early scholar Lu Buyuan wrote *Bencao Boyi* (Broad Meanings of Materia Medica); his son Lu Jinggong expanded it into *Chengya*; Zhang Yinan (Zhang Zhicong) and Gao Shizong (Gao Shishi) wrote *Bencao Chongyuan* (Restoring the Origins of Materia Medica). All took the *Bencao Jing* as their ancestor and deduced from it, revealing much that predecessors had not expressed, which can be described as the painstaking effort of skilled artisans. However, *Chengya* mixes in trivial writings and uses obscure language, so those with mediocre or shallow understanding often cannot read it. *Chongyuan*, on the other hand, offers clear explanations understandable even to those of average or lower aptitude, making it suitable for new learners. In the past, Master Zhang initiated the work; after his death, Master Gao completed it. Copies were prepared for printing, but before the blocks could be carved, Master Gao also passed away, and the project was halted. Later, the copies passed to the Hu Nian'an family. After Hu and his sons died, it is unknown whose possession they fell into. Now, from Duan Gongs, a disciple of Hu, I obtained a transcribed copy. Alas, the collation was not precise, and there are omissions and errors in the text. I fear future readers will sigh at missing characters ("Xia Wu") and erroneous readings ("San Shi"). Therefore, I have corrected these issues and submitted the text to the press to make it public. If scholars can carefully study this book, infer other cases from one example, and extend their understanding by analogy, they can enter the precincts of Lie Shan Shi (Shennong) and grasp its subtle applications. Compared to those who adhere to the crude and simple, mixing vulgar theories to prescribe formulas, are not the gains and losses vastly different?

On the seventh day after the Winter Solstice in the Dinghai year of Qianlong [1767], Wang Qi, the Old Man of Xushan, wrote this postscript.