'People's Hero' shows Chinese virtues in TCM work

Treating patients and giving lectures at universities are normal tasks for Zhang Boli, 72, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

On Sept 8, he was given the national honorary title "People's Hero" for his outstanding contributions to the country's fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

He said the honorary title feels "too heavy for one person to bear" and that the honor really belongs to all 42,000 medical personnel who rushed to support Wuhan, Hubei province as well as the wider province itself.

During the pandemic, he led a team of experts in traditional Chinese medicine to help the metropolis pull through its worst time.

As TCM's efficacy was supported by clinical results, Zhang has shared his team's experience with medical professionals in other countries via online platforms and video conferences.

China has shared TCM therapies, prescriptions and clinical experience in tackling COVID-19 with more than 80 countries and regions, according to the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

"We are always open to sharing our experience," Zhang said. "I hope TCM can help more people worldwide."

After his return from Beijing, Zhang resumed his regular treatment of patients at the hospital on Sept 9. Patients had been scheduled to visit him a day earlier, but those appointments were postponed because of the award ceremony.

Jiang Feng, a doctor at the Baokang Hospital affiliated with the university, said many people admire Zhang because of his traditional Chinese virtues. He recalled Zhang saying that a commitment to good deeds and dedication to benevolence are the basic requirements for a TCM doctor.

Jiang said that when Zhang returned, he didn't slow down. He continued working at the hospital, receiving 30 patients in a three-hour window of time every day.

Guo Yi, dean of the university's TCM Institute, said, "Zhang is keenly interested in learning the latest things. He was trying to acquire photography skills to take pictures of patients' tongues, which are important for TCM diagnosis."

Zhang thought hiring a professional photographer to take the photos was too expensive, so he tried it himself.

Moreover, Zhang appreciate Chinese poetry and would write a poem to record impressive moments, Guo said. During his days in Wuhan, Zhang wrote dozens of poems to encourage his patients and colleagues to fight the pandemic.