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The *Suwen* (Plain Questions) of the *Neijing* (Inner Canon) was originally created by Huangdi (Yellow Emperor) and Qibo. In the Tang Dynasty, Wang Bing (Wang Taipu) provided annotations, and in the Song Dynasty, Gao Baoheng, Sun Zhao, and Lin Yi conducted corrections; everyone considered it to be brilliantly clear and complete. However, later generations dared not read it, could not understand it after reading, and even if they understood it, they did not fully comprehend it. Even those who thought they understood it would, when facing diseases, fail to distinguish between true and false patterns, applying treatments in reverse. Alas! The neglect of classical studies has reached its peak today.

After the Jiashen year (1644), amidst my displacement and exile, having lost interest in worldly affairs, I often took out medical classics to browse. I found that they covered everything from astronomy above to geography below, including herbs and insects. Regarding the human body, internally addressing the Zang-Fu organs (viscera), externally covering the skin and hair, measuring with precise units, leaving nothing out. Truly, this is the utmost extent of the Sage's teachings. Yet, its principles are profound, its scope broad, and its text complex and difficult to verify. Unless one possesses superior wisdom, few do not feel dazzled like gazing at the ocean or hesitate at crossroads.

Therefore, I repeatedly studied the text, contemplating whether there was a way to deliberate upon and amend it, ensuring that everyone could read it, understand it upon reading, and apply it correctly without error. Thus, I referenced the methods of the Tang Dynasty, the *New Corrections* of the Song Dynasty, and the discussions of Ming Dynasty scholars such as Ma Yuantai, Wang Yukui, and Zhang Jingyue. Over ten years, by March of the Renyin year (1662) in the Kangxi era, I sighed: "Now I know how to deliberate and amend."

For parts where the original meaning of the classic was already fully expressed earlier, but redundant words followed, I removed them; for meanings already appearing in other chapters, repeated here, I deleted them; for fragmented texts where meaning could not be verified, and forced interpretations were tasteless, I either left doubts or removed them entirely; for missing or erroneous phrases, I supplemented them based on other editions; for corrupted characters, I corrected them according to linguistic context; for inverted syntax and disordered paragraphs resulting from copying errors, I revised them by considering the overall context. As for later forgeries added to pad the number of chapters, such as the seven chaotic chapters like *Zhezhi Jiao*, I deleted and streamlined them. In total, I made 178 modifications, deleting 6,686 characters.

The *Suwen* is a Classic, and Classics are the words of Sages. Who am I to dare delete the words of Sages? I merely edited them. The *I Ching* (Book of Changes) states: "Heaven and Earth have restraint, and the four seasons are formed. Restraint through systems harms neither wealth nor people." This refers to reducing excess and supplementing deficiency to return to a moderate balance. Now, the original text of the *Suwen* remains, and Wang Bing's annotations remain. Where Wang Bing retained redundant repetitions without removing them; kept fragmentary or forged content without deleting it; or merely followed the text without elucidating deeper meanings, or indiscriminately collected shallow references, no wonder later readers felt baffled, failed to fully comprehend, and even feared to read it. How could one expect them to distinguish true from false patterns, determine correct approaches, and apply treatments accurately when treating diseases?

This is why I both edited the excesses of the *Suwen* and offered my own interpretations to clarify what Wang Bing had not fully expressed, deliberating and amending, unaware of my own presumptuous confusion. This work began in March of the Renyin year and ended in December of the Jiyi year (1669), taking seven years. Seven years later, the edited version of the *Lingshu* (Spiritual Pivot) was also completed. My engagement with the *Neijing* lasted fourteen years in total. From now on, those who read the *Neijing* may perhaps achieve understanding.

On the second day after the Full Moon of the fifth month in the Ding Si year of Kangxi (1677), Yao Shao Yu of Zhian, Kuaiji, respectfully wrote this preface.