昔神农尝百草之滋味，以救万民之疾苦，后世师祖，由是本草之学兴焉。汉魏以来，名
医相继，传其书者，则有吴普、李当之《药录》，陶隐居、苏恭等注解。国初两诏近臣，总
领上医兼集诸家之说，则有《开宝重定本草》，其言药之良毒，性之寒温，味之甘苦，可谓
备且详矣。然而五方物产，风气异宜，名类既多，赝伪难别，以蛇床当蘼芜，以荠 乱人参，
古人犹且患之，况今医师所用，皆出于市贾，市贾所得，盖自山野之人，随时采获，无复究
其所从来，以此为疗，欲其中病，不亦远乎？昔唐永徽中，删定本草之外，复有图经相辅而
行，图以载其形色，经以释其同异，而明皇御制，又有《天宝单方药图》，皆所以叙物真滥
，使人易知，原诊处方，有所依据。二书失传且久，散落殆尽，虽鸿都秘府，亦无其本。天
宝方书，但存一卷，类例粗见，本末可寻。宜乎圣君哲辅，留意于搜辑也。先是诏命儒臣，
重校神农本草等凡八书。光禄卿直秘阁臣禹锡、尚书祠部郎中秘阁校理臣亿、太常博士集贤
校理臣颂、殿中丞臣检、光禄寺丞臣保衡，相次被选，仍领医官秦宗古、朱有章等，编绎累
年，既而《补注本草》成书，奏御。又诏天下郡县图上所产药本，用永徽故事，重命编述。
臣禹锡以谓考正群书，资众见，则其功易就，论著文本，出异手，则其体不一，今天下所
绘事千名，其解说物类，皆据世医之所闻见，事有详略，言多鄙俚，向非专一，整比缘饰以
文，则前后不伦，披寻难晓；乃以臣颂向尝刻意此书，于是建言奏请，俾专撰述。臣颂既被
旨，则裒集众说，类聚诠次，粗有条目。其间玉石金土之名，草木虫鱼之别，有一物而杂出
诸郡者，有同名而形类全别者，则参用古今之说，互相发明，其 梗之细大，华实之荣落，
虽与旧说相戾，并兼存之。崖略不备，则稍援旧注，以足成文意，注又不足，乃更旁引经
、史及方书、小说，以条悉其本原。若陆英为蒴 花，则据《尔雅》之训以言之；诸香同本
，则用《岭表录异》以证之之类是也。生出郡县，则以《本经》为先，今时所宜次之。若菟
丝生于朝鲜，今则出于冤句，奚毒生于少室，今乃来自三蜀之类是也。收采时月有不同者，
亦两存其说。若赤箭，《本经》但着采根，今乃并取茎、苗之类是也。生于外夷者，则据今
传闻，或用书传所载。若玉屑、玉泉，今人但云玉出于于阗，不究所得之因，乃用平居诲《
行程记》为质之类是也。药有上、中、下品，皆用《本经》为次第。其性类相近，而人未的
识，或出于远方，莫能形似者，但于前条附之。若溲疏附于枸杞，琥珀附于茯苓之类是也。
又古方书所载，简而要者，昔人已述其明验，今世亦常用之，及今诸郡医工所陈经效之药，
皆并载其方用，天宝之例也。自余书传所无，今医又不能解，则不敢以臆说浅见附会其文，
故但阙而不录。又有今医所用，而旧经不载者，并以类次系于末卷，曰本经外类。其间功用
尤着，与旧名附近者，则次于逐条载之。若通脱次于木通，石蛇次于石蟹之类是也。总二十
卷，目录一卷。撰次甫就，将备亲览。恭惟主上以至仁浓德，函养生类，一物失所，则为之
恻然。且谓札瘥荐臻，四时代有救恤之惠，无先医术，蚤岁屡敕近臣，雠校歧黄《内经》，
重定针艾俞穴，或范金揭石，或镂板联编。悯南方蛊惑之妖，于是作《庆历善救方》以赐之
；思下民资用之阙，于是作《简要济众方》以示之。今复广药谱之未备，图地产之所宜，物
色万殊，指掌斯见，将使合和者得十全之效，饮饵者无未达之疑，纳斯民于寿康，召和气于
穷壤，太平之致，兹有助焉。臣学不该通，职预编述，仰奉宸旨，深愧寡闻。
嘉 六年九月
日，朝奉郎太常博士、充集贤校理、新差知 州军州、兼管内劝农及管句开治沟洫河道
事、骑都尉借紫臣苏颂谨上。\x
从前神农品尝百草的滋味，用来拯救百姓的疾病痛苦，后世以他为祖师，因此本草之学兴起。从汉魏以来，名医相继出现，传承他们著作的，有吴普、李当之的《药录》，陶弘景、苏恭等人的注解。建国初期两次下诏让近臣统领太医并汇集各家学说，编成了《开宝重定本草》，书中论述药物的良毒、性味的寒温甘苦，可以说详尽完备了。然而各地物产不同，气候适宜各异，药物名目繁多，真假难以辨别，用蛇床子冒充蘼芜，用荠菜混淆人参，古人尚且为此担忧，何况现在医师所用的药材都出自商人，商人所得药材又来自山野之人，随季节采集收获，不再追究来源，以此治病，想要切中病情，不是相差很远吗？过去唐永徽年间，在删定本草之外，又有图经相辅而行，图籍记载药物的形状颜色，经文解释其异同，而唐玄宗亲自撰写《天宝单方药图》，都是用来叙述药物的真伪，使人容易知晓，诊断处方有所依据。这两本书失传已久，散落殆尽，即使皇家秘府也没有原本。天宝方书仅存一卷，类别体例大致可见，本末可以寻查。应当由圣明的君主和哲辅留意搜集整理。此前下诏命令儒臣重新校订神农本草等共八种书籍。