《本草》一经，撰自炎农。其种三百六十五，以象周天之数。汉末张仲景悉以《本经》
撰方
，治疗疾苦，其效如响。此《伤寒》、《金匮》所由称方药之祖也。自唐以降，药品日增，
而性味多未研究，率皆师心自用。沿及宋、元，药益称倍，仍相谬误。即以《本经》制方，
其精
无如
耳目所及无多，古今名实互异，地土殊产，气味异质，一时难以推测。故特即诸家增补，择
其稍精详者，附诸《本经》，合为一体，兼为稍敛句法，以便诵读。其土产形状，真赝谬误
，悉折衷于李氏《纲目》，如是而已。盖本草之撰，代有其作，试举其目，兼约其略。陶氏
参《别录》而名医仍旧，（萧梁陶弘景增补《名医别录》。）徐氏增《药对》而雷公悉遵。（
北齐徐之才补《雷公药对》。）唐之英公，后增修乎通明，而详定又赖苏恭；（唐李 撰《英
公本草》，长史苏恭重订）。蜀之韩升，重校证夫新唐，而图说颇详陶、苏。（唐伪翰林韩保
升撰《蜀本草》。）黑白异迹，《开宝》取唐蜀而更订，（宋开宝间，刘翰撰《开宝本草》）
。继踵者，嘉佑之《补注》；（宋嘉佑间，命郎中林亿、禹锡撰《嘉佑补注》）。图说相谬，
《图经》继《补注》而再刊，（宋仁宗命博士苏洵撰《图经本草》）。参效者，寇
氏之《衍义》。（宋医官寇宗 撰《本草衍义》。）他若《千金》之食治，（唐孙思邈撰《千
金·食治》）。不遗食物；孟、张之《食疗》，（唐孟诜、张鼎等撰《食疗本草》）。取法食
医。士良明食品之性，（宋南唐医学助教陈士良撰《食性本草》）。专务调养藏器拾药性之遗
，（唐县尉陈藏器撰《本草拾遗》）。不厌僻怪，采百药而收单方，《证类》复改为《大观》
（宋时蜀医唐慎微撰《证类本草》，后改《大观本草》）。分诸药而配五行，《补遗》推展
乎《衍义》。（元末朱丹溪撰《衍义补遗》。）明 炼熬煮之法，雷公之《炮炙》，（刘宋时
雷着《雷公炮炙》）。仅及三百；辨升降浮沉之义，元素之《珍囊》，（宋时金易州明医张
元素着《珍珠囊》），未及编评。东垣祖洁古而成《法象》，（元末元素弟子李杲着《用药法
象》）。师程克遵；海藏习明之而着《汤液》，（李杲弟子王好古着《汤液本草》）。源渊相
授。迨至有明，《集要》循古，（王伦着《本草集要》）。《蒙筌》凿句，（陈嘉谟着《本
草蒙筌》）。《发挥》因循，（徐彦纯着《本草发挥》）。《会编》撮要。（汪机着《本草会编
》。）盛矣，李氏《纲目》，（李时珍着《本草纲目》）。统括诸家，引证百氏，萃玉集锦，
指谬
独赖
此撰之存。第卷帙太繁，不无滥与，而吴越一家，卒难割分。展如之人，得无登兰台而趑趄
也耶。然而诗以约精，笔随削成。述创非劳，悲悯倍切，所谓先天下而忧其忧也。居闲闲而
怀济世之隐者，得毋类是。于焉，即素日所珍，诠次成编，具陈臆见，以当胪言，聊以备亿
兆疾痛之需，成一部阴骘之书，如是焉耳。
《本草》这一著作，撰写于炎帝神农氏时代。其中收录的药物有三百六十五种，以象征周天三百六十五度的度数。汉末的张仲景完全依据《神农本草经》来编写方剂，治疗疾病痛苦，疗效迅速如回声响应。这就是《伤寒论》和《金匮要略》被称为方药之祖的原因。自从唐代以来，药物种类日益增加，但药物的性味大多未被深入研究，人们往往都凭主观臆断行事。延续到宋代、元代，药物数量更是成倍增长，仍然存在着谬误。即使使用《神农本草经》中的方剂，其精妙之处也很少能像耳朵听、眼睛看那样直观明了；古今名称与实际不符，各地特产不同，气味质地各异，一时之间难以推测。因此，特意参考各家增补的内容，选择其中稍微精详的部分，附在《神农本草经》之后，合为一体，同时简化句式，以便于诵读。关于药物的产地形状、真伪谬误，全部以李时珍的《本草纲目》为折衷标准，如此而已。
大概《本草》类的著作，每个朝代都有人撰写，试列举其书目，并简要概括其内容。陶弘景参酌《名医别录》而沿用旧有名医之说（萧梁时期的陶弘景增补了《名医别录》）。徐之才增补《药对》而雷公的药理原则完全遵循（北齐时期的徐之才补写了《雷公药对》）。唐代的英公（李勣），后来由通明子增修，而详细审定又依靠苏恭（唐代李勣撰写《英公本草》，长史苏恭重新修订）。蜀地的韩升，重新校证新唐本草，而图说部分颇为详尽，参考了陶弘景和苏恭的成果（唐代伪称翰林院的韩保升撰写《蜀本草》）。黑白两种不同的记载，《开宝本草》取法唐本和蜀本而重新修订（宋开宝年间，刘翰撰写《开宝本草》）。紧随其后的是嘉佑年间的《补注》（宋嘉佑年间，命令郎中林亿、禹锡撰写《嘉佑补注》）。图说存在谬误，《图经本草》继《补注》之后再次刊行（宋仁宗命令博士苏洵撰写《图经本草》）。参考药效的是寇宗奭的《衍义》（宋代医官寇宗奭撰写《本草衍义》）。其他还有孙思邈《千金方》中的食治篇（唐代孙思邈撰写《千金·食治》），不遗漏食物疗法；孟诜、张鼎等人的《食疗本草》（唐代孟诜、张鼎等撰写《食疗本草》），效法食医的方法。陈士良阐明食品的性质（宋代南唐医学助教陈士良撰写《食性本草》），专门致力于调养；陈藏器拾取药性的遗漏（唐代县尉陈藏器撰写《本草拾遗》），不厌弃偏僻怪异之物，采集百药并收录单方，《证类本草》后来改为《大观本草》（宋代蜀地医生唐慎微撰写《证类本草》，后改名为《大观本草》）。将各种药物配合五行，《补遗》推展自《衍义》（元末朱丹溪撰写《衍义补遗》）。明代李时珍阐述炼熬煮的方法，刘宋时期雷敩著有《炮炙论》（刘宋时期雷敩著《雷公炮炙》），仅涉及三百种药物；辨析升降浮沉的意义，金代易州名医张元素著有《珍珠囊》（宋代金代易州明医张元素著《珍珠囊》），未能及编纂评论。