余备员台省，历事三朝，佐理庶政。以天下之民不无病于饥寒困穷颠连而无告者，思所以生养安全之，
广圣天子好生之德，跻之仁寿之域焉。盖尝殚厥心矣。顷以衰病，乞休林下，蒙诏赐归，佩恩隆渥，罔所事
事，日惟掩扉检阅方书，以求所谓调摄之宜，戒忌之法，以延修龄，以求至眷。然篇章浩瀚，论议繁冗。欲
文约而事详，辞简而义当者，艰弗能获。一日，金溪世医龚生持《古今医鉴》谒余曰∶“是书乃家君暨廷贤
所编辑，欲付诸梓，幸得名言于弁首。余观之，见其说祖之岐黄，宗诸仓、越，下及刘、张、李历代名家。
凡论辩之精详，脉方之神妙者，悉采而集之。先之以脉息，次之以病症，终之以治方。立为纪纲，列为十六
卷。且游两畿。历诸省，循许昌而抵于扶。凡缙绅家珍藏秘录，靡不搜萃其精，逾二十载而书始就。是诚远
稽先圣之遗言，以绍其正传；近取诸儒之确论，以示之成法。余前所谓文约而事详，辞简而义当者，舍是书其
奚以也。以《医鉴》名，信哉不诬。龚生不自私而与天下后世共之，则夫业医者得而宗之，将可以考古证今，
察脉治病。如执鉴以照物，以起天下之昏扎。天下之民皆为太平考终之人，功岂浅浅哉。抑尝闻开诸古曰∶上
医医国，次医医人。又曰∶达则为良相，不达则为良医。龚生以是道举而措之天下，咸跻于仁寿之域。
圣天子好生之德广矣。又何间于穷与达，次与上哉？遂书之以着其用
心之仁。龚生名廷贤，字子才，别号云林，江西金溪人氏。其父西园，讳信，字瑞之。父子并以医大行于世。
扶沟三周刘自强撰。
我曾在朝廷台省机构任职，历经三朝，协助处理各种政务。考虑到天下的百姓中，不乏因饥寒交迫、生活困顿走投无路而无处申诉的人，我思考着如何使他们得以生存养育、平安健康，以广泛弘扬圣明天子爱惜生命的恩德，使百姓进入仁爱长寿的境界。为此，我曾竭尽心力。近来因年老多病，我在乡间隐居时请求退休，蒙受皇帝诏令准许归乡，承受了深厚隆重的皇恩，无所事事，每天只是关上门翻阅医书，寻求调养摄生的适宜方法和禁忌法则，以延长寿命，求得高寿。然而医书篇章浩瀚，议论繁杂冗长。想要做到文字简约而内容详尽，言辞简练而义理恰当，很难得到。有一天，金溪世医龚生拿着《古今医鉴》来拜见我，说：“这本书是我父亲以及廷贤所编辑的，打算刻印出版，希望能在卷首得到您的名言。我看了这本书，发现其学说源自岐黄（黄帝与岐伯），尊崇仓公（淳于意）和扁鹊（秦越人），下及刘完素、张元素、李东垣等历代名医。凡是论述精详、脉法方药神妙的内容，都采集汇集在一起。先讲述脉息，接着讲述病症，最后讲述治疗方剂。确立为纲纪，分为十六卷。并且游历两京地区，经过各个省份，从许昌走到扶沟。凡是世家大族珍藏的秘密记录，无不搜罗萃取其精华，经过二十多年这本书才完成。这确实是远追古代圣人的遗言，以继承其正统传承；近取各位儒者的确切论述，以展示既成的方法。我之前所说的文字简约而内容详尽，言辞简练而义理恰当，除了这本书还能有什么呢？用《医鉴》命名，确实名不虚传。龚生不私自占有此书，而是与天下后世共同分享，那么从事医学的人得到并尊崇它，就可以考证古代、验证当今，通过诊察脉象来治疗疾病。就像拿着镜子照物体一样，以此唤醒天下昏昧无知的人。天下的百姓都能成为太平盛世善终的人，功劳难道不大吗？我又曾听说古语说：上等的医生治理国家，次等的医生治疗人体。又说：显达时就做良相，不得志时就做良医。龚生将这门医术推行到天下，使所有人都进入仁爱长寿的境界。圣明天子爱惜生命的恩德已经广博了。又何必区分穷困与显达，次等与上等呢？于是写下这些话以彰显其用心的仁爱。龚生名叫廷贤，字子才，别号云林，是江西金溪人。他的父亲西园，名信，字瑞之。父子二人均凭借医术在世间广泛流传。扶沟三周的刘自强撰写。”
I served in the imperial censorate and secretariat, having passed through three reigns, assisting in the administration of various government affairs. Considering that among the people of the world, there are inevitably those who suffer from hunger, cold, destitution, and distress without anyone to appeal to, I pondered how to ensure their survival, nourishment, safety, and health, thereby widely promoting the benevolent virtue of the Holy Son of Heaven to cherish life, leading them into the realm of benevolence and longevity. For this purpose, I had exhausted my heart and mind. Recently, due to declining health and illness, while living in seclusion in the countryside, I requested retirement. By imperial edict, I was granted permission to return home, receiving profound and generous imperial grace. With nothing else to do, I spent my days closing the door and reviewing medical texts, seeking appropriate methods for regulation and preservation, as well as prohibitions and precautions, to extend my lifespan and attain a ripe old age. However, the chapters were vast and numerous, and the discussions were verbose and redundant. It was difficult to find works that were concise in text yet detailed in content, brief in language yet accurate in meaning. One day, Gong Sheng, a