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My father previously faced difficulties in having offspring. He once traveled to the capital and met a strange man who said, "Your physiognomy indicates you will have no descendants. If you engage in 'Liji' (benefiting the people and relieving suffering), you may obtain sons." When he was appointed as the Commissioner of Salt for Lianghuai and stationed at Xiasha, a sea flood occurred, drowning no less than hundreds of thousands of people. My father devised methods to salvage and bury all the deceased. In autumn, an epidemic broke out; he donated his salary to hire physicians and prepare medicines to treat the sick, saving tens of thousands of lives through these efforts. He also detailed the planning and supervised the construction of sea dikes; higher officials submitted memorials on his behalf, obtaining imperial approval for execution. At that time, all salt fields suffered from tidal disasters. The people clung to the chariots, begging for aid. From Xiashashiyan to Chuanshan, Minghe, Longtou, and other seven counties, my father personally directed all operations. Upon completion, the dike was named "Liji" (Benefit and Relief). That autumn, a sudden tidal surge arrived but caused no harm. Later, my father transferred from Yongchun to serve as Magistrate of Kema Zaiyouxi. Shortly after, my brother and I were born, both given the childhood name "Liji". Upon his retirement, he used this name for his study hall. This is the origin of the name "Liji".

My father once had one son pursue Confucian studies and another pursue medicine. Thus, my younger brother Kai, besides reading classics from early childhood, also studied texts such as *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot), *Su Wen* (Basic Questions), *Nan Jing* (Classic of Difficult Issues), and *Shang Han Lun* (Treatise on Cold Pathogenic Disorders). In his youth, he was asked to silently draw diagrams of the Bronze Man for play. The *Jia Yi Jing* (Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion) was stored in Yangsu Garden. A plot of land was designated as a medicinal herb garden, where my brother and I often lived and ate during spring and autumn. Now, my brother devotes himself to Qihuang (traditional Chinese medicine) to inherit his father's legacy. Although he dares not confidently claim ability to serve in official capacities, among relatives and neighbors, those who consulted him found their illnesses cured promptly upon taking his prescriptions. He enjoys writing books. His compiled works include *Bai Cao Jing* (Mirror of Hundred Herbs) in eight volumes and *Jiu Sheng Ku Hai* (Bitter Sea of Saving Lives) in one hundred volumes. Their contents hit the mark and penetrate profound mysteries, indeed benefiting the medical field significantly. I feel ashamed of my own superficiality and mediocrity, like a cupful of water. Having been noticed by scholars, yet wishing to make noise with earthenware pots? Recalling from childhood, I loved extensive reading. I occasionally studied astrology, calendar science, divination, medicine, and various arts. Whenever I gained insights, I was so delighted I forgot fatigue. I copied and compiled materials into volumes, storing them in boxes. Over time, the accumulation overflowed the baskets, piled high in the attic, reaching thousands of volumes. Recently, I have grown somewhat weary of them. Every few years, I inspect them and burn those deemed useless. Among these twelve types of works, drafts of *Zhu You* (Incantation Therapy) and *Chuan Ya* (String Elegance) were taken out and thrown into the fire in the spring of Jichou year. However, because they were taken away by juniors, they were temporarily preserved.

Starting from Jiawu year, I began compiling *Yi Lin Ji Ye* (Gleanings from the Medical Forest). I borrowed over ten thousand volumes of medical books from the collection of neighbor Huang Fanweng, cross-referencing them with old secret editions from Jiangxi and Fujian. I collected those that proved effective repeatedly, naming the section "Fu" (Viscera/Collection), showing how difficult it is to select the best. Relatives and friends showed me verified prescriptions, which I added to from my own collections over the years, forming *Zhuan Xin Fang* (Verified Prescriptions). In the spring of Yihai year, Wang Zishi from Hunan rented my residence. Seeing a copy of *Zhu You* on his desk, and knowing Wang used it effectively, I borrowed it to transcribe during leisure. Later, I obtained copies from the Zhang family and manuscripts of *Ru Men Shi Qin* (Affairs of the Confucian Healer), Wan's, and Xue's families. I selected and tested them, deleting absurdities while retaining effective and practical methods. Considering that mountain living makes it hard to prepare all necessary herbs and minerals, I composed *Zhu You Lu Yan* (Record of Verified Incantation Therapies). I have a passion for collecting books. Daytime hours were insufficient, so I burned oil to continue studying at night. Fearing reprimand from elders, I lit lamps within curtains, reading late into the night until coal smoke blackened the green canopies. In the autumn of Bingzi year, I suffered from eye disease, nearly losing sight. I rested with eyes closed for six months before recovering. Thus, I composed *Nang Lu Ji* (Collection of Bag Dew), comparing it with *Yao Han*, *Yin Hai Jing Wei*, *Long Mu Lun*, and *Ming Jian Jian*, believing mine to be superior. The name "Nang Lu" is derived from the idea that dew from cypress leaves can treat eye diseases. Zongzi Baiyun mastered the arts of Hua Tuo and Bian Que, traveling to famous cities. In Wuyin year, he returned by sea from Zhongshan after eight years apart. He presented his visiting card to see me. I was then at home observing ritual propriety. I housed him for three months. During occasional conversations, I pointed out his errors. Baiyun, being a humble scholar, agreed with my remarks. Generously, he shared various techniques he learned from his travels, including top and string methods. Combined with the simple verified prescriptions from my Yangsu Garden, they were compiled together. Stringing them together as "Ya" (Elegance), it is known that this is not the trivial skill of itinerant quacks. Jingshui Jushi and Yin Yuan Shangren both excelled in Dian Mao Fa (pointing straw method) and were friendly with He Zhuli. In Gengchen year, while studying at Huifeng Hermitage in West Mountain Temple, Zhuli came to escape the heat. We formed a "Hexi Drink" gathering and met once, thereby hearing various theories on controlling furnace fires (alchemy). I applied these methods to ascending and descending herbs across various specialties, achieving double efficacy without bodily depletion. Consequently, I collected ancient formulas regarding ascending and descending, incorporated preparation methods, and wrote *Mi Yao* (Secret Essentials). I treated peculiarly prepared herbs as *Yuan Jie* (Origin Explanation), demonstrating the broadest application of Materia Medica.