李杲继承洁古（张元素）而成《用药法象》（元末张元素弟子李杲著《用药法象》），师从程克遵；王好古学习李杲而著《汤液本草》（李杲弟子王好古著《汤液本草》），源流相授。到了明代，《集要本草》遵循古法（王伦著《本草集要》），《本草蒙筌》解析句意（陈嘉谟著《本草蒙筌》），《本草发挥》因循旧说（徐彦纯著《本草发挥》），《本草会编》撮取要点（汪机著《本草会编》）。盛大的是李时珍的《本草纲目》（李时珍著《本草纲目》），统括诸家学说，引用百家著作，荟萃如玉似锦，指出谬误，唯独依赖这部著作得以保存。只是卷帙过于繁重，不免有泛滥之处，而且吴越地区一家之言，终究难以割裂区分。像这样的人物，难道不会登上兰台（指皇家藏书处或高位）而犹豫不前吗？然而诗歌旨在精炼，笔触随着删削而成。叙述创作并不劳累，悲悯之心加倍深切，这就是所谓“先天下之忧而忧”。居住在闲暇之中却怀着济世隐居志向的人，恐怕与此类似。于是，就选取平日所珍视的内容，编排成书，陈述个人见解，作为铺陈之言，姑且以备亿万百姓疾痛之需，成就一部积阴德的书，如此而已。
The *Bencao* (Compendium of Materia Medica) was authored during the time of Yan Nong (Shennong, the Divine Farmer). It contains 365 species of herbs, symbolizing the 365 degrees of the celestial sphere. At the end of the Han Dynasty, Zhang Zhongjing utilized the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Classic of Herbal Medicine) to formulate prescriptions for treating diseases and alleviating suffering, with effects as immediate as an echo. This is why the *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Pathogenic Diseases) and *Jingui Yaolue* (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet) are regarded as the ancestors of herbal prescriptions. Since the Tang Dynasty, the number of medicinal substances has increased daily, yet their properties and flavors have rarely been thoroughly studied; people generally acted according to their own subjective opinions. Continuing into the Song and Yuan dynasties, the variety of medicines doubled, yet errors persisted. Even when using prescriptions from the *Shennong Bencao Jing*, its subtleties were not always apparent to the senses; ancient and modern names often differed from reality, local products varied, and flavors and qualities differed, making it difficult to deduce them at once. Therefore, I specifically selected slightly more refined and detailed supplements from various schools, appended them to the *Shennong Bencao Jing*, combined them into one volume, and simplified the sentence structures to facilitate recitation. Regarding the origin, shape, authenticity, and errors of medicinal materials, all judgments are reconciled based on Li Shizhen's *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica), and nothing more.
