Supplement to the Compendium of Materia Medica: General Rules

General Rules

一 This work was produced specifically to "pick up" what Master Li original: "Li Shi" (李氏), referring to Li Shizhen (1518–1593), the author of the original Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu). omitted. For those items already recorded in the Compendium, if the therapeutic treatments are incomplete or the details regarding the roots and fruits are not fully explained, I have nevertheless provided supplements for them.

一 Medicinal catalogs naturally possess a specific sequence. While the classification system in the Compendium is necessarily elaborate, I have generally adopted a more simplified approach as the rule for this work.

一 In the use of medicine, one should prioritize convenience and accessibility; why then focus on rare and precious items? However, within the vastness of heaven and earth, wonders and divine rarities exist everywhere. If one were to encounter such an object but be unable to name it, would it not be better to have its descriptions prepared so that it might still be researched? I have recorded these items to assist naturalists original: "bowu zhe" (博物者), scholars who study the wide variety of plants, animals, and minerals in the natural world. in their studies.

一 Although my humble collection focuses on a broad gathering of materials, the selection and recording process has been exceptionally cautious. Some entries were sourced from historical records and local gazetteers original: "fangzhi" (方志), official records detailing the geography, history, and local products of specific regions or districts.; others were obtained from contemporary physicians and esteemed predecessors. I have only included them after verifying their proven efficacy.