夫立言者不其难哉。或敷陈繁赜而肯綮无闻。或梗概粗呈而源流俱昧。失则维均。故职
详未若职要。而明其当然。又必抉其所以然。正如经籍。汉唐注疏。亦云详矣。宋贤则略名
物
而穷义理。斯道始朗如星日。今医之本草而有纲目。犹经籍之有注疏也。终身学而未知注疏
者众矣。而医之于纲目亦然。畏其繁重记诵维艰也。惊犹河汉。会归不易也。于是乎因陋就
简
。承讹袭谬。凡 然刀圭漫试。自诩良工。与夫坐拥皋比。居然名宿。滔滔皆是。堪一叹
也。古吴叶先生儒者也。邃于易而善医。即以易之盈虚消息。通乎剂之缓急轻重。着书等身
。其一为本草经解。于本经三百六十五种而损之。而益之。凡一百七十有四。其诠释也缕析
详明。其制方也斟酌尽善。盖东璧之书淹通博大。此则撮其至要。洁静精微。固义文家法。
一立言而三不朽具焉者也。其锡山王君悦田。为海文殿元之群从。学易于先生。兼得活人之
术焉。间出此视予。予寻绎再四。谓是论衡也。忍终秘乎。顷者家大人于政事余暇。刊布方
书数种。补子惠所难周。掖斯人于耆艾。顾物药则其权 也。并锲是书。欲学人咸奉为指南
。譬若经生。即未遑远稽。讨矜奥博。但力守宋贤传注。深思潜玩。融会贯通。已无愧真儒
。此叶先生着书本怀也。悦田兄尊闻雅意也。亦即家大人保赤情殷。常以济人利物。当随事
力行。敦勉余兄弟之素志也。工竣为识诸首简。
雍正甲辰岁午月上浣河东杨缉祖序于六署之敬德堂
撰写著作难道不难吗？有的著作铺陈繁复深奥，却抓不住关键要点；有的著作只是粗略呈现梗概，导致源流脉络全都模糊不清。这两种情况造成的失误程度是相当的。因此，职责在于详尽不如职责在于扼要。不仅要阐明其“是什么”（当然），还必须探究其“为什么”（所以然）。这正如儒家经典及其注释：汉唐时期的注疏，可以说非常详尽了；而宋代的贤者则简略名物考证，转而穷究义理，医学之道这才像日月星辰一样明朗清晰。
如今医学中的《本草纲目》，就像经籍中的注疏一样。终身学习却不懂得参考注疏的人有很多，而医生对待《本草纲目》也是如此。他们畏惧其内容繁重、记忆背诵艰难，便惊叹其如银河般浩瀚难测，难以融会贯通。于是便因循守旧、追求简陋，沿袭错误、重复谬误。凡是那些拿着刀圭药量随意尝试的人，自诩为良医；还有那些坐着虎皮交椅、俨然以名家老宿自居的人，比比皆是，实在令人叹息。
古吴的叶先生是一位儒者，精通《易经》且善于医术。他以《易经》中阴阳盈虚消长的道理，来通晓方剂中药物缓急轻重的配伍原则。他著书等身，其中一部便是《本草经解》。他对《神农本草经》原有的三百六十五种药材，有所删减，有所增益，最终定为第一百七十四种。他的诠释条理分明、详细清晰；他的制方斟酌得极其完善。李时珍（东璧）的《本草纲目》渊博通达，而本书则提炼了其最核心的要点，洁净精微，这确实是义理之学的家法。确立一种言论，便能实现三不朽（立德、立功、立言）。
锡山的王悦田君，是海文殿元（指王应奎，清代状元）的同族晚辈，向叶先生学习《易经》，同时也掌握了救人的医术。他偶尔拿出这本书给我看，我反复研读推敲后，认为这是一部类似《论衡》般的批判性著作，怎忍心让它永远秘藏呢？前不久，家父在政务之余，刊印了几种方书，以弥补救济百姓时考虑不周之处，扶持老年人。既然药物是施治的关键工具，便一并刻印了这本书，希望学习者都能将其奉为指南。这就好比读书人，即使来不及远溯古代、探讨深奥广博的知识，只要努力坚守宋代贤者的传注，深入思考、潜心玩味，融会贯通，就已经无愧于真正的儒者了。这正是叶先生著书的初衷，也是王悦田兄尊闻雅意的体现，同时也是家父爱护儿童、殷勤济世利物的情怀，应当随着事情的发展去身体力行，这也是勉励我和兄弟二人素来的志向。
工作完成后，我在书的首页写下这些文字。
雍正甲辰年（1724年）五月上旬，河东杨缉祖在六署敬德堂作序。
Is it not difficult to establish words (write a book)? Some works elaborate on complex and profound matters yet fail to grasp the key points; others merely present a rough outline, causing both the origin and evolution of the subject matter to remain obscure. The errors in these two cases are roughly equal. Therefore, being concise is preferable to being exhaustive. One must not only clarify "what it is" (the obvious), but also uncover "why it is so" (the underlying rationale). This is just like classical texts and their commentaries: Han and Tang commentaries were indeed very detailed, whereas Song scholars simplified the study of names and objects to exhaustively explore principles and reasoning. Thus, the Way of medicine became as clear as the sun and stars.
Today, *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica) in medicine serves much like commentaries do for classical texts. Many people study all their lives without understanding the value of commentaries, and doctors treat *Bencao Gangmu* in the same way. Fearing its voluminous nature and the difficulty of memorization, they are startled by its vastness like the Milky Way and find it hard to synthesize. Consequently, they stick to陋 (shoddy/simplistic) methods, inherit errors, and repeat mistakes. Those who casually experiment with medicinal doses claim to be skilled physicians, while those sitting in high chairs pose as renowned elders are everywhere. This is truly sigh-worthy.
