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Xu Donggao said that there is a common saying: "A renowned physician is inferior to a contemporary physician." This likely refers to the fact that although contemporary physicians may not study books or understand medical principles, they can still achieve accidental success due to favorable circumstances. They often boast, "Taking advantage of my ten years of good fortune, come to me with your illnesses for treatment." They also say, "No matter how well you have memorized Wang Shuhe's works, it is not as good as my extensive experience in observing various diseases." A local proverb states, "With the heart, small intestine, liver, gallbladder, and kidney [aligned], one can earn a thousand coins daily when luck favors them." The notion that "a renowned physician is inferior to a contemporary physician" indeed stems from such phenomena.

*Weisheng Baojian* (Precious Mirror of Health Preservation) records a case where a physician treated a patient suffering from fatigue in the four limbs, restlessness and heat, spontaneous sweating, shortness of breath, reduced appetite, cough with excessive phlegm, chest and diaphragm discomfort, constipation, and emaciation. Despite changing multiple doctors over a year, the condition remained unresolved. Someone suggested consulting a contemporary physician at a certain location who, despite lacking proficiency in classical texts and pulse diagnosis, had seen numerous cases and achieved universal efficacy. Trusting this advice, the patient sought his treatment. Upon examination, the physician declared, "This is food stagnation. I have treated many such cases and guarantee effectiveness." He then moxibustioned Feishu (BL13, Lung Shu point) and prescribed Juan Yin Wan (Decoction to Eliminate Phlegm-Fluid) combined with digestive-promoting agents. Within a few doses, the patient developed diarrhea, abdominal pain, and inability to eat, ultimately dying. The *Classic of Difficult Issues* (Nanjing) states: "When both physical constitution and pathogenic qi are deficient, purging will exacerbate the deficiency." This indicates a state of dual yin-yang weakness and exhaustion of blood and qi; supplementation is urgently needed, yet instead, toxic purgatives were used, further depleting the already depleted body. How could death be avoided? A renowned physician, before treating disease, first assesses whether the annual cosmic influence is excessive or insufficient, then observes differences in physical robustness and qi strength; diseases vary in excess/deficiency, depth/shallowness, and involvement of zang/fu organs; treatments differ in urgency and approach. Since physicians hold the fate of patients in their hands, incompetence leads to death. Modern patients, failing to understand this principle, entrust their lives to contemporary physicians, which is no different from self-abandonment and accepting death willingly. Alas! Such mediocre practitioners are everywhere; what can be done about it?

The *Xue Shi Yi An* (Medical Cases of Master Xue) records: In the Xin Chou year, while at the residence of Tu Jianshan in Jiaxing, I was summoned to treat Lin Ershou, who suffered from frequent confusion and delirium. The patient exhibited continuous muttering and a surging, large pulse that felt empty upon deep pressure. This indicated a deficiency of yang, requiring treatment with Shen Fu Tang (Ginseng and Aconite Decoction). The attending physician welcomed this suggestion, stating, "This aligns perfectly with my own thoughts." After administration, the patient fell into a quiet sleep and resumed eating. Following a second dose at noon, mental clarity returned, and the pulse became restrained. Upon my return, he falsely claimed to have used excessive Aconite and neutralized it with Coptis Rhizome (Huanglian), while secretly continuing the Shen Fu Tang. Reflecting on Zhang Zhongjing’s teachings on cold damage: "If Guizhi Tang enters the throat and yang is exuberant, death ensues; if Xiaobai Huatan Tang or similar purgatives enter the stomach and yin is exuberant, death follows." The principle is self-evident without debate. Fearing his previous words might mislead patients, I publicly exposed this matter. These are the words of Master Lizhai (Xue Ji). I consider him a deceitful and treacherous person. Investigating such motives reveals nothing less than malicious exclusion and jealousy. Some, eyeing wealthy families, collude to extort property; others use alarmist language to frighten patients; some administer harsh remedies for easily treatable conditions, causing alarming complications to extort money; some, seeing profit opportunities unmet in critical cases, prescribe mild remedies deliberately, leading to fatal delays; some exploit chaotic households, orphaned children fighting for inheritance, or marital jealousies, using illness as an excuse to harm victims via poisoned medicine. These individuals pursue only profit, destroy lineages, take lives, corrupt both morality and medical ethics, hide traps, and exhibit unparalleled cruelty and treachery. The ancients taught that one should only entrust medical care to trusted acquaintances, a profound wisdom. Those managing precarious situations must remain especially vigilant.