余少读书，尝闻先哲云∶为人子者不可不知医。于是遇好方书，辄喜传录，累至数十帙
。见
有疾者，如切己身，常制药施与。一日，先君子训曰∶施人以药，不若施人以方，则所济者
广。从而有已验之方，必与乐善之士共。及冥栖方外，悉弃旧学，况经尘劫，煨烬无遗，仅
《外科集验方》一帙，乃禾川杨清叟所编述，以授吴宁极。宁极之子有本以授西平善观李先
生。先生以授于宜真者，其方简要，惜未版行，故独存之。昨来游金精福地，道经雩都，吾
徒萧天倪凤冈，本西昌望族，自幼学道于紫阳观二十载，前尝从予游，亦能召风雨济旱涝。盖
道缘深重，履践端恪之所致也。其师弟刘致柔顺川，数年间遍身苦疮疖，服荆煎汤、败毒散
诸药俱不效。予因以外科方授之，用返魂汤未终剂而愈。天倪乃欣然捐己资绣梓，散施流通
。其慧济之意如此，则雨 之应祷也。宜哉。虽然，予有故人曾害鼓椎风，往来寒热，数月
伏枕，诸药不能疗，最后一医士诊之曰∶虽成痼疾，而有客邪在少阳经未解，若曾服五积散
则误矣。询之果然。因授小柴胡汤数服，寒热顿除，却用本科追风丸等药理其风证，而全瘳
矣。夫杂病有方，伤寒有法，二者兼尽其道，乃为良医。若以大方、外科各专其一，正恐或
有所误，而不自知，则又岂能全美乎。此外科论证处方，虽极其造理，校于诸方为独优，在
圆机之士，临证之时，尤当加审焉。
洪武戊午九月朔日浚仪原阳子赵宜真序
医之为艺尚矣。自神农氏始尝百草，辩温凉寒热之性，以济民于夭枉，其功莫大焉。厥
后扁
鹊、华佗，最精于技，治疗之法，效验如神，惜其术不尽传。今之外科，乃其绪余也。外科
之证，痈疽为甚。盖疽有阴阳虚实之不同，用药稍差，则立至殆。其次如疔疮、咽喉之属，
尤易以杀人。世之工外科者，固为不少，求其能精，类不多见。浚仪原阳赵练师，以通儒名
家，学于老氏，道行高洁，超迈辈流，处心切于济人，以平昔所获奇异方书，汇聚成帙，中
经兵火散失，唯外科方仅存。戊午秋挟其书游金精，寓雩都之紫阳观。盖二十年前，尝以道法
授其观之高士萧凤冈，今而重过，又能愈其徒刘顺川积年不治之疮疾。凤冈即欲版行，以广
其扶危救急之意，而雩都谷邑，艰于得匠。因循至壬戌夏五月，而原阳仙化，遗命嘱其徒刘
渊然终其志。渊然佩服不敢违，仍将所授秘方，总编为一卷。复遇釜江谢安达，慨然任其事
，凡工匠供馈之费，悉出于己。其子允原、允恭能如父志，与一门少长互相赞美，诚可嘉尚
。观原阳之自叙，与凤冈之捐资版行，其用心皆极其忠浓。然非渊然次第集录，则不能就一
全书。渊然游心方外，屏绝俗纷，独拳拳笃于济人，信可谓贤矣。若非安达力为玉成，则凤
冈虽欲广其传，亦不可得。安达岂不尤贤矣乎。是书之行，可以拯危急，利仓卒。使凡为
人子者，皆得此书，可不陷于不孝。使凡为医者，皆得此书，可不堕于不仁。则仁人孝子之
心具在此。吾乡前辈申齐刘先生本草单方序语也。予故为渊然诵之，庶几不负其编辑之勤也
。
洪武阳复月庐陵友兰父吴有壬序
我年少读书时，曾听前辈哲人说：“作为子女的人不能不懂医术。”于是遇到好的医方书籍，就喜欢抄录传阅，累计多达几十卷。看到有生病的人，就像自己身体患病一样（感同身受），常常制药送给他们服用。有一天，父亲教导我说：“把药施舍给别人，不如把医方传授给别人，这样能救助的人就更广泛了。”因此对于已经验证有效的医方，一定与乐于行善的人士共同分享。等到我隐居世外，抛弃了旧时的学问，况且经历了战乱劫难，书籍大多烧成灰烬无一幸存，仅剩下《外科集验方》这一卷，这是禾川人杨清叟编纂叙述，传授给吴宁极的。宁极的儿子吴有本又传授给西平善于观察的李先生。李先生再传授给我，其中的医方简明扼要，可惜没有刊印流传，所以我独自保存着。
最近我游历金精福地，路过雩都县，我的徒弟萧天倪（字凤冈），本是西昌的名门望族，从小在紫阳观学道二十年，以前曾跟随我游学，也能呼风唤雨救济旱涝灾害。这大概是道缘深厚、践行端正严谨所致。他的师弟刘致柔（名顺川），几年间全身痛苦于疮疖，服用荆煎汤、败毒散等药物都不见效。我便将外科医方传授给他，使用返魂汤，还没服完一剂病就好了。天倪于是欣然捐献自己的资金刻印此书，散发施舍以流通于世。他这种慈悲济世的心意，正如祈雨得到回应一样恰当。
虽然如此，我有一个老朋友曾经患鼓椎风（一种寒热往来的疾病），忽冷忽热，几个月卧床不起，各种药物都不能治愈。最后有一位医生诊断说：“虽然已成顽固疾病，但有外邪停留在少阳经未解，如果之前服用过五积散那就错了。”询问情况果然如此。于是我传授小柴胡汤让他服用几剂，寒热症状立刻消除，随后用本科追风丸等药物调理他的风证，最终完全痊愈。杂病有对应的方剂，伤寒有治疗法则，两者都能精通，才算是良医。如果只专攻大方或外科其中一方面，正恐怕会有所失误而自己不知道，那又怎么能达到完美呢。这部外科论证处方的书，虽然道理极其精微，与其他医方相比最为优秀，但对于圆通机敏的医者来说，在临证之时，尤其应当审慎对待。
洪武戊午年九月初一，浚仪原阳子赵宜真作序。
