盖士君子有济世之心者，必托经世之术以运之，遇不遇无论也。何也？得时而驾，则宇
内之休
戚利害，隐然共之，视其患若切于身之疾痛 痒，不措之安全不止。此士君子之心，得位以
行之者也。不幸不获遇，泽不及物，而心不得施，有志君子，往往怀其道而隐于医。故是昔
人谓济人利物，无位者不能，惟医以救死扶生为功，故业之者，可以推不忍之心及于物，而
于道有益。有味乎其言之也。然医岂易言哉？吾闻其宗旨，自《内经》、本草以来，书之藏
于有司者，一百七十九家。非博通巨儒，超悟上哲，专攻其业，何能探讨？洞明其阴阳、寒
热、静躁、虚实，消息盈缩之奥，而措之行事。夫人之待命于医，生死攸系，乃以未谙浅薄
者尝试之，其不贼人之命者几希。医以济人，至于贼人，可不畏耶!此医之所以难言也。余
顷多病，谒告山居，尝叹济物之衷未措于用。顾思延医以求济其身。然而医之良者，苦不一
遇也。乃壬申仲秋，吴君柳溪，谈新安海阳有孙君东宿者，医可谓称良矣。余亟请而相印证
之，耳其论 乎《素》、《难》之旨，而表里夫张、刘、孙、李、丹溪、伯仁诸家。其视
余疾
也，未投药，先谈余之经络、色脉、机能，与受病之自，即勿药而余病爽然若失。及详察其
端方之度，沉着之思，渊渊之阃奥，则杳焉莫竟其涯。非所谓深于道而隐于医者耶!余因诘
之曰∶神农尝百草，先天而命之药，黄帝、岐伯，后天而着之经。此天以神授，圣以神符，
不可及矣。嗣后若和、扁、华佗、淳于意、仲景、思邈、河间、东垣、朱、滑，莫不HT 弄化
机，制人命于掌上，术亦神也。何今日之事是业者，不能踵其芳躅耶!抑世代之不同也？孙君
勃然曰∶古今人非不相及，用心殊尔!宋儒有言，古之仁者为人，今之仕者为己。不佞亦谓
古之医者为人，今之医者为己，道不同而受病一也。夫士君子之视天下，与吾身血脉相流通
，
天下病，若 之切身，天下安，则惬然而无恨。虽以道为药石者，其济宏，以医为道术者
，其济狭，其心一也。故古之医也，以救死扶生之心，其业专而用方也慎。专则精而造诣入
室
，慎则审而投药奏功。此和、扁诸名家，所以悉臻秘妙，称神奇。今之医，则异是也。将以
市利，非以济人。黄、岐以来诸书，非不剽窃以资口说，乃其心则实胡越一膜视天下，率以
利之盈绌，为心之重轻。人之济与否，若与吾术不相关，此何以比古人而接其芳躅哉？不佞
奎何能造古贤哲之阃奥，第无愧于此心尔!余闻而喟然叹曰∶孙君充是心而行是术，其将大
有裨于时矣!虽隐而亦显也。因次其语而归之，爰以订夫业是术者，是为序。
时万历癸酉中秋日吴江孙质庵从龙敬书于符丸草堂
大概士人君子中怀有救济世人之心的人，必定依托经世致用的学问来施展抱负，至于能否被任用则不论。为什么呢？如果得遇时机而驾驭时势，那么天下百姓的悲欢离合、利害关系，便与自己息息相关，看待他人的疾苦就像自己身上的病痛瘙痒一样切身，不使他们得到安宁安全就绝不罢休。这是士人君子获得高位后推行其理念的情形。不幸的是未能得遇时机，恩泽无法惠及万物，内心抱负无法施展，有志向的君子，往往怀抱其道术而隐居行医。所以古人说，救济他人、利益万物，没有地位的人做不到，只有医生以救死扶伤为功绩，因此从事这一职业的人，可以将不忍之心推及到万物之上，这对道术是有益的。这话意味深长啊。然而，医学岂是容易谈论的呢？我听说其宗旨，自从《内经》和本草学以来，收藏在官府典籍中的著作，有一百七十九家。如果不是博学通儒，超凡悟性的哲人，专门攻研这一行业，怎么能深入探讨并透彻明白其中阴阳、寒热、动静、虚实以及消长盈缩的奥妙，从而应用于实践呢？人们将性命托付给医生，生死攸关，却让那些不懂医术、浅薄之人去尝试，能不害人性命的太少了。医生本意是救济人，结果却害了人，这难道不值得畏惧吗！这就是医学之所以难以言说的原因。
我近来多病，请假在山中居住，常常感叹救济万物的初衷未能付诸应用。转而思考延请医生来救治自己的身体。然而好的医生，苦苦寻求也难以遇到。正值壬申年仲秋，吴柳溪君谈到新安海阳有一位孙东宿先生，其医术可谓称得上良医了。我急忙请求与他相见印证，听他论述《素问》、《难经》的宗旨，并且融会贯通张仲景、刘完素、孙思邈、李东垣、朱丹溪、滑伯仁等诸家的学说。他诊治我的疾病时，还没用药，先谈论我的经络、面色脉象、机能状态，以及患病的缘由，即使不用药，我的病也感觉好了一大半。等到仔细考察他那端正的仪态、沉稳的思维、深邃的学识境界，就觉得深远莫测，看不到边际。这不就是所说的深于道术而隐居行医的人吗！我于是责问他：神农品尝百草，先天性地命名药物；黄帝、岐伯，后天性地撰写经典。这是上天神授，圣人神应，是不可企及的。此后如和（秦越人）、扁（秦越人）、华佗、淳于意、张仲景、孙思邈、刘河间、李东垣、朱丹溪、滑伯仁等人，无不玩弄造化之机，将人的生死掌握在手掌之中，医术也是神妙的。为什么如今从事这一行业的人，不能追随他们的足迹呢？还是世代不同了呢？孙先生激动地说：古今的人并非不能相比，用心不同罢了！宋代理学家有句话说，古代的仁者为了别人，现在的仕途之人为了自己。我也认为古代的医生为了别人，现在的医生为了自己，道术不同但所治之病是一样的。士人君子看待天下，与自身血脉相通，天下的病痛如同切身的痛苦，天下安宁，则心中满足而没有遗憾。虽然以道术作为药石的人，其救济广大；以医技作为道术的人，其救济狭小，但其初心是一样的。所以古代的医生，怀着救死扶伤的心志，其事业专注且使用方剂谨慎。专注就能精通，造诣达到高深境界；谨慎就能审慎，投药就能奏效。这就是和、扁等名家，所以都能达到秘妙之境，被称为神奇的原因。如今的医生，则与此不同。他们是为了谋取利益，而不是为了救济他人。黄、岐以来的各种书籍，并非不被剽窃用来作为口头谈资，但他们的心实际上视天下如胡越相隔，隔膜对待，普遍以利益的盈亏作为心重的轻重。人的救济与否，似乎与我的医术无关，这怎么能比得上古人并追随他们的足迹呢？我孙奎哪里能到达古代贤哲的高深境界，只是对此心无愧罢了！我听后感慨叹息说：孙先生秉持这样的心志并施行这样的医术，将会对时代大有裨益！虽然隐居但也显赫了。于是记录他的话并归还给他，借此订正从事这一行业的人，这就是序言。
