Chinese medicine: from rural hospitals to top three hospitals in Kyoto

The semi-finals were intense all day long, and that night, the judges worked through the night to grade the papers and assess the practical skills scores.

With his comprehensive and solid foundation, Zhuang Qiwen performed excellently in both the theoretical written test and the practical assessment. His overall score ranked first among the 500 participants in the Hanping competition area, and he won a spot in the finals without any suspense.

Although Zhuang Qiwen's old classmate Luo Junchao failed to enter the top 20, he still achieved a mid-to-upper-level result, which was a breakthrough for him.

When the list of the top 20 in the Hanping division was announced, another dark horse caused quite a stir - Yu Shiyun, a female TCM doctor without a medical license, actually advanced to the finals with an impressive fifth place overall!

The news not only sparked discussion in the Hanping competition area, but also quickly spread across the country via the internet.

"My God! Fifth place! Someone without a certificate is more capable than so many professionally trained experts and directors?"

"Don't be so sour, the results speak for themselves! It seems they really are capable!"

"Director Chen Yang has a sharp eye! He's the one who went against the grain to get his attention on Zhuang Qiwen and Yu Shiyun!"

"This is what a competition should be like! Meritocracy is the only measure of success!"

Of course, dissenting voices also exist, mainly focusing on the controversy surrounding Shi Yun's qualifications to practice medicine.

"Without a medical license, even if she achieves good results in competitions, does that mean she can legally practice medicine?"

"Won't this set a bad example? Will everyone just learn on their own instead of taking exams for degrees and qualifications?"

"Is the safety of her treatment guaranteed? After all, the competition is just a competition, and it is different from the real and complex clinical practice."

These controversies naturally reached Chen Yang's office at the Kyoto International Medical Center.

"Director Chen, there's a lot of discussion about Yu Shiyun online." Gao Anliang placed a public opinion briefing on Chen Yang's desk.

Chen Yang quickly glanced at the document, his expression calm: "Controversy is a good thing; it shows that people are paying attention. Truth becomes clearer through debate."

"Then...do we need to make some response or explanation to the outside world?" Gao Anliang asked.

"No need for now."

Chen Yang smiled and waved his hand: "The final is the key. We'll find out what she's made of once we get to Kyoto. Everyone's eyes will be on the final, and her true level will be tested under stricter scrutiny and wider attention. Nothing we say now is as good as her proving herself with her abilities then."

Chen Yang paused, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips: "Moreover, I believe that when she reaches the finals, the challenges and 'surprises' she will encounter will be far more exciting than these verbal battles we are currently engaged in."

Yu Shiyun's results were both unexpected and expected by Chen Yang.

It now seems that Yu Shiyun's level is definitely among the top ten on the Qingyun List. She is also a genius in traditional Chinese medicine, but because she does not have a medical license, she is not considered a doctor and has not been included in the system.

Just as the results of the semi-finals in various competition areas were being released one after another, and the top 100 contestants from across the country were gathering to prepare to head to Kyoto for the finals, some discordant notes began to emerge in the shadows.

Inside a private room at a private club in Kyoto.

Several well-dressed and distinguished middle-aged men were enjoying tea and chatting.

If anyone from within the medical system were present, they would certainly recognize that among those present were an official from the health system, a representative from a large pharmaceutical company, and one or two experts in the field of traditional Chinese medicine who were quite experienced but relatively conservative in their thinking.

"Hmph, Chen Yang has made quite a show of it this time."

A slicked-back, pot-bellied pharmaceutical representative took a sip of tea and said slowly, "'Yangshen Cup'? What a boastful tone. Now, all sorts of monsters and demons are popping up. That Zhuang Qiwen, a village doctor, I heard he's causing quite a stir in Yunzhou. And that Yu Shiyun, she doesn't even have a medical license, yet she's made it to the finals? Isn't this ridiculous!"

Another expert, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and looking like a scholar, chimed in: "What Mr. Wang said is true. Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes orderly inheritance and having a legitimate lineage. Breaking with convention and emphasizing so-called 'practical skills' while ignoring theoretical systems and norms will not be good for traditional Chinese medicine in the long run. It will easily allow charlatans and unorthodox practitioners to confuse people and tarnish the reputation of traditional Chinese medicine."

The health official pondered for a moment and said, "Chen Yang is young and ambitious, and his idea is good—to discover talent. But some rules cannot be broken easily. Especially medical qualifications; that's the bottom line, and it relates to patient safety. In Yu Shiyun's case, he really didn't think things through."

Pharmaceutical representative Mr. Wang sneered, "I think he's trying to establish his personal authority and build his own 'Yang Shen' faction, isn't he? I heard that the judging panel for this final is basically made up of people from his medical center and his faction. How can there be any fairness in that?"

"We can still exert some influence on the judging mechanism of the finals."

The official said slowly, "After all, the competition is co-organized by multiple parties, not just Chen Yang's dictatorship. We will propose to add several respected and principled senior experts to the judging panel to ensure the 'standardization' and 'security' of the assessment."

Yes! That's the right way!

President Wang chimed in, "We can't let some non-compliant and high-risk treatments be promoted. For example, Zhuang Qiwen, I heard he uses pretty strong medications, and Yu Shiyun, her family's folk remedies, it's hard to say whether they have any side effects. We need to pay special attention to these two during the finals."

They smiled at each other, and everything was said without words.

They represent a segment of vested interests and conservative forces within the healthcare system.

Chen Yang's rise and his advocacy of "appointing people based solely on their talents" and "breaking with convention" have inadvertently threatened their vested interests and established academic standing.

Similar undercurrents were quietly brewing in certain circles in Kyoto.

Even before the finals began, a contest over the development path of traditional Chinese medicine, talent standards, and even the right to speak on the subject had already quietly begun.

......

Director's Office, Kyoto International Medical Center.

Chen Yang stood by the window, gazing at the lush greenery in the garden below. Wen Manlu came over with a glass of warm water and handed it to him.

"The finals are coming up soon, are you feeling a lot of pressure?" Wen Manlu asked softly, her hand gently stroking her pregnant belly.

Chen Yang took the water glass, put his arm around his wife's shoulder, and smiled, "There's definitely pressure, but more than that, there's anticipation. This is a great opportunity to let truly talented TCM practitioners stand out, and to let more people see the diversity and vitality of TCM."

“I’ve heard that some people have quite a few complaints about the poetry competition, and even about Zhuang Qiwen.”

Wen Manlu said with some concern, "Will anyone deliberately make things difficult for us during the finals?"

Chen Yang smiled and said, "Clowns can be found everywhere. They are used to seniority and using rules and regulations to restrict talent. They can't stand things that break the rules."

As he spoke, Chen Yang turned around, his gaze sharp: "However, times are changing, and if traditional Chinese medicine wants to develop, it cannot be complacent. This competition is a platform for me to express my stance. I want everyone to see that true medical skills come from clinical practice and comprehension, not from a diploma or certificate."