《本草》自神农以来，数经兵燹，又遭秦火，所传书多散轶，鲁鱼亥豕，不能无误，一
字舛
错，动即杀人。铎躬逢岐伯天师于燕市，得闻轩辕之道，而《本草》一书，尤殷质询，凡有
所误，尽行改正。
此书删繁就简，凡无关医道者，概不入选，即或气味峻烈，损多益少，与寻常细小之品，
无
大效验者，亦皆屏弃。
本草善本，首遵《纲目》，其次则逊《经疏》。二书铎研精有素，多有发明，非辟二公，
实
彰秘奥。
本草诸书，多首列出产、收采、修制等项，铎概不登列者，以前人考核精详，无容再论；
惟
七方十剂之义尚多缺略，所以畅为阐扬，更作或问或疑附后，使医理昭明，少为用药之助。
是书删《神农》原本者十之三，采《名医》增入者十之二，总欲救济生人，非好为去取。
气运日迁，人多柔弱，古方不可治今病者，非言补剂也，乃言攻剂耳，故所登诸品，补多于
攻。
《本草》非博通内典，遍览儒书，不能融会贯通，以阐扬秘旨。铎见闻未广，而资性甚
钝，
所读经史，每善遗忘，记一遗万之讥，实所未免，尤望当代名公之教铎也。
本草贵多议论发微，不尚方法矜异。铎所以叙功效于前，发尚论于后，欲使天下后世，尽知
草木之精深，人物金石之奥妙，庶不至动手用药有错。
此书多得之神助，异想奇思，命笔时有不自知其然而然之象，世有知心，自能深识，不
敢夸
诩也。
铎素学刀圭，颇欲阐扬医典，迩年来，未遑尚论。甲子秋，遇纯阳吕夫子于独秀山，即商订
此书，辄蒙许可，后闻异人之教助，铎不逮者，皆吕夫子赐也。
是书得于岐天师者十之五，得于长沙守仲景张夫子者十之二，得于扁鹊秦夫子者十之三。
若
铎鄙见，十中无一焉。
铎少喜浪游，凡遇名山胜地，往往探奇不倦，登眺时，多逢异人，与之辩难刀圭，实能
开荡
心胸，增益神智，苟有所得，必书笥中。每入深山，见琪花瑶草、异兽珍禽，与昆虫介属异
于凡种者，必咨询土人，考订靡已。倘获奇闻，必备志之，今罄登兹编。
行医不读《本草》，则阴阳未识，攻补茫然，一遇异症，何从用药。况坊刻诸书，苦无
善本
，非多则略。铎斟酌于二者之间，繁简得宜，使读者易于观览。
是书药味无多，而义理详尽，功过不掩，喜忌彰明，庶攻补可以兼施，寒热可以各用。
倘谓
铎多事，翻前人以出奇，或咎铎无文，轻当世而斗异，则铎岂敢。
着书非居胜地，则识见不能开拓，铎幸客舟中，目观江涛汹涌，云峦层叠，助人壮怀，
故得
畅抒独得，颇无格格之苦。然同心甚少，考订未弘，终觉画守一隅，不能兼谈六合。
铎晚年逢异人于燕市，传书甚多，着述颇富，皆发明《灵》、《素》秘奥，绝不拾世音浅
沈
，有利于疾病匪浅，惜家贫不能灾梨，倘有救济心殷，肯损资剞劂者，铎当罄囊与之，断不
少吝，以负异人之托。
山阴陈士铎远公别号朱华子识
《本草》自神农氏以来，历经多次战火兵灾，又遭受秦朝焚书的浩劫，流传下来的书籍大多散失遗漏，文字错乱（如“鲁”误作“鱼”，“亥”误作“豕”），难免出现错误。一字之差，往往导致用药失误，甚至危及生命。我陈士铎在燕市亲自拜遇岐伯天师，得以听闻轩辕黄帝的大道，对于《本草》一书，更是恳切地请教询问，凡是发现错误的地方，全部予以改正。
这本书删去繁杂内容，保留简明要点，凡是与医道无关的内容，一概不选入；即使有些药物气味峻烈，副作用多而疗效少，或者是一些寻常细小的药材，没有显著疗效的，也都摒弃不用。
关于《本草》的善本，首先遵循李时珍的《本草纲目》，其次逊于缪希雍的《本草经疏》。这两本书我研究精深，多有发明创造，并非要贬低这两位先贤，而是为了彰显其中隐秘深奥的道理。
其他《本草》类书籍，大多首先列出药物的产地、采收时间、炮制方法等项目，我不再罗列这些内容，是因为前人已经考核得精详细致，无需再论；只是关于“七方十剂”的理论含义尚有很多缺略之处，所以我详细阐述发扬，并在后面附上问答或疑问的形式，使医理清晰明了，对用药有所帮助。
本书删减《神农本草经》原本内容的十分之三，采纳《名医别录》等增入的内容十分之二，总的目的是想要救济世人，并非喜好随意取舍。
随着时代变迁，人的体质日益柔弱，古代方剂不能治疗当今疾病的原因，并不是说补益剂不好，而是指攻邪剂不适用罢了，所以本书收录的药物中，补益类的多于攻邪类的。
《本草》一书，若非博通佛道经典，遍览儒家书籍，就不能融会贯通，以阐发隐秘的宗旨。我见闻不广，资质愚钝，读过的经史典籍常常遗忘，难免受到“记一遗万”的讥讽，尤其希望当代名家能教导我。
