一、《神农本草》三卷，三百六十种，分上、中、下三品。梁陶弘景增药一倍，随品附
入。唐、宋重修，各有增附，或并或退，品目虽存，旧额淆混，义意俱失。今通列一十六部
为纲，六十类为目，各以类从。三品书名，俱注各药之下，一览可知，免寻索也。
一、旧本玉、石、水、土混同，诸虫、鳞、介不别，或虫入木部，或木入草部。今各列
为部，首以水、火，次之以土，水、火为万物之先，土为万物母也。次之以金、石，从土也。
次之以草、谷、菜、果、木，从微至巨也。次之以服、器，从草、木也。次之以虫、鳞、介
、禽、兽，终之以人，从贱至贵也。
一、药有数名，今古不同。但标正名为纲，余皆附于释名之下，正始也。仍注各本草名
目，纪原也。
一、唐、宋增入药品，或一物再出、三出，或二物、三物混注，今俱考正，分别归并，
但标其纲，而附列其目。如标龙为纲，而齿、角、骨、脑、胎、涎皆列为目；标粱为纲，而
赤、黄粱米皆列为目之类。
一、诸品首以释名，正名也；次以集解，解其出产、形状、采取也；次以辨疑、正误，
辨其可疑，正其谬误也；次以修治，谨炮炙也；次以气味，明性也；次以主治，录功也；次
以发明，疏义也；次以附方，着用也；或欲去方，是有体无用矣（旧本附方二千九百三十五，
今增八千一百六十一）。
一、唐、宋以朱墨圈盖分别古今，经久讹谬。今既板刻，但直书诸家本草名目于药名、
主治之下，便览也。
一、诸家本草，重复者删去，疑误者辨正，采其精粹，各以人名，书于诸款之下，不没
其实，且是非有归也。
一、诸物有相类而无功用宜参考者，或有功用而人卒未识者，俱附录之。无可附者，附
于各部之末。盖有隐于古而显于今者，如莎根即香附子，陶氏不识而今则盛行；辟虺雷，昔
人罕言而今充方物之类，虽冷僻，不可遗也。
一、唐、宋本所无，金、元、我明诸医所用者，增入三十九种。时珍续补三百七十四
种。虽曰医家药品，其考释性理，实吾儒格物之学，可裨《尔雅》、《诗疏》之缺。
一、旧本序例重繁，今止取神农为正，而旁采《别录》诸家附于下，益以张、李诸家
用药之例。
一、古本百病主治药，略而不切。王氏《集要》、祝氏《证治》，亦约而不纯。今分病原
列之，以便施用，虽繁不紊也。
一、神农旧目及宋本总目，附于例后，存古也。
1. *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) consists of three volumes, recording 360 medicinal substances, divided into three grades: Superior (Shangpin), Middle (Zhongpin), and Inferior (Xiapin). Tao Hongjing of the Liang Dynasty doubled the number of drugs and appended them according to their respective grades. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, revised editions added supplements and annotations; some were merged, others removed. Although the "Three Grades" nomenclature was retained, the original entries became confused and mixed, losing their original meaning and intent. Now, all are systematically categorized into sixteen Departments (Bu) as the main framework (Gang) and sixty Categories (Lei) as sub-items (Mu), with each drug grouped by category. The names of the Three Grades are annotated under each drug for easy reference, eliminating the need for tedious searching.
2. In older editions, Jade, Stone, Water, and Earth were mixed together; various insects, fish (Lin), and shelled animals (Jie) were not distinguished, with some insects placed in the Wood Department or plants in the Grass Department. Now, each is listed as a separate Department. The order begins with Water and Fire, followed by Earth, because Water and Fire are the precursors of all things, and Earth is the mother of all things. Next come Metal and Stone, following from Earth. Then follow Grass, Grain, Vegetable, Fruit, and Wood, proceeding from the minute to the massive. Next are Clothing and Utensils, derived from Grass and Wood. Then come Insects, Fish, Shelled Animals, Birds, and Beasts, ending with Humans, progressing from the lowly to the noble.
3. Medicinal substances often have multiple names that differ between ancient and modern times. Here, only the correct name is marked as the main heading (Gang), while other aliases are attached under the section "Explanation of Names" (Shiming) to establish the origin. Additionally, names from various Bencao texts are noted to record the provenance.
4. Drugs added in the Tang and Song dynasties sometimes appeared twice or thrice under different names, or two or three distinct substances were conflated. These have now been verified, corrected, and consolidated. Only the main headings are marked, with sub-items listed beneath. For example, "Dragon" (Long) is the main heading, while Dragon Tooth (Longchi), Dragon Horn (Longjiao), Dragon Bone (Longgu), Dragon Brain (Longnao), Dragon Fetus (Longtai), and Dragon Saliva (Longxian) are listed as sub-items; similarly, "Millet" (Liang) is the main heading, with Red Millet (Chiliang) and Yellow Millet (Huangliang) listed as sub-items.
5. Each entry begins with "Explanation of Names" (Shiming) to clarify terminology; followed by "Collected Explanations" (Jijie) detailing origin, morphology, and harvesting methods; then "Doubts Resolved" (Banyi) and "Errors Corrected" (Zhengwu) to address ambiguities and rectify mistakes; then "Processing" (Xiuzhi) carefully describing preparation techniques; then "Flavor and Nature" (Qiwei) clarifying properties; then "Indications" (Zhuzhi) recording therapeutic effects; then "Elucidation" (Faming) interpreting principles; and finally "Attached Prescriptions" (Fufang) providing clinical applications. Removing prescriptions would imply having substance without utility (Old editions contained 2,935 prescriptions; this edition adds 8,161 new ones).
6. Tang and Song editions used vermilion and black ink circles to distinguish ancient from modern content, leading to long-standing errors. Since this edition uses woodblock printing, the names of various Bencao authorities are directly recorded under the drug names and indications for convenient reading.
7. Repetitive content from various Bencao texts has been deleted; doubtful or erroneous information has been clarified and corrected. Only the essence is retained, with authorship attributed to each item to preserve factual accuracy and assign credit or blame appropriately.
8. Substances that are similar but require comparative analysis of efficacy, or those with known efficacy yet unrecognized by people, are appended. If no suitable place exists, they are attached at the end of their respective departments. Some items obscure in antiquity are clear today, such as Cyperi Rhizoma (Shaogen/Xiangfuzi), which Tao Hongjing did not recognize but is now widely used; or Bihuile, rarely mentioned in the past but now common in formulas. Though obscure, none should be omitted.
9. Thirty-nine substances used by physicians of the Jin, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties but absent in Tang and Song editions are added. Li Shizhen supplemented an additional 374 substances. Although these are medical materials, their investigation into nature and principle constitutes the Confucian study of "Gewu" (investigation of things), helping to fill gaps left by classics like *Erya* and *Mao Shi Zhuan*.
10. The prefaces and examples in old editions were repetitive and cumbersome. This edition takes *Shennong Bencao Jing* as the orthodox standard, appending excerpts from *Bencao Jing Jizhu* (Collected Annotations on the Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) and other authorities below, along with prescribing principles from Zhang Yuansu and Li Dongyuan.
11. Ancient records of treatments for hundred diseases were brief and imprecise. Works by Wang Hao-gu (*Jiyao*) and Zhu Mu (*Zhengzhi*) were concise but incomplete. Now, causes of disease are categorized and listed for practical application, ensuring clarity despite complexity.
12. The old catalog of *Shennong Bencao Jing* and the general index of the Song edition are appended after the preface to preserve ancient records.