宋人之书，能发明《伤寒论》，使人所执持而易晓，大有功于仲景者，《活人书》为第
一。
盖《伤寒论》不过随举六经所现之症以施治，有一症而六经皆现者，并有一症而治法迥别者
，则读者茫无把握矣。此书以经络病因，传为疑似，条分缕析，而后附以诸方治法，使人一
览了然，岂非后学之津梁乎？其书独出机杼，又能全本经文，无一定混入己意，岂非好学深
思，述而不作，足以继往开来者乎？后世之述《伤寒论》者，唐宋以来，已有将经文删改移
易，不明不贯。至近代前《条辨》、《尚论编》等书，又复倒颠错乱，各逞意见，互相辨驳
，总由分症不清，欲其强合，所以日就支离。若能参究此书，则任病情之错综反复，而治法
乃归一定，何必聚讼纷纭，致古人之书，愈讲而愈晦也。
诊脉以之治病，其血气之盛衰，及风寒暑湿之中人，可验而知也。乃相传有《太素脉》
之说
，以候人之寿夭穷通，智愚善恶，纤悉皆备。夫脉乃气血之见端，其长而台浓者，为寿之征
。其短小而薄弱者，为夭之征。清而有神，为智之征。浊而无神，为愚之征。理或宜然。若
善恶已不可知，穷通则与脉何与？然或得寿之脉，而其人或不谨于风寒劳倦，患病而死；得
夭之脉，而其人爱护调摄，得以永年。又有血气甚清，而神志昏浊者；形质甚浊，而神志清
明者。即寿夭智愚，亦不能皆验，况其他乎？又书中更神其说，以为能知某年得某官，某年
得财若干，父母何人，子孙何若，则更荒唐矣！天下或有习此术而言多验者，此必别有他术
，以推测而幸中，借此以神其说耳。若尽于脉见之，断断无是理也。
宋代人的著作中，能够阐发《伤寒论》精髓，使人们有所遵循且容易理解的，对张仲景贡献最大的，《活人书》排在第一位。
因为《伤寒论》不过是列举六经（太阳、阳明、少阳、太阴、少阴、厥阴）所表现出的症状来施治，有一种症状可能出现在六经中的任何一经，甚至同一种症状其治疗方法截然不同，这会让读者感到茫然无措。这本书以经络病因作为基础，将疑似难辨的情况条分缕析地整理清楚，然后附上各种方剂的治疗方法，使人一目了然，这难道不是后学者的入门向导吗？该书独具匠心，又能完整保留经文原意，没有一定混入个人主观意图，这难道不是好学深思、阐述前人学说而不凭空创作，足以继承前代开创未来的典范吗？后世注释《伤寒论》的书籍，自唐宋以来，已经有将经文删改移动，导致不明不白、不通顺的情况。到了近代，《伤寒论条辨》、《尚论编》等书，又再次颠倒错乱，各自逞强发表意见，互相辩驳，总归是因为辨证不清，想要强行合并，所以日益支离破碎。如果能参悟研究这本书，那么无论病情如何错综复杂、反复多变，治疗方法就能归于确定，何必聚集争论纷纭，致使古人的著作越讲越晦涩呢？
通过诊脉来治病，气血的盛衰，以及风寒暑湿等外邪侵入人体，可以通过脉象验证并知晓。于是相传有《太素脉》的说法，用来预测人的寿命长短、境遇困顿或显达、智慧愚笨、品行善恶，细节都具备。脉象是气血显现的端绪，脉长而从容和缓的，是长寿的征兆；脉短小且薄弱的，是早夭的征兆；脉清亮而有神气的，是智慧的征兆；脉浑浊而无神气的，是愚笨的征兆。道理或许应当如此。如果善恶已经不可知，那么穷困与显达与脉象又有什么关系呢？然而有时得到长寿的脉象，但那个人如果不注意防范风寒和避免劳累，患病而死；得到早夭的脉象，但那个人爱护身体、调养摄生，得以长寿。又有气血非常清澈，但神志昏沉浑浊的；形体质地非常浑浊，但神志清明清晰的。即使寿命长短、智慧愚笨，也不能全部验证，何况其他事情呢？书中更加神乎其神地说，认为能知道某年得到什么官职，某年获得多少财富，父母是谁，子孙怎样，这就更加荒谬了！天下或许有学习这门技术的人说得很灵验，这必定另有其他术数，通过推测而侥幸猜中，借此来神化自己的说法罢了。如果完全依据脉象所见来判断，绝对没有这种道理。
Among the books of the Song Dynasty, those capable of elucidating the essence of *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage), providing people with a guide that is easy to understand, and making the greatest contribution to Zhang Zhongjing, is *Huoren Shu* (Book for Saving People) ranked first.
