Library

Establishing virtue, achieving merit, and leaving behind words (writings) are the affairs of sages and worthies. What kind of person am I, Wu Tang, to dare take this upon myself? When I was nineteen years old, my father had been ill for over a year and eventually passed away. I felt ashamed and regretful beyond description, and my grief was nearly unbearable. I thought that since I did not know medicine to treat my father's illness, what face would I have to stand between heaven and earth? Therefore, I purchased medical books and studied them diligently during the period of mourning (shankuai). Upon reading Zhang Zhongjing's (Zhang Changsha) argument: "Outwardly pursuing glory and power, inwardly forgetting one's life," I sighed with emotion, abandoned my studies for the imperial examinations, and devoted myself entirely to medical arts.

Four years later, my nephew Qiaoguan contracted a warm disease (wenbing). Initially, he suffered from throat obstruction (houbi). A surgeon applied Bingpeng San (Ice and Borax Powder) into his throat, causing the throat to close up. Subsequently, various contemporary physicians were invited to treat him. Their treatments generally did not go beyond Shuangjie San (Double-Release Decoction) or Renshen Baidu San (Ginseng Detoxification Decoction). They were ignorant of the treatment methods for warm diseases. Eventually, he died after developing jaundice (huang). As a beginner, I dared not offer a single comment, yet even regarding this case, I failed to grasp its essential principles.

In ancient times, Zhang Zhongjing grieved for the deaths of his clansmen and composed the *Yukan Jing* (Jade Ring Classic), becoming the ancestor of medicine for later generations. Alas, the *Zubing Lun* (Treatise on Acute Diseases) within the *Yukan* was lost in war and fire. Scholars of later generations had no model to follow, leading to the emergence of diverse and conflicting theories, resulting in losses outweighing gains.

Three years later, I traveled to the capital. While checking the *Siku Quanshu* (Complete Library in Four Sections), I obtained Wu Keyou's *Wenyi Lun* (Treatise on Pestilential Warmth) from the late Ming Dynasty. His discussions were broad and magnanimous, indeed revealing insights previously unexplored by predecessors. Thus, I dedicated myself to studying and imitating his work. Upon careful examination of his methods, I found them somewhat fragmented and mixed. Generally, his merits and faults balanced each other out; his intentions were sincere and painstaking, but his academic understanding was not yet refined.

I further examined the discussions of various sages from the Jin and Tang dynasties onwards. Although their works contained gems and jade-like brilliance, it was impossible to find one that was perfectly complete. How could such knowledge be transmitted as reliable truth to future generations?

I spent ten years deliberating on diseases and reflecting on my own mind. Only then did I gain some insight, yet I still dared not treat anyone lightly. In the year Guichou, a major epidemic of warm pestilence swept through the capital. Friends urged me to treat patients. Most cases had already become complicated and deteriorated conditions (huaibing). Fortunately, dozens of people survived. However, the number of those who died under the hands of ordinary doctors was countless.

Alas! How guilty are the common people, dying not from disease but from doctors? It is better to have no doctor than a bad one. If one does not master medicine thoroughly, it is better not to study medicine at all. Therefore, I resolved to collect the writings of famous sages from past dynasties, remove the impure and mixed parts, select the essence, occasionally add my own opinions and clinical verifications, and compile them into a book named *Wenbing Tiaobian* (Systematic Differentiation of Warm Diseases). Yet, I dared not write it down lightly.

Six more years passed until the year Wuwu. Mr. Wang Se'an from my hometown urged me, saying: "Next year, Jiwu, corresponds to the dominant transformation of damp-earth. The middle qi will see a widespread outbreak of warm and pestilential pathogens. Why do you not hasten to complete this book? It might benefit the livelihood of the people!" I was ashamed of my lack of intelligence and dared not trust myself, fearing that my heart to save people might incur the crime of deceiving them. If others imitate me blindly, the consequences could be endless, and how could I redeem my sins? However, if this book remains unpublished, its merits and faults will never be seen. Thus, disregarding my own limitations, I diligently completed the chapters, seeking correction from distinguished scholars throughout the land, pointing out flaws and errors, and refuting them one by one, hoping that future generations may benefit indefinitely.

Preface by Wu Tang of Huaiyin.