《本草》贵在通过议论来发掘微妙的道理，不崇尚标新立异的方法。所以我前面叙述功效，后面发表议论，想要让天下后世的人，都了解草木药性的精深，以及人物金石药性的奥妙，这样才不至于动手用药时出错。
这本书多得神助，想法奇特新颖，下笔时有不知不觉就写成的状态，世间若有知心人，自然能深刻识别，我不敢夸耀。
我素来学习医术，很想阐扬医学经典，近年来无暇进行学术讨论。甲子年秋天，我在独秀山遇到纯阳吕洞宾祖师，便与他商量订正此书，承蒙他许可，后来又听到异人的教导帮助，我所欠缺的地方，都是吕夫子赐予的。
本书内容五成来自岐天师，两成来自长沙太守张仲景夫子，三成来自扁鹊秦夫子。至于我的浅陋见解，在这十分之中连一分都不到。
我年轻时喜欢漫游，凡是遇到名山大川，往往探奇访胜不知疲倦，登山眺望时，常遇到异人，与他们辩论医术，确实能开阔心胸，增长智慧，如果有所收获，一定记录在书箱中。每次进入深山，看到奇花异草、野兽珍禽，以及与普通种类不同的昆虫介壳类动物，必定咨询当地人，考证修订不停止。倘若获得奇闻，一定详细记载，现在全部登载于此书中。
行医如果不读《本草》，就无法识别阴阳，对攻法和补法感到茫然，一旦遇到疑难病症，从哪里下手用药呢？况且坊间刻印的各种书籍，苦于没有好的版本，要么太繁冗，要么太简略。我在两者之间斟酌，繁简得当，使读者容易阅览。
这本书药物种类不多，但义理详尽，功过不掩盖，喜忌明确，这样攻法和补法可以兼施，寒性和热性药物可以各取所需。
如果说我多事，翻越前人以求出奇，或者指责我没有文采，轻视当世而斗奇，那我是不敢的。
著书如果不是居住在胜地，见识就不能开拓。我有幸客居舟中，目睹江涛汹涌，云峦层叠，助人壮怀，所以能够畅抒独到见解，颇无拘束之苦。然而志同道合者很少，考证未广泛，终究觉得局限于一隅，不能兼谈天地四方。
我晚年时在燕市遇到异人，传授给我很多书籍，著作颇丰，都是发明《灵枢》、《素问》隐秘深奥之处的，绝不拾世俗浅薄之音，有利于疾病的治疗非常深远，可惜家贫无法刻印出版，如果有救济之心殷切，愿意出资刻印的人，我会倾尽所有给予支持，绝不会吝啬，以免辜负异人的托付。
山阴陈士铎，字远公，别号朱华子，识于。
Since the time of Shennong, the *Bencao* (Compendium of Materia Medica) has undergone numerous wars and fires, and suffered the destruction during the Qin dynasty. The transmitted texts are mostly lost or scattered, with characters often confused (e.g., "Lu" mistaken for "Yu", "Hai" mistaken for "Shi"), leading to inevitable errors. A single character error can lead to fatal consequences. I, Chen Shiduo, personally encountered the Heavenly Master Qibo in the Yan market and heard the Dao of Xuanyuan (Yellow Emperor). Regarding the *Bencao*, I earnestly sought clarification and corrected all errors found.
This book deletes繁杂 (complex/prolix) content and retains simplicity. Anything irrelevant to medical practice is excluded. Even if some herbs have pungent and strong flavors, causing more harm than good, or are common and minor substances with little efficacy, they are also discarded.