医学这门技艺历史悠久。自从神农氏开始尝试百草，辨别温凉寒热的药性，来拯救百姓免于夭折枉死，其功劳没有比这更大的了。此后扁鹊、华佗，技术最为精湛，治疗方法效验如神，可惜他们的医术没有全部流传下来。现在的外科，不过是他们的余绪罢了。外科的病证中，痈疽最为严重。因为疽有阴证、阳证、虚证、实证的不同，用药稍微偏差，就会立即导致危险。其次像疔疮、咽喉疾病等，也极易致人死亡。世上擅长外科的人固然不少，但要求能精通的，却很少见到。浚仪人原阳赵练师，以通晓儒学的名家身份，学习道家学说，道德品行高洁，超越同辈，内心急切于济助世人，将他平日获得的奇异方书汇聚成一卷，中间经过兵火散失，只有外科方剂得以幸存。戊午年秋天，他带着这本书游历金精，寓居在雩都的紫阳观。大概二十年前，他曾将道法传授给该观的高士萧凤冈，如今再次经过，又能治愈他的徒弟刘顺川多年不治的疮疾。凤冈即刻想要刊印流传，以扩大其扶危救急的心意，但雩都是个山谷小邑，难以找到刻版工匠。拖延到壬戌年夏五月，原阳仙逝，临终嘱咐他的徒弟刘渊然完成他的志向。渊然佩服不敢违背，仍将所授秘方，总编为一卷。又遇到釜江人谢安达，慷慨承担此事，凡是工匠供应和馈送的費用，全部出自他自己。他的儿子允原、允恭能遵循父亲的意志，与家族中年轻年长的人互相赞美，确实值得嘉奖。看原阳的自叙，以及凤冈捐资刊印，他们的心思都极其忠诚浓厚。然而如果不是渊然按次序收集记录，就不能成为一部完整的书。渊然心游世外，摒弃世俗纷扰，唯独诚恳笃实地致力于济助世人，确实可以说是贤德之人。如果不是安达极力促成，那么凤冈虽然想广泛传播，也不可能做到。安达岂不是更加贤德吗？这本书的流行，可以拯救危急，便利仓促之际。假使凡是做子女的人，都能得到这本书，就不会陷入不孝的境地；假使凡是做医生的，都能得到这本书，就不会堕入不仁的境地。那么仁人孝子的心意就在这里了。这是我家乡前辈申齐刘先生《本草单方序》中的话语。所以我替渊然诵读这段话，希望不辜负他编辑的辛勤努力。
洪武阳复月（即次年正月），庐陵友兰父吴有壬作序。
I, in my youth while studying, once heard the wise men of old say: "One who is a child must not be ignorant of medicine." Thus, whenever I encountered good medical formulas, I rejoiced in copying and recording them, accumulating dozens of volumes. Seeing those who were ill was like feeling it in my own body; I often prepared medicines to give to them. One day, my late father instructed me: "To give medicine to others is not as effective as giving medical formulas to others, for the number of people saved would be far greater." Therefore, for any formula that had proven effective, I would share it with those who loved kindness. Later, when I secluded myself outside the mundane world, I abandoned my previous studies. Moreover, after experiencing the tribulations of war, most texts were burned to ashes without exception. Only one volume of *Waike Jiyan Fang* (Collected Verified Formulas for External Diseases) remained. This was compiled and narrated by Yang Qingsou from Hechuan, who taught it to Wu Ningji. Ningji's son, Youben, passed it to Mr. Li Xian from Xiping, known for his observational skills. Mr. Li then taught it to me. The formulas were concise and brief; unfortunately, they had not been printed and circulated, so I preserved them alone.
