Library

It is commonly said that medicine is divided into thirteen departments. Each department constitutes a specialization, adhering strictly to its own school of thought, with few capable of mutual integration; this is generally the case. However, regarding the formulas and theories of various departments, authors have succeeded one another, compiling and editing without omission, yet the Department of Orthopedics (Zhengti Ke) alone lacks dedicated books. Is it not because the merit of reduction and restoration lies subtly in manual techniques; and the labor of palpation and manipulation is often disparaged as the work of crude artisans, thus neglected? In the past, our Emperor Yi suffered an injury from a horse runaway. The imperial physicians, unable to treat it as it was not a hereditary family profession, failed. Only Xu Zhen, a Tongzheng (Counselor) from Suzhou, attended to the treatment with effective results, restoring the Emperor's health to normal. Consequently, Xu gained favor and was promoted to the rank of Nine Ministers (Jiu Lie), and his descendants served in the Imperial Medical Bureau (Taiyiyuan) through generations by virtue of this skill. How can such matters be considered insignificant and left unexamined! Moreover, when limbs are injured externally, Qi and Blood are damaged internally; Ying and Wei (Nutritive and Defensive Qi) fail to circulate smoothly, leading to disharmony among the Zang-Fu organs. How can one rely solely on manual techniques without investigating pulse patterns, assessing deficiency and excess, and applying tonification or sedation accordingly? The Grand Historian stated: "What people worry about is the multitude of diseases; what doctors worry about is the scarcity of medical principles." I believe the problem lies in the inability to integrate and connect these principles. When Bian Que (Qin Yueren) passed through Langya, he practiced as a specialist in gynecology (Daixia Yi); when he passed through Luoyang, he practiced as a specialist in ear, eye, and bi-syndrome (Ermu Bi Yi); upon entering Xianyang, he practiced as a pediatrician. Although this was adapting to local customs, does it not demonstrate that his medical principle was inherently all-encompassing? Master Lizaizhai (Xue Ji), inheriting his family's expertise in treating carbuncles and sores, analyzed the variations of various departments with profound detail, being both comprehensive and exhaustive. His prescription formulation and theoretical discussions, which determine life and death, naturally fall within the scope of these various departments. Therefore, why should students of medicine complain about the scarcity of medical principles? The Master once authored *Waike Shuyao* (Essentials of External Medicine), for which I had previously written a preface for publication. Now, intending to reprint this book to preserve it as a distinct school of thought, admiring his diligent effort, I have added a few words at the beginning of the volume. This is to let future generations know that the Master's skills were universally proficient, yet invariably derived from a single fundamental principle. Students should not use specialization as an excuse for negligence. The Master's name was Ji, courtesy name Xinpu. Details of his official positions and career are provided in the preface to *Waike Shuyao*, and are not repeated here.
Lu Shidao, Former Jinshi and Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Rites, wrote this.