予先君石城翁。讳坤坚。字义彰。读书之暇。尝谓予曰。医之为道。至精至微。明辨而行之。则可以济众。冒昧
而施之。适足以杀人。尔学医有年矣。抑亦知其要否。予起而对曰。昔轩辕氏定本草。作内经。卢扁雷桐。莫
不遵其规矩。汉晋唐宋。鲜能出其范围。今读其遗文。会其旨趣。其法门有二。一曰诊。一曰治。望闻问切者。
诊法也。针灸药石者。治法也。将欲治之。必先诊之。非诊无以知其病。非诊无以知其治也。顾欲知其诊之
所当然。究其诊之所以然。则凡天地古今之理。南北高下之宜。岁时气候之殊。昼夜阴晴之变。以至赋禀
强弱之不齐。老少居养之各异。莫不着见于四诊焉。岂但明乎血气经络皮肉筋骨。与夫病之五脏六腑。
症之七情六淫也哉。盖着乎外者。本乎内。见于彼者。由于此。因端可以竟委。溯流可以穷源。是故寒热补
泻之法。因诊而定。标本先后之理。因诊而分。七方十剂八法九针。莫不因诊而决用舍焉。昔贤所谓明理
者。明此理也。辨证者。辨此证也。理不明。则证莫能辨。证不辨。则治莫能分。故治病必须知诊。诊病必须遵
经。予先君曰。入门矣。未入于室也。经文深奥。诊法精微。既已识其大纲。尤当考其细目。慎之哉。穷理尽性
之事也。格物致知之功也。身家之所寄托。生死之所相关也。诗云。如切如磋。如琢如磨。勉旃勉旃。余退而
志之。恒以自警焉。今着遵经。有感于是。因书篇首。以告后人。
光绪元年三月上浣新安汪宏广 氏书于西安航埠
我的先父石城翁，名坤坚，字义彰。他在读书的闲暇之余，曾经对我说：“医学这门学问，极其精妙深微。如果能明辨其理并加以施行，就可以救济大众；如果冒昧行事，则恰恰足以害人性命。你学习医学已经有些年头了，是否也掌握了它的要领呢？”我起身回答说：“从前轩辕氏（黄帝）制定了《本草》，撰写了《内经》（中医经典著作），卢医、扁鹊、雷公、桐君等名医，无不遵循这些规矩法度。汉、晋、唐、宋各代，很少有人能超出这个范围。如今研读他们的遗留文献，领会其中的旨趣，发现其法门主要有两个方面：一是诊察，二是治疗。望、闻、问、切这四种方法，属于诊法；针灸和药物，属于治法。想要进行治疗，必须先进行诊察。不进行诊察就无法了解病情，不进行诊察也无法确定治疗方案。然而，如果想要知道诊察为何应当如此操作，探究其背后的原理，那么天地古今的道理、南北地域高下的适宜性、岁时气候的差异、昼夜阴晴的变化，以至于先天禀赋强弱的不同、老少生活养护的差异，没有不体现在四诊之中的。这难道仅仅是明白血气、经络、皮肉筋骨，以及疾病的五脏六腑归属、病症的七情六淫成因吗？凡是表现于外部的，根本在于内部；显现于此处的，源于彼处。因此可以从端倪推究到结局，追溯源头以穷尽本源。所以，寒热补泻的治疗方法，依据诊察而定；标本先后的道理，依据诊察来区分；七方、十剂、八法、九针，没有不是根据诊察来决定使用的。以前的贤者所说的‘明理’，就是明白这个道理；‘辨证’，就是辨别这种证候。道理不明白，就无法辨别证候；证候不辨别，就无法区分治疗方法。所以治病必须懂得诊察，诊病必须遵循经典。我的先父说：‘你已经入门了，但还未进入内室。’经文深奥，诊法精微，既然已经认识了大纲，更应当考究其细目。要谨慎啊！这是穷究事理、尽知本性的事情，是格物致知的功夫。它寄托着身家性命，关系到生死存亡。《诗经》说：‘像加工骨器一样切磋，像雕琢玉器一样琢磨。’勉励自己吧，勉励自己吧。我退下后记下了这些话，常常用来自我警醒。如今编写《遵经》，有感于此，因此写在篇首，以此告知后人。光绪元年三月上旬，新安汪宏广氏在西安航埠书写。”
My late father, the Gentleman of Shicheng, whose personal name was Kunjian and courtesy name was Yizhang, once said to me during his leisure from reading: "The Way of Medicine is extremely profound and subtle. If one clearly comprehends it and practices accordingly, one can benefit the multitude; if one acts rashly, one merely suffices to kill people. You have studied medicine for years; have you also grasped its essentials?" I rose and replied: "In ancient times, Xuanyuan (the Yellow Emperor) established the *Bencao* (Materia Medica) and composed the *Neijing* (Inner Canon). Masters such as Lu Yi, Bian Que, Leigong, and Tongjun all adhered to their rules and standards. In the Han, Jin, Tang, and Song dynasties, few were able to transcend this scope. Today, by studying their remaining texts and understanding their purport, I find that there are two main gates: one is Diagnosis (Zhen), and the other is Treatment (Zhi). Observation, Auscultation and Olfaction, Inquiry, and Palpation constitute the Diagnostic Methods; Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine constitute the Therapeutic Methods. To treat, one must first diagnose. Without diagnosis, one cannot know the disease; without diagnosis, one cannot determine the treatment. However, to understand why diagnosis should be conducted in a certain way and to investigate its rationale, one must consider the principles of heaven and earth across past and present, the suitability of high and low regions in the north and south, the differences in seasonal climates, the variations of yin and yang between day and night, the inequality of innate constitution strength, and the diversity of living conditions for the young and old. All these are manifested in the Four Diagnostic Methods. Does it not go beyond merely understanding Qi and Blood, Collaterals, Skin, Flesh, Sinews, and Bones, as well as the involvement of the Zang-Fu Organs in diseases and the Seven Emotions and Six Evils in symptoms? What appears externally originates internally; what manifests here stems from there. Thus, one can trace the end from the beginning and exhaust the source by following the flow. Therefore, methods of Cold, Heat, Tonification, and Drainage are determined by diagnosis; the principle of Root and Branch, Priority and Delay, is distinguished by diagnosis; the Seven Forms, Ten Categories, Eight Methods, and Nine Needles are all decided upon based on diagnosis. The sages of old spoke of 'understanding principles'—this is understanding these principles; 'differentiating syndromes'—this is differentiating these syndromes. If principles are not understood, syndromes cannot be differentiated; if syndromes are not differentiated, treatments cannot be distinguished. Hence, treating disease requires knowing diagnosis, and diagnosing disease requires following the Classics. My late father said, 'You have entered the door, but have not yet reached the inner chamber.' The Classic texts are profound, and diagnostic methods are subtle. Having recognized the general outline, one must especially examine the details. Be cautious! This is the work of exhausting principles and completing nature, the effort of investigating things to extend knowledge. It entrusts family and life, and relates to death and birth. The *Classic of Poetry* says: 'As if cutting and filing, as if carving and polishing.' Encourage yourself, encourage yourself. I retired and recorded these words, constantly using them to warn myself. Now, having written *Zunjing*, moved by this sentiment, I write it at the beginning of the chapters to inform future generations." Written by Wang Hongguang of Xin'an at Hangbu, Xi'an, in the early part of the third month of the first year of Guangxu.