医学之最古者《内经》，则医之祖乃岐黄也。然《本草》起于神农，则又在黄帝这前矣
。可
知医之起，起于药也。至黄帝则讲夫经络脏腑之原，内伤外感之异，与夫君臣佐使，大小奇
偶之制，神明夫用药之理。医学从此大备。然其书讲人身脏腑之形，七情六淫之感，与针灸
杂法为多，而制方尚少。至伊芳有汤液治病之法，然亦得之传闻，无成书可考。至刻苦鹊、仓
公，而汤药之用渐广。张仲景先生出，而杂病伤寒，专以方药为治，遂为千古用方之祖。而
其方，亦俱原本神农、黄帝之精义，皆从相传之方，仲景不过集其成耳。自是之后，医者以
方药为重，其于天地阴阳，经络脏腑之道，及针灸杂术，往往不甚考求。而治病之法，从此
一变。唐宋以后，相寻弥甚，至元之刘河间、张洁古等出，未尝不重《内经》之学，凡论病
必先叙经，而后采取诸家之说，继乃附以治法，似为得旨。然其人皆非通儒，不能深通经义
，而于仲景制方之义，又不能深考其源，故其说非影响即支杂，各任其偏，而不归于中道。
其尤偏驳者，李东垣为甚，惟以温燥脾胃为主，其方亦毫无法度。因当时无真实之学，盗窃
虚名，故其教至今不绝。至明之薛立斋，尤浮泛荒谬，犹圣贤之学，变而为腐烂时文，何尝
不曰我明经学古者也。然以施之治天下，果能如唐虞三代者乎？既不知神农、黄帝之精义，
则药性及脏腑经络之源不明也，又不知仲景制方之法度，则病变及施治之法不审也。惟曰∶
某病则用某方，如不效，改用某方。更有一方服至二三十剂，令病者迁延自愈者。胸中毫无
把握，惟以简易为主。自此以降，流弊日甚，而枉死载途矣。安得有参《本草》，穷《内经
》，熟《金匮》、《伤寒》者，出而挽救其弊，全民命乎？其害总由于习医者，皆贫苦不学
之人，专以此求衣食，故只记数方，遂以之治天下之病，不复更求他法，故其祸遂至于此也
！
医学中最古老的著作是《内经》，因此医道的始祖被认为是岐伯与黄帝。然而，《本草》起源于神农氏，这又在黄帝之前了。由此可知，医学的起源，源于药物。到了黄帝时代，才开始探讨经络脏腑的原理、内伤与外感的区别，以及方剂中君臣佐使的配伍原则、大方与小方、奇方与偶方的制度，从而阐明了用药的精妙道理。从此，医学体系大为完备。但是，《内经》主要讲述人体脏腑的形态、七情六淫的感受，以及针灸等杂法较多，而制方较少。到了伊尹发明汤液治病的方法，但这也是得自传闻，没有成书可供考证。直到扁鹊、仓公出现，汤药的使用才逐渐广泛。张仲景先生问世，针对杂病和伤寒，专门以方药进行治疗，于是成为千古使用方剂的祖师。而他的方剂，也都源自神农、黄帝的精义，都是从前流传下来的方子，张仲景不过是集其大成罢了。从此以后，医生们重视方药，而对于天地阴阳、经络脏腑的道理，以及针灸杂术，往往不再深入考究。治病的方法，从此发生了一变。唐宋以后，这种风气相沿成习，愈演愈烈。到了元代，刘河间、张洁古等人出现，他们未曾不重视《内经》之学，凡是论述疾病，必定先叙述经文，然后采纳各家的学说，接着附上治疗方法，看似深得旨意。然而这些人都不算是精通儒学的通儒，不能深刻通达经文的义理，并且对于张仲景制方的深意，又不能深入考察其源头，所以他们的学说不是牵强附会就是琐碎杂乱，各自偏执一端，而不能归于中正之道。其中最为偏颇驳杂的，要数李东垣，他只以温燥脾胃为主，他的方剂也毫无章法。因为当时没有真正的学问，只是窃取虚名，所以他的教法至今不绝。到了明代的薛立斋，更是浮泛荒谬，就像圣贤的学问变成了腐朽的八股文，何尝不说自己是明经学古的人呢？然而拿它来治理天下，真的能像唐尧虞舜及夏商周三代那样好吗？既然不知道神农、黄帝的精义，那么药性和脏腑经络的源头就不明确；又不知道张仲景制方的法度，那么病变及施治的方法就不审慎。只是说：某种病就用某种方，如果无效，就改用另一种方。更有甚者，一方服用二三十剂，让病人拖延等待自愈。心中毫无把握，只以简易为主。从此以后，流弊日益严重，导致路上到处都是枉死之人。哪里会有参究《本草》、穷尽《内经》、熟读《金匮》、《伤寒》的人出来挽救这些弊端，保全百姓性命呢？这种危害总归是因为学习医术的人，都是贫穷困苦且不学无术的人，专门以此谋求衣食，所以只记住几个方子，就拿它们来治疗天下的疾病，不再寻求其他方法，所以灾祸才到了这种地步！
The oldest medical classic is the *Neijing* (Huangdi Neijing, Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), thus the ancestors of medicine are considered to be Qibo and Huangdi. However, the *Bencao* (Materia Medica) originated with Shennong, which predates Huangdi. This indicates that the origin of medicine lies in herbs. It was during the time of Huangdi that the principles of meridians and zang-fu organs, the distinctions between internal injuries and external infections, and the formulations of formulas—specifically the roles of sovereign, minister, assistant, and courier herbs, as well as the systems of large and small formulas, odd and even formulas—were expounded, thereby illuminating the rationale of herbal usage. Medicine became greatly comprehensive from this point onward. Nevertheless, the *Neijing* focuses primarily on the morphology of human zang-fu organs, the influences of the seven emotions and six climatic factors, and includes many miscellaneous methods such as acupuncture and moxibustion, with few prescriptions. Later, Yi Yin invented the method of treating diseases with decoctions, but this was derived from hearsay without extant texts for verification. It was not until Bian Que and Cang Gong appeared that the use of herbal decoctions gradually expanded. When Mr. Zhang Zhongjing emerged, he specialized in treating miscellaneous diseases and cold damage disorders using prescriptions, thereby becoming the ancestral