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Alas! The Way of Medicine is indeed grand, profound, and divine. Yet if one is grand but does not know its grandeur, profound but does not know its profundity, and divine but does not know its divinity, then it is equivalent to being neither grand, nor profound, nor divine. Master Chen Yuan-gong has loved reading the medical texts of Qi Bo and Huang Di for thirty years up to now. Regarding the treatment methods in the *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), he truly penetrates their mysteries, and thus sighs that the Way of Medicine lacks more methodologies. The suffering and afflictions of human diseases are many, while the remedies offered by medicine are few; there is a reason for this. In mid-winter of the Dingmao year, while composing books south of the Yu River, he encountered Qi Bo in a dream to debate difficult issues, feeling astonished and amazed. He therefore sighed: "How can I obtain miraculous heavenly secret records to save future generations?" Qi Bo then transmitted these twenty-four methods to him. Yuan-gong requested further instruction; whenever he pondered one method, Qi Bo would transmit one method. Pondering and pondering, even spirits and ghosts could connect with it—does this not describe Master Chen? Now that the book is published, containing contents unseen in the world, I genuinely fear that its intentions are too profound and its methods too extraordinary, worrying that people will not believe them. Yuan-gong again requested me to elucidate and expand upon them. Appreciating Master Chen's endless heart for saving lives, I discussed each category further to reveal the grandeur and profundity of the Way of Medicine, and how profundity leads to divinity. Combining them for publication throughout the world, so that people know that nothing is absent between heaven and earth. Because of Master Chen's tireless love for goodness, there are heavenly beings who joyfully transmit these arts to him without end. I wish all people under heaven to read this compilation, delve deeply into its subtleties, and no longer mislead the world. Master Chen asked me to write the preface at another time. Zhang Ji, Prefect of Changsha during the Han Dynasty, respectfully accepted the title of Guangde Zhenren, inscribed south of the Yu River. The date was the tenth day after the Winter Solstice in the Dingmao year of the Kangxi reign.

On the third day after the Flower Festival in the second month of the Wuchen year of the current emperor, Yuan-gong Master Chen requested a preface for the *Shishi Milu* (Secret Records of the Stone Chamber) transmitted by Heavenly Master Qi. After reading it, I was astonished and marveled at the divine and wondrous nature of the Way of Medicine. Medicine reaching the point of raising the dead from death is already wondrous, yet this compilation goes beyond even that. Its prose is bold yet pure, its meaning deep yet clear; it is a study of human nature and destiny, not merely a book on minor medical skills. Master Chen's learning is vast, understanding both heaven and humanity, his logic penetrating spiritual realms. If people obtain the secrets of this compilation, what worry would there be about the Way of Medicine failing to reach transformation? Yet Master Chen thinks otherwise. Kneeling long, he requested me saying: "Learning medicine to save one person is inferior to saving an era; saving an era is inferior to saving ten thousand eras. Is this not speaking greatly and having a good heart?" Our Sage Confucius established teachings, aiming only to save one era. Having established oneself, one establishes others; having attained success, one helps others attain success. He never taught people to bestow virtue upon ten thousand eras. However, Confucius's books have lasted until today; although they can be said to have saved ten thousand eras. Now, Master Chen annotates the *Suwen* (Basic Questions) and *Neijing*, and I sigh that his lofty aspirations remain unfulfilled. Thus, I used Hua Tuoyao's Qingnang Art (Green Bag Technique) to move him. Master Chen looked sorrowful and said: "How can I obtain such heavenly miraculous texts to read?" I then straightened my clothes and instructed him: "Do you wish to annotate the *Suwen*? Apart from the Qingnang Art, what else can be used to write books and discuss theories?" Master Chen worried. I said: "Do not worry. I shall summon Heavenly Master Qi to transmit everything to you." Indeed, the secret art of Qingnang was originally obtained by Lord Hua from Heavenly Master Qi. Master Chen bowed twice and accepted the teaching. I invited the Heavenly Master to the Yan Market, and the Heavenly Master further invited Lord Zhongjing (Zhang Zhongjing) to stay together as guests. Morning and evening they visited each other, exhaustively transmitting methods, totaling one hundred and twenty-eight categories, named *Shishi Milu*, which is also the Qingnang Art. No prescription is not divine, no theory is not extraordinary. Upon receiving these, Master Chen deciphered mysteries and elucidated obscurities, exerting great effort on the *Suwen* to strengthen its literary waves. Moreover, believing that the transmission from the Heavenly Master was incomplete, he sought Lord Zhongjing to elucidate and expand, supplementing what the Heavenly Master had omitted. He also requested the Heavenly Master to summon Hua Tuoyao to verify similarities and differences between past and present. Lord Hua again transmitted everything without concealment. Now the book is complete. Master Chen is unwilling to keep it secret, wishing to make it public for ten thousand eras, not just to save people of one era. Does this not align eternally with the heart of Confucius: "Having established oneself, establish others; having attained success, help others succeed"? Only Master Chen suffers from poverty as a guest, unable to quickly print and publish. However, his words are grand, his heart kind, truly covering and benefiting ten thousand eras. Master Chen still preserves it, waiting for those in the world who love goodness like him. Because Master Chen requested a preface, I wrote these few words at the front. This is also to encourage gentlemen under heaven who love goodness. Accumulating goodness surely yields surplus blessings; I see this in Master Chen. I do not wish only Master Chen to see this; people under heaven may also hear my words to encourage themselves in doing good, lest Master Chen alone be the benevolent man. Inscribed by Daoist Lu at Yanshan.