伤寒诸家方论不一。独伊芳尹仲景之书。犹六经也。其余诸子百家。时有一得。要之不可为法。又
况邪说妄意。世业名家。规利虽浓。因果历然。特以伊芳尹汤液。仲景经络。常人难晓。士大夫又以艺
成而下。耻而不读。往往仓卒之际。束手待尽。卒归之于命而已。世人知读此书者亦鲜。纵欲读之。
又不晓其义。况又有好用凉药者。如附子硫黄。则笑而不喜用。虽隆冬使人饮冷、服三黄丸之类。有
好用热药者。如大黄、芒硝。则畏而不敢使。虽盛暑劝人炙 、服金液丹之类。非不知罪福。偏见曲
说。所趣者然也。阳根于阴。阴本于阳。无阴则阳无以生。无阳则阴无以化。是故春时气温。当将理
以凉。夏月盛热。当食以寒。君子扶阴气以养阳之时也。世人以为阴气在内。反抑以热药。而成疟痢、
脱血者多矣。秋时气凉。当将息以温。冬时严寒。当食以热。君子扶阳气以养阴之时也。世人以阳气
在内。乃抑以凉药。而成吐痢、腹痛者多矣。伐本逆根。岂知天地之刚柔。阴阳之逆顺。求其不夭横
也难矣。偶有病家。曾留意方书。稍别阴阳。知其热证。则召某人。以某人善医阳病。知其冷证。则
召某人。以某人善医阴病。往往随手全活。若病家素不晓者。道听泛请。委而听之。近世士人。如高
若讷、林亿、孙奇、庞安常。皆 于此。未必章句之徒不诮且骇也。仆因闲居。作为此书。虽未能
尽窥伊芳尹之万一。庶使天下之大。人无夭伐。老不哭幼。士大夫易晓而喜读。渐浸积习。人人尊生。
岂曰小补之哉。仲尼曰。吾少也贱。故多能鄙事。学人不以为鄙。然后知余用意在此而不在彼。
大观元年正月日。前进士朱肱序。
仆乙未秋。以罪去国。明年。就领宫祠以归。过方城。见同年范内翰云活人书详矣。比百问十倍。
然证与方分为数卷。仓卒难检耳。及至濉阳。又见王先生活人书。京师、京都、湖南、福建、两浙、
凡五处印行。惜其不曾校勘。错误颇多。遂取缮本重为参详。改一百余处。命工于杭州太隐坊镂板。
作中字印行。庶几缓急易以检阅。然方术之士。能以此本游诸聚落。悉为改证。使人读诵。广说流布。
不为俗医妄投药耳。其为功德。获福无量。
政和八年季夏朔。
朝奉郎提点洞霄宫朱肱重校证。
伤寒病各家方论各不相同。只有伊尹和仲景的著作，（地位）如同六经一样崇高。其余诸子百家的著作，虽然偶尔有一得之见，但终究不能成为效法的准则。更何况那些邪说妄意、世俗所谓的“名家”，虽然追求利益的心很浓重，但其因果报应是显而易见的。只是因为伊尹的汤液理论、仲景的经络学说，普通人难以理解；士大夫又认为技艺属于低下的行业，以不读这些书为耻，往往在仓促患病之际，束手无策等待死亡，最终归结于命运罢了。世人中知道阅读这本书的人也很稀少，即使想要阅读，又不明白其中的义理。况且又有喜欢使用寒凉药物的人，对于附子、硫黄等热药，则嘲笑而不愿意使用，即使在隆冬时节也让人喝冷水、服用三黄丸之类；又有喜欢使用温热药物的人，对于大黄、芒硝等寒药，则畏惧而不敢使用，即使在盛夏时节也劝人艾灸、服用金液丹之类。这并不是不知道罪福报应，而是被偏见曲说所引导所致。
阳气根源于阴气，阴气本源于阳气。没有阴气则阳气无法生成，没有阳气则阴气无法化生。因此，春季气温回暖，应当用凉性方法调养；夏季天气炎热，应当食用寒性食物，这是君子扶持阴气以滋养阳气的时节。世人认为阴气在内，反而抑制它而使用热药，导致患疟疾、痢疾、脱血的人很多。秋季气候凉爽，应当用温性方法休养；冬季严寒，应当食用热性食物，这是君子扶持阳气以滋养阴气的时节。世人认为阳气在内，反而抑制它而使用凉药，导致呕吐、腹泻、腹痛的人很多。这简直是砍伐根本、违背根源，哪里懂得天地间的刚柔之道、阴阳的逆顺规律？想求得长寿不夭折，太难了。
偶尔有病人家属，曾经留意医方书籍，稍微能辨别阴阳，知道是热证，就召请某位医生，因为某人擅长医治阳病；知道是寒证，就召请另一位医生，因为某人擅长医治阴病。往往随手就能治愈活人。如果病人家属平时不懂医理，道听途说随意聘请，完全听从医生的摆布。近代的士人，如高若讷、林亿、孙奇、庞安常等人，都精通于此。未必会被只知章句训诂的儒生所讥笑和惊骇。我因闲居无事，撰写了这本书，虽然未能完全窥探伊尹、仲景学问的万分之一，但愿能使天下广大地区的人，不因疾病而夭折砍伐，老人不为幼儿哭泣，让士大夫容易理解并喜欢阅读，逐渐形成习惯，人人尊重生命。这难道只是小小的补益吗？孔子说：“我年少时贫贱，所以学会了很多鄙陋的技能。”学者们并不认为这是鄙陋之事，由此可知我的用意在于此而非彼。大观元年正月日，前进士朱肱作序。
我在乙未年秋天，因获罪离开京城。第二年，受领宫观官职归来。经过方城时，见到同年进士范内翰，他说《活人书》内容详尽，比《百问》多了十倍。然而症状与方剂分为几卷，仓促之间难以查阅。等到到达濉阳，又见到王先生活着的《活人书》。此书在京师、京都、湖南、福建、两浙等地，凡五处印刷发行，可惜未曾校勘，错误很多。于是取来抄写本重新参详考订，修改了一百多处，命令工匠在杭州太隐坊刻版，制作中字印行，以便紧急时刻容易查阅。然而从事方术的人士，若能以此版本游历各个村落，全部为百姓讲解症状，使人诵读，广泛流传，不被庸医胡乱投药，其功德获得的福报是无量的。政和八年夏初一日，朝奉郎提点洞霄宫朱肱重新校订证明。
The formulas and theories regarding Cold Damage (Shanghan) vary among different schools. Only the works of Yi Yin and Zhang Zhongjing hold a status as fundamental as the Six Channels (Liu Jing). The writings of other philosophers and various schools, while occasionally offering some insights, ultimately cannot serve as models for practice. Moreover, those who propagate heterodox doctrines and speculative ideas, often claiming to be renowned masters in the secular world, may have strong motives for profit, but their karmic consequences are clear. It is precisely because Yi Yin's theories on decoctions and Zhang Zhongjing's teachings on meridians are difficult for ordinary people to comprehend, and because scholar-officials consider technical arts to be lowly, feeling ashamed not to read them, that they often find themselves helpless when illness strikes suddenly, waiting for death and attributing it to fate. Few people in the world know to read this book; even if they wish to, they do not understand its meaning. Furthermore, there are those who favor cold-natured medicines; they mock and refuse to use hot medicines such as Fuzi (Prepared Aconite Root) and Liuhuang (Sulfur), drinking cold water and taking Sanhuang Wan (Three-Yellow Pill) even in deep winter. Conversely, there are those who favor hot medicines; they fear and dare not use cold medicines such as Dahuang (Rhubarb Rhizome) and Mangxiao (Mirabilite), advising moxibustion and taking Jin Ye Dan (Golden Liquid Pill) even in midsummer. This is not due to ignorance of merit and demerit, but rather being led by biased and distorted views.