figure for prescription usage through the ages. His prescriptions were all based on the profound essence of Shennong and Huangdi, compiling previously transmitted formulas; Zhang Zhongjing merely gathered their achievements. Since then, physicians have placed heavy emphasis on prescriptions, often neglecting to investigate the principles of heaven and earth, yin and yang, meridians, and zang-fu organs, as well as acupuncture and other techniques. The methods of treating disease underwent a significant shift from this point. After the Tang and Song dynasties, this trend continued to intensify. In the Yuan dynasty, figures such as Liu Hejian and Zhang Jiegu appeared; they did not fail to value the study of the *Neijing*. In discussing diseases, they would first cite the canonical text, then adopt theories from various schools, and finally attach treatment methods, seemingly grasping the true intent. However, these individuals were not Confucian scholars with broad learning, unable to deeply comprehend the meaning of the classics. Furthermore, they failed to thoroughly investigate the origins of Zhang Zhongjing’s prescription logic. Consequently, their theories were either superficial or fragmented, each adhering to bias rather than returning to the mean. The most biased and flawed among them was Li Dongyuan, who focused solely on warming and drying the spleen and stomach, and his prescriptions lacked any systematic rules. Because there was no genuine scholarship at the time, only empty reputations were stolen, so his teachings have persisted to this day. By the Ming dynasty, Xue Lizhai was even more superficial and absurd, akin to transforming the learning of sages into corrupt eight-legged essays, yet claiming to study ancient classics. If applied to governing the world, could it truly match the eras of Tang Yao, Yu Shun, and the Three Dynasties? Since they did not understand the profound essence of Shennong and Huangdi, the properties of herbs and the sources of zang-fu and meridians remained unclear. Since they did not know the rules of Zhang Zhongjing’s prescription formulation, the changes in disease and the methods of treatment were not carefully examined. They simply stated: "For a certain disease, use a certain formula; if ineffective, switch to another." Even worse, some patients took a single formula for twenty or thirty doses, allowing the illness to drag on until it healed spontaneously. With no firm grasp in mind, they prioritized simplicity. From this point forward, the detrimental effects worsened daily, resulting in countless unjust deaths. Where would those who studied the *Bencao*, exhausted the *Neijing*, and mastered the *Jingui Yaolue* (Essential Prescriptions from the Golden Cabinet) and *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage Disorders) come from to remedy these abuses and protect people's lives? The root of this harm lies in the fact that those who learned medicine were often poor, uneducated individuals who pursued it solely for food and clothing. Thus, they memorized only a few formulas and used them to treat all diseases under heaven, never seeking other methods, leading to such disastrous consequences.