Preface to the Inner Canon

original: Neijing Xu (內經序). The Inner Canon refers to the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), the fundamental doctrinal source for Chinese medicine for over two millennia.

Common practitioners original: suyi (俗醫); refers to doctors who practice by rote or for profit without understanding the deeper principles of the classical texts. are not true physicians, for the writings of the ancient sages possess a profound significance that is almost impossible to reach. Yet, if one can synthesize these teachings and achieve a state of divine clarity, it will bring blessings not only to our own land original: Zhongtu (中土); "Middle Land," a historical name for China., but will also allow people of distant regions and different races to all nourish their lives 養生 (yangsheng): the traditional practice of cultivating health, balance, and longevity through lifestyle and medicine and live out their full natural years. They shall remain free from the afflictions of premature death and the misery of chronic, wasting diseases. It is only then that we realize that among all things which benefit humanity, nothing is greater or more widely applicable than this work. Therefore, the investigation and clarification of ancient books is a task of the utmost priority.