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Alas! The difficulty of reading is nowhere greater than in medical books. When we study literature, we must first read books, and the books we read are none other than the Thirteen Classics (Shisan Jing). These texts were edited and finalized by sages and worthies; no one dares to alter them. Even when later scholars provide annotations, occasional differences do not lead to significant errors. Moreover, with the imperial commissioning of the Annotations and Subcommentaries on the Thirteen Classics, if one can recite and study them, one becomes a learned person. Although there are works from the Hundred Schools of Thought outside, they merely serve to demonstrate erudition and cannot confuse the principles we revere. However, for physicians, since the time of Shennong, our ancestral master Jiu Daiji created the *Shangjing* (Classic of Upper Origins), of which only seventy characters remain today. Although Yu Xichang provided annotations, they are now insufficient for use. Therefore, we should naturally take Xuanyuan and Qibo's *Neijing* (Inner Canon) as our primary authority. This text is profound and mysterious; it could only have been composed by sages, making it inherently difficult for later learners to comprehend. Wang Taipu of the Tang Dynasty, whose personal name was Bing and pseudonym was Qiyuanzi, was the first to write annotations, followed by supplementary notes from Song dynasty figures such as Gao Baoheng and Lin Yi. Scholars thereafter devoted themselves to studying these works, citing classics to diagnose conditions during clinical practice, thereby avoiding errors. However, Cheng Wujie independently provided his own annotations, leading to an increase of over ten additional commentators on the *Neijing*. Their modifications were forced and arbitrary; their intent was merely to attach themselves to prestigious names to gain fame. In reality, they were likely inferior to Wang’s annotations, leaving later learners bewildered and without a clear direction.

Later came Master Zhang Zhongjing of the Eastern Han Dynasty, born a sage among physicians. His *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Pathogenic Diseases) contains 397 methods and 113 prescriptions, truly serving as the ancestor of all medical formulas. Subsequent medical formulas are countless, yet none can escape its scope. However, the language and meaning of this book are archaic and obscure, difficult to understand clearly, necessitating reliance on annotations. Since Cheng Wujie’s commentary, nearly a hundred subsequent commentators emerged, offering divergent opinions like a heated debate, merely confusing people’s minds. I read Yu’s *Shanglun Pian* (Discourse on Ancient Discussions) and found it clear and fluent. Yet, upon seeing Ke’s three books, he criticized Yu’s views as deviant, intending to belittle predecessors while claiming superiority for later generations. In truth, Ke was inferior to Yu. Although Ke titled his chapters by symptoms rather than the Six Channels (Liujing), claiming to grasp Zhongjing’s core methodology, whether this claim holds true is questionable.

I believe that for the *Neijing*, Wang’s annotations should be taken as primary. Our diagnosis of diseases is not akin to textual research. For each symptom diagnosed, if even one or two sentences from the classic text are reliable, errors can be avoided; it suffices to memorize the key phrases of the *Neijing*. Recently, Li Shicai’s *Neijing Yao Yao* (Essential Knowledge of the Inner Canon) and Wang Ang’s *Lingsu Leizuan* (Compilation of Ling Shu and Su Wen), if studied thoroughly, are sufficient for diagnosing illnesses. Regarding commentaries, Xue Yipiao’s *Yijing Yuanzhi* (Original Meaning of Medical Classics) is recent; it takes Wang’s annotations as primary, occasionally incorporating selections from various schools, accompanied by case discussions, making it nearly perfect. As for the *Shanghan Lun*, Yu Jiayan’s *Shanglun Pian* is considered the best; its depth is made accessible, achievable only by those who have fully mastered both heaven and humanity. If one must consult various schools, the Qing dynasty’s *Yizong Jinjian* (Golden Mirror of the Medical Tradition) is recommended; it takes Cheng’s annotations as primary and comprehensively includes valuable points from other schools. If one carefully examines these, one becomes a proficient physician, without needing to seek widely scattered commentaries. Just as writing essays requires conciseness for refinement, so too does learning medicine. How can one say that what is difficult to read is not almost equivalent to what is easy to read?