Library

At the end of the Tianxing era, I crossed northward over the Yellow River and resided in Changqing, Dongyuan. One day, I visited the home of Wang Qingxian, a former Imperial Physician, and found a book on his desk titled *Suwen Bingji Qi Yi Baoming Ji* (Treatise on Pathogenesis, Qi Appropriateness, and Preserving Life based on the *Suwen*). Upon trying to read it, I realized it was a manuscript left behind by Mr. Liu Wansu (courtesy name Shouzhen). The text is derived from the *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), extracting its essentials and elaborating upon them. It features vermilion corrections and black ink annotations, consists of three volumes, and is divided into thirty-two categories. Each category follows a logical order, aligning with the principles of the canonical scriptures. For instance, the section on the Dao traces the source of life and nature; the section on pulse diagnosis exhaustively discusses theories regarding life and death; the section on health preservation expounds on the principles of nurturing spirit and preserving vital energy; the section on Yin and Yang explains the subtleties of embracing primordial essence and maintaining unity; the section on pathogenesis presents clear guidelines and examples from beginning to end, encompassing all methods for treating diseases; the section on Materia Medica details the use of assisting and guiding herbs in prescriptions, covering all methods for formulating remedies. Regarding the explanation of the *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage) concerning the appropriateness of Qi, it thoroughly elucidates the intentions of past sages. Reading it brings about a sudden enlightenment and clarity, allowing one to deduce the conditions of the six pulses, twelve meridians, five zang organs, six fu organs, sanjiao (Triple Burner), and four limbs as if they were visible before one's eyes. The subsequent twenty-three treatises present syndromes following each discussion, prescribe formulas according to syndromes, and detail the sequential additions and modifications of medications. These are all profound, exquisite, and divinely skillful. Having tried using these methods, they proved accurate in every case, truly demonstrating the skills of an excellent physician. Even the ancients would not surpass this. Even if Huangdi (Yellow Emperor) and Qibo were to return to life, they would not discard this book. However, the author included a preface describing his own life and conduct, mentioning that in his youth he had already written three books: *Zhige*, *Xuanming*, and *Yuanbingshi*. Although their meanings were profound and sincere, there were still aspects that did not fully embody the principles of the sages. This new book now emerges, serving as the interior-exterior counterpart to those earlier three works, surely acting as a mirror or model for future physicians. Even for those who do not typically study medical texts, obtaining this book and verifying cases according to its examples, then assessing oneself to administer medication, would mean halfway achieving understanding. I believe that whether for farmers, artisans, merchants, monks, Taoist priests, or Confucian scholars, every household should possess a copy. If one falls ill, consulting the sources of disease prevents the reckless administration of decoctions, let alone for practitioners of medicine. Alas, the Master has passed away, and his book has not been transmitted through generations. There are instances where his teachings have been stolen by petty individuals and claimed as their own work. Pitying that his teachings were obscured amidst thatch huts and thorny bushes, I devoted myself to careful collation. Several years have now passed since I commissioned craftsmen to carve printing blocks, intending to widely disseminate it to the world, bringing the Master's teachings out from obscurity, which serves as one means to cure the critical ailments of society.

On the fifteenth day of the first month in the Xinhai year, Yang Wei of Tailu wrote the preface.