天下不患无对病之药，而患无识病之医。有识病之医以用药，则药之温凉补泻，
与病之寒热虚实，一一 合罔弗效。如善射者引满而发，发必中的。今孙君台石，
盖识病之医也。着书八卷，不曰简明药方，而曰简明医彀，其自负良不薄矣。夫医
籍莫详于《本草》，读者每苦其浩 而难穷，妄谓不简；莫精于《素问》，读者每苦其
奥而难解，妄谓不明。今孙君 编，而能简能明，即命曰《本草》之钩玄、《素问》
之注脚可也。诸君子捐赀助梓，共成胜事宜矣，予所以药为之序而不辞也。有客从旁讯
余曰∶昔者苍颉作书，容成造律，胡曹为衣，仪狄作酒，奚仲为车。此五人者，皆有神
明之道，圣智之迹。故人作一事，而遗后世，非能一人而兼有之。今孙君 于禅乘，尝着
《佛法指掌》一编，流播寓内。乃今复有 刻，得无多岐矣乎？余曰不然。金 氏以慈
悲度世为教，虽蝼蚁蠛蠓，皆所不弃。矧人之疾病夭死，而忍不为之所乎？ 编行而家喻
户习，庶知微早事无疾者可以长宁，因病施方，抱 者可以立 。跻斯民于寿考，转
子为彭 。予政喜孙君之能，现医王身而说佛法也。子顾讶其多岐，无乃有蓬之心也乎？
客于是竦然起而谢不敏，促余为孙君序之。孙君名志宏，字克容，台石其别号，家世钱塘人。
厥考桂 公以医术着嘉、隆间，君仍其业而阐绎之。尝采药三山，遇异人得龙宫秘诀，
所至辄活人。侨寓我监良久，监人倚为司命，低徊留之不能舍。且与吾友松日、玄海两沈
君，仲修、则梁两陈君相善，余是以识荆云。
崇祯庚午岁长至日桐窗老人钟祖保撰
天下不怕没有对症的药，只怕没有能准确辨识病情的医生。如果有能识病的医生来用药，那么药物的温、凉、补、泻属性，与疾病的寒、热、虚、实状态，就能一一契合，没有不生效的。就像善于射箭的人拉满弓弦发射，发射就一定能射中目标。如今的孙台石先生，就是能识病的医生啊。他著书八卷，不叫《简明药方》，而叫《简明医彀》，他的自负确实不小啊。
医学典籍中没有比《本草》更详尽的了，但读者常苦于其内容浩繁而难以穷尽，便妄自认为不够简练；没有比《素问》更精妙的了，但读者常苦于其深奥而难以理解，便妄自认为不够明白。如今孙先生编纂此书，既能简练又能明白，即使称它为《本草》的探幽指南、《素问》的注释脚注也是可以的。各位君子出资资助刻印，共同成就这件善事是理所当然的，所以我因此乐意作序而不推辞。
有位客人从旁边问我道：“从前苍颉创造文字，容成制定音律，胡曹制作衣服，仪狄酿造美酒，奚仲制造车辆。这五个人，都拥有神妙明达的道理和圣哲智慧的痕迹。所以人做一件事，留给后世，不能由一个人同时兼有这些成就。如今孙先生对于佛教禅宗，曾经著有《佛法指掌》一书，流传在境内。现在又再次刻印医书，岂不是路子太多杂了吗？”
我回答说：“不对。金氏（指佛教）以慈悲救度世人作为教义，即使是蝼蚁小虫，都不抛弃。何况人的疾病夭折死亡，怎么能忍心不为他们想办法呢？如果这本书刊行并做到家家户户熟悉，或许能让那些懂得细微征兆、在没生病时就注重养生的人得以长久安宁，让因病求医的人能够立即痊愈。使百姓达到长寿，将短命者转化为彭祖那样的寿星。我高兴的是孙先生能现出医王的身相来说佛法。你反而惊讶于他路子多杂，恐怕是像坐在井底看天的蓬草之心吧？”
客人于是肃然起立，感谢自己的愚钝，催促我为孙先生作序。孙先生名志宏，字克容，台石是他的别号，家世是钱塘人。他的父亲桂岩公在嘉靖、隆庆年间以医术闻名，孙先生继承了他的事业并加以阐发演绎。曾经到三山采药，遇到异人得到龙宫秘诀，所到之处总是救人活命。侨居在我所在的监州很久，监州人倚仗他为掌管生死的神，徘徊留恋舍不得让他离开。并且与我朋友松日、玄海两位沈先生，仲修、则梁两位陈先生关系很好，我因此结识了他。
崇祯庚午年冬至日，桐窗老人钟祖保撰写
The world does not worry about the lack of medicines that correspond to diseases, but worries about the lack of physicians who can accurately diagnose diseases. If a physician who can diagnose diseases prescribes medication, then the warming, cooling, tonifying, and purgative properties of the medicines will correspond one-to-one with the cold, heat, deficiency, and excess patterns of the diseases, resulting in efficacy without exception. It is like a skilled archer drawing the bow fully and releasing; every shot hits the target. Mr. Sun Taishi (Sun Zhihong) today is indeed such a physician who can diagnose diseases. He has authored eight volumes of books. Instead of calling it *Jianming Yao Fang* (Simple and Clear Prescriptions), he calls it *Jianming Yi Gou* (Simple and Clear Medical Bow), showing considerable self-confidence.
Among medical texts, none is more detailed than *Bencao* (Materia Medica), yet readers often suffer from its vastness and difficulty to exhaust, wrongly claiming it is not simple. None is more exquisite than *Suwen* (Basic Questions), yet readers often suffer from its profundity and difficulty to understand, wrongly claiming it is not clear. Now, Mr. Sun’s compilation is both simple and clear; even if it were named the "Essence-Gathering" of *Bencao* or the "Footnotes" of *Suwen*, it would be appropriate. Gentlemen donating funds to assist in printing this work to jointly accomplish this virtuous deed is proper; therefore, I willingly write this preface without declining.
