疾病为生死相关，一或有误，追悔无及。故延医治病，乃以性命相托也，何可不加意慎择！如无的确
可信之人，宁可不服药以待命。乃世人独忽于此，惟以耳为目，不考其实学何如？治效何若？闻人称说，
即延请施治，服药无效，毫不转念，甚而日重一日，惟咎已病之难痊，不咎医者之贻误。孰知药果中病，
即不能速愈，必无不见效之理，不但服后奏功，当服时已有可征者。如热病服凉药，寒病服热药之类，
闻其气已馨香可爱，入于口即和顺安适；如不中病之药，即闻其气已厌恶，入于腹必懊 。《内经》云临病
人问所便，此真诀也。今人则信任一人，即至死不悔，其故莫解，想必冥冥之中，有定数也。又有与此相反
者，偶听人言，即求一试，药未尽剂，又易一医，或一日而请数人，各自立说，茫无主张。此时即有高明之人，
岂能违众力争，以遭谤忌，亦惟随人唯诺而已。要知病之传变，各有定期，方之更换，各有次第，药石乱
投，终归不治，二者事异而害同。惟能不务虚名，专求实效，审察精详，见机明决，庶几不以性命为儿戏矣！
古圣设立方药，专以治病，凡中病而效者，即为秘方，并无别有奇药也。若无病而服药，久则必有偏
胜之害，或有气血衰弱，借药滋补，亦必择和平纯粹之品，审体气之所偏而稍为资助。如世所为秘方奇术、
大热大补之剂，乃昔人所造以欺人者，无不伤生。更有一等怪方，乃富贵人贿医所造者。余曾遇一贵公子，
向余求长生方，余应之曰∶公试觅一长生之人示我，我乃能造长生之方；若长生者无一人，则天下无长生
之方矣。其人有愠色。是时适有老医在其家，因复向老医求得之。乃傲余曰∶长生方某先生已与我矣，公
何独吝也？余视其方，乃聚天下血肉温补之药，故难其制法，使耳目一新者。余私谓老医曰∶先生之长生
方，从何传授？老医曰∶子无见哂，子非入世行道之人耳！凡富贵之人，何求不得，惟惧不能长生纵欲耳，
故每遇名医，必求此方，若长生方不知。何以得行其道？我非有意欺彼，其如欲应酬于世，自不得不然耳！
后果得浓酬。余因知天下所传秘方，皆此类也。此即文成五利之余术，万勿以为真可以长生也，速死则
有之耳！识此，以醒世之求长生而觅秘方者。
疾病关乎生死，一旦治疗有误，后悔也来不及了。因此，聘请医生治病，是把性命托付给人，怎么能不慎重选择呢！如果没有确实可信的人，宁可不服药而听天由命。然而世人偏偏忽视这一点，只听信别人的话而不考察医生的实际学识如何、治疗效果怎样？听到别人称赞，就立即聘请来施治，服药后无效，也不加思考，甚至病情一天比一天加重，只责怪已经患上的病难以痊愈，却不责怪医生贻误病情。哪里知道如果药物果然对症，即使不能迅速痊愈，也一定有见效的道理，不仅服药后能奏效，在服药时就有可以验证的迹象。比如热病服用凉药，寒病服用热药等，闻到药气已经馨香可爱，入口即感到和顺安适；如果不中病的药物，一闻到气味就令人厌恶，进入腹中必然感到烦闷懊恼。《黄帝内经》说：“面对病人要询问其舒适之处”，这是真正的诀窍。现在的人信任一个医生，即使到死也不悔改，其中的原因无法理解，想必是冥冥之中有定数吧。又有与此相反的情况，偶然听人传言，就请求尝试，药还没服完，又换另一个医生，或者一天请好几个医生，各自提出不同的说法，茫然没有主见。此时即使有高明的医生，难道能违背众人的意见力争，从而招致诽谤嫉妒吗？也只能随声附和罢了。要知道疾病的传变，各有固定的规律，方剂的更换，各有先后次序，药物胡乱投用，最终归于不治，这两件事虽然不同，但危害是一样的。只有那些不追求虚名，专门寻求实效，审查观察精细详细，见到时机明断坚决的人，才差不多不会把性命当作儿戏啊！
古代圣人设立方药，专门用来治病，凡是能够对症且有效的，就是秘方，并没有另外什么奇异的药物。如果没有生病却服药，时间久了必定有偏胜的危害，或者气血衰弱，借助药物滋补，也必须选择平和纯粹的药材，审视体气的偏颇而稍微加以资助。像世间所谓的秘方奇术、大热大补的药剂，都是过去的人制造出来欺骗人的，无不伤害生命。更有一类怪异的方子，是富贵人贿赂医生所制造的。我曾经遇到一位贵公子，向我求取长生方，我回答说：“您试着找一个长生的人指给我看，我才能造出长生的方子；如果世上没有一个人长生，那么天下就没有长生的方子了。”那人脸上露出不悦的神色。当时恰好有一位老医生在他家，于是他又向老医生求取了那个方子。便傲慢地对我说：“长生方某先生已经给我了，您为什么独自吝啬呢？”我看那个方子，乃是聚集天下血肉温补的药物，所以难以制作成法，使耳目一新。我私下对老医生说：“先生的长生方，是从哪里传授来的？”老医生说：“你不要见笑，你不是入世行道的人啊！凡是富贵之人，有什么求不到的，只是害怕不能长生纵欲罢了，所以每次遇到名医，必定求这个方子，如果不知道长生方，凭什么行其道？我并非有意欺骗他们，只是应酬于世，自然不得不这样啊！”后来果然得到了丰厚的酬谢。我因此知道天下所传的秘方，都是这一类。这就是汉代文成将军、五利将军遗留下来的余术，千万不要以为真的可以长生，只会加速死亡罢了！记下这些，以唤醒世上那些追求长生而寻觅秘方的人。
Diseases are related to life and death; if there is even a slight error in treatment, it will be too late to regret. Therefore, engaging a physician to treat illness is entrusting one's life and death to them; how can one not exercise extreme caution in selection! If there is no person who is truly trustworthy, it is better to refrain from taking medicine and leave it to fate. Yet people of the world neglect this aspect, relying solely on hearsay without investigating the physician's actual academic background or therapeutic efficacy. Upon hearing others' praise, they immediately engage the physician for treatment. When the medicine proves ineffective, they do not reflect at all; instead, the condition worsens day by day. They blame the difficulty of curing the existing disease but do not blame the physician for causing delays or errors. Who knows that if the medicine indeed targets the disease (Zhong Bing), although rapid recovery may not occur, there must inevitably be some signs of improvement. Not only does it produce results after administration, but there are indications even during the intake. For instance, when treating heat diseases with cooling medicines or cold diseases with warming medicines, one finds the aroma pleasant and appealing, and upon entering the mouth, it feels harmonious and comfortable. Conversely, if the medicine does not target the disease, its smell becomes repulsive, and once ingested, it causes internal restlessness and discomfort. The *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) states: "When facing a