Among the excellent editions of *Bencao*, we first follow Li Shizhen's *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica), followed by Miao Xiyong's *Jing Shu* (Commentary on the Classic of Materia Medica). I have studied these two works extensively and made many discoveries; this is not to disparage these two masters, but to reveal their hidden profound truths.
Most other *Bencao* books list items such as origin, harvesting, and processing at the beginning. I do not list these because predecessors have examined them in detail, leaving no need for further discussion. However, the meanings of the "Seven Forms" (Qi Fang) and "Ten Categories" (Shi Ji) of prescriptions are still lacking, so I elaborate on them extensively and append questions and doubts afterwards, making medical principles clear and assisting in medication.
I deleted three-tenths of the original *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) and adopted two-tenths from *Mingyi Bielu* (Record of Famous Physicians). My total intention is to save lives, not to arbitrarily select or discard.
As Qi Yun (the movement of vital energy/astrological influences) changes daily, people's constitutions have become weaker. The reason ancient formulas cannot treat modern diseases is not that tonifying agents are ineffective, but that attacking/expelling agents are unsuitable. Therefore, among the substances recorded in this book, tonifying ones outnumber attacking ones.
The *Bencao* requires a thorough understanding of Buddhist and Daoist classics, as well as Confucian books, to achieve integration and elucidate its secret principles. My knowledge is limited, and my nature is dull; I easily forget what I read, suffering from the ridicule of "remembering one but losing ten thousand." I especially hope for instruction from contemporary scholars.
*Bencao* values discussion to uncover subtle truths, rather than boasting about novel methods. I describe efficacy first and offer commentary later, hoping that future generations will fully understand the profundity of herbal properties and the mysteries of animal, human, mineral, and metallic substances, thereby preventing medication errors.
This book benefits from divine assistance, featuring strange ideas and wondrous thoughts. When writing, I acted unconsciously. Those who understand me will recognize its value; I dare not boast.
I have always studied medicine (Dao Gui) and wished to promote medical classics. In recent years, I had no time for scholarly debate. In the autumn of the Jiazi year, I met Lü Dongbin (Pure Yang) at Duxiu Mountain, where we discussed and revised this book. He permitted it, and later, through the help of mysterious figures, he endowed me with what I lacked.
Five-tenths of this book comes from Heavenly Master Qibo, two-tenths from Zhang Zhongjing (Prefect of Changsha), and three-tenths from Bian Que (Qin Bo). My own humble views account for none of it.
In my youth, I loved wandering. Whenever I visited famous mountains, I tirelessly explored wonders. While climbing and viewing, I often met mysterious figures, debating medical arts with them, which truly broadened my mind and enhanced my wisdom. Any gains were recorded in my book chest. Entering deep mountains, seeing rare flowers, jade-like grasses, exotic beasts, and insects/shells different from ordinary species, I consulted locals and verified endlessly. If I obtained strange news, I recorded it meticulously. Now, all are included in this compilation.
Practicing medicine without reading *Bencao* means failing to recognize Yin and Yang, being confused about attacking and tonifying methods, and knowing not how to prescribe for unusual symptoms. Moreover, printed books in the market lack good editions; they are either too verbose or too brief. I balanced these two extremes, ensuring appropriate complexity and simplicity for easy reading.
This book contains few drug types but detailed principles. It does not hide merits or faults, and clearly states preferences and taboos, allowing attacking and tonifying methods to be used together, and cold and hot drugs to be applied appropriately.
If you accuse me of meddling, trying to outdo predecessors, or lacking literary grace while challenging contemporaries, I would not dare.
Writing a book requires a prestigious location to broaden one's vision. Fortunately, I was traveling by boat, witnessing surging river waves and layered clouds, which inspired my grand aspirations, allowing me to express unique insights freely without constraint. However, like-minded people are few, and verification is not extensive, so I feel confined to one corner, unable to discuss the six directions (the whole world).
In my old age, I met a mysterious figure in the Yan market who taught me much. His writings were abundant, elucidating the secrets of *Lingshu* (Spiritual Pivot) and *Suwen* (Basic Questions), rejecting shallow secular sounds beneficial for treating diseases profoundly. Regrettably, due to poverty, I could not afford printing. If anyone has a sincere heart to save lives and is willing to fund the printing, I will give everything I have, never hesitating, to fulfill the trust of the mysterious figure.
Chen Shiduo of Shanyin, courtesy name Yuangong, pseudonym Zhu Huazi, records this.