后汉书方术传，载华佗精于方药，处剂不过数种，心识分铢，不假称量。针灸不过数
处，裁七八九。若疾发结于内，针药所不能及者，乃令先以酒服麻沸散，既醉无所觉，因刳
破腹背，抽割积聚；若在肠胃，则断截煎洗，除去疾秽，既而缝合，敷以神膏，四五日创愈，
一月之间皆平复。先生之以神医见称于世者盖以此。相传先生性好恬淡，喜味方书，多游名
山幽洞，往往有所遇。一日因酒，息于公宜山古洞前，忽闻人论疗病之法，先生讶其异，潜
逼洞窃听。须臾有人云∶“华生在迩，术可付焉。”复有一人曰∶“是人性贪，不悯生灵，安
得付也？”先生不觉愈骇，跃入洞。见二位老人，衣木衣，顶草冠。先生躬趋左右而拜曰∶
“适闻贤者论方术，遂乃忘归，况夙所好，所恨者未遇一法，可以施验，徒自不足耳。愿贤
者少察愚诚，乞与开悟，终身不负恩。”首坐者云∶“术亦不惜，恐异日与子为累，若无高下
，无贫富，无贵贱，不务财贿。不惮劳苦，矜老恤贫为急，然后可脱子祸。”先生再拜谢曰
∶“贤圣之语，一一不敢忘，俱能从之。”二老笑指东洞云∶“石床上有一书函，子自取之
，速出吾居，勿示俗流，宜秘密之。”先生时得书，回首已不见老人，乃慑怯离洞，忽然不
见。云崩雨泻，石洞摧塌。既览其方，论多奇怪，从兹诚施，靡不神效。是先生得享盛名
于世者，实由于神仙之予以秘方也。先生既得此秘方，又恐其有失也，乃手录之，随时佩之
囊中，借便临时检索之需。仍将原书，藏之家中。尝为曹操治头风，久而不愈，又去家思归，
乃就操求还取方，因托妻疾，数期不返，操累书呼之。又敕郡县发遣，先生恃能厌事，犹不
肯至，操大怒，使人廉之，知妻诈疾，乃收付狱讯考验，首服。荀或请曰∶“佗方术实工，
人命所悬，宜加全宥。”操不从，竟杀之。先生临死出书一卷，与狱吏曰∶“此可以活人。
”吏畏法，不敢受，先生亦不强，索火烧之，于是世遂谓先生之秘方从兹失传矣。不知先生
手录之本，虽毁于火，其家藏之本，则固无恙也。况世间奇籍，决无湮没而不章之理。凡阅
数百有余年，辗转流传，此书遂入于孙真人之手。真人固沉酣典籍，遂于方书者，获睹是编
，觉视所着之千金要方与千金翼方。其治病之法，更为精确。即为之排比后先，补苴罅漏，
藏之箧笥，传之子孙。于是先生秘传之先方，乃始得复出于世，且视原本尤厘然有当矣。余
雅好轩岐之术，尤嗜读古方书。岁在壬辰，薄游皖之亳州，馆于姚氏，雨窗无事。主人姚君
季虔，辄出其所蓄旧籍，借资鉴赏而消永昼。忽于古纸堆中，获睹是编，纸墨暗淡，古色盎
然，望而知为千百余年之物也。逮观其属性，则见其所载治病之法，视若奇异，而实则一本
于至理，且其书中所记麻沸散及神膏等方，尤为世人所渴望而急欲一睹以为快者。急怂恿姚
君，付之剞劂，他日者一编风行，俾患病家得按图而索，无庸更假手于庸医，则其裨益于人
生，以视施医施药，不更胜万万耶？姚君以为然，且欲假余一言以为重，余遂不辞而述此书
之缘起如上云。
乾隆二十七年壬辰仲秋洄溪老人徐大椿序于亳州之墨海楼时年六十有九。
《后汉书·方术传》记载，华佗精通方药，开出的处方不过几种药材，心中清楚药物的分量（分、铢），不需要借助秤来称量。针灸取穴也不过几处，最多七八九穴。如果疾病发作在体内深处，针药无法达到的地方，就让人先喝酒服用麻沸散，待病人醉得失去知觉后，于是剖开腹部和背部，切除积聚的肿块；如果病在肠胃，就切断、煎煮、清洗，除去病灶污秽，然后缝合伤口，敷上神膏，四五天后伤口愈合，一个月左右身体完全康复。先生之所以被世人称为神医，大概就是因为这些医术。相传先生生性恬淡安静，喜欢研读医书，经常游历名山大川和幽深洞穴，往往有所收获。一天因为饮酒，休息在公宜山古洞前，忽然听到有人在谈论治病的方法，先生惊讶于其与众不同，便悄悄靠近洞口偷听。不一会儿有人说道：“华生在附近，医术可以传授给他。”另一个人说：“这个人性格贪婪，不怜悯生灵，怎么能传授呢？”先生不觉更加惊骇，跳入洞中。看见两位老人，穿着木皮做的衣服，戴着草编的帽子。先生恭敬地走到他们面前拜了两拜说：“刚才听到贤者讨论方术，以至于忘了回家，何况这是我素来喜爱的，遗憾的是没有遇到一种能够验证疗效的方法，只是自己感到不足罢了。希望贤者稍微体察我的诚意，恳请给予教导，我终身不会辜负恩情。”坐在首位的老人说：“医术也不吝惜，只是担心日后成为你的累赘，如果你能做到不分高低贵贱，不分贫富，不追求钱财贿赂，不害怕劳苦，把怜悯老人、救济贫苦作为急务，然后才可以传授给你免除灾祸。”先生再次拜谢说：“贤圣的话，一一不敢忘记，都能遵从。”两位老人笑着指向东边的洞穴说：“石床上有一个书函，你自己去取，迅速离开我们的居所，不要展示给世俗之人，应该保密。”先生当时拿到书，回头已经看不见老人了，于是胆怯地离开洞穴，忽然间不见了踪影。云雾崩塌，大雨倾泻，石洞坍塌。既然阅览了其中的方剂，论述大多奇怪，从此诚心施治，无不神效。是先生得以在世上享有盛名，实在是由于神仙授予秘方所致。先生既然得到这个秘方，又担心它遗失，于是亲手抄录下来，随时佩戴在囊中，借以便利临时检索的需要。仍将原书，藏在家中。曾经为曹操治疗头风病，很久没有痊愈，又因思念家乡想回家，于是向曹操请求回去取方子，借口妻子生病，过了期限没有回来，曹操多次写信召唤他。又命令郡县派人送他回来，先生倚仗自己的才能厌恶这些事，仍然不肯前往，曹操大怒，派人查访他，知道他是假装妻子生病，于是逮捕并关进监狱审讯考验，先生最终认罪。荀彧请求说：“华佗的医术确实精巧，人命系于其上，应该加以保全宽恕。”曹操不听从，最终杀了他。先生临死时拿出一卷书，给狱吏说：“这可以用来救人。”狱吏畏惧法律，不敢接受，先生也不勉强，索要火把它烧了，于是世人就说先生的秘方从此失传了。不知道先生手抄的本子，虽然毁于大火，但家中收藏的原本，却安然无恙。况且世间的奇书，决没有埋没而不彰显的道理。经过数百年的辗转流传，这本书就到了孙真人（孙思邈）手中。真人本来就沉醉于典籍，对于方书更是如此，得以看到这部书，觉得其中治病的方法，比他所著的《千金要方》与《千金翼方》更为精确。于是为之排列先后顺序，修补遗漏缺失，藏在箱子里，传给子孙。于是先生秘密传承的先代方剂，才得以重新出现在世上，而且比原本更加条理清晰恰当。我平素喜好轩辕黄帝和岐伯的医术，尤其嗜好阅读古代方书。岁在壬辰年，我在安徽亳州短暂游览，住在姚家，雨天窗下无事可做。主人姚季虔君，就拿出他所收藏的古籍，借给我鉴赏以消磨漫长的白天。忽然在古纸堆中，看到了这部书，纸墨暗淡，古色盎然，一看就知道是千百多年的物品。等到观察它的属性，就见其中记载的治病方法，看起来奇异，但实际上都基于至理，而且书中记录的麻沸散及神膏等方剂，尤为世人所渴望急切想要一睹为快。急忙怂恿姚君，将其刻印出版，将来这一本书风行于世，让患病的人能够按照图索骥，不再需要假手于平庸的医生，那么它对人生的益处，比起施医施药，不是更胜万万倍吗？姚君认为对，并且想借我的一句话来增加分量，于是不推辞而叙述了这本书的缘起如上所述。
乾隆二十七年壬辰年仲秋，洄溪老人徐大椿在亳州的墨海楼作序，当时年龄六十九岁。
