昔朱肱奉议着《伤寒百问》，书成经进，授医博士。其书付监刊行。道遇豫章名医宋道方因就
质之，宋为指驳数十条，肱罔然自失。由是书监不刊，事见《续易简方》。双钟李知先又为《歌括》、
《八韵》二书，吾乡先辈例以为活人之书。（按∶《魏志·佗传》云出书一卷，此书可以活人，则
活人之名所由始，而仲景《伤寒论》是也。）朱、李二公虽知有仲景之书，不能臻其 奥，未足以
充活人之名。正统改元，余游京师，遇临江刘志善先生，授书一卷，指摘《百问》亦数十条。携以
南归，呈之松江赵景元先生。奉议之书，固
未尽善，而刘公所驳，似为大阙，后人无议为也。且仲景之书，流传既久，鱼鲁实多，微辞奥旨之
互见。残简断篇之后，先朱公既未知其文，又不知其证候。然自汉魏以来，高人逸士所着，不传于
今者，何可胜数。因出示诸书，曰郭白云《伤寒补亡》、庞安常《卒病论》、韩 和《微旨》、杨
仁斋《伤寒类书》、王实《证治》，常器之、杨大授，凡此数种，皆有功于仲景，而东南医流所未
见也。景元亦自编一书，曰《伤寒类例》，久未之成，不以示人。庚寅冬，予病，足不出户庭数月，
因观成无己《明理论》只五十证，辩究详明。惜其未备，于是乃集所见所闻，比类附例，斟酌而损
益之，遂成一书，名曰《明理续论》，姑以自备遗亡，非敢传诸人也。虽朱公《百问》积平生之勤，
尚不免后人之纷纭言之，予实何人，仍以数月而有所成。盖赖古人之成训，有以启发之。初学医之
士，或有所得焉，当有知予心者。乃记其所由于卷首云。
从前，朱肱（奉议大夫）撰写了《伤寒百问》，书完成后呈献朝廷，被任命为医博士。该书交由国子监刊印发行。途中遇到豫章地区的著名医生宋道方，便向他请教。宋道方指出了书中的几十处错误，朱肱听后茫然若失，深感惭愧。因此，国子监停止了刊印此事记载在《续易简方》中。双钟的李知先又编写了《歌括》和《八韵》两本书，我们乡里的前辈们都习惯称这类书籍为“活人之书”。（按语：《三国志·魏书·华佗传》中说有一卷书可以救人，那么“活人”这一名称由此开始，指的就是张仲景的《伤寒论》。）朱肱和李知先两位先生虽然知道有张仲景的书，但未能达到其深奥的境界，不足以真正配得上“活人”之名。
正统元年（1436年），我游历京城，遇到了临江的刘志善先生，他赠给我一卷书，书中也指出了《伤寒百问》中的几十处错误。我带着书向南回家，将其呈给松江的赵景元先生审阅。奉议大夫（朱肱）的书固然不够完善，而刘公所驳斥的内容，似乎是大大的缺失，后人没有再对此进行议论了。况且张仲景的书流传已久，文字错漏实在很多，隐晦精深的旨意相互混杂。在残破简牍和断篇之后，朱公既不了解原文的文字，也不了解其中的证候。然而自汉魏以来，高士逸人所著、未流传至今的作品，哪里数得过来？于是出示各种书籍说：郭白云的《伤寒补亡》、庞安常的《卒病论》、韩和的《微旨》、杨仁斋的《伤寒类书》、王实的《证治》，以及常器之、杨大授等人的著作，这几种书都对张仲景的学说有所贡献，却是东南地区医流未曾见过的。赵景元先生也自编了一本书，名叫《伤寒类例》，但久久未能完成，不拿出来给人看。
庚寅年冬天，我生病，几个月足不出户，于是研读成无己的《明理论》，发现其中只有五十个证候，辨析探究详尽明白。可惜它不够完备，于是我汇集所见所闻，分类附例，斟酌损益，最终写成了一本书，命名为《明理续论》，姑且用来防备遗漏遗忘，不敢说是传授给别人。虽然朱公的《百问》凝聚了他一生的勤奋，尚不免遭到后人的纷纷议论，我算是什么人，仅仅用几个月的时间就有所成就。这大概是依赖古人的成训，有所启发所致。初学医学的人，或许能从中有所收获，应当有人理解我的心意。于是记下这些缘由写在卷首。
In the past, Zhu Gong (Counselor) wrote *Shanghan Baiwen* (Hundred Questions on Cold Damage). After the book was completed and presented to the court, he was appointed as a Medical Doctor. The book was submitted to the Imperial Academy for printing and distribution. On the way, he encountered Song Daofang, a renowned physician from Yuzhang, and consulted him. Song pointed out dozens of errors in the text, leaving Zhu Gong bewildered and ashamed. Consequently, the Imperial Academy halted the printing; this incident is recorded in *Xu Yijian Fang*. Li Zhixian from Shuangzhong subsequently compiled two books: *Ge Kuo* (Song Rhymes) and *Ba Yun* (Eight Rhythms). Our local seniors generally regarded these as "Huoren" (Life-Saving) books. (Note: *Records of the Three Kingdoms: Biography of Hua Tuo* states that there exists a volume capable of saving lives; thus, the term "Huoren" originated from Zhang Zhongjing's *Shanghan Lun* [Treatise on Cold Damage].) Although both Mr. Zhu and Mr. Li were aware of Zhang Zhongjing's work, they failed to penetrate its profundity and did not fully merit the title of "Life-Saving."
