始予奉亲携幼，来官泉江，未入境，首问邑有良医师乎？又问市有佳药肆乎？或对以医固不
乏人，而庸庸者实多，药肆仅一二数，然稍贵细者则缺焉。予谓∶二者，老幼所根据以为命也，今顾
若此，其奈之何哉！或曰∶邑有李嗣立廷评者，广收方书，多蓄药味，有问方者必告，有求药者必
与，了无吝色厌心。予固私窃庆幸。时方至旅见，亦未暇询及也。久之，嗣立来请问（一作间），
与之款语，见其持心近浓，非爱人利物之言不谈。叩以《难》、《素》、《脉诀》、《病源》等书，其应答
如流。厥后家人子或有病，疏方惠药虽数，不惮烦。三年间，不医之求而唯嗣立之谒。一日，嗣
立出示一编曰∶此治背疮方也。今人例以此为恶疾，悉付之外科而邈，不加之意，不知治疗之失
宜，盖未有能得全其生者！某于此究心有年，所活甚众，君能捐二、三万钱，刻板流存，不犹愈于
刊他书乎？予且图之。会有黄冠师曰∶刘道渊者，主邑之太霄观，忽得此疾，刘素号晓方脉，得嗣
立之书而敬信之，凡服药次第，悉案书以从事，不两月，遂获安。予益信其书之有验，乃为之序其
首。嗣立名迅，以儒传家，父兄相继收科，子弟亦登名贤书，乡评翕然推重。予与其兄嗣宗尝同
校长沙试，契分为不薄，又有针、膏起废之功，故乐为之成其志云。
郭应祥序
起初，我奉养双亲、携带幼子，来到泉江做官。尚未进入县境，首先询问该县是否有优秀的医生？又问集市上是否有好的药店？有人回答说：医生固然不缺，但平庸者确实很多；药店仅有一两家，然而稍微精细贵重的药材则完全缺失。我认为：这两者，是老人和儿童赖以生存的根本，如今竟然如此，对此能怎么办呢！有人说：县里有位名叫李嗣立的廷评（官职名），广泛收集医方书籍，大量储备药材，凡是有来求取药方的必定告知，有来请求药物的必定给予，完全没有吝啬或厌烦的神色。我私下里为此感到庆幸。当时我刚到旅馆安顿下来，也来不及去打听询问了。过了很久，李嗣立前来请教（一说为问候），与他亲切交谈，发现他心地淳厚，不谈那些爱人利物的言论。拿《难经》、《素问》、《脉诀》、《诸病源候论》等书向他请教，他的回答如流水般顺畅。此后，家中子女若有生病，他开具药方赠送药物虽然次数繁多，也不嫌麻烦。三年间，不寻求其他医生的诊治，只拜见李嗣立。一天，李嗣立拿出一部书稿说：这是治疗背疮的方子。现在的人通常把它当作恶疾，全都推给外科医生而疏远它，不加在意，不知道治疗失当，大概没有能够保全性命的！我对此研究用心多年，救活的人很多，您若能捐出二、三万钱，刻板印刷流传保存，这不比刊印其他书籍更好吗？我将筹划此事。恰逢一位道士叫刘道渊，主持本县的太霄观，忽然得了这种病，刘道渊向来号称精通方脉，得到李嗣立的这本书后敬重并相信它，凡是服药的顺序，都依据书中的记载来执行，不到两个月，于是获得安康。我更加相信这本书确有疗效，于是为它写了序言放在开头。李嗣立名迅，以儒学传家，父亲和兄长相继考中进士，子弟也登录于贤士名录，乡里的评价一致推崇尊重。我曾与他的哥哥李嗣宗一起在长沙参加校试，情谊深厚，他又具备针灸、膏药治愈废疾的功效，所以乐于帮助他实现这一志向。
郭应祥 作序
In the beginning, I accompanied my parents and brought up my young children to serve as an official in Quanjiang. Before entering the county borders, my first inquiry was whether there were any excellent physicians in the county? I also asked if there were good pharmacies in the market. The response was that while physicians were not lacking, the mediocre ones were indeed numerous; there were only one or two pharmacies, yet they lacked even slightly finer and more expensive medicinal materials. I remarked: "These two aspects are the foundation upon which the lives of the elderly and the young depend. How can we accept such a situation?" Someone said: "There is a Tingping (an official title) named Li Sili in this county who has extensively collected medical texts and stored a large quantity of medicinal ingredients. He invariably provides prescriptions to those who ask for them and supplies medicines to those who request them, showing no sign of stinginess or weariness. I privately rejoiced at this. At that time, I had just settled into my lodging and did not have the leisure to inquire further. After a long while, Li Sili came to pay his respects (or to greet me). During our cordial conversation, I observed that his mindset was sincere and profound, and he would not discuss anything other than words of loving others and benefiting all things. When I questioned him on classics such as *Nanjing* (Classic of Difficult Issues), *Suwen* (Basic Questions), *Maijue* (Pulse Secrets), and *Bingyuan* (Source of Diseases), his responses flowed smoothly. Subsequently, whenever a member of my family fell ill, he prescribed formulas and gifted medicines frequently without tiring of the effort. For three years, I sought no other physicians but visited only Li Sili. One day, Li Sili presented a manuscript to me, saying: 'This is a collection of formulas for treating back sores (Back Carbuncle). People today generally regard this as a malignant disease, entrusting it entirely to surgeons with disdain, paying it little attention. Due to inappropriate treatment, few manage to survive. I have devoted myself to studying this for many years and have saved many lives. If you could donate twenty or thirty thousand coins to have this woodblock printed and circulated, would it not be better than publishing other books?' I planned to do so. Coincidentally, a Daoist priest named Liu Daoyuan, who presided over the Tiaoxiao Temple in the county, suddenly contracted this disease. Liu was previously known for his proficiency in pulse diagnosis and prescriptions. Upon receiving Li Sili's book, he respected and trusted it. He followed the medication sequence detailed in the book precisely. Within less than two months, he recovered completely. This further convinced me of the efficacy of this book, so I wrote this preface to introduce it. Li Sili, whose given name was Xun, came from a family that transmitted Confucian learning. His father and elder brother had successively passed the imperial examinations, and his younger relatives were also listed among the sages. The local community unanimously praised and respected him. I once took the provincial examination together with his elder brother, Si Zong, and we shared a deep bond. Furthermore, he possessed the skill of using acupuncture and plasters to cure debilitating conditions. Therefore, I was pleased to help him realize his aspiration."
Preface by Guo Yingxiang