The *Biography of Specialists in Arts* in the *Book of Later Han* records that Hua Tuo was proficient in herbal prescriptions. His prescriptions rarely exceeded a few types of herbs; he accurately knew their weights (fen and zhu units) without needing to use scales. For acupuncture, he selected no more than a few acupoints, typically seven, eight, or nine. If a disease manifested deep within the body where needles and herbs could not reach, he would have the patient drink wine and take Mafei San (Hemp Boiling Powder) until they were intoxicated and unconscious. He would then incise the abdomen and back to remove accumulated masses; if the disease was in the intestines or stomach, he would cut, boil, and wash them to remove pathological impurities, then suture the wound and apply Sheng Gao (Divine Ointment). The wound would heal in four or five days, and the patient would fully recover within a month. It is precisely because of these skills that Mr. Hua was renowned as a divine physician among the people. It is said that Mr. Hua had a tranquil and indifferent nature, enjoyed reading medical texts, and frequently traveled to famous mountains and secluded caves, often gaining insights. One day, after drinking, he rested in front of an ancient cave on Gongyi Mountain. Suddenly, he heard people discussing methods for treating diseases. Surprised by their uniqueness, he stealthily approached the cave to eavesdrop. Soon, someone said, "Hua Sheng [Mr. Hua] is nearby; his technique can be passed on to him." Another replied, "This person is greedy and lacks compassion for living beings; how can we pass it on?" Hearing this, Mr. Hua became even more startled and leaped into the cave. He saw two old men wearing clothes made of tree bark and hats woven from straw. Mr. Hua respectfully bowed before them and said, "I just heard the worthy ones discuss medical arts, so much so that I forgot to return home. Moreover, this has always been my passion. My only regret is that I have not yet encountered a method that can be verified for efficacy, leaving me feeling inadequate. I hope the worthy ones will consider my sincere intentions and grant me enlightenment; I shall never forget your kindness in my lifetime." The elder seated at the head said, "We do not begrudge the technique, but we fear it may become a burden to you in the future. If you can treat all people equally regardless of status, wealth, or nobility, do not seek financial gain, are not afraid of labor or hardship, and prioritize compassion for the elderly and relief for the poor, then we can transmit it to you to save you from disaster." Mr. Hua bowed again and thanked them, saying, "I shall not forget a single word of the wise teachings and will abide by them all." The two elders smiled and pointed to the eastern cave, saying, "There is a book case on the stone bed; take it yourself. Leave our dwelling quickly and do not show it to common people; keep it secret." When Mr. Hua obtained the book and looked back, the old men had vanished. He timidly left the cave, but suddenly disappeared from sight. Clouds collapsed and rain poured down, causing the stone cave to crumble. After reading the formulas contained therein, which seemed mostly strange, he sincerely applied them in practice, achieving miraculous effects. Thus, Mr. Hua's great fame in the world was truly due to the secret formulas granted by immortals. Fearing the loss of these secret formulas, Mr. Hua personally copied them, carrying the copy in his bag for easy reference when needed, while hiding the original book at home. Once, he treated Cao Cao for a chronic headache that did not heal. Wanting to return home due to homesickness, he asked Cao Cao for permission to go back to retrieve his prescription, using