Recently, while traveling through the blessed land of Jinjing, passing through Yudu County, my disciple Xiao Tianni (courtesy name Fenggang), originally from a prominent family in Xichang, had studied the Dao at Ziyang Temple for twenty years since childhood. Previously, he had traveled with me and possessed the ability to summon wind and rain to relieve droughts and floods. This was likely due to deep karmic connections with the Dao and his upright and rigorous practice. His junior brother, Liu Zhirou (given name Shunchuan), had suffered from painful boils and carbuncles all over his body for several years. Medications such as Jingjian Tang (Decoction of Leaves) and Baidu San (Poison-Expelling Powder) proved ineffective. I therefore transmitted an external medicine formula to him. Using Fanhun Tang (Soul-Returning Decoction), he was cured before finishing a single dose. Tianxi was delighted to donate his own funds to have the book woodblock-printed and distributed freely. Such was his compassionate intention to save and assist, which is as appropriate as prayers for rain being answered.
Although so, I had an old friend who once suffered from Guzhuifeng (a disease characterized by alternating chills and fever). He experienced alternating chills and fever for months, confined to bed, and various medications failed to cure him. Finally, a physician diagnosed him, saying: "Although this has become a chronic stubborn disease, there is still a pathogenic factor lingering in the Shaoyang channel. If you had previously taken Wuji San (Five Accumulations Powder), it would have been a mistake." Upon inquiry, this was indeed true. I therefore prescribed Xiaochaihu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) for a few doses, which instantly eliminated the chills and fever. Subsequently, using Zhuifeng Wan (Wind-Chasing Pills) and other drugs from the specialty to regulate his wind-pattern, he made a complete recovery. For miscellaneous diseases, there are specific formulas; for Shanghan (Cold Damage), there are specific methods. Mastering both constitutes the way of a good physician. If one specializes exclusively in either general internal medicine or external surgery, one fears errors may occur unknowingly, making perfection impossible. Although the arguments and prescriptions in this book on external surgery are extremely profound and superior to other formulas, practitioners with flexible wisdom should exercise particular caution during clinical application.
Preface by Zhao Yizhen, styled Yuanyangzi of Junyi, on the first day of the ninth month in the Wuwu year of the Hongwu era.
The art of medicine is ancient. Since Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs to distinguish their warm, cool, cold, and hot natures, thereby saving people from premature death, no merit could surpass this. Later, Bian Que and Hua Tuo were most skilled in technique, and their treatments were effective as if divine. Alas, their arts were not fully transmitted. Modern external surgery is merely a remnant of their legacy. Among external disease patterns, carbuncles and ulcers (Yongju) are the most severe. Because ulcers differ in Yin/Yang and Deficiency/Excess patterns, a slight error in medication can lead immediately to danger. Next in severity are furuncles (Dingchuang) and throat diseases, which are particularly prone to causing death. While there are many skilled in external surgery among the world, those who achieve mastery are rare. Zhao Lianshi (Daoist priest) of Yuanyang, Junyi, famous as a Confucian scholar, studied the teachings of Laozi. His moral conduct was high and pure, surpassing his peers. His heart was earnest in helping others. He gathered strange and excellent medical formulas he had acquired into a volume. However, due to military fires, most were lost, leaving only the external surgery formulas. In the autumn of the Wuwu year, he traveled to Jinjing with this book and stayed at Ziyang Temple in Yudu. About twenty years prior, he had transmitted Daoist methods to the eminent monk Xiao Fenggang of this temple. Now revisiting, he again cured Fenggang’s disciple Liu Shunchuan of his chronic, untreatable skin disease. Fenggang immediately wished to print it to broaden its intent of rescuing the perilous and aiding emergencies, but Yudu, a valley county, lacked skilled craftsmen. Procrastination continued until the fifth month of summer in the Renxu year, when Yuanyang passed away. His dying wish instructed his disciple Liu Yuanran to fulfill this ambition. Yuanran, respecting and fearing disobedience, compiled the secret formulas into one volume. Then, Xie Anda from Fujiang generously took charge of the project, covering all costs for craftsmen and supplies himself. His sons, Yunyuan and Yungong, followed their father’s will, praised by relatives young and old, truly commendable. Reading Yuanyang’s preface and Fenggang’s donation for printing, their intentions were deeply loyal and sincere. Yet, without Yuanran’s systematic collection, a complete book could not have been formed. Yuanran, whose mind wanders beyond the mundane, rejecting worldly distractions, is solely devoted to helping others; he is indeed virtuous. Without Anda’s effort to facilitate, even if Fenggang wished to spread it widely, it would have been impossible. Is Anda not even more virtuous? The circulation of this book can save lives in crises and aid in emergencies. If every child possesses this book, they will not fall into unfilial behavior. If every physician possesses this book, they will not descend into inhumanity. Thus, the hearts of benevolent persons and filial children reside herein. These are words from the Preface to *Bencao Danfang* (Single Herbs Materia Medica) by my elder fellow townsman, Mr. Shenqi Liu. Therefore, I recite this for Yuanran, hoping not to fail his diligent editing.
Preface by Wu Youren, courtesy name Youlanfu, from Luling, in the Yangfu month (first lunar month) of the Hongwu era.