人情莫不欲寿，恒讳疾而忌医，孰知延寿之方，匪药石不为功；得病之由，多半服食不
审，致庸医之误人，曰药之不如其勿药，是由因噎废食也。原夫天地生物，以好生为心，草
木、金石、飞潜、溲渤之类，皆可已病，听其人之自取。古之圣人，又以天地之心为己心，
着为《素问》《难经》，定为君臣佐使方旨，待其人善用之。用之善，出为良医，药石方旨
，惟吾所使，寿夭荣谢之数，自我操之，如执左券，皆稽古之力也。庸医反是，执古方，泥
古法，罔然不知病所自起，为表、为里、为虚、为实，一旦杀人，不知自反，反归咎于食忌
，洗其耻于方册，此不善学人之过也。故曰∶肱三折而成良医，言有所试也；不三世不服其
药，言有所受之也。假试之知而不行，受之传而不习，己先病矣，己之不暇，何暇于已人之
病？是无怪乎忌医者之纷纷也。
越人张景岳，豪杰士也。先世以军功起家，食禄千户。结发读书，不 章句。
初学万人敌，得鱼腹八阵不传之秘，仗策游侠，往来燕冀间，慨然有封野狼胥、勒燕然之想，
榆林、碣石、凤城、鸭江，足迹几遍。投笔弃 ，绝塞失其天险；谈兵说剑，壮士逊其
颜色。所遇数奇，未尝浼首求合也。由是落落难偶，浩然归里，肆力于轩岐之学，以养
其亲。遇有危证，世医拱手，得其一匕，矍然起矣。常出其平生之技，着为医学全书，凡六
十有四卷。语其徒曰∶医之用药，犹用兵也。治病如治寇攘，知寇所在，精兵攻之，兵不血
刃矣。故所着书，仿佛八阵遗意。古方，经也；新方，权也，经权互用，天下无难事矣。书
既成，限于资，未及流传而殁，遗草属诸外孙林君日蔚。蔚载与南游，初见赏于方伯鲁公，
捐资付梓。板成北去，得其书者，视为肘后之珍，世罕见之。予生平颇好稽古，犹专意于养
生家言，是书诚养生之秘笈也。惜其流传不广，出俸翻刻，公诸宇内。善读其书者，庶免庸
医误人之咎，讳疾忌医者，毋因噎而废食也可。
时康熙五十年岁次辛卯孟春两广运使瀛海贾棠题于羊城官舍之退思堂
人的本性没有不希望长寿的，但人们往往隐瞒疾病并忌讳就医。谁知道延长寿命的方法，如果不借助药物和砭石等治疗手段，是无法取得成效的；而得病的原因，多半是因为饮食服用不加审慎，导致庸医误人。他们说“用药不如不用药”，这就像因为吃饭噎住就停止进食一样荒谬。
推究天地化生万物，是以爱护生命为初心，草木、金石、飞禽走兽、水族等各类事物，都可以用来治病，听凭人们自行选取。古代的圣人，又以太地的生生之心为自己的心志，撰写了《素问》和《难经》，确立了君臣佐使（中药方剂配伍原则）的方义宗旨，等待善于运用的人。如果运用得当，就能成为良医，药物和方剂的宗旨，完全由我支配，寿命长短、荣辱兴衰的命运，掌握在我手中，如同拿着契约的一半那样确切，这都是考察古代典籍的力量所致。
庸医则与此相反，拘守古方，泥古不化，茫然不知疾病从何而起，分不清是表证还是里证，是虚证还是实证，一旦致人死亡，不知自我反省，反而归咎于饮食禁忌，在书籍中洗刷自己的耻辱，这是不善于学习前人的过错。所以说：“手臂多次折断才能成为良医”，说明医学需要实践验证；“不到三代人不要服用他的药”，说明医术需要有师承渊源。假设有知识却不施行，接受了传承却不练习，自己先病了，自己都顾不上，哪里还有空闲去治别人的病？难怪那些忌讳就医的人会纷纷扰扰了。
越地人张景岳，是一位豪杰之士。他的祖先凭借军功起家，享有千户的俸禄。他自幼读书，不拘泥于章句训诂。起初学习万人敌的武艺，获得了鱼腹八阵图不传的秘诀，仗剑游侠，往来于燕赵冀州之间，慷慨激昂地有封狼居胥、勒石燕然的志向，榆林、碣石、凤城、鸭江等地，足迹几乎遍至。他投笔从戎，放弃武事，绝塞失去了天险之助；谈论兵法剑术，让壮士都逊色三分。他命运多舛，未曾低头迎合世俗。因此他落落寡合，难以遇合，于是浩然回归故里，致力于岐黄（中医）之学，以奉养双亲。遇到危重病症，世间的医生束手无策，他只需一匕（少量药物），病人便惊起痊愈了。他常将自己平生的技艺，著成《医学全书》，共六十四卷。他对徒弟说：“医生用药，就像用兵打仗。治病如同讨伐寇贼，知道寇贼所在，派精兵攻打，兵器都不用沾血就能取胜。”所以他著的书籍，仿佛继承了八阵图的遗意。古方是经书（常规法则），新方是权变（灵活变通），经与权互相配合使用，天下就没有难事了。
书既已写成，但因限于财力，未能广泛流传他便去世了，遗留的手稿托付给了外孙林日蔚先生。林日蔚带着书向南游历，初次受到方伯鲁公的赏识，鲁公捐资刻印。刻板完成后向北离去，得到这本书的人，视其为随身携带的珍贵秘籍，世间罕见。我生平很喜欢考察古籍，尤其专心于养生家的言论，这本书确实是养生的秘笈。可惜它流传不广，我便拿出俸禄翻刻，向天下公开。善于阅读这本书的人，或许可以避免被庸医误人的罪过；忌讳就医的人，不要因为噎食而废掉吃饭（即不要因为害怕风险而拒绝必要的医疗）。
时康熙五十年岁次辛卯孟春（农历正月），两广运使瀛海人贾棠，题写于羊城官舍的退思堂。
Human nature is such that no one does not desire longevity, yet people often conceal their illnesses and avoid seeking medical help. Who knows that the method to prolong life cannot achieve its effect without the aid of medicines and acupuncture/moxibustion (pharmaceuticals and physical therapies); moreover, the cause of illness mostly stems from imprudent diet and consumption, leading to errors by mediocre physicians who claim "using medicine is worse than not using it." This is akin to stopping eating altogether because one has choked on food.
