A celebration of the achievements and the legacy of one of the most remarkable figures in Chinese medical history, Dr Yan Fuqing, and the impact he had on South Africa many decades ago, is coming to Johannesburg in November.
Dr Yan Fuqing (1882-1970) was a pioneer of modern healthcare in China. As a Chinese medical practitioner, civil servant, and educator, Dr Yan was not only the first Asian person to earn a medical doctorate from Yale University, but also the first cohort of professional doctors from China to provide ‘aid to Africa’.
The Yan Fuqing Memorial Exhibition will be held at the Adler Museum at WITS Medical School in Parktown, Johannesburg from 9 -12 November, featuring documents, letters, images, certificates and newspaper clippings, marking the first overseas event within a series of international exhibitions.
When Dr. Yan was a 22-year-old intern physician in 1904, he embarked on a journey of nearly 10,000 miles to South Africa, to help Chinese mining laborers languishing under deadly diseases in incredibly harsh living conditions. As a mine physician, he provided medical services to nearly ten thousand Chinese laborers recruited by the Qing Dynasty government. His experience as a mining physician in South Africa profoundly impacted him and solidified his lifelong commitment to serving the people.
“It is inconceivable how he could have completed such an arduous journey without noble morality and immense courage. Such courage propelled him through a life marked by trials and unwavering dedication. Moral courage may not unlock success, but it is a force far more admirable and worthy of pursuit, transcending differences in race, faith, or cultural background. Especially in challenging times, it serves as the sole and ultimate light of hope.
I hope, as visitors depart from the exhibition, they will share this profound sentiment,” says Wang Na, curator and producer of the exhibition.
Dr. Yan was also a founding father and the first dean of Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University 97 years ago. To change the tendency of foreigners’ dominance in China’s medical education and pioneer Chinese-initiated medical education, Yan, alongside a set of visionary individuals, founded China’s first National School of Medicine, which has since become Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, run by and for Chinese people.
“At the onset of his medical and educational endeavors, Dr. Yan emphasized a public health approach focused on ‘prevention first’ and outlined an ambitious blueprint for a Public Medical System.
His profound love for treating the people, stopping war-related deaths, and what he did for medical care in China and globally, still inspires every one of us at Shanghai Medical College to this day,” says Zhu Tongyu, vice-president of Shanghai Medical College Fudan University .
In 1909, Yan Fuqing was awarded the highest honor, cum laude, by Yale University for his outstanding academic performance and thesis. In the same year, he became a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
“Similar to the case in South Africa, Yan Fuqing is not a household name in China. Most visitors step into the exhibition hall with a sense of unfamiliarity but leave with profound emotions, awe and inspiration. Any phrase used to depict this humble pioneer’s historic contributions to modern Chinese medicine would not be an exaggeration, particularly considering he made these contributions during the most tumultuous and difficult decades of the last century,” says Wang.
This public exhibition, celebrating the life and legacy of Dr Yan Fuqing, will be open to the public from 9 – 12 November 2024 at the Adler Museum of Medicine in Parktown, Johannesburg. A fitting venue, the Adler Museum itself is remarkable private collection of medical and pharmacological memorabilia, with over 40 000 objects depicting the history of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy through the ages.
Following this inaugural showcase in South Africa, the exhibition will travel to the United Kingdom and the United States of America before the centennial anniversary celebration of Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University in 2027.
“As we approach the centennial anniversary, we bring to South Africa a celebration of the noble character, outstanding achievements, and immortal spirit of Dr. Yan as a pioneer of medical education,” says Wang.
For more information about this exhibition, please contact The Adler Museum on 011 717 2081 or email digital@highvolt.co.za.