盖闻天地之大德曰生，运阴阳以播物；含灵之所保曰命，资亭育以尽年。蛰穴栖巢，感
物之
欲之道方滋。而五味或爽，时昧甘辛之节；六气斯 ，易愆寒燠之宜。中外交侵，形神分战。
饮食伺舋，成肠胃之眚；
风湿候隙，遘手足之灾。几缠肤腠，莫知救止；渐固膏盲，期于夭折。暨炎晖纪物，识药石
之功；云瑞名官，穷诊候之
术。草木咸得其性，鬼神无所遁情。刳麝 犀，驱泄邪恶；飞丹炼石，引纳清和。大庇苍生，
普济黔首
迈财成，日用不知，于今是赖。歧、和、彭、缓，腾绝轨于前；李、华、张、吴，振英声于
后。昔秦政煨燔，兹经不预；
永嘉丧乱，斯道尚存。梁陶弘景雅好摄生，研精
药术。以为《本草经》者，神农之所作，不刊之书也。惜其年代浸远，简编残蠹，与桐、雷
众记，颇或 驳。兴言撰缉，勒成一家，亦以雕琢经方，润色医业。然而时钟鼎峙，闻
见阙
于殊方；事非佥议，诠释拘于独学。至如重建平之防己，弃槐里之半夏。秋采榆人，冬收云
实。谬粱、米之黄白，混荆子之牡、蔓。异繁蒌于鸡肠，合由跋于鸢尾。防葵、野狼毒，妄曰
同根；钩吻、黄精，引为连类。铅、锡莫辨，橙、柚不分。凡此比例，盖亦多矣。自时厥后
，以迄于今，虽方技分镳，名医继轨，更相祖述，罕能厘正。乃复采杜蘅于及己，求忍冬于
络石。舍陟厘而取 藤，退飞廉而用马蓟。承疑行妄，曾无有觉。疾瘵多殆，良深慨叹。既
而朝议郎行右监门府长史骑都尉臣苏敬，摭陶氏之乖违，辨俗用之纰紊。遂表请修定，深副
圣怀。乃诏太尉杨州都督监修国史上柱国赵国公臣无忌、太中大夫行尚药奉御臣许孝崇等二
十二人，与苏敬详撰。窃以动植形生，因方舛性；春秋节变，感气殊功。离其本土，则质同
而效异；乖于采摘，乃物是而时非。名实既爽，寒温多谬。用之凡庶，其欺已甚；施之君父
，逆莫大焉。于是上禀神规，下询众议；普颁天下，营求药物。羽、毛、鳞、介，无远不臻
；
根、茎、花、实，有名咸萃。遂乃详探秘要，博综方术。《本经》虽阙，有验必书；《别录
》虽存，无稽必正。考其同异，择其去取。铅翰昭章，定群言之得失；丹青绮焕，备庶物之
形容。撰本草并图经、目录等，凡成五十四卷。庶以网罗今古，开涤耳目。尽医方之妙极，
拯生灵之性命。传万祀而无昧，悬百王而不朽。
我听说天地最伟大的德行是赋予生命，通过运行阴阳来化育万物；有灵性的生物所保全的是性命，依靠自然的养育以享尽天年。穴居巢处的动物，感应外物而滋长欲望之道日益兴盛。然而五味有时失调，时常不明白甘辛的节制；六气出现偏差，容易违背寒暖的适宜。内外邪气交相侵袭，形体与精神分崩离析。饮食伺机引发过失，造成肠胃的疾病；风湿趁虚而入，导致手足的灾祸。病邪几时纠缠于皮肤腠理，人们不知道如何救治停止；逐渐固结于膏肓深处，期望避免早夭。等到炎阳照耀万物时，人们认识了药物石针的功效；云瑞命名官职时，穷尽了诊察病候的技术。草木都获得了它们的本性，鬼神也无法隐藏其情状。剖开麝香和犀角，驱除泄出邪恶之气；炼制飞丹和石头，引导接纳清和之气。广泛庇护百姓，普遍救济民众，遵循天道成就万物，日用而不知，如今依赖于此。秦歧伯、俞跗、彭祖、医缓，在前世超越了绝妙的轨迹；李东垣、华佗、张仲景、吴普，在后世振作了英明的名声。从前秦始皇焚烧书籍，这部经典没有预在其中；永嘉之乱发生，这门学问仍然保存。梁朝的陶弘景非常喜好养生，研究精通药术。他认为《本草经》是神农所作，是不可更改的经典。可惜它年代久远，书简篇章残缺蛀坏，与桐君、雷公的各种记录，颇有驳杂混乱之处。于是兴起念头撰写编辑，勒成一家之言，也是雕琢经方，润色医学事业。然而当时钟鼎世家并立，听闻见识缺乏于殊方异土；事情并非众人商议，诠释拘泥于独自求学。至于像重建平的防己，抛弃槐里的半夏。秋天采集榆人（误指），冬天收取云实。混淆了粱米黄白的区别，混同了荆子牡蔓的区别。把繁蒌与鸡肠搞错，将由跋与鸢尾合并。防葵和野狼毒，妄称是同根；钩吻和黄精，引为同类。铅和锡无法分辨，橙子和柚子分不清。凡此种种比例错误，大概也很多了。从那时以后，直到如今，虽然方技分道扬镳，名医相继追随，互相尊奉阐述，很少能够厘清纠正。又去采杜蘅于及己之中，寻找忍冬于络石之上。舍弃陟厘而取用薜荔藤，退下飞廉而使用马蓟。承袭疑惑实行狂妄，竟然没有人察觉。疾病多危险，实在深深感叹。不久之后，朝议郎行右监门府长史骑都尉臣苏敬，拾取陶弘景的乖违之处，辨明世俗使用的纰漏紊乱。于是上表请求修定，深深符合圣上的心意。于是诏令太尉扬州都督监修国史上柱国赵国公臣李无忌、太中大夫行尚药奉御臣许孝崇等二十二人，与苏敬详细撰写。我私下认为动植物的形态生命，因方位不同而性质各异；春秋季节变化，感受的气机功效特殊。离开本土，则质地相同而疗效不同；违背采摘时节，则是物体正确而时间错误。名实既然差错，寒温属性多有谬误。用于普通百姓，欺骗已经很严重；施用于君主父亲，罪过没有比这更大的了。于是向上禀承神圣的规范，向下询问众人的议论；普遍颁布天下，营求药物。羽毛鳞介的动物植物，无论远近无不到达；根茎花实的药材，有名者全部聚集。于是详细探究秘密要旨，广博综览方术技术。《本经》虽然缺失，有验证的一定要记录；《别录》虽然存在，无根据的一定要纠正。考察它们的同异，选择它们的取舍。笔墨昭彰，确定群言的得失；丹青绚丽，完备万物的形容。撰写本草以及图经、目录等，共成五十四卷。希望以此网罗古今，开阔耳目。穷尽医方的妙极，拯救生灵的性命。流传万代而不迷昧，悬挂百王而不朽。
I have heard that the greatest virtue of Heaven and Earth is life, distributing yin and yang to propagate all things; for sentient beings, what is preserved is life (ming), relying on nature's nurturing to fulfill one's years. Creatures in burrows and nests, influenced by external objects, see the way of desire flourish. Yet the five flavors may be unbalanced, often failing to observe the moderation of