余少时立志于儒，因祖母病笃，延医罔效，深以不知医理即不能事亲为憾，遂肄医读《内经》诸书。乃知
天人合一之道，本与儒通。其理微，其法妙，愈加考核，愈觉艰深。初尚半明半昧，继则将信将疑，几有望洋
之叹。窃以医之为道，外感内伤为证治两大关键，去其所本无，复其所固有。儒如是，医亦如是，可两言而尽
之。盖六淫外袭，身中气血日失和平，有汗、吐、下、和之治，是去其所本无也。若七情暗伤，身中气血日就
亏耗，有滋填培补之治，是复其所固有也。然不知十二经络，不辨虚实表里寒热温凉，差之毫厘，谬以千里，
举手便错。三十余年来，恒潜心于此辨究，如履虎尾，如涉春冰，不敢以人命为尝试。惟谨守规矩之中，不矜奇，
亦不炫异。谓我拙者听之，笑我迂者亦听之，终其身日以寡过自期。平居用药，悉遵本草用药式。熟读黄帝《
灵枢·经脉篇》及诸穴分寸歌，日加探索，爰集成经络解、病证解、治法解各十二篇，并绘成十二经图、十二
腑脏图。作者谓圣，述者谓明，即仅云述，余亦何敢。不过编释一册，愿后之子孙能儒则儒，否则欲学为医，
亦当如余之由儒习医，兢兢惕惕，先讨论乎是书，奉为指归，然后参读古圣贤各家注集。庶几脉证相参，经络
既明，用药自有把握。行见危者安，困者亨，登斯人于仁寿之域。是则予之所浓望也，子孙其守藏之勿替。
道光二十八年岁在戊申仲冬日高邮赵术堂观澜氏自叙
我年轻时立志研习儒家学问，因为祖母病重，请来的医生治疗无效，我深感不懂医理就无法侍奉双亲，以此为憾事，于是开始学习医学并研读《黄帝内经》等书籍。这才知道天人合一的道理，原本与儒家相通。其中的道理精微，治疗方法奥妙，越是考核探究，越觉得艰深难懂。起初还半明半暗，后来则是将信将疑，几乎发出面对大海而感叹自己渺小的叹息。私下认为医学作为一门道术，外感病和内伤病是证治的两大关键，去除那些本来没有的病邪，恢复人体固有的正气。儒家是这样，医学也是这样，可以用两句话概括完毕。大概六淫（风、寒、暑、湿、燥、火六种外感病邪）从外部侵袭，身体中的气血日益失去平衡，有汗法、吐法、下法、和法的治理，这就是去除那些本来没有的东西。如果是七情（喜、怒、忧、思、悲、恐、惊七种情志变化）暗中损伤，身体中的气血日益亏耗，有滋填培补的治理，这就是恢复人体固有的东西。然而如果不了解十二经络，不辨别虚、实、表、里、寒、热、温、凉，失之毫厘就会谬以千里，举手投足间就会出错。三十多年来，我一直潜心于此进行辨析研究，如同踩在老虎尾巴上，如同走在春天的薄冰上，不敢拿人命来做尝试。只是谨守规矩之中，不夸耀奇特，也不炫耀怪异。说我笨拙的人随他去，笑我迂腐的人也随他去，终身每天都以减少过错来要求自己。平时用药，完全遵循本草纲目中的用药规范。熟读黄帝《灵枢·经脉篇》以及各个穴位的分寸歌诀，每天加以探索，于是汇编成《经络解》、《病证解》、《治法解》各十二篇，并绘制成十二经图和十二脏腑图。作者称为圣，阐述者称为明，即使仅仅说是阐述，我又怎么敢当呢。不过是编纂解释了一册书，希望后世的子孙如果能做儒生就做儒生，否则想要学医，也应当像我一样由儒习医，兢兢业业、警惕谨慎，先讨论这本书，把它奉为指南，然后再参读古代圣贤各家注集。这样或许能做到脉象与证候相互参照，经络既然明了，用药自然就有把握。将会看到危重者得以安宁，困顿者得以亨通，使人们进入仁爱和长寿的境界。这就是我深切期望的，子孙们要珍藏它不要废弃。道光二十八年岁次戊申仲冬十月，高邮赵术堂观澜氏自叙。
In my youth, I aspired to study Confucianism. However, when my grandmother fell seriously ill and the physicians summoned were ineffective, I deeply regretted that without understanding medical principles, I could not properly serve my parents. Consequently, I began studying medicine and reading texts such as the *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon). It was then that I realized the principle of the unity of Heaven and humanity is fundamentally consistent with Confucianism. Its principles are subtle, and its methods are profound; the more I investigated, the more difficult and deep it seemed. Initially, I understood only half while remaining ignorant of the other half; later, I oscillated between belief and doubt, nearly sighing at the vastness of the ocean in a feeling of inadequacy. I privately believe that in the Dao of medicine, external contraction and internal injury are the two key aspects of syndrome differentiation and treatment: removing what should not be there, and restoring what is inherently present. This applies equally to Confucianism and medicine, which can be summarized in two sentences. Generally, when the Six Excesses (Wind, Cold, Summerheat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire) invade from outside, the Qi and Blood within the body gradually lose harmony. The treatments of sweating, emesis, purgation, and harmonizing serve to remove what should not be there. If the Seven Emotions (Joy, Anger, Worry, Pensive, Sorrow, Fear, Fright) cause hidden damage, the Qi and Blood within the body gradually become deficient. The treatments of nourishing, filling, tonifying, and supplementing serve to restore what is inherently present. However, if one does not know the Twelve Meridians and cannot distinguish between Deficiency and Excess, Exterior and Interior, Cold and Heat, Warmth and Coolness, a slight error will lead to a massive mistake, causing errors with every movement. For over thirty years, I have devoted myself to this discrimination and research, treading carefully as if on a tiger's tail or walking on spring ice, daring not to treat human lives as experiments. I strictly adhere to rules, neither boasting of novelty nor displaying eccentricity. Let those who call me clumsy do so; let those who laugh at my pedantry do so. Throughout my life, I strive daily to minimize my faults. In prescribing medicines, I strictly follow the usage norms of the *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica). Having thoroughly studied the *Lingshu · Jingmai Chapter* (Spiritual Pivot · Meridian Chapter) of the Yellow Emperor and the rhymes for acupoint measurements, I explored them daily. Thus, I compiled twelve chapters each of "Explanation of Meridians," "Explanation of Syndromes," and "Explanation of Treatment Methods," and drew diagrams of the Twelve Meridians and Twelve Zang-Fu Organs. The author is called Sage, the expounder is called Enlightened. Even if I merely claim to expound, how dare I accept such titles? I have merely compiled and explained this volume, hoping that future generations, if they can be Confucians, shall be so; but if they wish to study medicine, they should follow my path from Confucianism to medicine, acting with diligence and caution. They should first discuss this book, taking it as their guide, before consulting the commentaries of ancient sages and various schools. Only then can pulse and symptoms be cross-referenced, meridians clearly understood, and prescriptions made with confidence. We shall see the critical become stable, the distressed become prosperous, and people enter the realm of benevolence and longevity. This is my earnest hope; may descendants treasure and preserve it without neglect. Self-preface by Zhao Shutang, courtesy name Guanlan, from Gaoyou, in the mid-winter of the year Wushen (1848), 28th year of Daoguang.