纪称∶望龙光，知古剑；觇宝气，辨明珠。故萍实商羊，非天明莫洞。厥后博物称华，
辨字称康，析宝玉称倚顿，亦仅仅晨星耳。楚蕲阳李君东璧，一日过予 山园谒予，留饮数
有《本草纲目》数十卷。谓予曰∶时珍，荆楚鄙人也。幼多羸疾，质成钝椎；长耽典籍，若
啖蔗饴。遂渔猎群书，搜罗百氏。凡子、史、经、传、声韵、农圃、医卜、星相、乐府诸家，
稍有得处，辄着数言。古有《本草》一书，自炎黄及汉、梁、唐、宋，下迨国朝，注解群氏
旧矣。第其中舛谬差讹遗漏，不可枚数。乃敢奋编摩之志，僭纂述之权。岁历三十稔，书考
八百余家，稿凡三易。复者芟之，阙者缉之，讹者绳之。旧本一千五百一十八种，今增药三
百七十四种，分为一十六部，着成五十二卷。虽非集成，亦粗大备，僭名曰《本草纲目》。
愿乞一言，以托不朽。予开卷细玩，每药标正名为纲，附释名为目，正始也；次以集解、辨
疑、正误，详其土产形状也；次以气味、主治、附方，着其体用也。上自坟典，下及传奇，
凡有相关，靡不备采。如入金谷之园，种色夺目；如登龙君之宫，宝藏悉陈；如对冰壶玉鉴，
毛发可指数也。博而不繁，详而有要，综核究竟，直窥渊海。兹岂仅以医书觏哉？实性理之
精微，格物之《通典》，帝王之秘 ，臣民之重宝也。李君用心嘉惠何勤哉！噫， 玉莫剖，
朱紫相倾，弊也久矣。故辨专车之骨，必俟鲁儒；博支机之石，必访卖卜。予方着《 州卮
言》，恚博古如《丹铅卮言》后乏人也，何幸睹兹集哉！兹集也，藏之深山石室无当，盍锲
之，以共天下后世味《太玄》如子云者。
\x时万历岁庚寅春上元日， 州山人凤洲王世贞拜撰。
古籍记载：看到龙的光彩，就知道地下埋藏着古剑；观察天上的宝气，就能辨别出明珠。因此，像萍实（一种传说中的吉祥果实）和商羊（一种传说中的神鸟）这样的事物，如果不是具有极高智慧的人，是无法洞察其真谛的。从那以后，以博学著称的有张华，以辨字著称的有杨康，以解析宝玉著称的有倚顿，但也仅仅像早晨的星星一样稀少罢了。
楚地蕲阳的李东璧先生，有一天经过我的山园拜访我，留下饮酒多次，并拿出他所著的《本草纲目》数十卷给我看。他对我说：“李时珍，我是荆楚地区的鄙陋之人。小时候多病体弱，资质愚钝；长大后沉迷于典籍，就像吃甘蔗糖一样甜腻喜爱。于是广泛涉猎群书，搜罗各家学说。凡是诸子百家、史书、经传、音韵、农学、园艺、医学、占卜、星象、乐府等各家著作，只要有一点心得，就记录下来。古代有一部《本草》书，从炎黄时代到汉、梁、唐、宋，直到本朝，注解的学者众多，年代久远。但是其中错误、谬误、差异、讹误和遗漏之处，多得数不过来。于是敢于振奋编纂整理的志向，冒昧承担纂述的职责。历经三十年，参考书籍八百多家，稿本总共修改了三次。重复的删去，缺失的补上，错误的纠正。原有的药物一千五百一十八种，现在增加药物三百七十四种，分为十六部，著成五十二卷。虽然算不上集大成之作，但也大致完备，冒昧命名为《本草纲目》。希望求得您的一篇文章，以此托付不朽之名。”
我打开书卷仔细研读，发现每味药都标注正名为“纲”，附上别名作为“目”，这是为了正本清源；接着是集解、辨疑、正误，详细说明其产地和形态；然后是气味、主治功效、附方，阐述其性质和作用。上至经典文献，下至传奇故事，凡是有相关的，无不搜集采纳。就像进入金谷园，色彩夺目；就像登上龙宫，宝藏全部陈列；就像面对冰壶玉镜，连毛发都能数得清楚。内容广博而不繁杂，详细而有要点，综合考核究竟，直接窥探知识的深渊。这哪里仅仅是医书呢？实在是性理之精微，是格物致知的通典，是帝王和臣民的珍贵宝物。李君用心良苦，造福他人多么勤勉啊！唉，玉石未被剖开时，朱砂与紫石混杂，这种弊端已经很久了。所以，要辨别专车大的骨头，必须等待鲁国的儒生；要探寻支机石（传说中织女送给牛郎的石块），必须访问卖卜的人。我正在撰写《弇州卮言》，感叹像《丹铅卮言》那样博古通今的人后继乏人，何幸能目睹这部著作啊！这部著作，如果藏在深山的石室里没有用处，何不刻印它，让天下后世像扬子云品味《太玄经》一样品味它。
万历八年（庚寅年）春正月十五日上元日，弇州山人凤洲王世贞敬撰。
Ancient texts record: "Seeing the aura of a dragon, one knows there is an ancient sword buried; observing the auspicious qi in the sky, one can distinguish pearls." Therefore, things like *Ping Shi* (a legendary auspicious fruit) and *Shang Yang* (a legendary divine bird), cannot be thoroughly understood by anyone other than those with supreme wisdom. Since then, those renowned for their encyclopedic knowledge include Zhang Hua, those for distinguishing characters include Kang, and those for analyzing precious jade include Yi Dun, yet they are as rare as morning stars.
