客有窥瓮牖而诮之曰∶子值离索之失，而考诸《素问》、《玄语》，知本者欤？曰∶本，身也。枝叶，子
姓云仍也。欲枝繁实茂而不先培其本，智乎？身病多矣，遍百药而不竟痊，必所尝汤液而犹未达。其所以倏尔
闭户四祀，寓目古今方论，抡其要，括其词，发其隐而类编之，分注之，令人可读而悟于心，临证应手而不
苦于折肱，沉潜之下，因以洞察纤 ，曲全生意于霜雪之余，正以祈三春之敷荣也。不然，以司马氏之《通鉴》，
而犹自谓枉却精神，某曷人斯，而敢擅艺自成哉！客曰∶然。第世人血脉同而受病异，或因禀受，或因染袭，
知大黄可以导滞而不知其寒中，知附子可以补虚而不知其遗毒，子能一一救诸？曰∶志也！未能。敢不瞑眩
药诸身心，以立万世支本，而后谋诸仁人也。客曰∶勖之。
万历乙亥仲春上丁日南丰李梃谨述
有位客人透过破旧的窗户缝隙窥视并嘲笑我说：“你正处于孤独无依的境地，却去考证《素问》和《玄语》，算是懂得根本的人吗？”我回答说：“根本，指的是身体。枝叶，指的是子孙后代。想要枝叶繁茂、果实丰盛却不先培育根本，这算是有智慧吗？人的疾病多种多样，遍试百药而未能痊愈，一定是因为虽然尝试过汤液（中药煎剂）但尚未透彻理解其理。所以我于是突然关起门来，向四方祭祀（指专心致志地研究），阅览古今的方论，选取其中的要点，概括其文辞，揭示其中隐微的道理并分类编纂，分别加以注释，使人们能够阅读并心领神会，在临证时能够得心应手，不再痛苦于‘三折肱为良医’（比喻多次失败才能成为专家），在潜心钻研之下，从而洞察细微之处，在严酷的环境中保全生机，正是为了祈求如春天般万物复苏繁荣。否则，即使是司马迁撰写《资治通鉴》，还自谦说耗费了精神，我算什么人物，怎敢擅自凭借医术自成一家呢！”客人说：“是这样。只是世人的血脉相同但患病各异，有的因先天禀赋不同，有的因后天感染传染，知道大黄可以导滞通便却不知道它会寒伤中阳，知道附子可以补虚助阳却不知道它可能遗留毒性，你能一一补救这些情况吗？”我回答说：“这是我的志向！但我能力不足。我不敢不通过让身心产生瞑眩反应的药物（指峻烈之药以治病）来确立万世的根本，然后再谋求与仁人君子共同完善。”客人说：“勉励自己吧。”
万历乙亥年仲春上丁日，南丰李梃恭敬记述。
A guest, peering through a cracked window, mocked me saying: "You are in a state of isolation and loneliness, yet you examine the *Suwen* (Plain Questions) and *Xuanyu* (Mysterious Discourses); are you truly one who understands the root?" I replied: "The root refers to the body. The branches and leaves refer to one's descendants. Is it wise to desire lush branches and abundant fruit without first cultivating the root? Diseases of the body are numerous; if one tries all hundred herbs yet fails to recover completely, it is because although one has tasted decoctions (Tangye, herbal medicines), one has not yet fully comprehended their principles. Therefore, I suddenly closed my door and offered sacrifices to the four directions (symbolizing focused study), observed ancient and modern formula discussions, selected their essentials, summarized their wording, revealed their hidden meanings, and compiled them into categories with separate annotations, so that people could read them and comprehend them in their hearts, applying them at the bedside with ease, avoiding the bitterness of 'breaking the arm three times to become a good doctor' (implying learning through repeated failure). Through deep immersion, I gained insight into subtle details, preserving life amidst frost and snow, precisely to pray for the flourishing growth of spring. Otherwise, even Sima Qian, in compiling the *Zizhi Tongjian* (Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance), still claimed to have wasted his spirit; how dare I, who am but an ordinary person, arrogantly claim to have mastered medicine and established my own school!" The guest said: "Indeed. Yet people share the same blood vessels but suffer from different diseases; some due to congenital endowment, others due to acquired infection. One knows that Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma) can guide stagnation but does not know it may chill the middle warmer; one knows that Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) can tonify deficiency but does not know it may leave toxic residue. Can you remedy each of these situations one by one?" I answered: "It is my aspiration! But I lack the ability. I dare not fail to use pungent and dizzying medicines (Medicines causing Mingxuan reaction, i.e., drastic drugs to cure severe illness) to establish the foundation for ten thousand generations, before seeking advice from benevolent scholars." The guest said: "Exert yourself."
Recorded respectfully by Li Ting of Nanfeng on the 4th day of the second month of the Yihai year of the Wanli era.