sweet and pungent; the six qi may deviate, easily violating the appropriateness of cold and warmth. Internal and external pathogens invade mutually, causing the form and spirit to war against each other. Dietary indiscretions lead to calamities in the intestines and stomach; wind and dampness exploit weaknesses, bringing disaster to the limbs. When pathogens entangle the skin and interstices, no one knows how to stop them; as they gradually solidify in the膏盲 (gaohuang, deep-seated disease), premature death seems inevitable. When the blazing sun illuminated all things, people recognized the efficacy of herbs and stones; when auspicious clouds named officials, the art of diagnosis was thoroughly explored. Plants and trees acquired their natures, and spirits could not hide their true states. Opening musk and rhino horn drives out evil; refining cinnabar and stones draws in clarity and harmony. Greatly sheltering the common people, universally saving the masses, following heaven's pattern to accomplish things, used daily without awareness, we rely on this today. Qi Bo, Yu Fu, Peng Zu, and Yi Huan surpassed extraordinary paths in the past; Li Dongyuan, Hua Tuo, Zhang Zhongjing, and Wu Pu revived illustrious reputations later. In the past, during Qin Shi Huang's burning of books, this classic was spared; during the Yongjia turmoil, this tradition survived. Tao Hongjing of the Liang Dynasty deeply loved health preservation and studied pharmacology with precision. He believed that the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) was authored by Shennong, an immutable classic. Regrettably, its age has grown distant, bamboo slips are damaged and worm-eaten, and it conflicts with records by Tong Jun and Lei Gong. Thus, he compiled and edited it into a unique work, refining medical formulas and embellishing the medical profession. However, at that time, aristocratic families stood apart, lacking knowledge of remote regions; discussions were not collective, and interpretations were confined to solitary learning. For instance, rebuilding Fangji (Aristolochia fangchi) from Jianping while discarding Banxia (Pinellia ternata) from Huaili; harvesting Yuren (Ulmus pumila seed) in autumn and Yunshi (Sargentodoxa cuneata) in winter; confusing the yellow and white varieties of grain and rice; mixing up the male and female parts of Jingsu seeds; distinguishing Fanlou (Trichosanthes kirilowii) from Jichang (Pilea japonica); combining Youba (Dioscorea nipponica) with Yuanwei (Iris tectorum); claiming Fangkui (Adenophora stricta) and Yelangdu (Aconitum coreanum) share the same root; linking Gouwen (Gelsemium