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Of all matters concerning human beings, none is greater than life and death. Within a century of lifespan, who can guarantee remaining healthy? Yet, once illness strikes, people entrust themselves to mediocre physicians, resigning themselves to harm and dying in vain without resentment.

It is ironic that the most intelligent beings are humans, yet the most foolish are also humans. While it is inevitable to seek medical help when ill, truly proficient pulse diagnosticians are rare, numbering less than one or two in a thousand. One might argue that without treatment, the disease cannot be cured; yet, accepting reckless treatment risks one's life. I believe that only those with discerning wisdom can distinguish quality from inferiority. Even for those recommended by others' acclaim, patients should subject them to scrutiny. The method of "testing the physician" (Shi Yi) is perhaps the only way to make prudent choices and avoid error.

When a patient invites a physician home, they must not prematurely disclose symptoms. Instead, they should extend their arm for the physician to palpate the pulse, observe the complexion, and listen to the voice. After the pulse diagnosis is completed, the patient should remain silent and listen to what the physician says. Does he categorize the condition as Cold or Heat, Deficiency or Excess? Is it Blood Deficiency, Qi Deficiency, Blood Excess, or Qi Excess? Does he distinguish between external contraction and internal injury, meridians and zang-fu organs, Yin and Yang dominance? These are the essentials of disease. Although diseases manifest in thousands of ways, there are only twenty-seven types of pulses. How can every manifestation correspond perfectly? Yet, these essentials should certainly be known by any competent physician. If the physician articulates these clearly and two or three out of ten points prove accurate, he may be called a renowned master. Only then should the patient reveal the cause of the illness, the regularity of daily life, dietary preferences, and the duration of the disease, providing full details without concealment. Then, listen to his prescription and formulation. Furthermore, inquire: What disease does this specific herb treat? What are the principles of Sovereign, Minister, Assistant, and Courier (Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi), Mother-Child relationships, and Deficiency-Excess? Does it violate the Stomach Qi? Will recovery be fast or slow? What are the signs indicating curability or incurability? Is the approach conforming or contrary regulation? Standard or reverse treatment? Request him to write down the entire reasoning process to assess the depth of his learning and the height of his insight. If he is indeed a wise and capable physician, trust him with confidence, and there will surely be no danger. If the illness does not improve, it is not necessarily the physician's fault. However, if his pulse and symptom analysis is unclear, his speech is slurred or hesitant, he uses clichés to evade questions, his handwriting is illegible, and his prescriptions lack methodology, even if recommended by nobility, he belongs to the sycophantic class—like a sheep wearing a tiger skin, merely superficially decorated. How can such a person be trusted lightly? This is what is meant by "testing the physician," not deliberately harassing the doctor. Testing the physician is done for the sake of life and safety. If the physician is truly excellent, why fear being tested?

I often feel uneasy regarding Su Dongpo's statement: "The difficulty in understanding pulses is a common affliction of ancient and modern times. Extreme deficiency may present with excess symptoms, and extreme excess may present with debilitated signs. Between these similarities and differences lies the distinction between life and death. Scholars often conceal their ailments to test the physician's ability. In my lifetime, whenever I was ill and sought treatment, I would inform the physician completely of my condition, allowing him to understand clearly where the disease lay, determining the Deficiency/Excess and Cold/Heat in his mind before taking the pulse, so that doubts could not confuse him. I only seek cure; I do not engage in harassing physicians." Sun Simiao also stated: "Inquiring before diagnosing is the most accurate method." Alas, the words of these two gentlemen were specifically intended to cover up the shortcomings of physicians, not to help patients choose wisely. It benefits the physician, but does it protect the patient from misdiagnosis? Wang Du argued that making friends requires tolerance, but since illness concerns life and death, one must strictly verify the physician's actual competence. I fear that employing a physician without testing causes significant harm to the world. Therefore, I refute these views and establish this method of testing physicians.