光禄卿直秘阁臣禹锡、尚书祠部郎中秘阁校理臣亿、太常博士集贤校理臣颂、殿中丞臣检、光禄寺丞臣保衡，相继被选拔，并带领医官秦宗古、朱有章等人，编纂多年，随后《补注本草》成书，进呈皇帝。又下诏天下各郡县绘制所产药物图谱，沿用永徽旧例，重新命人编撰。臣禹锡认为考正群书，依靠众人见识，则功效容易达成；论著文本，出自不同人手，则体例不统一，如今天下所绘事物千种，解说物类，都依据世医的见闻，事情有详略，言辞多鄙俗，如果不是专人统一整理修饰文采，则前后不伦次，翻阅难懂；于是建议由臣苏颂向来刻意钻研此书，因此上奏请求，让臣专门负责撰述。臣苏颂接受旨意后，便收集众说，分类聚拢编排，大致有条目。其中玉石金土的名目，草木虫鱼的分别，有一种药物分散出现在各郡的，有同名但形状类别完全不同的，便参用古今说法，互相阐明，其茎梗粗细大小，花实荣枯，虽然与旧说相违背，一并保存。大略不完备，则稍引用旧注，以补足文意，旧注也不足，便再旁引经典、史书及方书、小说，以详细探究本源。比如陆英就是蒴藋的花，就依据《尔雅》的解释来说明；各种香料同出一源，就用《岭表录异》来证明，等等。出产郡县，以《神农本草经》为先，当今时宜次之。比如菟丝子产于朝鲜，现在却产于冤句，奚毒产于少室山，现在却来自三蜀，等等。采收时节有不同说法的，也两存其说。比如赤箭，《神农本草经》只记载采根，现在却连茎、苗一起采收，等等。产于外国的，就依据当今传闻，或用书传记载。比如玉屑、玉泉，今人只说玉出于于阗，不探究来源原因，便用平居诲《行程记》作为佐证，等等。药物分上、中、下三品，都按《神农本草经》为次序。其性质相近，但人们不能确切识别，或产于远方，无法比拟形状的，就在前一条附载。比如溲疏附于枸杞，琥珀附于茯苓，等等。又有古方书记载，简练而重要的，前人已经陈述其明显疗效，今世也常用，以及当今各郡医工陈述的经过验证有效的药物，都一并记载其方剂用法，这是遵循天宝旧例。其余书传没有记载，当今医生又不能解释的，不敢以主观浅见附会文中，所以只是空缺不录。又有当今医生所用，而旧经未记载的，都以类次系于末卷，称为本经外类。其中功用特别显著，与旧名相近的，就依次在各条下列出。比如通脱木次于木通，石蛇次于石蟹，等等。总共二十卷，目录一卷。编撰刚完成，准备供皇上亲览。恭敬地想皇上以至仁厚德，包容养生之物，一物不得其所，就为之悲伤。并且认为疫病流行，四季都有救济恩惠，没有比医术更重要的，早年多次敕令近臣，校勘歧伯黄帝《内经》，重新定针灸穴位，有的铸铜刻石，有的雕版连编。怜悯南方蛊惑之妖，于是作《庆历善救方》赐给他们；思虑百姓资用缺乏，于是作《简要济众方》示给他们。现在又扩充药谱未备之处，图示地产适宜之物，万物色彩殊异，指掌间即可看见，将使调和药物者得十全疗效，服用者无未达疑惑，使百姓归于寿康，在穷困之地召来和气，太平的成就，这里也有帮助。臣学识不通，职参与编撰，仰奉皇命，深愧寡闻。
嘉祐六年九月日，朝奉郎太常博士、充集贤校理、新差知某州军州事、兼管内劝农及管句开治沟洫河道事、骑都尉借紫臣苏颂谨上。
In ancient times, Shennong (Divine Farmer) tasted the flavors of hundreds of herbs to save the people from diseases and hardships. Later generations took him as their ancestor, and thus the study of Materia Medica (Bencao) arose. Since the Han and Wei dynasties, famous physicians succeeded one another; those who transmitted their works included Wu Pu and Li Dangzhi with their *Yao Lu* (Record of Medicinals), and Tao Hongjing and Su Gong with their annotations. At the beginning of our dynasty, two imperial edicts ordered close ministers to lead chief physicians and compile theories from various schools, resulting in the *Kaibao Revised Materia Medica*. Its discussions on the efficacy and toxicity of drugs, their cold and warm natures, and sweet and