Li Dongbi, a gentleman from Qiyang in Chu, once visited my mountain garden, stayed for several drinks, and showed me dozens of volumes of his work, *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica). He said to me: "Shizhen, I am a humble person from Jingchu. In my youth, I suffered from frequent illnesses and was dull-witted; as I grew up, I indulged in classics and books, finding them as sweet as cane sugar syrup. Thus, I plundered various books and collected teachings from a hundred schools. Regarding the works of philosophers, historians, classics, commentaries, phonology, agriculture, horticulture, medicine, divination, astrology, and music bureaus, whenever I had any insights, I recorded a few words. In ancient times, there was a book called *Bencao*. From the times of Yan and Huang, through Han, Liang, Tang, Song, down to our dynasty, commentators were numerous and the history long. However, among them, errors, fallacies, discrepancies, misprints, and omissions are too numerous to count. Thus, I dared to stir up the ambition to compile and edit, presumptuously assuming the authority to compose and narrate. Over thirty years, I consulted over eight hundred sources, and the manuscript was revised three times. Duplicates were deleted, gaps were filled, and errors were corrected. The original edition contained 1,518 species; now I have added 374 species, divided into sixteen sections, comprising fifty-two volumes. Although not a complete synthesis, it is roughly comprehensive. I presumptuously named it *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica). I wish to beg you for a preface to entrust this work to immortality."
I opened the volume and studied it carefully. For each medicinal substance, the correct name is marked as the "Gang" (Outline/Heading), and explanatory names are attached as the "Mu" (Details/Sub-heading), thereby rectifying the beginning. Next come "Ji Jie" (Collected Explanations), "Bian Yi" (Resolving Doubts), and "Zheng Wu" (Correcting Errors), detailing local production and morphology. Then follow "Qi Wei" (Odor and Flavor), "Zhu Zhi" (Main Therapeutic Actions), and "Fu Fang" (Attached Prescriptions), elucidating its nature and application. From ancient canonical texts to legends, nothing related was left uncollected. It is like entering the Garden of Jin Gu, where colors dazzle the eye; like ascending the Palace of the Dragon King, where all treasures are displayed; like facing a jade mirror in an ice pot, where even hair strands can be counted. It is extensive yet not cumbersome, detailed yet concise, comprehensively verified, directly penetrating the depths of knowledge. Is this merely a medical book? It is truly the subtlety of nature and principle, the general canon of investigating things (*Gewu*), and a precious treasure for emperors and subjects alike. How diligent is Mr. Li in his intention to benefit others! Alas, before jade is cut, cinnabar and purple stones mix, a malpractice that has existed for a long time. Therefore, to identify the bone of a chariot-sized specimen, one must wait for a Confucian scholar from Lu; to find the stone supporting the loom (Zhi Ji Stone), one must visit a fortune teller. I am currently composing *Yanzhou Zhiyan*, lamenting the lack of successors who are as erudite as the author of *Danqian Zhiyan*. How fortunate I am to witness this collection! This collection, if hidden in a stone chamber deep in the mountains without use, why not carve it into woodblocks, so that the world and future generations may savor it as Ziyun savored the *Taixuan* (The Great Mystery)?
On the Lantern Festival (Shangyuan Day) of the spring of Gengyin year of the Wanli era, Wang Shizhen, Mountain Hermit of Yanzhou, respectfully composed.