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As stated in the *Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon* (Huangdi Neijing): "When humans are injured by cold pathogenic factors, they develop febrile diseases." Generally, the movement of the Six Qi (Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire) tends to transform into Fire. Although exogenous diseases may be caused by either Cold or Heat, those involving Heat are more common. Cholera morbus (Huoluan) is merely one type of exogenous disease; it can present as either Cold or Heat patterns, and initially does not exclusively belong to Cold patterns. It is simply because... [text missing in original]. The author deeply detests the弊端 (drawback) of rigidly adhering to a single method to treat all diseases, hence speaking with such earnestness and severity. If readers suspect that I bias towards using Cold-Cooling herbs, they would be misinterpreting my intent due to the wording. In the past, Xu Lingtai (styled Huixi) wrote *Shenji Chuyan* (Cautious Words on Preventing Illness), and commented himself: "Some suspect I specialize in using Cold-Cooling and attacking methods, but they do not know this is for those who have been mistakenly treated with Warm-Reinforcing methods..." Zhenguo Year Gui-Chou, First Month, Wu Cheng, Wang Yizhen

The Layman Suixi, living in an era of peace and prosperity, grew up in Hangzhou. Unfortunately, he lost his father in childhood. Knowing he lacked talents for worldly engagement, he named his study "Qianming" (Hidden Name). Ten years later, he suddenly returned to his hometown with his two younger brothers and a single inkstone. However, he was so poor he had no space to drive in an awl, renting a house instead. When asked why, he replied, "I am continuing my ancestors' will!" He then inscribed a plaque for his thatched cottage. By the autumn of the You year, the situation became increasingly dire; unable to maintain his ancestors' tombs, he parted from his two brothers and took his wife and children to reside in Puyuan. Others viewed him as free as a wild crane or idle cloud, while he felt deep inner sorrow. By the late winter, Hangzhou fell again. The long nights became unbearable. This spring, he hastily married off three or four daughters. In summer, he fled to Shanghai (Shenjiang) to avoid chaos. His wife and children followed, renting a house west of the Huangxie River, still naming it Suixi Ju (Suixi Residence). Briefly recounting these events, so that whoever opens the book knows that the person "resting wherever he is" is Half-Foolish Mountain Man (Banchi Shanshan), whose body could not... The reason for revising *Cholera Morbus Treatise* (Huoluan Lun) is that during the Daoguang reign, he drafted *Huoluan Lun* on the road to Tiantai, which was reviewed and finalized by Mr. Zhang Liuyin of Haifeng. Mr. Wang Zhong'an of the same prefecture printed and circulated it. This was over twenty years ago. The woodblocks were kept in Hangzhou and Kuaiji, presumably turned to ashes of kalpa (Jie Hui). In the first year of Xianfeng, Mr. Yang Suyuan of Dingzhou combined it with ten volumes of *Wang Shi Yi An* (Medical Cases of the Wang Family) and printed them in Jiangxi; it is unknown if the blocks survived. Now, fleeing chaos to Shanghai, cholera epidemics broke out widely. Physicians did not know how to cope, and many died. Mr. Jin Zhai of Yuanhe, possessing a benevolent heart, felt compassion and searched everywhere for copies of *Huoluan Lun* to help quell the epidemic, but could not find many. Hearing of my whereabouts, he came to establish friendship, regarding it as a call from a high place. I assessed myself as lacking the talent to restore order, regretting my youthful presumptuous writings, and feeling ashamed to respond. Over two months later, Mr. Jin Zhai also passed away from this illness. The current blocks are destroyed, and no books remain. I read his work; it is concise and appropriate, incorporating much folk wisdom, truly a work worthy of transmission. I sigh at the depth of Mr. Jin's concealment of his talents, yet he did not... Mr. Jin below, I dare not forget my martial spirit, claiming I could pacify this plague. Upon completion, the book was titled *Revised Cholera Morbus Treatise* (Chongding Huoluan Lun). It covers four sections: first, the condition of the disease; second, treatment methods; third, medical cases; fourth, herbal formulas.
Renxu Year of Tongzhi Reign, Leap Month, Bing-Wu Day, recorded by Huaxu Xiaoyin