五帝以上有书乎。曰。无书也。无书而实肇书之蕴也。五帝以下有书乎。曰。多书也。多书而实淆书之传也。夫无
书而肇书之蕴。多书而淆书之传。则作与述之相为终始。不可诬也。聿稽五帝。首自庖牺。仰观俯察。近取远求。而八
卦以通。昭然为明道开天之祖。嗣后伊芳耆。断耜揉耒。教穑辨物。而百汇以明。焕然为养生达性之主。厥传公孙。上稽
天象。下究渊泉。中度人事。以人之五行六气。配天地阴阳。以天地之四时五行。应人部候。洞然为见垣彻微之宗。是
三圣代兴。而三坟之义着。三才之理备矣。然羲皇画卦。而爻辞彖义。姬文周孔。创始于前。李邵陈朱。阐明于后。而
开物成务。易道遂历千古而不晦。炎帝察材。而金石草木。品上中下。本经以传。别录图经纲目以着。而补遗增缺。方
书遂行万祀而无敝。独素问一册。帝与俞跗巫彭诸臣论次一堂。所详者天人一原之旨。所明者阴阳迭乘之机。所究研者
气运更胜之微。所稽求者性命攻荡之本。所上穷者寒暑日月之营运。所下极者形气生化之成败。开阖详尽。几无余蕴。
然其中论生生之统居其半。言灾病者次之。治法者又次之。盖欲天下后世。子孙氓庶。勿罹灾眚。咸归生长。圣教不唐
乎大哉。第经义渊微。圣词古简。苟非其人。鲜有通其义者。即如周之越人。汉之仓公。晋之皇甫谧。唐之王启玄。以
及宋元明诸名家。迭为论疏。莫不言人人殊。而经旨 栝者。或以一端求之。经言缕析者。或以偏见解之。经词有于彼
见而于此若隐者。或以本文诠释而昧其大原。经文有前未言而今始及者。或以先说简脱而遗其弘论。是皆余所深悯也。
聪辄忘愚昧。竭力覃思。自庚子五载注仲祖伤寒论及金匮要略二书。刊布问世。今复自甲辰五载注释内经素问九卷。以
昼夜之悟思。印黄岐之精义。前人咳唾。概所勿袭。古论糟粕。悉所勿存。惟与同学高良共深参究之秘。及门诸弟时任
校正之严。剞劂告成。颜曰集注。盖以集共事参校者什之二三。先辈议论相符者什之一二。非有弃置也。亦曰前所已言
者。何烦余言。唯未言者。亟言之以俟后学耳。讵敢追康节希彝通易之秘。隐君齐相搜药之遗。以自附古人也乎。虽然。
人惮启辟。世乐因仍。维诗有云。如彼飞虫。时亦弋获。然则天下后世之誉我。或于此书。天下后世之毁我。亦或于此
书。余何敢置喙。夫亦以见志之有在。恶容矜慎哉。
康熙庚戌花朝武陵张志聪书于西冷怡堂
Was there any written record prior to the Five Emperors? It is said: There were no books. Yet, without books, the essence of what would become books was actually initiated. Was there any written record after the Five Emperors? It is said: There were many books. Yet, with many books, the transmission of these books was actually confused. Since the absence of books initiated their essence, and the abundance of books confused their transmission, then creation and exposition are mutually continuous and cyclical; this cannot be denied.
Examining the era of the Five Emperors, it began with Fuxi (Paoxi). By observing heaven above and earth below, taking references from nearby and seeking from afar, he completed the Eight Trigrams (Bagua) to understand phenomena, clearly establishing himself as the ancestor who illuminated the Dao and opened civilization. Subsequently, Yi Yin [Note: Text says "Yi Fangqi", likely a variant or error for Yi Yin] broke the plowshare and bent the plow handle, teaching agriculture and distinguishing things, thereby clarifying the hundred grains, brilliantly becoming the master of nourishing life and realizing nature. Later, the lineage passed down through figures like Cangjie (referred to as Sun Gong in context of writing/civilization), investigating celestial phenomena above and abyssal springs below, and harmonizing human affairs in between. He matched the Five Phases (Wu Xing) and Six Qi (Liu Qi) of humans with the Yin-Yang of heaven and earth, and corresponded the Four Seasons and Five Phases of heaven and earth to the pulse positions of the human body, thoroughly becoming the patriarch who could see through walls and perceive the subtle. Thus, these three sages rose in succession, and the meaning of the *San Fen* (Three Tombs) became manifest, while the principles of the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, Human) were complete.