hereditary physician from Jinxi, presented me with *Gujin Yijian* (Mirror of Medicine Through the Ages), saying: "This book was compiled by my father and Tingxian. We wish to have it printed and hope to obtain your esteemed words for the preface. Upon reading it, I found that its theories originate from Qihuang (Huangdi and Qibo), revere Cangong (Chunyu Yi) and Yueyue (Bian Que), and extend down to Liu Wansu, Zhang Yuansu, Li Dongyuan, and other famous doctors of successive dynasties. All refined and detailed discussions on pulse diagnosis and miraculous prescriptions have been collected and compiled. It begins with pulse diagnosis, follows with disease symptoms, and concludes with treatment formulas. It establishes a framework and is divided into sixteen volumes. Furthermore, [my father] traveled through the two capitals and various provinces, from Xuchang to Fugou. Secret records treasured by noble families were thoroughly searched and their essence extracted. After more than twenty years, the book was finally completed. This indeed looks back to the legacy of ancient sages to inherit their orthodox transmission; and closely draws upon the precise arguments of Confucian scholars to demonstrate established methods. Regarding what I previously said about being concise in text yet detailed in content, and brief in language yet accurate in meaning, apart from this book, where else could one find such? Naming it *Yijian* (Medical Mirror) is truly not false. Gong Sheng does not keep this book to himself but shares it with the world and future generations. Thus, those engaged in medicine can obtain and revere it, allowing them to examine the past to verify the present, and observe pulses to treat diseases. Like holding a mirror to reflect objects, they can awaken the confused and ignorant throughout the world. The people of the world will all become individuals who live in peace and die a natural death. Would not the merit be significant? I have also heard the ancient saying: 'The superior doctor treats the state; the inferior doctor treats the person.' It is also said: 'When successful, one becomes a good minister; when unsuccessful, one becomes a good doctor.' Gong Sheng applies this art to benefit the world, leading everyone into the realm of benevolence and longevity. The Holy Son of Heaven's virtue of cherishing life is already extensive. What need is there to distinguish between poverty and success, or between inferior and superior? Therefore, I write this to highlight his benevolent intention. Gong Sheng's name is Tingxian, courtesy name Zicai, pseudonym Yunlin, and he is from Jinxi, Jiangxi. His father, Xiyuan, named Xin, courtesy name Ruizhi. Both father and son practiced medicine extensively and successfully in the world. Written by Liu Ziqiang of Sanzhou, Fugou."