his wife's illness as an excuse. He failed to return within the agreed period. Cao Cao repeatedly summoned him with letters and ordered local authorities to send him back. Relying on his skills and disliking such matters, Mr. Hua still refused to come. Cao Cao became furious, sent someone to investigate, discovered that his wife's illness was feigned, and had him arrested and imprisoned for interrogation. Mr. eventually confessed. Xun Yu pleaded, "Hua Tuo's medical skills are indeed exquisite, and human lives depend on him; he should be spared and forgiven." Cao Cao did not agree and ultimately executed him. Before his death, Mr. Hua handed a scroll to the prison guard, saying, "This can save lives." The guard, fearing the law, dared not accept it. Mr. Hua did not insist, requested fire, and burned it. Consequently, the world believed that Mr. Hua's secret formulas were lost forever. However, unknown to the public, although the handwritten copy was destroyed by fire, the original version hidden at home remained intact. Moreover, rare books in the world certainly do not remain obscure indefinitely. After hundreds of years of transmission, this book came into the hands of Sun Zhenren (Sun Simiao). Zhenren was deeply immersed in classics and particularly fond of medical texts. Upon seeing this compilation, he found its treatment methods more precise than those in his own works, *Qianjin Yaofang* (Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) and *Qianjin Yifang* (Supplement to Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold). He therefore organized the contents chronologically, filled in gaps and omissions, stored them in a chest, and passed them down to his descendants. Thus, Mr. Hua's secretly transmitted ancient formulas reappeared in the world, appearing even more logically sound and appropriate than the original. I have long favored the arts of Xuanyuan Huangdi (Yellow Emperor) and Qibo, and especially enjoy reading ancient medical texts. In the year Renchen, I briefly traveled to Bozhou in Anhui and stayed at the Yao residence. On a rainy day with nothing to do, the host, Mr. Yao Jiqian, brought out his collection of old books for me to appreciate and kill time. Suddenly, amidst a pile of ancient papers, I discovered this manuscript. Its paper and ink were dim, exuding an antique charm, immediately recognizable as an object over a thousand years old. Upon examining its content, I saw that the treatment methods recorded seemed strange but were actually grounded in profound principles. Furthermore, the formulas for Mafei San (Hemp Boiling Powder) and Sheng Gao (Divine Ointment) recorded in the book were particularly desired by the world, eagerly awaited for inspection. I urgently urged Mr. Yao to have it printed. If this book spreads widely in the future, allowing patients to find treatments according to the text without relying on mediocre doctors, its benefit to humanity would far surpass that of merely providing medical care or medicine. Mr. Yao agreed and wished to borrow my words to add weight to the publication. Therefore, I unhesitatingly narrate the origin of this book as follows.
Preface by Huixi Laoren (Old Man of the Meandering Stream), Xu Dachun, at Mo Hai Lou in Bozhou, Mid-Autumn Month of the 27th Year of Qianlong (Renchen), aged sixty-nine.