However, although Fuxi drew the trigrams, the Yao Ci (Line Statements) and Tuan Yi (Judgment Meanings) were pioneered by Ji Chang (King Wen of Zhou), the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius in the front, and later elucidated by Li Chunfeng, Shao Yong, Chen Zhu, and Zhu Xi, so that the Way of the *I Ching* (Book of Changes), which opens things and accomplishes tasks, has remained unobscure for millennia. Yan Di (Shennong) examined materials, classifying metals, stones, and herbs into upper, middle, and lower grades; the *Ben Jing* (Classic of Materia Medica) was thus transmitted, and works such as *Bie Lu*, *Tu Jing*, and *Gang Mu* were established. Through supplementing omissions and adding deficiencies, medical formularies have circulated for ten thousand generations without decay.
Only the *Su Wen* (Basic Questions) volume stands apart. It was compiled in a single hall through discussions among the Yellow Emperor and ministers such as Yu Fu and Wu Peng. What it detailed was the principle that Heaven and Humanity share one origin; what it clarified was the mechanism of alternating Yin and Yang; what it investigated was the subtlety of shifting Qi fortunes and mutual overcoming; what it sought was the root of life-nature and attacking/dispelling pathogens; what it explored upwards was the operation of cold, heat, sun, and moon; and what it penetrated downwards was the success and failure of form and Qi transformation. Its opening and closing were exhaustive, leaving almost no essence unstated.
Yet, within it, discussions on the continuity of life generation occupy half; discussions on disasters and diseases come next; and therapeutic methods come after that. This was likely intended so that future generations and common people might not suffer disasters, but instead all return to growth and flourishing. Is the Sage's teaching not truly vast? However, the scriptural meanings are profound and subtle, and the Sage's words are ancient and concise. Unless one is the right person, few can comprehend its meaning. For instance, Yue Ren (Bian Que) of the Zhou Dynasty, Cang Gong of the Han Dynasty, Huangfu Mi of the Jin Dynasty, Wang Qixuan (Wang Bing) of the Tang Dynasty, as well as various famous experts of the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, have successively provided commentaries and exegeses. None failed to differ from person to person. Regarding the summarized intent of the scripture, some seek it from only one aspect; regarding the detailed analysis in the text, some interpret it with partial views. Where scripture terms appear clear here but obscure elsewhere, some rely solely on textual interpretation and miss the great source; where scripture mentions something new that was not mentioned before, some omit grand theories because earlier explanations were brief or lost. These are all matters I deeply lament.
Zhang Zicong often disregards his own ignorance and exerts utmost effort in deep contemplation. Since the fifth year of Gengzi, I annotated Zhang Zhongjing’s *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage) and *Jingui Yaolue* (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet), publishing them for the world. Now, again starting from the fifth year of Jiacen, I annotate the nine volumes of *Huangdi Neijing Suwen*. Using insights gained day and night, I print the refined meanings of Huangdi and Qibo. I do not imitate the spittle of predecessors (their trivial remarks); I do not retain the dregs of ancient theories. I only jointly investigate secrets with my colleague Gao Liang, and my disciples strictly perform corrections. Upon completion of the printing, I titled it *Jizhu* (Collected Annotations). This is because it collects two or three parts from colleagues' joint verification, and one or two parts agreeing with ancestors' discussions. This is not due to discarding anything, but rather saying: why bother me repeating what has already been said? Only for what has not been said, I urgently speak out to await future learners. How dare I claim to trace the secrets of Kangjie (Shao Yong) and Yitong (Chen Zhu) in understanding the *I Ching*, or the medicinal legacies of Yinjun and Qixiang, to attach myself to ancients?
Nevertheless, people fear innovation, and the world prefers conformity. As the *Shi Jing* (Book of Songs) says: "Like those flying insects, sometimes they are caught." Thus, praise from the world and future generations for me may lie in this book; condemnation from the world and future generations for me may also lie in this book. How dare I interject? It is merely to show that my will has its place; how could I be arrogant or cautious?
Written at Yitang in Xiling by Zhang Zicong of Wuling on the Flower Festival (Huazhao) day of the Gengxu year of the Kangxi reign.