时为万历癸酉年中秋日，吴江孙质庵从龙恭敬书写于符丸草堂。
Generally, scholars and gentlemen who harbor the heart to save the world must rely on the art of governing the world to practice it, regardless of whether they are employed or not. Why is this? If one meets the right time and drives the carriage (of statecraft), then the joys and sorrows, benefits and harms within the universe will be implicitly shared with them. They view others' suffering as if it were their own physical pain and itching, and will not stop until they are placed in safety and security. This is the heart of a scholar gentleman who obtains a position to implement his ideals. Unfortunately, if one fails to meet the opportunity, the grace does not reach all things, and the heart cannot be exerted. Ambitious gentlemen often conceal themselves in medicine while harboring their Dao. Therefore, ancients said that those without status cannot save people and benefit things; only doctors achieve merit by saving the dying and supporting the living. Thus, those who engage in this profession can extend their compassionate heart to all things, which is beneficial to the Dao. There is profound meaning in these words. However, how easy is it to speak of medicine? I have heard that since the *Neijing* (Inner Canon) and Materia Medica, there are 179 books stored in the official archives regarding its principles. Unless one is a broadly learned Confucian master or an enlightened philosopher who specializes in this field, how can one explore and thoroughly understand the mysteries of Yin and Yang, cold and heat, stillness and agitation, deficiency and excess, and the subtle changes of waxing and waning, so as to apply them in practice? People entrust their lives to doctors, where life and death are at stake. Yet, if one allows inexperienced and shallow individuals to try, few will not harm people's lives. Doctors intend to save people, yet end up harming them; should one not fear this? This is why medicine is difficult to discuss.
