语云医不三世不服其药诚重之也。又尝有云得读三家书亦是世医流此语殊属附会夫医以
世称
者乃亏冶相承。授受最精。故得以擅名当代也。且今昔方书。不啻汗牛充栋。何啻三家可资
闻见。可竟斯道。以此而论。可见世间业医者仅熟高阳生之脉诀。王宗显之快捷方式。平居略记
数十汤头。遇病朗诵几首歌括。非专守河涧之法。则偏执丹溪之书。讪李东垣独理脾胃。吠
薛立斋每重命门。不曰伤寒专门。则云杂病独科。求其始会其全。由博入约者。无有也。虽
百世何足观哉。故宋庞安常不足父祖所授脉诀。独取素难。究以玄微。辨晰万言。垂训千
秋允为拔出之英则犁牛犁角不为世耀只为世累耳世医云乎哉。
谁谓萍踪浪迹中无高躅乎。而至以医出济。学术浅深。品格高下。吾实无以穷其所自来
矣。
惟有试之之法。便可探索什一。果属精良。尚恨见晚。而与之商扶正教。共济斯民。宁非浓
愿。每见一二流属。亦能粗谭经方。大率套语未辨。及其处剂。攻补混施。识见胆力。藐无
一可吾知其远离乡井者志惟求食而已矣大都俗子闻风竞新。不察肾愚。舍近骛远。间有缙绅
。亦踵此习政因踵此习。而大家俗子。益见缙绅许可者。意为佳士。而亦踵缙绅之习。交相
混也徒自误已虽然岂尽乏人。若唐湛一学识优赡。知明百病虚实。程凤山能别阴阳伤寒。
而唐尤余所参印。只千百中二三耳。
俗话说：“医不三世，不服其药”，这确实是重视医学的表现。又曾有人说：“能读三家之书，也是世医之流”，这种说法特别属于牵强附会。所谓以“世”来称呼医生，是因为医术世代相传，授受最为精纯，所以能够名扬当代。况且古今的医书，多得不可胜数（汗牛充栋），何止是三家可以供人见闻、足以精通此道呢？由此而论，可见世间从事医疗行业的人，仅仅熟记高阳生的《脉诀》和王宗显的《快捷方式》，平时略微记住几十首汤头歌诀，遇到病人就朗诵几首歌括。不是专门死守刘河涧（刘完素）的治法，就是偏执于朱丹溪的书籍。讥笑李东垣只注重调理脾胃，诋毁薛立斋总是重视命门学说；要么自称是伤寒专科专家，要么声称杂病独科高手。想要找到那些起初就能融会贯通、由博返约的人，是没有的。即使过了一百代，又有什么值得观看的呢？所以宋代的庞安常虽然辜负了父亲和祖父所传授的脉诀，却独自取法《黄帝内经》和《难经》，探究其中的玄妙细微之处，辨析阐述万言，留下教诲千秋，确实算是拔萃的英雄。那么像犁牛长着斑纹角（比喻出身低微或有瑕疵但有用的人才）不为世人炫耀，只是成为世人的累赘罢了，这怎么能称为世医呢？
谁说在漂泊无定的人群中没有高尚卓越之人呢？至于说从医者的济世之心，学术深浅，品格高下，我实在无法穷究他们的来源。只有经过实践检验的方法，才可以探索出十分之一。如果确实是精良之才，还遗憾相见太晚，从而与他商讨扶正教化，共同救济百姓，难道不是极大的愿望吗？常常看到一两个流俗之辈，也能粗略地谈论经方，大都是套用陈词滥调而不知辨别，等到他们开处方时，攻邪与补益混杂施用，见识胆略力量，没有一样可取。我知道他们远离家乡井里，志向仅仅是为了求取食物罢了。大多世俗之人闻风竞相追求新奇，不考察自己的愚钝，舍近求远。间或有缙绅（官员/士大夫），也追随这种习气。正因为追随这种习气，大家和世俗之人，更加认为被缙绅认可的人，自以为是佳士，于是也追随缙绅的习气，互相混淆。只是自我误导罢了。虽然如此，难道真的缺乏人才吗？比如唐湛一学识优厚丰富，明辨百病的虚实；程凤山能辨别阴阳伤寒。而唐湛一更是我所参证印证的，但在千百人中只有二三人而已。
As the saying goes, "If a physician has not practiced medicine for three generations, one should not take their medicine," which indeed reflects the high regard for medicine. It has also been said, "Those who can read the books of the 'Three Schools' are also considered part of the hereditary medical lineage." This statement is particularly far-fetched and forced. The term "hereditary" (Shi) used to describe physicians refers to the inheritance of medical skills through generations, where the transmission is most refined; thus, they are able to gain fame in their contemporary era. Moreover, medical texts from ancient times to the present are so numerous that they fill warehouses and oxen carry them (a metaphor for an immense number of books). How could it be limited to just three schools sufficient for gaining knowledge and mastering this art? Based on this argument, it can be seen that among those engaged in medicine today, many merely memorize Gao Yangsheng's *Mai Jue* (Pulse Formula) and Wang Zongxian's *Kuaijie Fangshi* (Quick Methods). In daily life, they barely remember dozens of formula verses; when encountering diseases, they recite several song-rhymes. They either rigidly adhere to Liu Hejian's (Liu Wansu's) methods or are biased towards Zhu Danxi's writings. They ridicule Li Dongyuan for focusing solely on regulating the Spleen and Stomach, and bark at Xue Lizhai for always emphasizing the Mingmen (Gate of Life). Some claim specialization in Shanghan (Cold Damage), while others boast of expertise in miscellaneous diseases. To find someone who initially grasps the whole picture and proceeds from the broad to the concise is non-existent. Even after a hundred generations, what would there be worth observing? Therefore, Pang Anchang of the Song Dynasty, although he neglected the pulse formulas inherited from his father and grandfather, independently adopted the *Suwen* (Basic Questions) and *Nanjing* (Classic of Difficult Issues), exploring their profound subtleties, analyzing and explaining them in ten thousand words, leaving teachings for a thousand autumns. He was truly an outstanding hero. Thus, like a plow-ox with patterned horns (a metaphor for someone of humble origin or flawed appearance but useful talent), not shining for the world but becoming a burden to it—how can such a person be called a hereditary physician?
Who says that among those drifting like duckweed and waves, there are no lofty and outstanding figures? As for the healing intent of physicians, the depth of their academic study, and the height of their character, I am truly unable to trace their origins completely. Only by testing them through practice can one explore even one-tenth of their true nature. If they are indeed excellent talents, one would only regret meeting them too late, and then discuss with them how to support righteous teachings and jointly save the people. Would this not be a great wish? I often see one or two practitioners of the vulgar school who can roughly discuss classical formulas, but mostly use clichés without discernment. When they prescribe medicines, they mix attacking and tonifying methods indiscriminately. Their insight, courage, and strength leave nothing commendable. I know that those who have left their hometowns do so with the sole ambition of seeking food. Most commoners, hearing rumors, compete for novelty without examining their own ignorance, abandoning the near for the distant. Occasionally, there are gentry (officials/scholars) who also follow this trend. Precisely because they follow this trend, both the prominent families and commoners come to believe that those approved by the gentry are fine scholars, and thus they also imitate the gentry's habits, mixing together mutually. This merely leads to self-deception. Although so, does it mean that talented people are entirely lacking? For instance, Tang Zhanyi had abundant learning and clear understanding of the deficiency and excess of all diseases; Cheng Fengshan could distinguish Yin-Yang Cold Damage. And Tang Zhanyi is one whom I have cross-referenced and verified; yet among thousands, there are only two or three such individuals.