署卫生家言者。或曰方脉。或曰症治。犹四时错举。春秋其实各有义也。脉主内症。主外有一脉。而诸症同
者。此症得此脉则生。彼症得此脉不必生。有一症而诸脉异者。某症得。某脉则善。某症得。某脉未必善。有
脉症浅深不相应凶吉。或相反则主脉不主症者。什七主症不主脉者。什三此脉症之不可混也。治通一
症而言。方指专剂而言。有合数方治一症。名相反实相成者。有分一方治数十百症特殊。先后别轻重者
。有与闻施。治之规模而主方未善。厥效不克。臻有恪守百验之古方。而施治失宜。不惟无益。甚且有害者
此方治之主可混也。故余往往语。病家尤详于症。告学道人尤详于治。幸不河汉余言矣。澄水吴子冲孺
。暨从弟任弘深得医家三昧迹。其言论多与余同。而复时发余之所未逮。癸巳夏。冲孺尊人涵虚。公患癃
闭。余以是过从。欲见留信宿不可得。因索其曾大父春严公一编袖归读之。是所谓详于脉。不略于症。详
于方。不略于治者也。然其为幅仅二百余。未满十万言。于以 轩岐绎长沙河间主婺朱氏而 及诸家
庶几备矣。余以是勉。冲孺氏梓行之。以嘉惠来学故虽不能序其所以然。而亦不敢默也。则亦言其论
方。先论治者。以告于世而已。挑灯竟读越宿而序。既成终不待信而已。振手告别也。
癸巳六月后学程道衍敬通氏灯下拜题
撰写关于医家言论的人，有的称之为“方脉”，有的称之为“症治”。这就像四季交错列举一样，春秋各有其义理。脉象主要反映内在病症；主治外感病时有一种特定的脉象，而各种症状相同的情况下，此症见到这种脉象则预后良好（生），彼症见到这种脉象则不一定预后良好。有一种症状却对应多种不同的脉象，某症状见到某脉象则治疗效果好（善），某症状见到某脉象则效果未必好。脉象与症状在浅深层次上不相应，吉凶判断上或相反，这种情况下以脉象为主而不以症状为主的占十分之七；以症状为主而不以脉象为主的占十分之三。这就是脉与症不可混淆的原因。
“治”是针对通治某一类症状而言，“方”是指专门的药剂。有的合并几个方剂来治疗一种症状，名称相反但实际作用相辅相成；有的将一方分治数十上百种症状，根据特殊情况的先后顺序辨别轻重；有的虽然听闻并实施了治疗的规模框架，但主方选择不当，疗效未能达到预期；有的恪守百验有效的古方，但施治方法不当，不仅无益，甚至有害。这就是方与治不可混淆的原因。
所以我常常告诫病人要特别详细地了解症状，告诫学医之人要特别详细地了解治疗方法。希望不要把我的话当作空谈（河汉）。澄水的吴子冲孺，以及他的堂弟任弘，深得医家的精髓，他们的言论大多与我相同，并且时常发表我所未能顾及的观点。
癸巳年夏天，冲孺的父亲涵虚公患癃闭症，我因此去拜访他，想留宿一晚两晚却未能如愿。于是索取了他曾祖父春严公的一卷书袖带回阅读。这就是所谓“详于脉，不略于症；详于方，不略于治”的书。然而它的篇幅仅二百多页，未满十万字，借此可以推演黄帝、岐伯、张仲景（长沙）、刘完素（河间）及婺州朱氏等人的理论，并涉及各家学说，几乎完备了。我因此勉励冲孺将其刻印发行，以嘉惠后来的学者。所以虽然不能详尽解释其中的原理，也不敢保持沉默。于是只是陈述他论述方剂、先论述治疗的内容，以此告知世人。挑灯读完，过了一夜才写成序言。既已完成，最终也不等待书信往来，挥手告别。
癸巳六月，后学程道衍在灯下恭敬题写。
Those who write about medical theories may refer to them as "Fangmai" (Pulse and Formula) or "Zhengzhi" (Symptom and Treatment). This is akin to the enumeration of the four seasons; Spring and Autumn each have their own distinct principles. Pulse primarily reflects internal conditions. In treating external diseases, there is a specific pulse pattern; when various symptoms are identical, if this symptom presents with this pulse, the prognosis is favorable (Sheng), whereas if that symptom presents with this pulse, the prognosis is not necessarily favorable. There are cases where one symptom corresponds to multiple different pulses: if a certain symptom presents with a certain pulse, the outcome is good (Shan); if a certain symptom presents with a certain other pulse, the outcome may not be good. When the depth and superficiality of pulse and symptoms do not correspond, or when their indications for auspiciousness or inauspiciousness are contradictory, relying on the pulse rather than the symptom takes precedence in seventy percent (7/10) of cases, while relying on the symptom rather than the pulse accounts for thirty percent (3/10). This illustrates why pulse and symptoms must not be confused.
"Zhi" (Treatment) refers to general management applicable to a category of symptoms, whereas "Fang" (Formula) refers to a specific prescription. Some cases involve combining several formulas to treat one symptom, where the names appear opposite but the effects complement each other. Some involve using a single formula to treat dozens or hundreds of symptoms, distinguishing severity and sequence based on specific circumstances. Some practitioners may understand the general framework of treatment but choose an inappropriate primary formula, failing to achieve the desired efficacy. Others may rigidly adhere to ancient formulas known for hundred-percent efficacy but apply them inappropriately, resulting not only in no benefit but potentially causing harm. This illustrates why formulas and treatments must not be confused.
Therefore, I often advise patients to pay particular attention to their symptoms, and I advise students of medicine to pay particular attention to treatment methods. I hope my words will not be dismissed as empty talk (Hehan). Wu Chongru from Chengshui, along with his cousin Ren Hong, has deeply grasped the essence of medical practice. Their views largely align with mine, yet they frequently express insights that I had overlooked.
In the summer of the Guisi year, Mr. Hanxu, father of Chongru, suffered from Longbi (Dysuria/Retention of urine). I visited him with the intention of staying for two nights, but it was not possible. Consequently, I requested a volume by his great-grandfather, Chunyan Gong, which I took home to read. This book is what is meant by "detailed in pulse, not neglecting symptoms; detailed in formula, not neglecting treatment." However, its length is only over two hundred pages, falling short of one hundred thousand characters. Through it, one can deduce the theories of Huangdi (Yellow Emperor), Qibo, Zhang Zhongjing (Changsha), Liu Wansu (Hejian), and the Zhu family of Wuzhou, covering various schools of thought, making it nearly comprehensive. Encouraged by this, I urged Chongru to print and distribute it to benefit future scholars. Thus, although I cannot explain all the underlying reasons in detail, I dare not remain silent. I merely present his discussions on formulas, preceded by his discussions on treatment, to inform the world. Having finished reading by lamplight, I composed this preface the following night. Now that it is complete, I bid farewell without waiting for further correspondence.
Written respectfully under the lamp by the junior scholar Cheng Daoyan in the sixth month of the Guisi year.