李时珍曰∶天造地化而草木生焉。刚交于柔而成根 ，柔交于刚而成枝干。叶萼属阳，
华实属阴。由是草中有木，木中有草。得气之粹者为良，得气之戾者为毒。故有五形焉（金
、木、水、火、土），五气焉（香、臭、臊、腥、膻），五色焉（青、赤、黄、白、黑），五
味焉（酸、苦、甘、辛、咸），五性焉（寒、热、温、凉、平），五用焉（升、降、浮、沉、
中）
。炎农尝而辨之，轩岐述而着之，汉、魏、唐、宋明贤良医代有增益。但三品虽存，淄渑交
混，诸条重出，泾渭不分。苟不察其精微，审其善恶，其何以权七方、衡十剂而寄死生耶？
于是剪繁去复，绳缪补遗，析族区类，振纲分目。除谷、菜外，凡得草属之可供医药者六百
一十一种，分为十类∶曰山，曰芳，曰隰，曰毒，曰蔓，曰水，曰石，曰苔，曰杂，曰有名
未用。（旧本草部上、中、下三品，共四百四十七种。今并入三十一种，移二十三种入菜部，
三种入谷部，四种入果部，二种入木部。自木部移并一十四种，蔓草二十九种，菜部移并一
十三种，果部移并四种，外类有名未用共二百四十七种）
《神农本草经》一百六十二种（梁陶弘景注）
《名医别录》一百三十一种（陶弘景注。七十八种有名未用）
《李氏药录》一种（魏李当之）
《吴氏本草》一种（魏吴普）
《唐本草》三十三种（唐苏恭）
《本草拾遗》六十八种（唐陈藏器）
《食疗本草》二种（唐孟诜）
《海药本草》六种（唐李 ）
《四声本草》一种（唐萧炳）
《开宝本草》三十八种（宋马志）
《嘉 本草》一十七种（宋掌禹锡）
《图经本草》五十四种（宋苏颂）
《日华本草》七种（宋人大明）
《用药法象》一种（元李杲）
《本草补遗》一种（元朱震亨）
《救荒本草》一种（明定王）
《本草会编》一种（明汪机）
《本草纲目》八十六种（明李时珍）
【附注】宋雷 《炮炙论》 北齐徐之才《药对》 唐杨损之《删繁》 唐孙思邈《千
金》 蜀韩保升《重注》 南唐陈士良《食性》 宋寇宗 《衍义》 唐慎微《证类》 陈
承《别说》 金张元素《珍珠囊》 元王好古《汤液》 吴瑞《日用》 明汪颖《食物》 王
纶《集要》 陈嘉谟《蒙筌》 定王《救荒》宁原《食鉴》
李时珍说：天地自然造化而草木由此产生。刚气与柔气相交结而成根，柔气与刚气相交结而成枝干。叶和萼属于阳，花和果实属于阴。因此草中有木的成分，木中也有草的特性。禀受天地清气纯正的药材品质优良，禀受天地邪气乖戾的则具有毒性。所以有五种形态（金、木、水、火、土），五种气味（香、臭、臊、腥、膻），五种颜色（青、赤、黄、白、黑），五种味道（酸、苦、甘、辛、咸），五种药性（寒、热、温、凉、平），五种作用趋向（升、降、浮、沉、中）。神农氏曾品尝并辨别它们，黄帝与岐伯加以阐述并著录，汉、魏、唐、宋各代明达贤良的医生代代都有增益。虽然三品分类法依然存在，但好药劣药混杂不清，各种条目重复出现，是非界限不分。如果不考察其精微之处，审察其善恶性质，又怎能权衡“七方”、衡量“十剂”，从而寄托生死重任呢？于是剪除繁杂去除重复，纠正谬误补充遗漏，分析族群区分类别，振举纲领分列条目。除去谷物和蔬菜外，共获得草本属可供医药使用的药物六百一十一种，分为十类：曰山，曰芳，曰隰，曰毒，曰蔓，曰水，曰石，曰苔，曰杂，曰有名未用。（旧《本草》上、中、下三品，共四百四十七种。现在并入三十一一种，移二十三种入菜部，三种入谷部，四种入果部，二种入木部。从木部移并十四种，蔓草二十九种，菜部移并十三种，果部移并四种，外加类属中“有名未用”共二百四十七种）
《神农本草经》一百六十二种（梁朝陶弘景注）
《名医别录》一百三十一种（陶弘景注。其中七十八种为有名未用）
《李氏药录》一种（魏国李当之）
《吴氏本草》一种（魏国吴普）
《唐本草》三十三种（唐朝苏恭）
《本草拾遗》六十八种（唐朝陈藏器）
《食疗本草》二种（唐朝孟诜）
《海药本草》六种（唐朝李洸）
《四声本草》一种（唐朝萧炳）
《开宝本草》三十八种（宋朝马志）
《嘉祐本草》一十七种（宋朝掌禹锡）
《图经本草》五十四种（宋朝苏颂）
《日华本草》七种（宋朝人大明）
《用药法象》一种（元朝李杲）
《本草补遗》一种（元朝朱震亨）
《救荒本草》一种（明朝定王）
《本草会编》一种（明朝汪机）
《本草纲目》八十六种（明朝李时珍）
【附注】宋朝雷斅《炮炙论》 北齐徐之才《药对》 唐朝杨损之《删繁》 唐朝孙思邈《千金方》 蜀地韩保升《重注》 南唐陈士良《食性》 宋朝寇宗奭《衍义》 唐朝慎微《证类本草》 陈承《别说》 金朝张元素《珍珠囊》 元朝王好古《汤液本草》 吴瑞《日用本草》 明朝汪颖《食物本草》 王纶《集要方》 陈嘉谟《蒙筌》 定王《救荒本草》 宁原《食鉴》
Li Shizhen stated: Plants and trees are generated by the natural creation of Heaven and Earth. The interaction of rigid (Yang) and soft (Yin) energies forms the roots, while the interaction of soft and rigid energies forms the branches and trunks. Leaves and calyces belong to Yang, whereas flowers and fruits belong to Yin. Thus, within herbs there are characteristics of trees, and within trees there are characteristics of herbs. Those that receive the pure essence of Qi are of good quality, while those that receive the perverse Qi possess toxicity. Therefore, there are five forms (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth), five odors (fragrant, foul, musky, fishy, mutton-like), five colors (green, red, yellow, white, black), five flavors (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, salty), five properties (cold, hot, warm, cool, neutral), and five therapeutic actions (ascending, descending, floating, sinking, central).
