儒以学术致平成，医以方术拯危困，其因应化裁、变动不居之妙，非楮墨之所得而传、竹素之所得而尽也，
惟自古无独抱一经之名儒，亦无株守一家之名医，则博学尚矣。然而载籍所流传，各矜心得，或引而不发，或
冗而鲜要，或偏僻以自是，或纯驳之不齐，百家腾跃，旨趣攸殊，苟非精识，曷由鉴别？余友王君孟英，绩学
士也。邃于医，其学弗泥于古，弗徇于今。余尝梓其治案以行世。今夏余过武林，孟英出其曾王父秉衡公
《重庆堂随笔》以相示。余敬读之，其着论也浏然以清，其烛理也洞然以明，上溯轩岐，下迄当代，咸抉摘搜
剔厘然，去其非而存其是。不禁拜手而叹曰∶有是哉！读书之不可无识也。公以醇儒之学发明医理，渊源如是，
宜孟英之囊括百氏，蔚然为一时宗匠也。余尝叹古今学术之升降与医术之盛衰，有至相似者。三代以前无论矣，
汉唐诸大儒抱残守缺，恪遵先圣之遗训，大之则修齐治平之术，小之则礼乐射御书数之文，靡不讲求焉。而心
知其故，虽穿凿附会间出其中，然其修之家而献之廷者，皆实学也。宋儒出而斥为粗迹，高谈性天，崇尚妙悟，
自谓得古圣不传之秘于遗编，而学术为之一变。然其博学笃行，固一时之彦也。降及后世，科目之学兴，其贤
者涉宋儒之藩篱以枵然而自大，其陋者剽袭词章以应世而已。学非所用，用非所学，一旦身撄事变，懵然无所
措手，任天下之鱼烂河决
而莫能救止，此志士所为太息也。惟医亦然。汉唐祖述轩岐，具有矩 ，至《和剂局方》出，纯任刚燥，而古
法一变。然因证施治之规，尚未敢紊也。丹溪、河间诸贤，犹起而力矫其弊也，至薛立斋、张景岳之说出，提
倡温补，天下翕然宗之，举古人审证察因之法概置勿论，而直以一补毕其事，遂令举世之人，甘心赴死而不知
其故。嗟夫！事变日益滋，学术日益陋，病机日益幻，医术日益卑。岂真劫运使然哉？何汶汶若此！余
谓苟能勤学，不患无术，研穷久则聪明出，阅历多则机智生。读公此编，真苦海之慈航、迷途之宝炬也。昔缪
仲醇作《广笔记》，尤在泾作《医学读书记》，徐洄溪作《医学源流论》，皆以高才绝学精研医理，故其权衡
精当，非复专门之书之所能及。以公方之，洵堪媲美。余于公之学，无能为役，然苦世医之不读书以祸世，与
不善读书以误世也，欲以公此编救之。谨僭述己意，弁诸简端，且以志钦慕无已之意云。
咸丰乙卯四月定州后学杨照藜顿首书
儒家通过学术实现太平治理，医生通过医术挽救危难困境，其中因应变化、裁量调整、变动不居的奥妙，不是笔墨纸砚所能完全传达、竹简史册所能详尽记载的。然而自古以来，没有独自抱守一部经典的著名儒者，也没有死守一家之说的著名医生，因此博学是至关重要的。然而书籍流传下来的内容，各自夸耀自己的心得，有的引而不发，有的冗长而缺乏要点，有的偏颇而自以为是，有的纯正与驳杂不齐，百家争鸣，主旨趣味各不相同，如果不是具有精深的见识，怎么能加以鉴别呢？我的朋友王孟英君，是一位绩优的学者。他精通医学，他的学问不拘泥于古代，也不盲从于当今。我曾经刊印他的治疗医案以流行于世。今年夏天我经过武林（杭州），孟英拿出他的曾祖父秉衡公的《重庆堂随笔》给我看。我恭敬地阅读它，他的论述清晰明朗，他对事理的洞察透彻明白，上追溯轩辕黄帝和岐伯，下直到当代，都抉摘搜剔得条理分明，去除错误的而保留正确的。我不禁拱手赞叹说：有这样的道理啊！读书不可以没有见识。公凭借醇厚的儒学来阐明医理，渊源如此深厚，难怪孟英能囊括百家，蔚然成为一时的宗师。我曾经感叹古今学术的升降与医术的盛衰，有非常相似的地方。三代以前就不必说了，汉唐各位大儒抱着残缺不全的知识，严格遵守先圣留下的训诫，大的方面则是修身齐家治国平天下的方法，小的方面则是礼乐射御书数六艺的文章，没有不讲究研究的。虽然心中知道其中的缘故，即使偶尔出现穿凿附会的解释，但他们在家修养并在朝廷进献的，都是实学。宋儒出来斥责这些为粗浅的痕迹，高谈性命天道，崇尚奇妙的领悟，自称在遗留的典籍中得到了古圣人不传的秘密，于是学术风气为之一变。然而他们的博学笃行，确实是当时的杰出人才。到了后世，科举考试兴起，那些贤能的人涉足宋儒的藩篱而空虚自大，那些浅陋的人剽窃辞章来应付世事罢了。所学的不是所用的，所用的不是所学的，一旦身体遭遇事变，茫然不知所措，任由天下像鱼腐烂、河水决堤一样崩溃而不能救止，这是有志之士为之叹息的原因。只有医学也是这样。汉唐时期效法轩辕黄帝和岐伯，具有规矩法度，直到《和剂局方》出现，纯粹任用刚燥的药物，于是古法发生了一变。然而根据病症施治的规则，还不敢扰乱。丹溪、河间等贤人，还起来极力纠正这种弊端，直到薛立斋、张景岳的学说出现，提倡温补，天下人一致尊崇他们，把古人审察证候探究病因的方法一概放置不论，而直接用一味补药来完成治疗，致使世上的百姓甘心赴死而不知道原因。唉！事变日益增多，学术日益浅陋，病机日益变幻莫测，医术日益低劣。难道真的是劫难使得这样吗？为什么如此糊涂昏昧呢！我认为如果能够勤奋学习，不愁没有技术，研究穷尽久了聪明就会显现，阅历多了机智就会产生。读公的这个篇章，真是苦海中的慈航、迷途中的宝炬。从前缪仲醇作《广笔记》，尤在泾作《医学读书记》，徐洄溪作《医学源流论》，都是以高超的才华和绝妙的学问精心研究医理，所以他们的权衡精准恰当，不再是专门之书所能比及的。拿公的作品与他们相比，确实可以媲美。我对公的学问，无能为力效劳，但是苦于世俗医生不读书而祸害世人，以及不善于读书而误导世人，想要用公的这个篇章来救治他们。谨冒昧陈述自己的心意，写在书的前面，并且以此表达无限钦慕的心意。咸丰乙卯年四月定州后学杨照藜叩首书写
Confucians achieve peace and order through scholarship, while physicians save lives from peril through medical arts. The subtlety of adapting to circumstances, making adjustments, and undergoing constant change cannot be fully conveyed by ink and paper, nor exhaustively recorded in bamboo slips or historical texts. Since ancient times, there has been no renowned Confucian who clung exclusively to a single classic, nor any distinguished physician who rigidly adhered to a single school; thus, broad learning is highly esteemed. However, the transmitted literature often boasts individual insights, sometimes leaving matters unresolved, being verbose yet lacking essential points, biased and self-righteous, or mixed with both pure and impure elements. With a hundred schools contending, their core intentions differ significantly. Without profound discernment, how can one distinguish truth from falsehood? My friend, Mr. Wang Mengying, is a scholar of outstanding merit. He is deeply versed in medicine, his learning neither dogmatic about the past nor blindly conforming to the present. I previously had his clinical cases printed for public circulation. This summer, while passing through Wulin (Hangzhou), Mengying showed me his great-grandfather Bingheng’s *Chongqing Tang Suibi* (Notes from Chongqing Hall). I read it with reverence: his arguments are clear and lucid, his insight into principles is penetrating and bright. Tracing back to Xuanyuan (Yellow Emperor) and Qibo, and reaching down to the contemporary era, he meticulously sifts through and clarifies matters, discarding errors and preserving truths. I could not help but bow