This is because *Shanghan Lun* merely lists symptoms manifested in the Six Channels (Taiyang, Yangming, Shaoyang, Taiyin, Shaoyin, Jueyin) to apply treatment. When one symptom may appear in any of the six channels, or when the same symptom requires radically different treatments, readers would feel at a loss. This book takes meridians and etiology as its foundation, systematically analyzing ambiguous and difficult-to-distinguish conditions, and then attaches various prescription methods, making everything clear at a glance. Is this not a bridge for beginners? The book stands out with its unique ingenuity and faithfully preserves the original text without arbitrarily mixing in personal opinions. Is this not an example of loving learning and deep thinking, expounding upon previous teachings without creating anew, thereby sufficient to inherit the past and open up the future? Later commentaries on *Shanghan Lun*, since the Tang and Song dynasties, have already deleted, altered, and rearranged the original text, resulting in obscurity and lack of coherence. In recent times, books such as *Shanghan Lun Tiaobian* (Analysis of Treatise on Cold Damage) and *Shanglun Bian* (Discussion on Shanglun) have further caused confusion and disorder, each asserting their own views and refuting one another. This stems entirely from unclear differentiation of syndromes and forced harmonization, leading to increasing fragmentation day by day. If one could study and investigate this book, then regardless of how complex and recurrent the disease conditions are, the treatment methods would become fixed and certain. Why engage in endless disputes, causing the ancient texts to become more obscure the more they are discussed?
Diagnosing diseases through pulse taking allows one to verify and know the flourishing or declining state of Qi and Blood, as well as the invasion of Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, and Dampness pathogens into the human body. Consequently, there passed down the theory of *Taisu Mai* (Grand Ultimate Pulse Diagnosis), which predicts a person's longevity or premature death, fortune or adversity, intelligence or stupidity, and goodness or wickedness, covering every detail. The pulse is the manifestation of Qi and Blood; a long and moderate pulse is a sign of longevity; a short and weak pulse is a sign of premature death; a clear and spirited pulse is a sign of intelligence; a turbid and lifeless pulse is a sign of stupidity. Theoretically, this might be plausible. However, if goodness and wickedness are unknowable, what relevance do poverty and prominence have to the pulse? Yet, sometimes one obtains a pulse indicating longevity, but the person dies from illness due to failing to guard against Wind-Cold and overexertion; conversely, one obtains a pulse indicating premature death, but the person protects themselves and maintains proper regimen, thus living a long life. There are also cases where Qi and Blood are very clear, yet the spirit and mind are confused and turbid; or where the physical constitution is very turbid, yet the spirit and mind are clear and bright. Even regarding longevity and intelligence, not all can be verified, let alone other matters. Furthermore, the book mystifies its claims even further, asserting that it can predict what official position one will obtain in a certain year, how much wealth one will gain, who one's parents are, and what one's descendants will be like; this is even more absurd! Perhaps there are some in the world who practice this art and claim many accurate results, but this must rely on other divination techniques, guessing and getting lucky, using these to mystify their claims. If relying solely on what is seen in the pulse, there is absolutely no truth to this.