Shennong tasted and distinguished them; Huangdi and Qibo elaborated and recorded them. Sages and virtuous physicians of the Han, Wei, Tang, and Song dynasties successively added to this knowledge. Although the classification into three grades remains, fine and coarse drugs are mixed together, entries are duplicated, and clear distinctions are lost. Without examining their subtleties and discerning their virtues and faults, how can one weigh the "Seven Formulas" and balance the "Ten Categories" to entrust matters of life and death? Consequently, I have pruned redundancy, corrected errors, supplemented omissions, analyzed lineages, and categorized types, thereby establishing the general principles and dividing the details. Excluding grains and vegetables, I obtained six hundred and eleven species of herbs suitable for medicine, divided into ten categories: Mountain, Fragrant, Lowland, Toxic, Vining, Aquatic, Stony, Mossy, Miscellaneous, and Named but Unused. (The old Materia Medica comprised Upper, Middle, and Lower grades totaling four hundred and forty-seven species. Now, thirty-one species are merged here; twenty-three are moved to the Vegetable Section; three to the Grain Section; four to the Fruit Section; and two to the Tree Section. Fourteen species are transferred from the Tree Section, twenty-nine from Vining Herbs, thirteen from the Vegetable Section, and four from the Fruit Section. Additionally, two hundred and forty-seven species from miscellaneous categories labeled "Named but Unused" are included.)
*Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica): 162 species (Annotated by Tao Hongjing of Liang Dynasty)
*Mingyi Bielu* (Record of Famous Physicians): 131 species (Annotated by Tao Hongjing. Of these, 78 are named but unused)
*Li Shi Yaolu* (Li's Record of Medicinals): 1 species (Li Dangzhi of Wei Dynasty)
*Wu Shi Bencao* (Wu's Materia Medica): 1 species (Wu Pu of Wei Dynasty)
*Tang Bencao* (Tang Materia Medica): 33 species (Su Gong of Tang Dynasty)
*Bencao Shiyi* (Supplement to Materia Medica): 68 species (Chen Cangqi of Tang Dynasty)
*Shiliao Bencao* (Materia Medica for Food Therapy): 2 species (Meng Shen of Tang Dynasty)
*Haiyao Bencao* (Marine Medicine Materia Medica): 6 species (Li Guang of Tang Dynasty)
*Sisheng Bencao* (Four-Tone Materia Medica): 1 species (Xiao Bing of Tang Dynasty)
*Kaibao Bencao* (Kaibao Materia Medica): 38 species (Ma Zhi of Song Dynasty)
*Jiayou Bencao* (Jiayou Materia Medica): 17 species (Zhang Yuxi of Song Dynasty)
*Tujing Bencao* (Illustrated Canon of Materia Medica): 54 species (Su Song of Song Dynasty)
*Rihua Bencao* (Daily Flora Materia Medica): 7 species (Ren Daming of Song Dynasty)
*Yong Yao Fa Xiang* (Principles of Drug Usage): 1 species (Li Gao of Yuan Dynasty)
*Bencao Buyi* (Supplement to Materia Medica): 1 species (Zhu Zhenheng of Yuan Dynasty)
*Jiu Huang Bencao* (Materia Medica for Famine Relief): 1 species (Prince Ding of Ming Dynasty)
*Bencao Huibian* (Compilation of Materia Medica): 1 species (Wang Ji of Ming Dynasty)
*Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica): 86 species (Li Shizhen of Ming Dynasty)
[Appendix Notes] Lei Xiao *Paozhi Lun* (Song Dynasty); Xu Zhicai *Yao Dui* (Northern Qi); Yang Sunzhi *Shanfan* (Tang); Sun Simiao *Qianjin Fang* (Tang); Han Baosheng *Zhongzhu* (Shu); Chen Shiliang *Shixing* (Southern Tang); Kou Zongshi *Yanyi* (Song); Shen Micwei *Zhenglei Bencao* (Song); Chen Cheng *Bieshuo*; Zhang Yuansu *Zhenzhu Nang* (Jin); Wang Haogu *Tangye Bencao* (Yuan); Wu Rui *Riyong Bencao*; Wang Ying *Shiwu Bencao* (Ming); Wang Lun *Jiyao Fang*; Chen Jiamo *Mengquan*; Prince Ding *Jiu Huang Bencao*; Ning Yuan *Shijian*.