bitter tastes were indeed comprehensive and detailed. However, products vary by region, and climatic conditions differ; drug names are numerous, making it difficult to distinguish authentic from counterfeit ones. Using *Cnidii Fructus* (Shechuangzi) instead of *Angelicae Dahuricae Radix* (Miwu), or confusing *Capsellae Fructus* (Jicai) with *Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma* (Renshen), was a concern even for ancients. How much more so now, when physicians' supplies come from merchants, whose sources are mountain dwellers gathering seasonally without investigating origins? To treat illnesses with such materials and expect them to hit the mark is surely far off.
During the Yonghui era of the Tang Dynasty, besides revising the Materia Medica, an illustrated manual (*Tujing*) was produced alongside it. The illustrations recorded shapes and colors, while the text explained similarities and differences. Emperor Xuanzong personally authored the *Tianbao Single Prescriptions Drug Illustrations*. Both served to clarify true versus fake substances, aiding diagnosis and prescription. These two books have been lost for a long time, scattered almost entirely; even the imperial secret library lacks originals. Only one volume of the Tianbao prescriptions remains, showing rough categories and traceable details. It is fitting that wise rulers and ministers pay attention to collecting and compiling these texts. Previously, an edict ordered Confucian scholars to re-collate eight books including the *Shennong Bencao Jing*. Officials including Yu Xi, Yi, Song, Jian, and Baoheng were selected successively, along with medical officers Qin Zonggu and Zhu Youzhang. After years of compilation, the *Supplemented and Annotated Materia Medica* (*Buzhu Bencao*) was completed and presented to the throne. Another edict commanded all prefectures and counties to submit drawings of local medicinal plants, following the Yonghui precedent, to restart compilation.