patient, inquire about what brings them comfort." This is a true principle. Nowadays, people trust a single physician and remain unrepentant until death; the reason is inexplicable, perhaps due to predestined factors in the unseen realm. There is also the opposite scenario: upon hearing casual remarks, one requests a trial; before the prescribed dose is finished, another physician is consulted. Sometimes several physicians are engaged in a single day, each presenting different theories, leading to confusion and lack of direction. At such times, even a highly skilled physician cannot argue against the majority to avoid slander and jealousy, and thus merely agrees with others. It must be understood that the progression and transformation of diseases follow specific timelines, and the replacement of prescriptions follows a certain sequence. Randomly administering drugs ultimately leads to untreatable conditions. Although these two situations differ in nature, their harmful consequences are identical. Only those who do not pursue empty fame but seek practical effects, who examine and observe with precision and clarity, and who make decisive judgments based on circumstances, can be said to treat life and death not as a game.
The ancient sages established formulas and medicines specifically for treating diseases. Any formula that effectively targets the disease is considered a secret prescription; there are no other miraculous drugs. Taking medicine when not ill will eventually cause harm due to excessive bias or imbalance. If one needs tonification due to weak Qi and Blood, one must select mild and pure substances, assessing the body's constitutional biases and providing slight support. Formulas marketed as secret prescriptions or miraculous techniques, especially those that are extremely hot or strongly tonifying, were fabricated by past individuals to deceive people and invariably harm life. Furthermore, there are bizarre prescriptions created through bribery by wealthy individuals. I once encountered a noble young man who sought a longevity formula from me. I replied, "Try to find someone who has achieved longevity and show them to me, then I can create a longevity formula. If no one achieves longevity, then no such formula exists in the world." He showed displeasure. At that time, an old physician happened to be in his household, so he obtained the formula from him. He arrogantly told me, "Mr. [Name] has already given me the longevity formula; why are you being stingy?" I examined the formula and found it consisted of gathering various blood-tonifying and warming herbs from across the country, making the preparation method complex to impress the senses. I privately asked the old physician, "From whom did you learn this longevity formula?" The old physician said, "Do not laugh at me. You are not one who engages in worldly affairs. What can the wealthy not obtain? They only fear losing longevity while indulging their desires. Thus, whenever they meet a famous physician, they demand this formula. If I do not know it, how can I practice my profession? I did not intend to deceive them; it is simply necessary to accommodate societal expectations." Eventually, he received substantial remuneration. From this, I realized that all secret prescriptions circulated in the world belong to this category. These are merely the remnants of the practices of the Marquis of Wen Cheng and Wuli during the Han Dynasty. One must never believe they can truly grant longevity; rather, they accelerate death. I record this to awaken those in the world who seek longevity by hunting for secret prescriptions.