从来妙剂，多出仙传，如千金等方，其尤着者也。余素患痰疾，后又左膝寒痛，二十载
以来，屡治不瘥。戊申岁恭设乩坛，求治于葛仙翁祖师，乩示云，此膝痛即系积痰所致。幸
赐方药，宿疾顿除。嗣凡眷属有恙，即虔祷仙方，无不立效，但祖师因人治病，故所得乩方，
未敢广传。惟立愿遍访世间经验良方，无论已刻未刻，汇刊公世。尚恐成方中，或有一时偶
验，未可永为准则者，谨求祖师选择，得四百余方，并蒙乩批云。予有一片济世之心，故凡
有所求，借乩鸾以示。尔今备有成方，请予选择，予亦欣然。但病有虚实寒热，药有温凉补
伐。虚宜温补，实宜泻散。倘视症未明，误投药剂，为害非轻。今择其必中者用之，自无不
验也，此书即定为《回生集》可耳。敬叙卷首，以体祖师普济之慈心云。
乾隆己酉岁孟夏月中浣古北乐天叟陈杰书于云间笃忠堂官舍
丁酉乡试寓南阳街，适周采轩重刻《陈乐天叟回生集》。采轩以余粗知药性，问序于余。
余取其原叙读之。殆所谓神道设教者也。其间可取者，经验二字、济世二字而已。顾余读御
纂《医宗金鉴》，有所谓补心丹者，冠以天王二字；有所云活命饮者，冠以仙方二字，则原
序所云，祖师选择，亦何可尽斥为荒唐之说哉。大抵医者意也。四字误人不小。《论语》云∶
毋意。大学云。诚意。意之一字，公私是非邪正在反掌间。业医者，必虚心体贴四诊心法。
凡望色、闻声、问证、切脉，能如孟子所云，说诗以意逆志，斯于意也一言为无弊耳。学医
者，诚得所以用意之说，而又采成方，以为主治之准则，经验者无不验，济世者无不济。然
则采轩此书出，积善多矣。采轩得此书于苏吴舶中。有志刊送，垂二十年。今始商之同人，
得如初愿，尤望橐有余资者，广为印送。俾家藏一册。人手一编，虽乡居僻壤，地鲜名医，
皆可按症求方。而不求人。
东陵真阳子春谨叙。
自古以来，疗效显著的方剂多出自神仙传授，像《千金方》等就是其中最著名的例子。我素来患有痰疾，后来又左膝寒冷疼痛，二十年来，多次治疗都没有痊愈。戊申年，恭敬设立乩坛，向葛仙翁祖师祈求治疗，乩示（扶乩显示的启示）说：这膝盖痛就是由积痰引起的。幸得赐予方药，陈年旧疾顿时消除。此后凡是眷属有病，就虔诚祈祷仙方，没有不立刻见效的，但祖师因人治病，所以所得的乩方，不敢广泛流传。于是立下誓愿遍访世间经验有效的良方，无论是否已经刻印，汇集成书公开于世。又担心成方中，或许有一时偶然有效，不可永远作为准则的情况，恭敬请求祖师选择，得到四百多个方子，并蒙受乩批说：我怀有一片济世救人的心，所以凡有所求，借乩鸾（扶乩工具）显示出来。你现在备有成方，请我选择，我也欣然同意。但病有虚、实、寒、热之分，药有温、凉、补、泻之别。虚证适宜温补，实证适宜泻散。如果看症状不明确，误投药剂，危害不小。现在选择那些必定中肯的方子使用，自然没有不灵的，这本书就定为《回生集》吧。恭敬写在卷首，以体现祖师普度众生的慈悲心。
乾隆己酉年孟夏月（农历四月）中旬，古北乐天叟陈杰在云间笃忠堂官舍书写。
丁酉年乡试期间寓居南阳街，恰逢周采轩重刻《陈乐天叟回生集》。采轩因为我粗略懂得药性，向我询问作序之事。我拿来他的原叙阅读。这大概就是所谓的“神道设教”（借助鬼神之道进行教化）吧。其中可取的地方，不过是“经验”二字、“济世”二字罢了。但我读御纂《医宗金鉴》，有所谓补心丹者，冠以“天王”二字；有所谓活命饮者，冠以“仙方”二字，那么原序所说的祖师选择，又怎么能完全斥为荒唐之说呢？大抵医者讲究心意领悟。“意”这个字误导人不少。《论语》说：不要主观臆测。《大学》说：诚意。意的一个字，公私是非邪正就在反掌之间。从事医学的人，必须虚心体贴四诊（望、闻、问、切）的心法。凡是望色、闻声、问证、切脉，能像孟子所说的那样，通过心意去推测诗人的志向，这样对于“意”这一字来说就没有弊病了。学医的人，如果能真正懂得运用心意的道理，又采集成方，作为主治的准则，经验有效的方子没有不灵的，济世救人的方子没有不成功的。既然这样，那么采轩这本书出版，积累的善行就很多了。采轩从苏州、吴地的商船中得到这本书，有志刊印赠送，将近二十年。现在开始与志同道合的朋友商量，得以实现初衷，尤其希望囊中有剩余资金的人，广泛印刷赠送。使得每家藏有一册，人手一编，即使是居住在乡村僻壤，地方少有名医，都可以按照症状寻找方子，而不必去求人。
东陵真阳子春谨叙。
Since ancient times, miraculous remedies have mostly originated from immortal transmissions, such as the *Qianjin Fang* (Thousand Gold Formulas), which are the most renowned. I have long suffered from phlegm disorders, and later developed cold pain in my left knee. For twenty years, despite numerous treatments, it did not heal. In the Wushen year, I respectfully established a spirit-writing altar (Ji Tan) to seek treatment from Patriarch Ge Xianweng. The spirit-writing message indicated: "This knee pain is caused by accumulated phlegm. Fortunately, I bestow upon you a prescription, and your chronic illness is instantly cured." Since then, whenever my family members fell ill, I devoutly prayed for immortal prescriptions, all of which took effect immediately. However, since the Patriarch treated patients according to their specific conditions, I dared not widely disseminate the spirit-written prescriptions. Instead, I made a vow to visit and collect experienced and effective prescriptions from the world, regardless of whether they had been printed or not, compiling them into a book for public dissemination. Fearing that among these established formulas, some might only work occasionally at a given time and could not serve as permanent standards, I respectfully requested the Patriarch to select them. He provided over four hundred prescriptions and added a spirit-written commentary: "I possess a heart dedicated to saving the world, so whenever there is a request, I reveal it through the spirit-writing platform. You now have established formulas; please ask me to select them, and I am pleased to do so. However, diseases vary in deficiency (Xu), excess (Shi), cold (Han), and heat (Re); medicines differ in warming (Wen), cooling (Liang), tonifying (Bu), and purging (Fa). Deficiency should be treated with warming and tonification; excess should be treated with draining and dispersing. If the symptoms are not clearly understood and incorrect medicines are administered, the harm will be significant. Now, use those that are certain to hit the mark, and there will surely be no ineffectiveness. This book shall be titled *Huisheng Ji* (Collection for Reviving the Dead)." I respectfully write this preface to the volume to express the Patriarch's compassionate heart for universal salvation.
Written by Chen Jie, styled Letian Sou from Gubei, at the official residence of Duzhong Hall in Yunjian, during the mid-month of the first month of summer in the Jiyi year of the Qianlong reign.
During the provincial examinations in the Dingyou year, while residing on Nanyang Street, Zhou Caixuan happened to reprint *Chen Letiansou Huisheng Ji*. Caixuan, knowing that I had a rudimentary understanding of medicinal properties, asked me to write a preface. I read his original preface. It seems to be what is called "using religious beliefs to establish moral education" (Shendao Shejiao). The aspects worth appreciating in it are merely the two words: "experienced" (jingyan) and "saving the world" (jishi). However, when I read the Imperial Compilation *Yizong Jinjian* (Golden Mirror of Medical Tradition), I found that the so-called Buxin Dan (Heart-Nourishing Pill) is prefixed with "Tianwang" (Heavenly King), and the so-called Huoming Yin (Life-Saving Decoction) is prefixed with "Xianfang" (Immortal Formula). Thus, how can the statement in the original preface about the Patriarch's selection be entirely dismissed as absurd? Generally speaking, medicine relies on mental perception ("Yi"). The character "Yi" has misled many people. The *Analects* states: "Do not act subjectively." The *Great Learning* states: "Sincerity of Will." The concept of "Yi" lies between public/private, right/wrong, and orthodoxy/heresy in the blink of an eye. Practitioners of medicine must humbly and carefully study the mental principles of the Four Diagnostic Methods (Si Zhen: Inspection, Auscultation/Olfaction, Inquiry, Palpation). Whether inspecting complexion, listening to voice/smell, asking about symptoms, or feeling the pulse, one should be able to, as Mencius said regarding poetry, "use one's mind to infer the poet's intent." Only then can the use of "Yi" be free from fault. Students of medicine, if they truly understand the principle of applying mental perception, and also collect established formulas as standards for primary treatment, will find that experienced formulas are invariably effective, and world-saving formulas achieve their purpose. Therefore, with the publication of Caixuan's book, much good merit is accumulated. Caixuan obtained this book from merchant ships in Suzhou and Wu regions. He had the intention to print and distribute it for nearly twenty years. Now, having consulted with like-minded friends, he has realized his original wish. He especially hopes that those with surplus funds will widely print and distribute it, so that every household may keep a copy and every person may hold a volume. Even in remote rural areas where famous doctors are scarce, one can seek prescriptions based on symptoms without needing to seek out physicians.
Respectfully prefaced by Chun, Zhenyangzi from Dongling.