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In ancient times, when treating diseases, medicines were categorized into Sovereign (Jun), Minister (Chen), Assistant (Zuo), and Guide (Shi) roles; prescriptions were classified by odd or even numbers of ingredients; and dosages varied in size. This is the origin of "Tangtou" (decoctions). Zhang Zhongjing is the ancestor of prescription books. In his *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Pathogenic Diseases), he not only mentioned Taiyang syndrome, Shaoyang syndrome, Taiyin syndrome, and Shaoyin syndrome, but also referred to Mahuang syndrome, Guizhi syndrome, Chaihu syndrome, Chengqi syndrome, etc. He did not name diseases after their pathological names, but after the medicinal herbs used to treat them. Understanding how to administer medicines according to the condition, ensuring that the medicines match the syndromes before use, was certainly not arbitrary! If one fails to differentiate syndromes, does not use decoctions, acts arbitrarily without fixed therapeutic methods, it is like making vessels while discarding the plumb line and square, or arranging troops while abandoning formation. To expect to cure existing diseases this way is indeed difficult. Generally, the ancients formulated prescriptions with appropriate combinations of Sovereign, Minister, Assistant, and Guide herbs; their approaches of following (Cong Zhi) or opposing (Zheng Zhi) treatment principles held profound meanings. These served as golden rules and iron laws for later generations to follow. It depends on the skilled user to comprehend them divinely and apply them flexibly, just as General Han Xin's battle array behind the river seemed to violate military tactics to his generals, yet actually embodied the essence of those tactics. The old version of *Tangtou Gejue* had crude language and incomplete clarity, failing to be a good edition. Presuming my ignorance, I have re-edited it, incorporating the treated syndromes into the verses, and occasionally explaining the ancients' intent in prescribing. For each disease and its corresponding decoction, categories are distinct and principles clear; theory and method are complete, form and function fully integrated; the eternal transmission lies here. This is indeed the orthodox path of medicine and the standard for saving lives. However, there are many ancient prescriptions, impossible to record all. Selecting those convenient for use, I obtained two hundred verses. There are over three hundred main and supplementary prescriptions. Simplicity leads to easy understanding; brevity leads to easy application. By grasping the essentials through these verses, if one can extend knowledge from similar cases, one can respond to infinite variations. This relies on the diligent reader's attention.
Written by Wang Ang, an eighty-year-old elder from Xiuning, in the summer of the Ji Xu year of the Kangxi reign.

1. All verses in this collection strictly follow the poetic rhyme scheme of Shen Yue. Where tonal patterns (Pingze) cannot fully conform due to constraints of prescription names or herb names, they remain unchanged.
2. Ancient four-line verses recorded only one prescription, lacking detail and fluency. This collection allows flexible numbers of prescriptions per verse and lines per prescription; ingredient lists and guiding herbs are made comprehensive and clear; syndromes and treatments are briefly included. Multiple prescriptions may be grouped under one theme; numerous prescriptions may be condensed into fewer verses, demonstrating the ancients' skill in applying knowledge analogously, including modification methods for ease of reference.
3. *Yixue Rumen* contains three hundred verses, and Dong Yuan's works contain two hundred sixty-eight, none categorized by type. Finding a specific prescription required searching extensively. This collection has two hundred verses covering over three hundred prescriptions, divided into twenty categories. Each disease-prescription pair is easily identifiable at a glance. Brief explanations follow each prescription, elucidating the original intent of the ancients, providing basis for prescribers and references for patients, thus offering convenience.
4. Annotations after the verses aim to supplement incomplete aspects of the lyrics, having been carefully refined. Readers who do not disdain them may recite and study them.
5. My work *Yifang Jijie* compiles previous experts' discussions on prescriptions but is voluminous and inconvenient to carry. Therefore, I specifically compiled these verses to attach to the end of Materia Medica texts, allowing travelers to carry them lightly and use them in emergencies.
6. Although concise, thorough study of this book enables response to infinite variations, far surpassing several volumes of thick books by predecessors. Insightful individuals should not consider my words arrogant or presumptuous.
Wang Ang, casually recorded.