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Regarding the treatment of carbuncle (Yong) and gangrene (Ju), the two approaches are completely distinct. The general public tends to refer to them together as "carbuncle-gangrene" and treat them uniformly. The conjunction of the terms "carbuncle" and "gangrene" is akin to the conjunction of "husband" and "wife"—they are often mentioned together but represent different entities. To use medicine for carbuncle to treat gangrene is like using fetal-calming medicine to treat a husband (a metaphor for inappropriate treatment). This collection treats carbuncles and gangrenes separately, adhering strictly to symptom-based and formula-based methods. If one follows these methods precisely and prescribes according to symptoms, any merit in saving lives shall not be claimed by me; however, if harm is caused, I alone will bear the guilt, even if it means eternal damnation or suffering execution like livestock.

This compilation focuses specifically on the pathogenesis of Yin deficiency and Yang excess, identifying red and white colors to distinguish between carbuncles and gangrenes. With accurate differentiation, recovery is assured. All formulas recorded herein are effective immediately upon administration; they should not be arbitrarily modified, and the ingredients used are common and inexpensive. Treatment methods are categorized by symptoms, allowing readers to understand them at a glance without needing formal apprenticeship, enabling anyone to master this discipline.

Among various medical texts, only the *Treatise on Yin Gangrene* (*Yin Ju Lun*) appended to *Feng Shi Jin Nang* aligns with my family's secret records (*Yi Mi*). However, it lacks formulas for resolving gangrene, relying solely on warming tonification combined with expelling toxins. Moreover, early-stage gangrene often presents as flat lesions; how can expulsion methods be applied? Using expulsion may lead to complications. My family’s principle prioritizes "resolution" (Xiao) over "expulsion" (Tuo). Even for conditions such as flowing abscesses (Liuzhu), scrofula (Luoli), and malignant nodules (Ehe), if ulceration has occurred, we dare not use expulsion, as it might cause healed ulcers to reopen while new ones emerge. Hence, resolution is paramount.

The deficiency and excess patterns of surgical diseases manifest in the affected areas, and detailed treatment methods are provided in this collection. One can save lives even without proficiency in pulse diagnosis. Therefore, for severe cases of smallpox (or chickenpox/variolous diseases) showing danger or smooth progression, and for eye diseases reflecting disorders of the Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lung, and Kidney, external signs suffice, making pulse diagnosis unnecessary. Diligent students can identify symptoms by observing lesion colors and achieve cure through symptomatic treatment.

Physicians hold the power of life and death. Reading commercially printed surgical texts that falsely claim orthodoxy, one finds statements like: "Death occurs instantly if the 'Seven Evils' appear." Another text describes inserting a needle heated with tung oil into phlegm masses half an inch deep, followed by inserting strips of descending medicines for seven days until the mass cracks, then repeating for another seven days until the nodule falls off. It also claims that toxins located between skin and flesh require incisions one cun deep to release poison. In reality, toxins usually lie between the skin and fascia; even if incision is needed, depth should not exceed three fen to avoid damaging internal membranes. Deep incisions risking visceral injury subject patients to torture. The appearance of the "Seven Evils" is rapid; those following such brutal methods are essentially executioners. This collection uses pricking only for carbuncle-herpes (Ding); otherwise, knives and needles are rarely used, and ascending, descending, and cauterizing/rotting drugs are prohibited.

Lesions throughout the body present only in red or white. Red indicates carbuncle; white indicates gangrene. Some call unidentifiable swellings "nameless toxic swelling" due to lack of diagnostic knowledge.

Regardless of whether the lesion is on the back, neck, waist, or abdomen, white lesions are termed gangrene and treated with gangrene-specific medicines; red and swollen lesions are termed carbuncles and treated with carbuncle-specific medicines. Commercial books suggest trying one medicine and switching to another if ineffective. Is this not using humans as test subjects? If a lesion arises at a critical acupoint, how can doctors experiment? Wise practitioners should deliberate carefully.

There are no chronic, non-healing carbuncles in the world. Only when early-stage gangrene fails to resolve, or is mistreated with descending drugs, moxibustion, needling, or cutting, does it persist for years. Detailed treatments for such cases are included here.

Wherever this collection spreads, diligent practitioners will naturally resolve early-stage lesions and heal ulcerated ones. I fear that in remote areas where it arrives late, doctors may not have seen it, and people may not be familiar with it. Thus, I commissioned its reprinting to spread it rapidly across the land, ensuring physicians possess life-saving skills and patients do not die unjustly, fulfilling my wish.

The book contains formulas for carbuncles, gangrenes, throat diseases, carbuncle-herpes, syphilitic sores, various ulcers, hemorrhoids, and fistulas—all guaranteed effective. Additionally, fifty formulas for miscellaneous diseases, each curing specific ailments with a single dose, are appended. These contain no errors of human experimentation. Those with means should prepare these medicines and distribute them to the sick, charging only for cost price. If copying and transmitting the formulas, please note the preparation methods.

All medicinal ingredients used in this book are listed in the final volume. Preparation instructions must not be ignored; careful adherence ensures pure potency and rapid efficacy.

Typhoid fever (Shanghan) involves transmission and transformation of meridians, hence the saying that physicians should not rigidly stick to fixed formulas. In contrast, surgical miscellaneous diseases rely entirely on recognizing symptoms and adhering to specific formulas. At seventy-two years old, having practiced medicine for over forty years without error, I dare to compile this collection and publish it publicly, naming it *Zheng Zhi Quan Sheng* (Complete Life Preservation Based on Symptoms).