Previously, Gao Lian collected rare drugs but incompletely. Li Shizhen published *Ben Cao Gang Mu* (Compendium of Materia Medica) later, leaving gaps un-filled. I have continued and supplemented both: one titled *Qi Yao Bei Kao* (Preparatory Examination of Rare Drugs), the other *Ben Cao Gang Mu Shi Yi* (Supplement to the Compendium of Materia Medica), each with its own principles. Under heaven and earth, since the completion of herbal texts starting from *Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) and *Tong Jun Yao Lu* (Tong Jun's Drug Record), dozens of successors followed, making them comprehensive. However, later generations valued drug properties. Those discussing properties often investigated authenticity and distinguished regional origins. For instance, Rehmanniae Radix (Di Huang) has distinctions based on "Three Talents," and Asparagi Radix (Tian Dong) has divisions based on "Five Sacred Mountains." Although Li Shizhen briefly mentioned these, customs and practices have changed over the past century. Moreover, names change with local dialects, and alchemical manuals vary by school. If one is secluded or ignorant, names may remain unfamiliar, risking ridicule. Therefore, I wrote *Ben Cao Hua* (Conversations on Materia Medica) and *Hua Yao Xiao Ming Lu* (Small Directory of Flower Medicines). Regarding health preservation, what value do Daoyin (guiding and pulling) methods for preventing illness hold, or the theories of Kan-Li grafting? Alas! Learning aims at practical application; medicine can penetrate the profound. Though ashamed of my limited talent, I dare not boast of secret golden needles. Thus, I state the origins and append them to the beginning. In the future, if I can write medical treatises based on my insights into *Ling Shu*, *Su Wen*, *Mai Jing* (Pulse Classic), and *Shang Han Lun*, adding ten more types, and combine them with my brother's two books to print as *Liji Hou Ji* (Later Collection of Benefit and Relief), that would be my ambition. On the sixth day of the first decade of mid-spring in Gengyin year, Xu Xuan Zhao Xuemin wrote the preface.

Complete Catalog of Twelve Types of Liji:
*Yi Lin Ji Ye* (Gleanings from the Medical Forest) - 16 Volumes
*Yang Su Yuan Zhuan Xin Fang* (Verified Prescriptions from Yangsu Garden) - 6 Volumes
*Zhu You Lu Yan* (Record of Verified Incantation Therapies) - 4 Volumes
*Nang Lu Ji* (Collection of Bag Dew) - 4 Volumes
*Ben Cao Hua* (Conversations on Materia Medica) - 32 Volumes
*Chuan Ya* (String Elegance) - 8 Volumes
*Hua Yao Xiao Ming Lu* (Small Directory of Flower Medicines) - 4 Volumes
*Sheng Jiang Mi Yao* (Secret Essentials of Ascending and Descending) - 2 Volumes
*She Sheng Xian Lan* (Leisurely Reading on Health Preservation) - 4 Volumes
*Yao Xing Yuan Jie* (Origin Explanation of Drug Properties) - 4 Volumes
*Qi Yao Bei Kao* (Preparatory Examination of Rare Drugs) - 6 Volumes
*Ben Cao Gang Mu Shi Yi* (Supplement to the Compendium of Materia Medica) - 10 Volumes
Total: 100 Volumes.