A guest asked me from the side: "In ancient times, Cangjie created writing, Rongcheng formulated music/tunings, Hu Cao made clothes, Yidi brewed wine, and Xizhong built carts. These five individuals all possessed divine wisdom and traces of sage intelligence. Thus, when a person accomplishes one task for posterity, they cannot possess all these abilities simultaneously. Today, Mr. Sun, regarding Buddhist Chan meditation, once authored a volume titled *Fofa Zhizhang* (Guiding Hand on Buddha's Dharma), which circulated widely within the realm. Now he again has [medical works] printed; is this not having too many divergent paths?"
I replied: "Not so. The Jina (Buddha) teaches with compassion to save the world; even ants and small insects are not abandoned. How much more so human diseases and premature death—how could one bear not to provide for them? If this book is published and becomes familiar to every household, perhaps those who perceive subtle signs and attend to health before illness can enjoy long peace, and those suffering from disease can find immediate relief through prescriptions tailored to their condition. This elevates the people to longevity, transforming short-lived souls into beings as long-lived as Peng Zu. I rejoice that Mr. Sun manifests the body of the Medical King to expound the Buddha's Dharma. You, however, marvel at his diverse pursuits; this may stem from the narrow-mindedness of someone whose heart is like a tufted grass in a well."
The guest then rose respectfully, thanked me for his own dullness, and urged me to write the preface for Mr. Sun. Mr. Sun’s given name is Zhihong, courtesy name Kerong, and Taishi is his pseudonym. His family originates from Qiantang. His father, Mr. Guiyan, was renowned for his medical skills during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns. Mr. Sun inherited his profession and elaborated upon it. He once traveled to Mount San to gather herbs, met an extraordinary person, and received secret instructions from the Dragon Palace. Wherever he went, he revived people. Having resided as a guest in our Jianzhou for a long time, the people of Jianzhou relied on him as the master of life and death, lingering and reluctant to let him go. Furthermore, he was friendly with my friends, the two Shen gentlemen, Songri and Xuanhai, and the two Chen gentlemen, Zhongxiu and Ze-liang. Through them, I came to know him.
Written by Tongchuang Laoren (Old Man of the Pine Window), Zhong Zubao, on the Winter Solstice day of the Gengwu year of the Chongzhen era.