elegans) and Huangjing (Polygonatum sibiricum) as similar; unable to distinguish lead from tin, or orange from pomelo. Such proportional errors were numerous. Since then, until now, although medical arts diverged and famous doctors followed suit, mutually inheriting and expounding, few have been able to correct these errors. They again collected Duheng (Asarum heterotropoides) among Ji (Bupleurum chinense), sought Rendong (Lonicera japonica) among Luoshi (Trachelospermum jasminoides). Abandoning Zhili (Parmotrema perlatum) for Bixi (Ficus tikoua), rejecting Feilian (Saussurea lappa) for Maji (Cirsium setosum). Following doubt and acting recklessly, no one realized it. Diseases became more perilous, causing deep sighs. Subsequently, Su Jing, Court Advisor and Acting Director of the Right Gate Guard, Knight-Commander, identified Tao's deviations and clarified popular misuse. He petitioned for revision, deeply aligning with the Emperor's will. An edict ordered Yang Wujing, Grand Preceptor and Governor of Yangzhou, Supervisor of State History, Duke of Zhao, along with Xu Chongchong, Grand Master of the Palace Medical Bureau, and twenty-one others, to collaborate with Su Jing. I humbly believe that animals and plants, due to different regions, have varying natures; spring and autumn changes bring distinct effects. Removed from their native land, substances may look alike but differ in efficacy; if picking times are wrong, even correct materials become invalid. If names and realities are confused, cold and warm properties are often mistaken. Using such errors on commoners is already deceptive; applying them to rulers and parents is the greatest crime. Therefore, receiving heavenly guidance and consulting public opinion, drugs were sought throughout the empire. Birds, beasts, fish, and insects arrived from afar; roots, stems, flowers, and fruits gathered together. Secrets were investigated, and medical arts comprehensively studied. Although the *Benjing* lacked entries, verified ones were recorded; although the *Bielu* existed, baseless ones were corrected. Differences were examined, selections made. Ink shone clearly, determining the merits and faults of various opinions; paintings displayed vividly, depicting all things. The *Materia Medica*, along with illustrated manuals and catalogs, totaled fifty-four volumes. This aims to encompass ancient and modern knowledge, enlightening the senses. Exhausting the subtleties of medical prescriptions, saving the lives of sentient beings. To be transmitted for ten thousand generations without obscurity, hanging eternally for hundred kings without decay.