Tracing back, Heaven and Earth generate all things with a heart devoted to nurturing life. Grasses, trees, minerals, stones, flying creatures, diving animals, and aquatic life can all be used to treat diseases, leaving the choice to individuals. Ancient sages, taking the nurturing intent of Heaven and Earth as their own, composed the *Suwen* (Basic Questions) and *Nanjing* (Classic of Difficult Issues), established the principles of Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi (Monarch-Minister-Assistant-Courier in herbal formulation), and awaited those who could utilize them skillfully. When applied properly, one becomes a good physician; drugs and formulas are at one's disposal. The number of years for longevity or premature death, and the count of glory or decline, are controlled by oneself, as certain as holding half of a tally contract. All this is due to the power of studying ancient texts.
Mediocre physicians do the opposite. They rigidly adhere to ancient prescriptions and methods, completely unaware of the origin of diseases, failing to distinguish between exterior and interior patterns, deficiency and excess patterns. Once they cause death, they fail to reflect upon themselves, instead blaming dietary taboos and trying to wash away their shame in books. This is the fault of those who fail to learn effectively from predecessors. Thus it is said: "A physician gains proficiency after three arm fractures," indicating that medicine requires practical experience; "Do not take medicine from a physician whose lineage does not extend three generations," implying that medical skills require proper transmission. If one possesses knowledge but does not practice it, or receives transmission but does not study it, one falls ill oneself. If one cannot even attend to one's own illness, how can one have time to treat others' illnesses? No wonder those who avoid doctors are so confused.
Zhang Jingyue from Yue is a hero. His ancestors rose to prominence through military merit, enjoying an income of a thousand households. He studied since youth, not confining himself to chapter-and-verse exegesis. Initially, he learned martial arts capable of defeating thousands, obtaining the secret of the Fish Belly Eight Arrays formation. He traveled as a knight-errant, frequenting Yan and Ji regions, harboring grand ambitions to seal Langjuxu Mountain and carve inscriptions on Mount Yanshan. His footsteps covered Yulin, Jieshi, Fengcheng, and Yajiang. He eventually cast aside his pen and abandoned military pursuits; the frontier lost its natural defenses. Discussing strategy and swords, he surpassed even the bravest warriors in demeanor. Encountering bad luck repeatedly, he never bowed his head to seek favor. Consequently, feeling out of place and difficult to match, he returned home with a free spirit, devoting himself to the learning of Qi Bo and Huang Di (Traditional Chinese Medicine) to support his parents. When encountering critical conditions where worldly physicians hung up their hands in despair, a single dose (a spoonful/bi) of his remedy would startle the patient into recovery. He often compiled his lifelong skills into the *Complete Works of Medicine*, totaling sixty-four volumes. He told his disciples: "A physician's use of medicine is like a general's use of troops. Treating disease is like suppressing bandits; knowing where the bandits are and attacking with elite troops allows victory without bloodshed." Therefore, his writings resemble the legacy of the Eight Arrays. Ancient prescriptions are the Classics (standard principles); new prescriptions are adaptations (flexible measures). Using classics and adaptations together, there are no difficulties in the world.
The book was completed, but limited by funds, it did not spread widely before he passed away. His manuscripts were entrusted to his grandson-in-law, Mr. Lin Riwei. Lin took the book southward, where he was first appreciated by Governor Lu. Governor Lu donated funds for printing. After the blocks were carved, he went north. Those who obtained the book regarded it as a precious manual kept at hand, rare in the world. I have always loved studying antiquities and focused specifically on the words of health preservation experts. This book is indeed a secret manual for health preservation. Regrettably, its circulation was not wide, so I used my salary to reprint it and made it public to the world. Those who read it well may avoid the blame of being misled by mediocre physicians; those who fear illness should not stop eating because of choking.
In the first month of Xinsi Year (1711 AD), during the reign of Emperor Kangxi, Jia Tang, Transport Commissioner of Liangguang from Yinghai, inscribed this at the Tuisi Hall of the official residence in Yangcheng.