Mr. Ye from Guwu was a Confucian scholar who was profound in the *I Ching* (Book of Changes) and skilled in medicine. He used the principles of waxing and waning, increase and decrease from the *I Ching* to understand the slow/fast and heavy/light properties of prescriptions. He wrote books piled up to his height, one of which is *Bencao Jingjie* (Explanation of the Classic of Materia Medica). Regarding the 365 species in the original *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), he reduced some and added others, totaling 174 species. His interpretations are detailed and clear; his prescription formulations are thoroughly considered and perfect. Li Shizhen's (Dongbi's) work is broad and comprehensive, whereas this book extracts the most essential points, remaining pure, quiet, refined, and subtle. It indeed follows the methodology of philosophical exegesis. Establishing such a discourse achieves the three immortals (immortality of virtue, merit, and words).
Mr. Wang Yuetian from Xishan, a relative of the Haidian Zhuangyuan (Top Scholar), studied the *I Ching* under Mr. Ye and also acquired the art of saving lives. He occasionally showed me this book. After careful examination multiple times, I regarded it as a critical work akin to *Lunheng*. How could I bear to let it remain secret? Recently, my father, during his leisure from official duties, published several medical formula books to supplement the inadequacies in benevolent relief efforts and support the elderly. Since drugs are the tools of treatment, we also engraved this book, hoping that learners would take it as a guide. Just as a scholar, even if unable to trace back far or explore profound erudition, can still be a true Confucian by strictly adhering to Song commentaries, thinking deeply, playing with the meaning, and achieving mastery through integration. This is the original intention of Mr. Ye's writing, the elegant intent of Brother Yuetian, and also my father's sincere affection for protecting children and his desire to benefit people. We should practice this according to circumstances, which aligns with the long-held ambition of my brothers and me.
Upon completion of the work, I record this at the beginning of the manuscript.
Preface written by Yang Jizu from Hedong at Jingde Hall in the Sixth Office, during the first ten days of the fifth month, in the year Jiachen of the Yongzheng reign (1724).