乙已夏，武林武蝶生先生，言及新安汪 庵《本草备要》、《医方集解》二书简要易明
，乡僻无医之所与不知医之人，读之了然。且卷帙无多，行李便于携带其中。医方无不神效
，历试历验，洵为有济于世之书。惜坊本舛讹漶漫，几至不能卒读。如能重订锓行，亦造福
不小。京江包松溪、包美东、包子 诸君子闻之欣然，愿为重刊，而蝶翁遂以仇校自任，于
是松溪诸君 金开雕。雕既成，有谓方书中精详而罕传者颇多，此书浅略，且已遍行海内，
家有其书，何必多此一举？此盖泥于海盐吴遵程之说。不知吴氏之《成方切用》、《本草从
新》即因汪氏书而推展之，良足补所未备，然例以先河后海之义，则汪氏安可忽者。拟俟此
书工竣，即续刊吴氏之书，以与汪氏书相辅而行，此特先河之义也。噫嘻，医岂易言哉！
病情万变，治不一端。近之浅学急求速化，往往钞撮汤头，药性编写为歌诀，人挟一册，率
尔悬壶，以性命为尝试。曾有友人偶患肠风，以柿干烧灰，饮服而愈。医者惊为奇方，纪而
录之，不知即载在《本草备要》柿干注内，则是医家于此二书罕有涉其浅而领其略也，遑问
其他。今之重梓是书，正以其浅而易明，略而知要，以便于人人之用耳。若夫高材敏达之士，
欲广究医理之奥，则最古之《内经》、《难经》、《神农本草经》，最博之《千金》、《外台》诸
书俱在，原不以浅略域之也。抑闻之，行远自迩，登高自卑，苟由此而寻源竟委，以游灏博
而归于精微。为三折肱之良医，登一世于仁寿，是二书者，又未必非梯航之一助云。
道光二十五年仲冬月童濂叙于扬州
乙巳年夏天，武林的武蝶生先生提到新安汪昂所著的《本草备要》和《医方集解》这两本书内容简要、容易明白，对于偏远地区没有医生、也不懂医术的人来说，读起来一目了然。而且这两书篇幅不多，便于携带。书中的医方无不神效，经过多次尝试验证，确实是有益于世人的著作。可惜坊间刻印的版本错漏模糊，几乎到了无法读完的地步。如果能重新修订并刻板印刷，也是不小的功德。京江的包松溪、包美东、包子等人听说后欣然同意，愿意重新刊印，而武蝶生先生便主动承担了校对的工作，于是由松溪等人出资开雕。雕刻完成后，有人说法书中精详却很少流传的内容很多，这本书内容浅显粗略，且已在海内外广泛流行，家家都有此书，何必多此一举？这大概是拘泥于海盐吴遵程的说法。不知道吴氏的《成方切用》、《本草从新》正是基于汪氏的书而推展出来的，确实足以补充未备之处，然而按照“先河后海”的道理，汪氏的书怎么可以忽视呢？打算等这本书完工后，接着刊印吴氏的书，以与汪氏的书相辅而行，这正是遵循“先河”的道理。唉，医学难道容易谈论吗！病情变化万千，治疗方法不止一端。近来那些学识浅薄的人急于求成，往往抄录汤头歌诀，将药性编写成口诀，人们带着一册书，就轻率地行医，把病人的性命当作试验品。曾经有朋友偶然患有肠风（便血），用柿干烧成灰，用水送服而痊愈。医生惊讶这是奇方，记录下来，却不知道这记载在《本草备要》柿干的注释中，可见医家对这两本书很少有人涉猎其浅显部分并领会其概要，更不用说其他了。现在重新梓印这本书，正是因为它浅显易懂，简略却能抓住要点，以便于大众使用。至于那些才华横溢、敏锐通达的人士，想要广泛探究医理的深奥，那么最古老的《内经》、《难经》、《神农本草经》，最博大的《千金》、《外台》等书都还在，原本就不以浅显粗略来限制他们。又听说，走远路要从近处开始，登高山要从低处起步，如果由此追溯源头、探究末端，从而遨游于广博之中而归于精微，成为经验丰富的良医，使世人达到仁寿的境界，那么这两本书，也未必不是阶梯和舟船般的帮助。
道光二十五年仲冬月，童濂在扬州序于扬州
In the summer of the Yisi year, Mr. Wu Diesheng from Wulin mentioned that Wang Ang's *Bencao Bei Yao* (Essential Materia Medica) and *Yifang Jijie* (Collected Explanations of Medical Prescriptions), authored by him from Xin'an, are concise and easy to understand. For people in remote areas without access to doctors or medical knowledge, reading them makes things clear at a glance. Moreover, their volume is small, making them convenient to carry during travel. The medical prescriptions within are invariably efficacious, having been tested repeatedly with verified results; they are truly books beneficial to the world. It is a pity that the block-printed editions available in the market are full of errors and blurriness, almost rendering them unreadable. If they could be revised and re-engraved for publication, it would be a significant merit. Gentlemen such as Bao Songxi, Bao Meidong, and Bao Zi from Jingjiang heard this and gladly agreed to republish them. Mr. Diesheng then took upon himself the responsibility of collating and proofreading. Consequently, the gentlemen of Songxi provided funds for engraving. After the engraving was completed, some argued that there are many precise and detailed works in medical literature that are rarely transmitted, whereas this book is shallow and brief. Furthermore, it has already circulated widely throughout the seas, with every household possessing a copy. Why make an extra effort? This view likely stems from being bound by the words of Wu Zuncheng from Haiyan. They did not realize that Wu’s *Chengfang Qieyong* (Practical Use of Established Formulas) and *Bencao Congxin* (New Introduction to Materia Medica) were actually developed based on Wang’s works, sufficiently supplementing what was lacking. However, according to the principle of "treating the source river before the sea," how can Wang’s work be ignored? It is proposed that after completing this book, Wu’s works will be published subsequently, allowing them to complement each other. This specifically adheres to the principle of honoring the source. Alas, is medicine easily discussed! Disease conditions change endlessly, and treatments are not limited to one method. Recently, those with shallow learning seek quick success, often copying Tangtou (decoction formulas) and compiling drug properties into rhyming mnemonics. People carry a single booklet and rashly open a clinic, treating human lives as experimental subjects. Once, a friend suffered from Changfeng (intestinal wind, manifesting as rectal bleeding). He recovered after taking persimmon dried fruit burned to ash and swallowed with water. A physician was surprised by this miraculous formula and recorded it, unaware that it was already documented in the annotation for Persimmon Dried Fruit in *Bencao Bei Yao*. Thus, physicians rarely delve into the basics and grasp the essentials of these two books, let alone other aspects. The present re-engraving of this book is precisely because it is shallow yet easy to understand, and brief yet captures the essentials, facilitating its use by everyone. As for talented and agile scholars who wish to extensively explore the profound principles of medicine, the most ancient texts such as *Neijing* (Inner Canon), *Nanjing* (Classic of Difficult Issues), and *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), along with the most comprehensive works like *Qianjin* (Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) and *Waitai* (External Mirror), are all available. They are originally not restricted by the label of being shallow or brief. Furthermore, it is heard that "to travel far, one starts from near; to climb high, one begins from low." If one traces the source and follows the course from here, roaming in vastness and returning to subtlety, becoming a skilled physician through repeated experience (three broken arms), and elevating the generation to benevolence and longevity, then these two books may well serve as helpful ladders and boats.
Prefaced by Tong Lian in Yangzhou in the mid-winter month of the 25th year of Daoguang.