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In this world, being free from disease is akin to being an immortal. One who can restrain desires and minimize faults, thereby keeping body and mind in a state of serene comfort, will find that every movement and action constitutes a realm of joy, feeling that even the paradisiacal caves of Dantian and Danqiu cannot surpass it. Alas, people often forget their lives for the sake of beauty and their families for the sake of wealth, busily chasing after fame and profit, falling into abysses and sinking into seas of bitterness. This gives rise to hearts full of sorrow and resentment, and incidents of anger and conflict arise, depleting essence (Jing) and damaging Qi, with diseases following suit. If one recognizes errors and repents, taking medicine when illness is imminent, and seeking medical help when illness has already occurred, then as treatment proceeds, recovery follows, leaving nothing to worry about! Yet, people are overly keen on finding fault with others but clumsy in identifying their own mistakes. Moreover, they conceal their illnesses and avoid doctors, procrastinating and waiting until the disease becomes entrenched, only then sighing over past failures in timely treatment, which is now too late. I, Chen Shiduo, advise the world to seek treatment promptly.

When a person's illness is difficult to cure, it is advisable to take more medicine. The formation of disease does not happen in a single day; therefore, its cure cannot be achieved in a single morning or evening. However, those who seek immediate results often end up losing their progress overnight. Furthermore, there are profit-seeking individuals who aim for heavy rewards, disregarding the dangers of relying on luck. They may use drastic drugs containing calomel (Light Powder/Qingfen) to achieve quick relief, but soon poison manifests and new diseases arise, often leading to untreatable conditions. Is it not better to combine attacking pathogens with tonifying deficiency, using both reducing and reinforcing methods? This approach can eliminate evil factors while restoring righteousness. Although the time taken may be slightly longer, the lifelong benefit is boundless. I, Chen Shiduo, advise the world not to pursue quick effects.

Illness concerns life and death; if a doctor can achieve efficacy, their merit is truly great. In critical times, when gold is offered as a reward, the repayment upon recovery is often meager. When illness recurs, doctors refuse to enter the house out of fear or reluctance. Whose fault is this? Treating life as lightly as a goose feather and regarding money as precious as blood and fat—how can one value material objects so much while neglecting the body? I, Chen Shiduo, advise the world not to begrudge rewarding merit.

Forgetting to repay after recovery shows the ingratitude of vulgar people; demanding repayment after recovery reflects the shamefulness of the doctor's virtue. Healing brings merit; if rewarded, the merit seems small; if forgotten and unrewarded, the merit remains great. One should harbor a sincere intention to save lives, rather than solely pursuing profit. Do not let the wealth of the patient breed greed; do not let the poverty of the patient induce laziness. Nurturing abscesses leads to future troubles; intimidating patients to extract money enters the path of evil. I, Chen Shiduo, advise practitioners not to demand rewards.

One cannot study medicine without thoroughly investigating principles; a doctor cannot prescribe herbs without thoroughly understanding principles. Once principles are clear, one knows Yin and Yang, identifies meridians, comprehends Zang-Fu organs, understands the differences between cold and heat, deficiency and excess, and the variations among attacking, tonifying, slippery, and astringent properties. Naturally, one adheres to classics while adapting to changes, exercising flexibility in diagnosis and treatment. Otherwise, merely reading "Mai Jue" (Pulse Secrets) and browsing "Bencao" (Materia Medica) leads to errors in action and words, causing one to lose virtue instead of accumulating merit. I, Chen Shiduo, advise students of medicine to diligently investigate principles.

The medical way becomes clearer through discussion; gathering opinions from many can supplement an individual's insight. If one insists that others are wrong and oneself is right, stubbornly refusing to change, one's prejudices remain untransformed, and how can one benefit from profound knowledge? Recently, medical theories have been diverse, and finding like-minded helpers is rare. However, in such a vast world, surely there are no lack of extraordinary talents. Extensive collection and consultation yield significant gains. I, Chen Shiduo, advise students of medicine to cherish humility.

Recorded by Master Yuangong of Dayaya Hall