且言之无关于民生。不足以传于后世。与无补于当时者。虽言如弗言也。是故役神敝精
言着书。而无所用于天下者。君子不为焉。医之为道也。圣人所以前民用而传后世者也。夫
岂小道云尔哉。粤自黄帝三代而下。贤哲吐辞为经。 炳炳。其泐为成书也已彰彰矣。而
吾徒尚何言哉。尚何言哉。虽然。言今之医而吾心戚矣。言今之儿医而吾心益大戚矣。何则
人有所欲喻于当世者。而当世
先有所执持而莫能明。有所欲白于斯人者。而斯人亦有所胶固而不能解。则予愈不得不憬然
而心恻矣。嗟乎嗟乎。古今来因陋就简。锢蔽沉溺。与夫抱愤懑而不能明。就危亡而不知悟
。若是者岂少哉。予弟子芝屿。受予意为儿科书。盖悯童稚之无辜。而挽当时之陋习也。其
言综前贤之奥旨。发金匮之英华。别径分门。 若观火。精纯泮涣。法简而该。此诚可以大
补当时传后世以卫民生者矣。夫岂役神敝精而无所用于天下哉。且夫人之惑溺而莫能破其懵
昧者。诚以成书庞杂。靡所适从。简陋苟安。讹传沿习。衢谈巷说。比比而然。苟得乎妇人
女子之情。通乎闲闼闺闱之见。则其所挟持而噪为良医者。正其惑溺于己而浓诬于人者也。
悲夫。晚近之人。师心立说。妄意着书。蔑古成法。争鸣新奇。揆之于古人折臂折肱之义。
不已大谬不然乎。无怪乎惑溺者而终莫之破已。吾于是益不禁怦然心动矣。苟以局中之见
。参一局外之观。则以己之赤子。为人之赤子。以己之轻意肆志。为人之轻意肆志。则固未
有不涕泣而 骂者。则吾知是编之出。必有始则戚然悲。慨然叹者。而继则可知其辗然喜。
翻然笑也。吾安得默默而不言乎。是可见信于天下。是可大白于天下。华阳山人序。
况且言论如果与百姓生计无关，不足以流传后世，对当时也没有帮助，那么即使说了也等于没说。因此，耗费心神精力著书立说，却在天下无所用处的，君子是不做的。医学这门道，是圣人用来预先造福民众并传给后世的。这难道只是小道吗？自从黄帝及夏商周三代以来，贤哲们的言辞成为经典，刻录成书的成就已经非常明显了。而我们这些人还有什么可说的呢？还有什么可说的呢？虽然如此，谈论当今的医生让我心里悲伤；谈论当今的儿科医生让我心里更加悲伤。为什么呢？有人想要在当世被人理解，但当世的人却固执己见不能明辨；有人想要向这些人表白心迹，但这些人也拘泥固执无法解开。这让我越发感到警醒而内心悲痛。唉！古往今来，因袭简陋、闭塞沉溺，以及怀抱愤懑却无法阐明，面临危亡却不知醒悟的情况，难道还少吗？我的弟子芝屿，接受我的心意编写儿科书籍，大概是怜悯童稚的无辜，并挽回当时的陋习。书中的言论综合了前贤的深奥旨意，发掘《金匮要略》的精华，分类明确，如同看火一样清晰，精纯透彻，方法简练而完备。这确实可以大大补益当时、流传后世以保卫百姓生计的著作。这难道是耗费心神精力而在天下无所用处吗？况且人们之所以迷惑沉溺而不能破除蒙昧，实在是因为现有的书籍庞杂，让人无所适从；简陋苟安，讹误相传沿袭习俗；街谈巷议，比比皆是。如果迎合妇人的心理，通晓闺阁之见的局限，那么那些自诩为良医的人，正是自己迷惑沉溺且严重欺骗他人的人。可悲啊！近代的人，凭主观心意建立学说，妄图著书，蔑视古代成法，争鸣新奇。拿这与古人“折臂折肱”（指通过长期实践积累临床经验）的意义相比，不是太荒谬了吗？难怪迷惑沉溺的人始终无法被破除。我于是越发不禁心动。如果用局中人的见解，参酌局外人的观察，用自己的孩子作为别人的孩子，用自己的轻率随意作为别人的轻率随意，那么一定会有人痛哭责骂的。所以我知道这部书出版后，起初必定有人悲伤感慨叹息，继而则会欣喜欢笑。我怎么能沉默不语呢？由此可见，此书可以被天下人所信任，可以在天下大白于众。华阳山人作序。
Moreover, if words are irrelevant to the livelihood of the people, insufficient to be transmitted to posterity, and of no benefit to the contemporary era, then speaking is equivalent to not speaking. Therefore, those who expend their spirit and exhaust their essence in writing books that have no utility for the world are not practiced by the *Junzi* (gentleman). Medicine as a Way is what the Sages used to benefit the people beforehand and transmit to future generations. Is it merely a minor skill? Since the time of the Yellow Emperor and the Three Dynasties, the utterances of sages and worthies have become classics, and their achievements carved into written works are already manifest. What more is there for us to say? What more is there to say? Nevertheless, discussing contemporary physicians saddens my heart; discussing contemporary pediatricians saddens my heart even more. Why? Because some wish to be understood by the contemporary world, but the contemporary world holds fast to prejudices and cannot clarify them; some wish to make themselves clear to these people, but these people are also stubbornly entrenched and unable to resolve their misconceptions. This makes me increasingly alert and sorrowful in heart. Alas! Throughout history, cases of adhering to shabbiness and simplicity, being blinded and immersed [in error], harboring resentment yet unable to clarify, and facing peril and death without realizing it—are they few? My disciple Zhiyu, accepting my intent, compiled a book on pediatrics, likely out of pity for the innocence of children and a desire to remedy the shabby customs of the times. His words synthesize the profound principles of former sages and bring forth the brilliance of the *Jingui Yaolue* (Essential Prescriptions from the Golden Cabinet). It distinguishes paths and categories clearly, like observing fire; it is pure and penetrating, with methods that are simple yet comprehensive. This truly can greatly supplement the contemporary era and be transmitted to posterity to safeguard the livelihood of the people. Is it merely expending spirit and exhausting essence with no utility for the world? Furthermore, the reason people are confused and immersed, unable to break through their ignorance, is precisely because existing books are cumbersome and overwhelming, leaving one unsure where to turn; they are shabby and makeshift, with errors passed down and habits followed; street talk and alley gossip are common. If one caters to the sentiments of women and understands the limited views of the inner quarters, then those who boast of being good physicians are indeed those who are themselves confused and heavily deceive others. How tragic! In recent times, people establish theories based on their own minds, presumptuously write books, despise ancient established methods, and compete in novelty. Compared to the meaning of "breaking an arm or elbow" (referring to gaining clinical experience through long-term practice) among the ancients, is this not greatly absurd? No wonder the confused and immersed remain uncorrected. I am thus increasingly moved. If one uses the perspective of an insider to consult the observation of an outsider, treating one's own child as another's child, and applying one's own frivolous willfulness to another's situation, then surely there would be tears and cursing. Thus, I know that when this compilation is published, there will initially be sorrowful sighs and lamentations, but subsequently, there will be joyful smiles and laughter. How can I remain silent? Thus, it can be trusted by the world and made clear to the world. Preface by Huayang Shanren.