Yang is rooted in Yin, and Yin originates from Yang. Without Yin, Yang cannot generate; without Yang, Yin cannot transform. Therefore, in spring when temperatures rise, one should regulate life with cooling methods; in summer when heat prevails, one should consume cold foods. This is the time for gentlemen to nourish Yin Qi (Yin Vital Energy) to support Yang. However, people believe that Yin resides internally and suppress it with hot medicines, resulting in many cases of Malaria (Nue) and Dysentery (Li), as well as hemorrhage. In autumn when air cools, one should rest with warming methods; in winter when cold is severe, one should consume hot foods. This is the time for gentlemen to nourish Yang Qi to support Yin. However, people believe that Yang resides internally and suppress it with cold medicines, resulting in many cases of vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. To cut off the root and go against the source is to ignore the rigidity and softness of Heaven and Earth, and the reversal and smoothness of Yin and Yang. Seeking to avoid premature death under such conditions is extremely difficult.
Occasionally, patients' families who have paid attention to medical texts can distinguish between Yin and Yang. Knowing a condition is Heat (Re), they summon a doctor skilled in treating Yang diseases; knowing it is Cold (Han), they summon a doctor skilled in treating Yin diseases. Such treatments often succeed immediately. If the family lacks knowledge, they hire doctors based on hearsay and leave everything to their discretion. Recent scholars such as Gao Ruone, Lin Yi, Sun Qi, and Pang Anchang were all proficient in this. They would likely not be mocked or startled by pedants who only focus on chapter-and-verse exegesis. Due to my leisure, I composed this book. Although I have not fully glimpsed even a fraction of the wisdom of Yi Yin and Zhang Zhongjing, I hope that throughout the vast land, people will not suffer premature death, elders will not weep for children, and scholar-officials will find it easy to understand and enjoy reading. Through gradual accumulation, everyone will respect life. Is this not a small benefit? Confucius said, "In my youth, I was poor and humble, thus I acquired many menial skills." Scholars do not consider these skills contemptible. From this, you can know that my intention lies here and not elsewhere. On the first day of the first month of the Daguang Era (1107 AD), Former Jinshi Zhu Gong wrote the preface.
In the autumn of the Yiwu year, I left the capital due to a crime. The following year, I took up the post of Palace Temple official and returned. Passing through Fangcheng, I met Fan Neihan, a fellow graduate, who said that *Huoren Shu* (Book for Reviving People) was detailed, ten times more comprehensive than *Baiwen*. However, symptoms and formulas were divided into several volumes, making them hard to consult in emergencies. Upon arriving at Shuiyang, I saw Wang Xiansheng's *Huoren Shu*. It had been printed in five places: the Capital, Jingdu, Hunan, Fujian, and Liangzhe. Regrettably, it had not been collated and contained many errors. Thus, I took a manuscript copy and re-examined it, correcting over one hundred places. I commissioned artisans to carve blocks at Taiyin Fang in Hangzhou and print them in medium-sized characters, so that they could be easily consulted in urgent situations. May those engaged in medical arts take this edition to travel among settlements, explain the symptoms thoroughly, encourage recitation, spread it widely, and prevent quack doctors from prescribing drugs recklessly. The merit gained from this will bring boundless blessings. On the first day of the late summer of the Zhenghe Eighth Year (1118 AD), Chaofeng Lang and Supervisor of Dongxiao Palace, Zhu Gong, revised and collated the text.