上医治未病，方无尚也，垂经论焉。经论，医之奥者。中医治已病，于是乎始有方。方
，医之粗也，非其得已，视斯民之疾苦，故因病以立方耳。季世人，知医尚矣。习方，其简
也。穷经，其烦也。乃率以方授受，而求经论者无之。舍斯道之奥，宝斯道之粗，安望其术
之神良也！余年十五志医术，逮今十有八稔，惧辱医名，蚤夜遑遑，惟经论是 ，不敢自是，
游
之方，犹弗达也。弗明方之旨与方之证及诸药升降浮沉、寒热温平、良毒之性，与夫宣、通、
补、泻、轻、重、滑、涩、燥、湿，反正类从之理，而徒执方以疗病，恶能保其不殃人乎？
乃为之悯恻，取古昔良医之方七百余首，揆之于经，酌以心见，订之于证，发其微义，编为
六卷，题之端曰《医方考》。盖以考其方药，考其见证，考其名义，考其事迹，考其变通，
考其得失，考其所以然之故，匪徒苟然志方而已。君子曰∶夫夫也，弱龄谫陋，轻议古人，
则昆有罪焉尔。世有觉者，触目而疵之，从而可否之，吾幸吾之得师也。游艺者，玩索而惜
之，存而左右之，吾幸吾之朋与也。如山野之陬，湖海之远，求良医而不速，得开卷检方，
能究愚论而斟酌自药焉，则吾济人之一念也。或者尚论千古，末张、孙而本轩、岐，劣群方
而优经论，则孟轲氏所谓游于圣人之门者难为言矣，安用夫斯籍之赘也！
皇明万历十二年岁次甲申孟冬月古歙吴昆序
高明的医生治理尚未发生的疾病，方剂的地位是最高的，并由此垂示经典论述。经典论述，是医学中深奥的部分。中等水平的医生治疗已经发生的疾病，于是才开始有方剂。方剂，是医学中较为粗浅的部分，但这并非医生的本意，而是看到百姓的疾苦，所以根据病症来制定方剂罢了。后世的人，崇尚医术很久了。学习方剂，因为它简便易行；穷究经典，因为它繁琐复杂。于是普遍以传授方剂为主，而寻求探究经典论述的人却一个也没有。舍弃医学中深奥的道理，珍视医学中粗浅的形式，怎么指望他们的医术能够神奇良善呢！我十五岁立志学习医术，到现在十八年了，害怕玷污医者的名声，日夜惶恐不安，只尊崇经典论述，不敢自以为是，虽然游历于各种方书之中，仍然觉得未能通达。如果不明白方剂的宗旨、方剂的适应证候以及诸种药物升降浮沉、寒热温平、良毒的性质，还有宣通补泻、轻重滑涩燥湿，以及相反相成、同类相从的道理，而只是死板地拿着方剂去治疗疾病，怎么能保证不伤害人呢？于是我对此感到怜悯痛惜，选取古代良医的方剂七百多首，用经典来衡量它，斟酌个人的见解，对照病证来订正它，发掘其中微妙的义理，编纂为六卷，题名为《医方考》。大概是通过考证方药、考证见证、考证名义、考证事迹、考证变通、考证得失、考证其所以然的原因，不仅仅是随意记录方剂而已。君子说：这个人，年纪轻轻见识浅陋，就轻率地议论古人，那么吴昆是有罪的。世间如果有觉悟的人，看到后指出其中的瑕疵，从而加以肯定或否定，我庆幸自己得到了老师。从事艺术（医术）的人，玩味探索并珍惜它，保留并在身边参考它，我庆幸自己得到了朋友。如果在山野角落、湖海遥远之处，求访良医而不能迅速得到，能打开书卷检查方剂，能够研究我的愚见并自行斟酌用药，这就是我救人的一念之心了。或者还有人推崇千古，轻视张仲景、孙思邈而尊崇轩辕、岐伯，贬低群方而推崇经典论述，那就是孟子所说的“在圣人门下求学的人难以与之言”的情况了，哪里还用得着这本书作为赘余呢！
大明万历十二年岁次甲申孟冬月古歙吴昆序
The superior physician treats disease before it arises; in this regard, prescriptions hold the highest status, and thus classical treatises were established. Classical treatises represent the profound aspects of medicine. The average physician treats disease after it has manifested; it was then that prescriptions began to exist. Prescriptions are the more rudimentary aspect of medicine. This is not by choice, but rather because [physicians] observe the suffering of the people and therefore formulate prescriptions based on specific diseases. In later generations, the reverence for medicine has been long-standing. Learning prescriptions is favored because they are concise and simple; exhausting oneself with classical treatises is avoided because they are tedious and complex. Consequently, instruction is predominantly passed down through prescriptions, while those seeking to explore classical treatises are nonexistent. To abandon the profundity of the Way while cherishing its rudiments—how can one hope for miraculous and excellent medical skills? At the age of fifteen, I resolved to study medicine. Eighteen years have now passed. Fearing to bring disgrace upon the medical profession, I day and night remain anxious, revering only the classical treatises and daring not to consider myself correct. Although I have wandered through various prescription texts, I still feel I have not attained full comprehension. If one does not understand the purport of prescriptions, their indications, the ascending/descending, floating/sinking, cold/hot/warm/neutral properties, and benign/toxic natures of various herbs, nor the principles of dispersing, unblocking, tonifying, draining, lightness/heaviness, slipperiness/astringency, dryness/moisture, and the logic of opposites complementing each other or similars following each other, but merely clings to prescriptions to treat disease, how can one ensure no harm comes to others? Thus, moved by compassion, I selected over seven hundred prescriptions from ancient skilled physicians, measured them against the classics, refined them with my own insights, corrected them according to clinical manifestations, and elucidated their subtle meanings. I compiled them into six volumes, titling the work *Yifang Kao* (Investigation of Medical Prescriptions). The purpose is to investigate the herbs and formulas, the clinical signs, the nomenclature, the historical accounts, the variations and adaptations, the merits and faults, and the underlying reasons, rather than merely recording prescriptions casually. A gentleman remarked: "This person, young and lacking in depth, rashly discusses the ancients; thus, Wu Kun bears guilt." If there are awakened individuals in the world who point out flaws upon seeing this work and offer criticism or approval, I shall be grateful as if gaining a teacher. Those engaged in the art of healing who ponder and cherish this work, keeping it close for reference, I shall be grateful as if gaining companions. In remote mountain corners or distant lakes and seas, where finding a skilled physician is difficult, if opening this book to inspect prescriptions allows one to study these humble arguments and self-prescribe with discretion, then fulfills my intention to save lives. However, if some still discuss antiquity, slighting Zhang Zhongjing and Sun Simiao while venerating Xuanyuan and Qibo, disparaging general prescriptions while exalting classical treatises, then they fall into the category Mencius described as "difficult to converse with those who wander in the gate of the Sages," rendering this volume superfluous!
Preface by Wu Kun of Gushu, in the first month of winter in the year Jiashen, the 12th year of the Wanzhi reign of the Great Ming.