Official Yu Xi argued that correcting books relies on collective knowledge for efficiency, but varying authors produce inconsistent styles. With thousands of items depicted today, explanations based on physicians' observations varied in detail and often used vulgar language. Without dedicated editing and literary refinement, the work would be disjointed and hard to read. Therefore, he proposed that I, Su Song, having previously studied this subject intensively, should take charge of the writing. Upon receiving the decree, I collected various accounts, categorized and arranged them, establishing basic structure. For minerals like jade, stone, metal, and earth, and biological distinctions among plants, trees, insects, and fish: where one substance appeared in multiple commanderies, or where identical names referred to completely different forms, I consulted both ancient and modern theories to illuminate each other. Regarding stem thickness, flower blooming, and fruit ripening, even if contradicting old records, I preserved them all. Where summaries were incomplete, I supplemented them with old annotations; if those were insufficient, I drew from classics, histories, medical formulas, and novels to trace origins. For instance, identifying *Achyranthis Bidentatae Caulis* (Luying) as the flower of *Achyranthes bidentata* (*Shuodai*), I cited the *Erya*; regarding aromatic herbs sharing roots, I used the *Lingbiao Luyi* for verification.
For production locations, priority was given to the *Shennong Bencao Jing*, followed by current sources. For example, *Cuscutae Semen* (Tusizi) originally from Chaoxian is now found in Yuanju; *Xidu* from Shaoshi Mountain now comes from San Shu. When harvesting times differed, both views were kept. For *Atractylodis Rhizoma* (Chijian), the *Bencao Jing* mentioned only root collection, whereas now stems and leaves are also gathered. For foreign imports, current rumors or written records were used. For Jade Chips (*Yuxie*) and Jade Spring (*Yuquan*), since people only know they come from Khotan without knowing why, I used Ping Juhui's *Travel Records* as evidence. Drugs were classified into Upper, Middle, and Lower grades according to the *Bencao Jing*. Substances with similar properties but indistinguishable forms, or those from distant regions, were appended to previous entries (e.g., *Dipsaci Radix* (Soushu) attached to *Lycii Cortex* (Gouqi); *Amber* (Hupo) attached to *Poria* (Fuling)).
Prescriptions from ancient texts that were concise, effective, and still in use, as well as effective drugs reported by local physicians, were recorded with their formulas, following the Tianbao example. Items not found in texts and unknown to current doctors were omitted rather than speculated upon. New drugs used by physicians but absent from old canons were added at the end under "External Categories of the Original Canon." Prominent new drugs near old names were listed sequentially (e.g., *Akebiae Caulis* (Tongtuo) after *Akebiae Caulis* (Mutong); *Shishe* after *Shixie*). The work totals twenty volumes plus one volume of contents. Upon completion, it was prepared for imperial inspection.
We reverently consider that Your Majesty, possessing supreme benevolence and virtue, cares for all living things; if any creature suffers, You feel sorrow. You recognize that epidemics occur in every season, requiring relief measures, with medicine being paramount. In your early years, you frequently ordered ministers to collate the *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), redefine acupuncture points, and create bronze statues or woodblock prints. Pitying the harmful sorcery in the South, you issued the *Qingli Shanjiu Fang* (Good Rescue Formulas of Qingli). Concerned about the lack of resources for the common people, you issued the *Jianyao Jizhong Fang* (Simple and Effective Formulas for Saving the Masses). Now, you further expand the incomplete pharmacopoeia and illustrate local products. With diverse substances visible at a glance, harmonizers will achieve perfect cures, and consumers will have no doubts. This brings people to health and longevity, summons harmony to remote lands, and aids the attainment of peace. My learning is limited, yet I participated in this compilation. Receiving the imperial mandate, I deeply regret my ignorance.
On the [Day] of the Ninth Month, in the Sixth Year of Jiayou, Su Song, Gentleman of Chao Feng, Doctor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Compiler at the Library of Worthies, Newly Appointed Prefect of [Prefecture Name], Supervisor of Agriculture within the jurisdiction, Manager of Ditch and Canal Construction, Cavalry General, Borrowed Purple Robe, respectfully submits this.