忆余自幼时，耳目之所睹记，鲜见医而儒者也。乃转而思焉，其凌替当不至是，使得克自振拔者出，
而一起其衰，应必有可观者焉。故余极欲留心医学。每为塾师所迫，俾专工举子业，而未遑及之。第其
所授之文，寓目即昏昏睡去，总不记忆。间尝取唐宋八家，以及诸名公真稿读之，一见辄能成诵。第期
负过高，自维取法乎上者，仅得乎中。以此所为文词，往往不能趋时。后松峰山人为人言余所为
帖括，乃传世之作，似非利试之器，当变格以相从，庶几其有合乎。或有告予者，予闻其言而是之，
乃改弦易辙，始克幸博一第。第以揣摹入彀，终觉违心。随仍浸淫于古，日取诸子百家纵观之。又念
人有七尺之躯，而不解岐黄术，终属憾事。遂将《灵枢》、《素》、《难》，以及历代各家医书，
罗列案头，日日展玩。第医理玄杳，又系中年学步，卒未能深造其室。唯论其文章好丑，除经论外，惟
李士材、汪 等笔墨
稍觉可观，余者字句尚多有未能通顺者，遑论其他乎。乙巳夏，山人出所着《说疫》一书，属余弁
言。余非知医者，固不敢强作解事。第观其全部文章，理法俱从《左》、《国》、《史》、《汉》得
来，神而明之，又自成一子，真乃才人之笔，而讵可仅以医书目之乎。能文之士，取而读之，始信
吾言之不谬也。是医也，而进于儒矣，是为序。
时乾隆五十年乙巳榴月眷姻弟春圃王树孝书
Looking back to my childhood, I rarely saw anyone who was both proficient in medicine and well-versed in Confucianism. Thus, I turned to reflect: if this decline had not been so severe, and if individuals capable of self-revitalization had emerged to jointly rejuvenate the waning medical arts, there would undoubtedly have been remarkable achievements. Therefore, I was extremely eager to devote myself to the study of medicine. However, each time I was compelled by my private tutor to focus exclusively on preparing for the imperial examinations, I had no leisure to attend to it. The texts he taught me were such that merely glancing at them induced drowsiness; I could never retain them. Occasionally, I would take up the authentic manuscripts of the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song dynasties, as well as those of other renowned scholars, and upon reading them once, I could recite them from memory. Yet, with high expectations, I realized that aiming for the highest standard often yields only a middle result. Consequently, my writings often failed to conform to contemporary tastes. Later, Master Songfeng told others that my examination essays (tiekuo) were works worthy of passing down through generations, seemingly unsuitable instruments for securing official positions, and suggested that I should alter my style to align with current trends, hoping thereby to meet the requirements. When someone conveyed these words to me, I found them reasonable, changed my approach, and eventually succeeded in passing the examination. Nevertheless, feeling that catering to conventions ultimately went against my true nature, I returned to immersing myself in ancient texts, daily reading widely across the Hundred Schools of Thought. I further reflected that possessing a human body yet lacking knowledge of Qihuang Shu (Traditional Chinese Medicine) is a lasting regret. Thus, I placed the *Lingshu* (Spiritual Pivot), *Suwen* (Basic Questions), *Nanjing* (Classic of Difficult Issues), along with medical books from various dynasties, on my desk, studying them day by day. However, medical principles are profound and obscure, and since I began learning in middle age, I ultimately failed to attain mastery. Regarding literary merit, apart from classical treatises, only the writings of Li Shicai and Wang Ang seemed somewhat commendable; others often contained awkward phrasing, let alone other aspects. In the summer of the Yisi year, Master Songfeng presented his book *Shuo Yi* (Discourse on Epidemics) and requested that I write a preface. As one ignorant of medicine, I dared not pretend to expertise. However, observing the entire work, its logic and methods derive from the *Zuo Zhuan*, *Guoyu*, *Shiji*, and *Hanshu*; it is divine and illuminating, forming its own school of thought. It is truly the pen of a talented scholar, and how can it be regarded merely as a medical text? Those skilled in literature who read it will believe that my words are not unfounded. This medicine has advanced to the realm of Confucian scholarship; thus, this preface.
Written in the sixth month (Lunar May) of the Yisi year, the 50th year of the Qianlong reign, by my brother-in-law Chunpu, Wang Shuxiao.