巴铁医生组队来湘拜师学艺
Six doctors traveled across mountains and seas from Pakistan to the banks of the Xiangjiang River, devoting six months to mastering traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Their greatest aspiration is to bring these skills back to their homeland and benefit their people.
Pakistani Doctors Team Up to Study TCM in Hunan
Introduction to the Character
Selected by the Health Department of Sindh Province, Pakistan, six clinical doctors have embarked on a six-month training program in TCM theory and clinical practice at the First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine.
The training of Pakistani TCM practitioners is one of the core tasks of the China-Pakistan TCM Center. As a governmental international cooperation platform co-established by China and Pakistan, the center has received continuous support from the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine since 2020. Co-led by Hunan University of Medicine and the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) at the University of Karachi, it has brought together nearly 20 institutions of higher education and pharmaceutical enterprises from both countries. The center undertakes the important responsibility of advancing the internationalization of TCM and safeguarding the health of people along the Belt and Road.
What They Said
After completing their studies and returning to their homeland, they will pass on the TCM knowledge they have acquired to more peers, actively explore new diagnostic and therapeutic technologies integrating traditional Chinese and Western medicine, bring TCM wisdom to more Pakistani people afflicted by illnesses, and nurture the seeds of China-Pakistan medical exchanges to take root and flourish.
The germination of a TCM seed dates back to 2019.
When Pakistani doctor Dabir Khan first set foot on the land of Huaihua, Hunan—accompanying the Health Minister of Sindh Province in his home country—his understanding of traditional Chinese medicine was merely vague. That changed when he walked into a local pharmaceutical factory: witnessing a variety of herbs and medicines on the assembly lines, especially the TCM product with remarkable efficacy in treating lung infections, left a profound impression on him.
Subsequently, Yinhuang Qingfei Capsules, a proprietary Chinese medicine developed in Hunan, completed a one-year clinical trial at a research center in Pakistan. Compared with antibiotic drugs, it was proven safe and effective for local populations. This tangible outcome transformed Dabir Khan’s curiosity about TCM into firm conviction.
Six years later, Dabir Khan has returned to Hunan. On August 11th, he and five other Pakistani doctors—all with Western medical backgrounds—embarked on a systematic training program in TCM theory and clinical practice in Changsha, exploring broader possibilities for the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.
The Science Behind the Strength
On August 22nd, the "Autumn Tiger" blazed fiercely, leaving the weather unusually sweltering. In the Orthopedics Department of the First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, a unique fragrance of Chinese fir lingered in the air. Associate Chief Physician Gong Zhixian placed a 1-meter-long piece of Chinese fir bark horizontally on the table, pressed the knife vertically along the grain, cut it into strips of more than 10 centimeters, then gently shaved off the rough outer layer with the blade... The six students watched intently, mimicking every movement, as fine beads of sweat formed on their foreheads.
Soon, several fir wood splints of equal length were ready. Though unassuming, they were Gong Zhixian’s "magic weapon" for treating fractures. In his consulting room, fractures of the ulna, radius, humerus, and other arm bones require no surgery—with a gentle pull, a push, and the support of a few fir splints, displaced bones can be precisely reset. This trauma-free manipulation has been a revelation for the Pakistani students.
"In Pakistan, I have seen too many patients tormented by neck pain, back pain, and joint pain. Some can barely walk due to the agony, while others even suffer from deformities," said Mazhar Ali, a doctor with a PhD in Rehabilitation Science and Physical Therapy and 20 years of clinical experience, his voice heavy with concern. He admitted that while acupuncture, joint mobilization, and massage are practiced in Pakistan, "most treatments only address symptoms, not the root causes—treating the head when the head aches, and the foot when the foot hurts."
Before coming to Changsha, he had heard that TCM techniques were fundamentally different, so he was determined to make this study trip to China a reality.
The combination of "tradition and precision" was particularly evident in the class on rotational traction manipulation. Dr. Duan Jiahao, an orthopedic physician at the hospital who led the session, patiently broke down every detail of the movements for the students.
For the students, the greatest challenge was mastering the "degree" of force. "In practical application, every patient has a different constitution and condition—you have to rely on tactile sense and experience," Dr. Duan explained, acknowledging their confusion. "That’s why repeated practice is essential: starting with models, then practicing on each other, until you gradually find that 'just right' feeling."
During the class, the students crowded around him, pressing for specifics: "What exactly should the hand gesture be?" "How much preload force is sufficient?" "Is this strength and speed appropriate?" Dr. Duan answered each question in detail, drawing on real clinical cases.
Inheritance at the Fingertips
For the Pakistani students, besides TCM bone-setting techniques, the wonders of acupuncture and tuina (Chinese medical massage) have also captivated them deeply.
