Zhong Nanshan: Guardian of Life

Chapter 18 First Appearance

The study period is two years, but the [-] Chinese students have to go to Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College in West London to learn English for about three months.Although they had undergone intensive English training for one month before going abroad, they realized that the intensive training they received in China was far from enough when they arrived in the UK.

Zhong Nanshan was arranged to live with an old British lady.At first, Zhong Nanshan had difficulty even understanding what the British were saying.I can't even understand the words, let alone communicate with the British.At Ealing College, he formed study partners with international students from China.Some international students have a relatively good English level, so Zhong Nanshan practiced English with him.Zhong Nanshan decided to start with listening practice.Every night, he dedicated an hour to practicing listening.He listened to English tapes, listened to them over and over again, and then wrote down the English sentences he heard.If he really didn't understand, he asked others for advice.

His father, Zhong Shifan, had studied in the United States and had a solid foundation in English. He became Zhong Nanshan's most caring English teacher far away.Zhong Nanshan wrote to his father in English, and his father also replied in English.Every time he received his father's reply letter, Zhong Nanshan's heart warmed up.The family letter sent by my father from afar is very thick. It contains not only my father's reply letter, but also Zhong Nanshan's letter.Zhong Shifan marked and corrected all the grammar and spelling mistakes in Zhong Nanshan's letter with a red pen.Zhong Nanshan and Zhong Shifan communicated back and forth in English. Gradually, Zhong Shifan revised fewer and fewer red marks, and Zhong Nanshan's English level improved rapidly.This communication lasted for a year until Zhong Nanshan was able to use English flexibly.

While learning English, Zhong Nanshan was waiting for a reply from his tutor, Professor David Franley of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital[1].When he first came, he wrote to Professor Franley, expressing his admiration for his mentor and looking forward to meeting him.But after waiting for more than a month, the teacher's letter arrived, and the tone was indifferent.

"According to our British law, the qualifications of your Chinese doctors are not recognized. Therefore, you cannot diagnose diseases alone when you go to the hospital for further study. You are only allowed to see the laboratory or the ward as an observer. According to this situation, It is obviously too long for you to study with us for two years. You can only stay for eight months at most. It is not suitable for you or us for more than this period of time. You should contact the British Council as soon as possible and consider eight months. Where are you going after a month..."

Zhong Nanshan seemed to see the indifferent face of the tutor when he wrote the letter, and his heart suddenly turned cold.After traveling thousands of miles to the UK, Zhong Nanshan practiced English hard, always thinking about getting the scriptures as soon as possible.Before, he had expected that he would encounter many difficulties in England, but he never expected that the biggest difficulty would come from his mentor.The tutor questioned the professional level of Chinese medicine and did not welcome him at all.

Knowing that his mentor did not welcome him, Zhong Nanshan still bit the bullet and went to visit on the second day of the new year in [-].Professor Franley's attitude is really indifferent, as trustworthy as he is.

"Doctor Zhong, what do you want to do?" Professor Franley's tone was very direct and unceremonious.He was very skeptical of the level of Chinese doctors, and obviously regarded the Edinburgh Royal Hospital accepting Chinese doctors to study as a prosaic and incomprehensible thing.Zhong Nanshan silently endured the tutor's contempt and misunderstanding, and told the tutor about his idea of ​​coming here to study.He told his mentor that he came to the UK for the purpose of doing research, not just to be an observer.For the first time, the wise Franley felt the persistent pursuit of the Chinese in front of him, but he still told Zhong Nanshan to visit the laboratory first, participate in the ward rounds of his British colleagues, and wait a month before thinking about what to do.Zhong Nanshan believes that one day, he will let his mentor understand his determination and professional level.He is silently waiting for the opportunity.

Opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared.More than a month later, Zhong Nanshan met his tutor, Professor Franli, again in the classroom.Zhong Nanshan went forward to salute the instructor. Facing the sincere and firm-eyed Chinese in front of him, Professor Franley suddenly felt moved. He looked at Zhong Nanshan and asked, "Can you tell me about Chinese medicine?"

Without hesitation, Zhong Nanshan replied decisively: "OK!" He didn't know how he had such courage.He only knows: Teacher, if you ask me to speak, I will speak; if you give me a chance, I will do it!

After he agreed, he realized that there was only one month of preparation time. It was too difficult for him. Where did he start?Can he do it with his English level?Zhong Nanshan fought hard!Even if it's only for a month!He wished he could break 1 minute into two halves.

A month later, Zhong Nanshan's speech began, and the audience was full.

Zhong Nanshan made exquisite slides, and presented his carefully prepared "Chinese Medicine" courseware in front of everyone with pictures and texts.He started with traditional Chinese medicine, talked about the similarities between Chinese and Western medicine in respiratory medicine diagnostic methods, and mentioned that Chinese medicine is unique in judging whether a patient is hypoxic and acid-base balance by observing the patient's tongue color. He also explained the ancient Chinese traditional medicine acupuncture anesthesia.In this speech, all the research done by Zhong Nanshan at the Huyan Research Institute came in handy.At the end of the lecture, the audience burst into applause, and Zhong Nanshan's first appearance in front of his tutor and students of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital ended perfectly.

Zhong Nanshan’s "tongue color" diagnosis method and acupuncture anesthesia technique mentioned in his speech on "Chinese Medicine" in the Royal Hospital of Edinburgh have also obtained clinical evidence and been recognized by professors and colleagues.Although at the beginning, Zhong Nanshan encountered prejudice and neglect from his British counterparts at the Edinburgh Royal Hospital, when the British colleagues realized that Zhong Nanshan had real talents, they immediately broke the prejudice and gave him sincere trust and respect.

Zhong Nanshan's life in the Royal Hospital of Edinburgh is very difficult. Chinese students only have six pounds a month for living expenses.In order to save every coin, Zhong Nanshan walks to school every day to save subway money.He is self-reliant, cooks, cuts his own hair, and helps others. His cooking skills and haircutting skills have greatly improved, and later he was praised by everyone.Life was tight, but Zhong Nanshan's heart slowly relaxed.Little by little he won new confidence, new respect for himself in England.And he still has more important things to do. People who have pursuits in their hearts will not be trapped in the lack of material.

注释
[1] The Royal Hospital of Edinburgh, founded in 1729, is the earliest non-profit hospital in Scotland.It is now the teaching hospital of the University of Edinburgh Medical School.

(End of this chapter)