my hands and sigh, saying, "Indeed! One must possess discernment when studying books." Gong elucidated medical principles through profound Confucian scholarship, with such deep roots that it is no wonder Mengying encompasses various schools and stands as a leading master of his time. I have often remarked that the rise and fall of scholarship and the prosperity and decline of medical arts in ancient and modern times are remarkably similar. Let us not speak of the Three Dynasties; the great Confucians of Han and Tang held onto fragmented knowledge, strictly following the legacy of former sages. In grand matters, they studied methods for self-cultivation, family regulation, state governance, and world peace; in minor matters, they investigated rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics. Although occasional forced interpretations appeared, what they cultivated at home and presented at court were all substantial learning. When Song Confucians emerged, they dismissed these as crude traces, engaging in high-minded talk of human nature and heaven, advocating mystical enlightenment, claiming to have discovered the secret teachings of ancient sages hidden in old texts, thereby transforming scholarly trends. Yet their broad learning and earnest practice made them outstanding figures of their age. Later, with the rise of imperial examinations, the virtuous entered the confines of Song Confucianism only to become arrogantly empty, while the vulgar plagiarized rhetoric to cope with worldly affairs. What they learned was not what they used, and what they used was not what they learned. Once faced with sudden events, they were bewildered and helpless, allowing the world to rot like fish and rivers to burst their banks without being able to stop it—this is what causes men of ambition to sigh deeply. Medicine is no different. Han and Tang dynasties followed the models of Xuanyuan and Qibo, possessing established rules. Until the publication of *Heji Jufang* (Formulas of the Imperial Medical Bureau), which relied purely on acrid and dry substances, ancient methods changed. Nevertheless, the principle of treating according to symptoms remained intact. Virtuosos such as Danxi and Hejian rose to vigorously correct these abuses. However, when the theories of Xue Lizhai and Zhang Jingyue emerged, promoting warm tonification, the world unanimously revered them. They disregarded the ancient methods of examining symptoms and investigating causes, relying solely on tonic treatments, causing people to willingly face death without understanding why. Alas! Events multiply daily, scholarship becomes shallower, disease mechanisms grow more deceptive, and medical arts degrade. Is this truly due to inevitable calamities? Why are we so muddled? I believe that if one studies diligently, one need not worry about lacking skills; prolonged research brings forth intelligence, and extensive experience generates wisdom. Reading Gong’s work is indeed like a compassionate boat in the sea of suffering or a precious torch in a lost path. Previously, Miu Zhongchun wrote *Guang Biji* (Extended Notes), You Zaijing wrote *Yixue Dujilu* (Records of Reading Medical Books), and Xu Huixi wrote *Yixue Yuanliulun* (Discussions on the Origins of Medicine). All utilized superior talent and extraordinary learning to meticulously study medical principles, achieving precise judgment beyond the reach of specialized texts. Compared with Gong’s work, theirs are truly comparable. Though I am incapable of serving Gong’s scholarship, I lament that worldly physicians harm society by not reading, and mislead society by reading poorly. I wish to use this book to remedy these issues. I respectfully state my views here, placing them at the beginning, to express my endless admiration. Written with bowed head by Yang Zhaoli, junior scholar from Dingzhou, in the fourth month of the Yimao year of Xianfeng.