At the Acupuncture, Tuina and Rehabilitation Center of the First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, 39-year-old Mr. Liu, a stroke patient with hemiplegia, was wheeled into the ward. Five months after his stroke, he still suffered from hemiplegia and had recently come to the center for TCM treatment.
Professor Lou Bidan, Director of the hospital’s Acupuncture, Tuina and Rehabilitation Center, took the students to the ward. With Mr. Liu’s consent, Lou began a hands-on teaching session.
"You can see that due to excessive muscle tone, the patient’s fingers are stiff in a clenched fist and hard to straighten and open. I will now use filiform needles to stimulate three acupoints: Daling, Hegu and Houxi," Lou explained in detail as he performed the procedure, inserting the fine silver needles into the acupoints quickly and gently.
Lifting, thrusting and twirling the needles... As the needles worked on the acupoints, the patient’s tightly clenched right hand soon relaxed, and his palm softened.
"Everyone must note that when the needles are in place, avoid any excessive movement of the joints and limbs to prevent needle sticking or bending," Lou reminded them carefully.
Nodding in understanding, the students jotted down notes quickly in their notebooks and even recorded the entire process with their phones, with the cameras clearly capturing the angle of needle insertion and the subtle changes in the patient’s palm.
After days of intensive study, Irshad Ali has developed a systematic understanding of the human acupoint system and its extensive knowledge. Three months ago, he resolved to come to China to study TCM, and now he says with sincere emotion: "This trip has been well worth it."
In one class, the acupuncture bronze figure model Lou Bidan brought for teaching immediately caught all the students’ attention. With this model, they could not only observe acupoint distribution intuitively, but also touch and locate the points with their own hands and conduct simulated practice, greatly boosting their learning efficiency.
Irshad Ali plans to take this teaching tool embodying Chinese wisdom back to his homeland upon his return, so that more of his fellow countrymen can experience the charm of TCM.
Exploration in the Prescriptions
Every physician knows this well in their professional growth: the first hurdle to overcome is the mental barrier. For instance, when performing procedures such as puncture and acupuncture, a trembling hand is inevitable the first time one holds a needle. The fear of inflicting harm can easily turn into a heavy psychological burden.
"We usually advise the trainees to write their first TCM prescription for one another," noted Huang Yitao, Director of the Postgraduate Medical Education Center at the First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine. The prescription might be a formula for soothing the nerves and improving sleep, or it could involve tuina or acupuncture to relieve a peer’s neck and shoulder aches. How does one treat a close friend? It is both a practical test of professional competence and a mental breakthrough and growth experience.
In addition to such targeted practical sessions, the training program adopts a model of one month of intensive hands-on training plus five months of clinical rotation, helping the physicians steadily build up their clinical reasoning and procedural skills.
"The six of us are just the beginning," said Dabir Khan. He hopes to pass on the knowledge he has gained to more colleagues upon returning to Pakistan, "to become a trainer for other doctors and expand our impact like a snowball." He is also optimistic about China-Pakistan cooperation in more fields: "Besides continuing clinical drug trials, we hope to introduce Chinese nutritional supplements to support malnourished children and pregnant women—these are all in urgent demand in Pakistan."
Mazhar Ali, on the other hand, plans to deeply integrate what he has learned into his own teaching and research work. Drawing on years of clinical research experience, he aims to develop a new set of techniques combining Western and TCM therapies—ones that can not only be taught to his students, but also truly help patients plagued by neck pain, joint disorders and other ailments.
He also spoke candidly about the main challenge he currently faces: the language barrier. "TCM originated in China, and much of its profound knowledge is embedded in classical Chinese texts. Experts’ shared experiences are also rooted in a unique cultural context," he said earnestly. "That is why I must strive to master Chinese. Only then can I comprehend the wisdom in classical Chinese texts, grasp the profound implications of the teachers’ lectures more thoroughly, and master the essence of TCM at its source."
Tan Hu, Party Secretary of the First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, stated that since 2015, the hospital has held 25 foreign aid training courses, attracting more than 500 trainees from 25 countries. Meanwhile, the hospital has repeatedly sent experts to conduct academic exchanges in Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, Dubai and other countries and regions. It has actively responded to the Belt and Road Initiative, contributing to the global advancement of TCM.
The six Pakistani doctors’ journey of learning TCM is still unfolding. They are not only enthusiastic seekers of knowledge, but also bear the mission of bringing TCM wisdom back to their motherland and benefiting their people. This learning journey across mountains and seas has virtually bridged the gap between China and Pakistan, and the TCM seeds sown by them will nurture deeper friendship and hope for health.
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