In the first year of the Zhengtong era (1436), I traveled to the capital and met Mr. Liu Zishan from Linjiang. He gave me a scroll which also identified dozens of errors in *Baiwen*. I brought it south upon my return and presented it to Mr. Zhao Jingyuan from Songjiang. Counselor Zhu's book was indeed imperfect, and the critiques by Mr. Liu seemed to highlight significant omissions, yet no subsequent scholars had commented on them. Moreover, Zhang Zhongjing's works have been circulated for a long time, resulting in numerous textual corruptions (such as fish and ro characters being confused) and intermingled obscure meanings. Following the loss of fragments and chapters, Mr. Zhu neither understood the original text nor the clinical manifestations. However, since the Han and Wei dynasties, how many works by eminent scholars and recluses have failed to survive? He then displayed various texts, stating: Guo Baiyun's *Shanghan Buwang* (Supplemental Lost Matters on Cold Damage), Pang Anchang's *Zubing Lun* (Treatise on Sudden Diseases), Han He's *Weizhi* (Subtle Principles), Yang Renzhai's *Shanghan Leishu* (Classified Book on Cold Damage), Wang Shi's *Zhengzhi* (Diagnosis and Treatment), as well as works by Chang Qizhi and Yang Dashou. These several types all contributed to the understanding of Zhang Zhongjing's teachings but remained unseen by medical schools in the Southeast. Mr. Jingyuan also compiled his own book titled *Shanghan Lili* (Classified Examples of Cold Damage), but it remained unfinished for a long time and was not shown to others.
In the winter of the Gengyin year, I fell ill and stayed indoors for several months. During this time, I studied Cheng Wuji's *Mingli Lun* (Theory Clarification), noting that it covered only fifty syndromes with detailed and clear analysis. Regrettably, it was incomplete. Therefore, I collected what I had seen and heard, categorized and attached examples, and through careful deliberation and addition or deletion, finally produced a book named *Mingli Xulun* (Continued Discussion on Theory Clarification). This was merely intended to prevent personal loss and omission, not to claim transmission to others. Although Mr. Zhu's *Baiwen* accumulated a lifetime of diligence, it still invites diverse criticisms from later generations. What kind of person am I, to achieve something in merely a few months? This is likely due to the inspiration derived from the established teachings of the ancients. Perhaps those who begin their study of medicine may gain something from it, and there will be those who understand my intentions. Thus, I record these origins at the beginning of the volume.