Recently, I suffered from many illnesses and took leave to live in the mountains. I often sighed that my inner desire to benefit things had not been put into use. I considered seeking medical help to save myself. However, good doctors are hard to come by. In the mid-autumn of the Ren-Shen year, Mr. Wu Liu-xi mentioned that in Hai-yang, Xin-an, there was a Mr. Sun Dong-su, whose medical skills could be called excellent. I urgently requested to meet him for mutual verification. Listening to his discussion on the principles of the *Suwen* (Basic Questions) and *Nanjing* (Classic of Difficult Issues), and integrating the theories of Zhang Zhong-jing, Liu Wan-su, Sun Si-miao, Li Dong-yuan, Zhu Dan-xi, Bo-ren (Hua Bo-ren), and others. When treating my illness, before administering any medicine, he first discussed my meridians, complexion, pulse, physiological functions, and the origin of the disease. Even without medication, my illness felt like it had disappeared. Upon carefully observing his upright demeanor, calm thoughts, and profound depth, I found it boundless and unfathomable. Is this not what is meant by someone who is deep in the Dao and conceals himself in medicine? I then questioned him: Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs and named medicines prior to heaven (innately); Huangdi and Qibo wrote classics after heaven (derivedly). These were divinely bestowed by heaven and confirmed by sages, beyond human reach. Since then, figures such as He (Qin Yue-ren), Bian (Qin Yue-ren), Hua Tuo, Chunyu Yi, Zhong-jing, Si-miao, He-jian (Liu He-jian), Dong-yuan, Zhu (Zhu Dan-xi), and Hua (Hua Bo-ren) all manipulated the mechanisms of transformation, holding human life in their palms; their skills were also divine. Why can't today's practitioners follow in their footsteps? Or is it due to differences in generations? Mr. Sun replied indignantly: People of ancient and modern times are not necessarily unequal; the difference lies in their intention! Neo-Confucians said, "The benevolent of old acted for others; the officials of today act for themselves." I also say, "Doctors of old acted for others; doctors of today act for themselves." The Dao differs, but the diseases are the same. A scholar gentleman views the world as having blood circulation connected to his own body; the world's sickness feels like his own personal pain, and when the world is peaceful, he feels satisfied and without regret. Although those who take Dao as medicine/stones have broad salvation, and those who take medicine as a skill have narrow salvation, their hearts are the same. Therefore, ancient doctors, with the heart to save the dying and support the living, focused their career and were cautious in prescribing formulas. Focus leads to precision and reaching the inner chamber of attainment; caution leads to scrutiny and effective prescription. This is why masters like He and Bian achieved secret wonders and were called miraculous. Today's doctors are different. They seek market profit, not to save people. Books from Huangdi and Qibo onwards are not plagiarized for verbal argumentation, but their hearts actually treat the world as distant as Hu and Yue (culturally distinct and far apart), generally weighing their hearts by the surplus or deficit of profit. Whether people are saved seems unrelated to my skills; how can this compare to ancients and follow in their footsteps? How can I, Kui, reach the inner chambers of ancient sages? I merely have no shame before this heart! Hearing this, I sighed and said: If Mr. Sun acts with this heart and practices this skill, he will greatly benefit the times! Though concealed, he will also become prominent. Thus, I recorded his words and returned them, intending to correct those who practice this skill. This is the preface.
Written respectfully by Sun Zhi-an Cong-long of Wujiang on the Mid-Autumn Day of Gui-You year of the Wanli era, at Fu-wan Grass Hall.