The Jinling edition of Bencao Gangmu（ Compendium of Materia Medica） comes particularly close to the original ideas of Li Shizhen’s manuscript. However

it contains numerous textual errors.There are three types of mistakes: First

errors from the engraving process. Second

errors from the cited Zhenglei Bencao（ Verified and Categorized Materia Medica）

a major source for the Bencao Gangmu.Third

a few errors of Li Shizhen ’s own scholarly understanding and compilation. In order to reveal Li Shizhen’sorginal ideasand to correct the errors in Bencao Gangmu

this article analyses the specific examples of textual errors with the focused goal of selecting different measures for correction: Errors originating from the engraving process were corrected directly

and annotations in the form of footnotes were added; Errors from the Zhenglei Bencao were corrected with annotations on the basis of the current optimal edition of Zhenglei Bencao. As for errors of Li Shizhen’s scholarly understanding

the original text was not changed

but annotations were added in the form of footnotes explaining the views of the collators. These methods of collating and correcting the text help to preserve the original ideas of the author of the Bencao Gangmu while still ensuring the rectification of mistakes.