守方隅之见者。不能驰域外之观而好高务广。辈又往往舍近求远。趋新奇而废正道。如陈相师许行梁武尊佛氏不已
乎然。果能择善而从。则又如赵武灵王易胡服习骑射遂霸天下。盖穷变通。久不拘于墟也。方今四海为家。五洲同轨
自鸿荒以至今日天地开辟于斯为盛举。凡三才之所有百族之所宜。上可损益乎。古今下可参酌乎。中外要使善无不备美
无不臻驾三皇而轶五帝。岂独一材一艺彰明较着于天下已耶。夫医其小焉者也。然即以医论之五行列于洪范为调变阴阳
之资十全重于周官实康济斯民之助。故自轩岐以逮仲景医法。详明与政治声教相辅佐。晋唐以后渐失真传。宋元以来尤
多纰谬。及今泰西各国通于中土。不但机器矜能即于医学。亦诋中国为非。岂知中国宋元后医诚可訾议。若秦汉三代所
传内难仲景之书极为精确。迥非西医所及。盖西医初出未尽周详中医沿讹率多差误。不及此时厘正医道贻害生民。不知
凡几余以菲材值古今大变局时自顾一手一足毫不能扶持中外。惟于医道尝三致意因摘灵素诸经录其要义兼中西之说解之
不存疆域异同之见。但求折衷归于一是冀五大洲万国之民咸无夭札始无歉于寸心。夫医其小焉者也。所望贤士大夫采风
观政弃短取长得推行尽利之方策长治久安之术。俾中外交泰同登熙 雍和之盛。则诚尽美尽善矣医其小焉者也。
时大清光绪十八年岁在壬辰秋九月蜀天彭唐宗海容川叙于黄歇浦上袖海山房
拘泥于局部见解的人，无法拓展视野，反而喜好高谈阔论、贪多务广。这些人往往舍近求远，追求新奇而废弃正道，就像陈相师从许行、梁武帝尊崇佛教一样不知变通。然而，如果能择善而从，又如同赵武灵王改穿胡服、学习骑射，从而称霸天下。这是因为能够穷尽变化、通达事理，长久地不拘泥于狭隘的境地。
当今四海一家，五洲同轨，自远古洪荒至今，天地的开辟在此时最为兴盛。凡是天地三才（天、地、人）所拥有的一切，以及各族百姓所适宜的事物，上可以损益古今，下可以参酌中外，要使善无不备，美无不臻，超越三皇而超迈五帝，难道只是某一种技艺在天下彰明较着而已吗？医学不过是其中微小的一部分。
然而即便仅就医学而言，五行列于《洪范》之中，是调和阴阳变化的基础；“十全”之技重于《周官》，确实是康济百姓的辅助。所以自从轩辕、岐伯直到张仲景，医法详明，与政治声教相辅佐。晋唐以后，逐渐失传真意；宋元以来，谬误更多。等到如今泰西各国与中国相通，不仅机器令人称奇，就连医学也诋毁中国为错误。哪里知道中国宋元以后的医学确实值得议论，但秦汉三代所传承的《内经》、《难经》和张仲景的著作极为精确，绝非西医所能比及。
大概西医初出，尚未详尽；中医沿袭讹误，率多差错。如果不趁此时厘正医道，贻害百姓，不知凡有几多。我凭借浅薄的才能，正值古今大变局之时，自觉一己之力丝毫不能扶持中外。只是在医道上曾三次用心，于是摘录《灵枢》、《素问》等经典的要义，兼采中西之说加以解释，不存疆域异同的偏见，只求折衷归于一是，希望五大洲万国的百姓都能没有夭折和灾病，这样心里才没有愧疚。
医学不过是微小的一部分罢了。所期望的是贤士大夫采集民风、观察政事，弃短取长，得到推行尽利的方策和长治久安之术，使中外交泰，共同登上和谐繁盛的境界，那才是真正尽美尽善了。医学不过是微小的一部分罢了。
大清光绪十八年，岁次壬辰，秋九月，蜀地天彭唐宗海容川，叙写于黄歇浦上的袖海山房。
Those who are confined to local views cannot expand their horizons beyond the boundaries, yet they often prefer high-minded but impractical discussions and strive for breadth over substance. Such people frequently abandon what is near and close in favor of what is distant, pursuing novelty while discarding the orthodox path. This is akin to Chen Xiang following Xu Xing or Emperor Wu of Liang revering Buddhism without end. However, if one can select the good and follow it, it is like King Wuling of Zhao adopting Hu clothing and learning archery on horseback, thereby achieving hegemony over the world. This is because by exhausting changes and adapting to circumstances, one remains unbound by narrow confines for a long time.
Today, with the four seas as one home and the five continents following the same track, since the primordial chaos until today, the opening up of heaven and earth has reached its peak. Whatever exists within the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity) and whatever is suitable for all ethnic groups can be adjusted in relation to ancient and modern times, and referenced between Chinese and foreign traditions. The goal is to ensure that goodness is complete and beauty is perfect, surpassing the Three Sovereigns and excelling the Five Emperors. Is it merely that a single skill or art becomes prominent and obvious in the world? Medicine is but a small part of this.
Yet, even discussing only medicine: the Five Elements are listed in the *Hong Fan* (Great Plan), serving as the basis for adjusting and transforming Yin and Yang; the "perfect ten" skills emphasized in the *Zhou Guan* (Rites of Zhou) are indeed an aid to benefiting the common people. Thus, from Xuanyuan (Yellow Emperor) and Qibo down to Zhang Zhongjing, medical methods were detailed and clear, assisting politics and cultural教化 (moral instruction). After the Jin and Tang dynasties, the true transmission gradually became lost; since the Song and Yuan dynasties, errors have been particularly numerous. Now that Western countries have connected with China, not only are machines admired for their ingenuity, but Western medicine also criticizes Chinese medicine as incorrect. How could they know that while Chinese medicine after the Song and Yuan dynasties is indeed open to criticism, the texts transmitted from the Qin, Han, and Three Dynasties—such as the *Neijing* (Inner Canon), *Nanjing* (Classic of Difficult Issues), and the works of Zhang Zhongjing—are extremely precise, far exceeding what Western medicine can achieve.
Generally speaking, Western medicine, having just emerged, is not yet comprehensive; Chinese medicine, having followed errors for a long time, contains many mistakes. If we do not rectify the medical way at this time, the harm inflicted upon the people would be incalculable. I, possessing meager talents, find myself in a time of great change between ancient and modern eras. Looking at myself, my single hand and foot are utterly incapable of supporting both Chinese and foreign traditions. Nevertheless, I have paid triple attention to the medical way. Therefore, I have extracted the essential meanings from classics such as the *Lingshu* (Spiritual Pivot) and *Suwen* (Basic Questions), incorporating explanations from both Chinese and Western perspectives. I hold no prejudice regarding territorial differences, seeking only to synthesize and arrive at the truth. My hope is that the people of the five continents and ten thousand nations may be free from premature death and disaster, so that my conscience may remain unburdened.
Medicine is but a small part. What I aspire to is that wise scholars and officials, by observing customs and governance, discard shortcomings and adopt strengths, thereby implementing strategies that maximize benefits and ensure long-term peace and stability. May China and the West interact harmoniously, jointly ascending to an era of prosperity and harmony. Then, truly, it would be perfectly beautiful and perfectly good. Medicine is but a small part.
In the autumn of the ninth month of the year Renchen (1892), during the 18th year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing, Tang Zonghai (Rongchuan) of Tianpeng, Shu, wrote this preface at the Xiuhai Study House on the banks of the Huangxie River.