Generally, compendiums of materia medica have been produced in every dynasty. Let us list their titles and briefly summarize their contents. Tao Hongjing consulted the *Bie Lu* (Supplementary Records) while retaining the teachings of famous physicians (Tao Hongjing of the Liang Dynasty supplemented the *Mingyi Bie Lu*). Xu Caizhi added the *Yao Dui* (Drug Pairs), strictly following the principles of Lei Gong (Xu Caizhi of the Northern Qi Dynasty supplemented the *Leigong Yao Dui*). Yinggong (Li Ji) of the Tang Dynasty had his work revised by Tongmingzi, but detailed verification relied on Su Gong (Li Ji authored the *Yinggong Bencao*, revised by Chancellor Su Gong). Hansheng of Shu re-verified the New Tang Bencao, with detailed illustrations referencing Tao and Su (Han Baosheng, falsely claiming the title of Hanlin Academician, authored the *Shu Bencao*). The *Kaibao Bencao* (Kaibao Compendium) adopted the Tang and Shu versions for revision (Liu Han authored the *Kaibao Bencao* during the Kaibao era of the Song Dynasty). Following this was the *Zhuzhu* (Supplementary Annotations) of the Jiayou era (Lin Yi and Yu Xi were commissioned to author the *Jiayou Zhuzhu*). Due to errors in illustrations, the *Tujing* (Illustrated Canon) was republished after the *Zhuzhu* (Su Xun was commissioned by Emperor Renzong of Song to author the *Tujing Bencao*). Kou Zongshi's *Yanyi* (Expanded Meanings) focused on efficacy (Kou Zongshi, a Song medical official, authored the *Bencao Yanyi*). Others include the dietary therapy section in Sun Simiao's *Qianjin* (Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty authored *Qianjin · Shizhi*), which does not omit food therapies; Meng Shenshen and Zhang Ding's *Shiliao* (Dietary Therapy) (Meng Shenshen, Zhang Ding, etc., of the Tang Dynasty authored *Shiliao Bencao*), adopting the methods of dietary physicians. Chen Shiliang clarified the nature of foods (Chen Shiliang, teaching assistant of medicine in Southern Tang, Song Dynasty, authored *Shixing Bencao*), focusing on nourishment; Chen Cangqi collected omitted drug properties (Chen Cangqi, county magistrate of the Tang Dynasty, authored *Bencao Shiyi*), not shunning obscure or strange items, collecting hundreds of drugs and recording single prescriptions. The *Zhenglei Bencao* (Classified Materia Medica) was later renamed the *Daguan Bencao* (Tang Shenwei, a physician from Shu, Song Dynasty, authored the *Zhenglei Bencao*, later renamed *Daguan Bencao*). Matching drugs with the Five Elements, the *Buyi* (Supplementary Omissions) expanded upon the *Yanyi* (Zhu Danxi of the late Yuan Dynasty authored the *Yanyi Buyi*). Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty elucidated methods of refining, decocting, and boiling; Lei Xiao of the Liu Song Dynasty wrote the *Paozhi* (Processing), covering only 300 items; Zhang Yuansu of Jin Dynasty (from Yizhou, Song/Jin period) analyzed the meanings of ascending, descending, floating, and sinking in his *Zhennang* (Pearl Purse), though it lacked comprehensive commentary. Li Gao inherited the teachings of Jiegong (Zhang Yuansu) to create the *Faxiang* (Phenomena of Medicinal Use) (Li Gao, disciple of Zhang Yuansu, late Yuan Dynasty, authored *Yongyao Faxiang*), following Cheng Kezun; Wang Haogu learned from Li Gao and authored the *Tangye Bencao* (Herbal Decoctions) (Wang Haogu, disciple of Li Gao, authored *Tangye Bencao*), passing down the lineage. By the Ming Dynasty, the *Jiyao* (Essential Collection) followed ancient traditions (Wang Lun authored *Bencao Jiyao*); the *Mengquan* (Initial Guide) parsed sentences (Chen Jiamo authored *Bencao Mengquan*); the *Fahui* (Elucidation) followed existing views (Xu Yanchun authored *Bencao Fahui*); and the *Huibian* (Compiled Essentials) summarized key points (Wang Ji authored *Bencao Huibian*). Most grand among these is Li Shizhen's *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica) (Li Shizhen authored the *Bencao Gangmu*), which encompasses various schools, cites a hundred sources, gathers gems like jade and brocade, and corrects errors; the preservation of this work relies solely on this compilation. However, the volumes are too numerous, inevitably containing redundancies, and the works of Wu and Yue are so intertwined that they are hard to separate. Would such a person hesitate before entering the imperial library? Yet, poetry aims for conciseness, and writing is shaped by deletion. Narrating creation is not laborious, but the compassion is doubly intense, embodying the sentiment of "worrying before the world worries." Those who dwell in leisure yet harbor the hidden ambition to save the world must be similar. Thus, selecting what I have cherished daily, I organized it into a book, stating my personal insights as introductory remarks, merely to prepare for the needs of millions suffering from disease, thereby creating a book of accumulated merit, and nothing more.